Advanced reservations for Colosseum if using Roma Pass?

Posted by Kathy (Houston, TX) on 04/12/16 03:35 AM

We are scheduled to arrive in Rome about 8:00 a.m. next Wednesday, April 20. We are planning to see the Colosseum/Roman Forum/Capitoline Hill/Pantheon, etc. that afternoon. Do I need to make reservations if we are using the Roma Pass? I do have reservations the next day (Thursday) for the Borghese Gallery and the Twilight Eating Tour in Trastevere, and the Vatican on Friday.

I am so excited about my first trip to Italy and thank you so much for the advice and recommendations you have given me!

Kathy (from Houston)

Posted by Betty

Lahaina, HI

04/12/16 04:01 AM

74 posts

Hi Kathy,
I visited Rome in 2013 and purchased the Roma Pass - from what I recall, there was a separate line for pass holders. We got in rather quickly. I went during June and it was warm - they don't sell anything, so you may want to carry a water bottle. In the Pantheon there are drinking spigots with fresh water to refill your container. (A hint I remembered from Rick) Enjoy!

Posted by Kathy OP

Houston, TX

04/12/16 04:04 AM

116 posts

Thanks, Betty - I am just hesitate to reserve anything for the first day due to possible travel delays or jet lag.

Posted by Kathy

Minnesota 🎒

04/12/16 08:46 AM

16762 posts

Kathy, there really aren't any "reservations" for general admission at the Colosseum/Palatine/Forum. It's possible to pre-purchase tickets - which you don't need with the Roma Pass - which are good for 2 consecutive days any time within this calendar year but otherwise, reserved times are only needed only for guided tours. So no, you don't have to do anything but show up with your (active) passes.

The Pantheon is free: no tickets or passes needed.

Pre-purchased admission tickets, tours and Roma Passes allow one to skip the ticket lines but not security-check queues. There's no way around those.

Rome is great: have a ton of fun!!!!

Posted by donna

Pa and Italy

04/12/16 11:20 AM

4152 posts

Hi Kathy, the romapass is you ticket so all you need do is show up and let the guard know you'll be using it for entry. He'll direct you to the proper line.

Donna

Posted by Kathy OP

Houston, TX

04/12/16 06:56 PM

116 posts

Thanks everyone! I was hoping that we could just "show up" so we can relax and do what we feel up to doing after the long flight.

I so appreciate the help of the people on this forum!

Posted by Laurel

Forest Grove, OR

04/13/16 04:36 AM

11852 posts

Kathy,
In the past with a Roma Pass, it was easy to skip-the-line, meaning you went right through to Security without a stop at the ticket window. We were there a couple of weeks ago for the first time in 2 or 3 years, and the "skip-the-line" line was 60-90 minutes long! Security is much tighter these days and only the guided tours got in relatively "fast" with about a 20-30 minute wait by mid-to-late morning. A tour guide friend confirmed for me that it is slower these days.

You can sign up on-the-spot with one of the free-lancers touring their services. Prices range from Euro 18 to Euro 25 per person for that, but you get in without the horrendous wait.

Maybe you will be lucky and it will be a quiet day at the Colosseo, but be prepared and think about your options.