Hi,
i wonder if the bus from Colosseum to St John Lateran would be having a long queue on 24th Dec later in the afternoon? is there any trusted Rome's public transport website w/ schedules and direction of which bus or train i should take? so far i just rely on gmaps and it tells me to take bus #85 & 87 from Colosseo bus station right in front of the Metro.
i also read that there's no order of queuing, people just shove themselves to the bus whether they come sooner or later. is this true?
TIA
Unless a physical disability is an issue, it's may be quicker to walk than to take a bus. It's a straight shot east from the Colosseum on Via di San Giovanni in Laterano, only 1.4 km. It took us less than 20 minutes.
If you walk that route, you can visit Ludus Magnus and Basilica di San Clemente along the way.
While it's true that there is no line up to get on the bus, people won't just shove you out of the way. The doors open, people get off, people get on. You may end up standing but as long as there's room you can get on.
Donna
The company running Rome's buses and trams is ATAC and their website has a planner.
http://www.atac.roma.it/?lingua=ENG
You are traveling at a very busy time. Expect crowds. Buses will be no exception. Timetables are available there. In normal times the buses don't often hit the timetables exactly but are often somewhat close. People will use all doors on the bus. Have your ticket before you get on. Protect yourself and your mother from pickpockets who will be looking for their Christmas money.
Ditto to all of the above but I would walk it; it's not that far, and probably quicker than messing around with a bus.
(Yes, I've walked it).
And you mean on the 23rd and not the 24th? I thought you were doing the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine on the 23rd, and the 24th was taken up with the Holy Door, basilica, Vatican Museums and Christmas Eve service at the Vatican?
It's an easy walk or even a short cab ride.
Tram #3 (green line) does this journey, 4 stops from Colosseo to Porta San Giovanni.
Hi All,
thanks so much for the input. I'd bring my mum along so I think it's better to take the bus especially in winter otherwise i'd walk it too.
Hi Nigel
thanks for the pickpocket reminder. yes we could never get relax with crowds in Rome. i got that ATAC website too before but i find it not user friendly or is it just me. once we set the route planner, it'd direct you to another page with a map which i have no idea how to look at. if i change the language to English, it doesn't want to work either.
Hi Kathy,
the vatican would be on the 23rd since st peter's would likely to be closed on the 24th. so i change the colosseum and surrounding to the 24th. so i plan to finish the Colosseum and surrounding until 6pm then start heading to vatican....if i get the entrance ticket (which by now i believe it's a very slim chance). then how to get back to hotel after that is another problem to me as my hotel is around Termini and it's around 1hr walk from St Peter's >_< finding a cab might be a miracle during those hours.
Hi djp_syd
thanks for the tram info. but does the tram ticket the same w/ the bus and train? i just read it roughly that there are day/s passes for the bus and train but it doesn't mention for the tram. so that's why i don't look for the tram route.
the tram is the same tickets as the bus. Comfy, frequent and fast.
Regarding transit after Christmas Eve Mass…
I'd love Donna, Zoe, Nigel or others of the crack Rome team to confirm here but I'm seeing some vague-ish reports of just about all public transit shutting down at 9:00 PM? My normal advice for non-walkers would be to jump the metro from Ottaviano to Termini but I can't get a solid bead on what'll be operating after eve mass.
Same vague-ish reports for Christmas Day: metro running only from 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM, and buses from 8:00 AM to 1 PM and 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM.
There is a big taxi stand at the entrance to Piazza San Pietro (unless it's been moved for security reasons), taxi drivers know when special events end and plenty of them are there, waiting.
Hi Jeff,
just additional info in regards to Basilica San Clemente as if i have enough time, I might visit as well. on the 24th , the church and excavation only opens from 9am - 12.30pm w/ last admission at 12pm.
Hi Nigel
thanks for confirming that
Hi Kathy
you mean all public transport during 24th Dec Christmas Eve shuts down at 9pm? the Metro would be the most convenient and cheapest method to get back to the hotel but i think even in normal days, the one from Ottaviano to Termini doesn't operate until late at night. I look at gmaps and only buses options available too if we got back at 12am. Thanks heaps for the 25th Dec info, it doesn't matter if it's still vague, it makes me aware of it so i could plan my itinerary more carefully. it doesn't cross my mind at all that they'd stop briefly in the afternoon. i thought that they'd operate throughout the day but w/ lesser schedules. i'll try to email atac and hopefully get a response and will update it here
EDIT: Dear, I think that 25th Dec public transport info is accurate. i browsed another travelers forum and it's been widely discussed there too. i double checked w/ gmaps and put 2pm windowtime and the only option is on foot. thanks so much for the info. now i'm confused of which piazza to start firsthand
Hi Zoe,
thanks for that information. now i know where to go to straight after the Mass :)
