How long does it take to get from the bus #118 stop at Piramide in Rome to the catacombs? How long to get back? How long does it usually take to stand in line and get tickets for a tour? We are going in July.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Got to go check my notes but think the Piramide stop is long ways away. Don't think that is correct. Tickets for the tour on a Sunday was five minutes and another ten minute wait for the tour to start. I will be back.
Posted by
The Hague, NL (AMS)
2207 posts
I guess it depends on which catacombs you are headed to. I've used the #118 bus to head to the Catacombs of San Callisto and the Catacombs of St. Sebatisan. But I usually jump on the 118 bus at the Circo Massimo stop. From there, it's about 12-15 minutes out to the first catacombs. As Frank says, often when you arrive, the "tours" are forming up. The longest we've waited was perhaps 20 minutes. Avoid going on a Sunday as the area is open to pedestrian traffic only in certain sections. Also, do read the Catacombs of St. Sebatisan link because getting BACK on the 118 bus from this catacomb can be a little tricky. You DO NOT want to get on the 118 bus just beside the catacombs as you'll ending riding to the end of the route (I've made this 45 minute mistake).
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
If you go on a Sunday you also need to take into account the limited bus schedule. We ended up waiting for a full hour before we caught a bus going back into town. Should have taken a taxi instead. But in the end, it was just one of those experiences that you keep on talking about years later ;-) Here's a photo of us waiting for the bus: http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8d924b3127ccec4df022a638400000040O00AbtG7do2YuWIPbz4E/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
Posted by
San Clemente, Ca.
408 posts
If you could only pick one catacomb to see which one would you pick? I want to visit one but it is hard to decide which one to see. I will be in Rome Easter week. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
Darla, pick the one where the opening hours fit best into your schedule of all the sightseeing you're doing. They have all different days they are open: www.catacombe.roma.it/en/info.html
Posted by
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
58 posts
We were at San Sebastiano last April. Getting the tickets didn't take long but it did seem like a long wait for the tour (maybe because the weather was a bit cold and rainy it may have seemed longer than it was). I think we must have waited at least 30 minutes for a tour because the tours were arranged by language and there happened to only be 4 English speaking people waiting (us and 2 American nuns). We watched while many other groups went ahead of us, until finally someone explained why it was taking so long. On the plus side, it was a very private tour.