Colosseum - Coopculture frustration

Hi Sue,
You and I were both trying to get tickets this morning. I was not able to find availability for 5 on any of our dates, I was only able to find 1 slot for any of my dates. The website was EXTREMELY slow and it crashed often because of all of the users trying to get those tickets at the same time. I also tried calling, lots of busy signals but I was able to get through 3 times, each time I sat on hold listening to the message for about 5 minutes then I was suddenly disconnected.

Taking a hint from another user who posted a while ago and the fact that we really wanted to see the underground (we've already seen the main floor a few years back before the underground was open). I opted to get the Spanish speaking tour. There were plenty of available times and I was able to get my 5 tickets.

There are plenty of audio guides and written information out there that I feel we will still have a good time on the tour, two of my kids are taking Spanish right now so maybe they can help as well.

Also if you really want the English tour, it looks like they will be releasing more tickets on June 6, please see quote from the website below. Our trip is in July so I didn't want to wait and take a chance of not getting any tickets.

Every first Thursday of the month: June 6th at 3 pm (italian time): The pre-sale for the underground, the belvedere and the combined underground belvedere tour, in the monthly availability for July will be released online only.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! Thanks for sharing your experience. I happen to have about 8 tickets in my cart, but varying dates and times! I'm going to try the Spanish tour. What days are you traveling to Rome?

Update...Just bought three tickets for the Spanish tour. It was quick, easy, and available. So grateful for your suggestion!!

I'm sure there were thousands of people just as frustrated as we were. We're arriving in Rome on July 20 and departing on the 26th. We purchased tickets for July 21.

Good luck and let me know how it goes.

I'm glad you were able to find available tickets on the Spanish tour. What dates are you traveling to Rome?

I'm grateful to have been able to find these tickets for 91E versus 500E from a private tour.

Sue, not sure what happened in your case but the website does bog down/crash on days like today when they release a bunch of underground/Belvedere tours...which can't be booked over the phone, only online, so it's pretty much chaos.

If you wanted just "ordinary entrance" tickets, those went on sale Tuesday and Wed. at 3:00 P.M. Rome time, and the Underground/Belvedere tours went on sale today at 3:00 PM Rome time.

A suggestion?
Take a look at tickets for the 45-minute Colosseum tours in English. For some reason these tend to be overlooked and so can still be available when other tickets are not. They do not include the underground or Belvedere but the price is right, gets you in at a specific time, and you can stay inside the colosseum as long as you wish after your tour is over. Your ticket also includes entry to the Palatine and Forum. This tour is not available for July yet but should be very soon.

https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=E6A1B5B3-BFDA-AC94-6929-0161B2E3A0C0&catalogid=BDB46B8C-0C49-10F2-6036-0167A8502B26&lang=en

You mentioned needing one "reduced" ticket? Those are restricted to EU members between 18 and 25 years old so I'm guessing that's not what you want. Adult tickets for this tour+entry ticket are € 19,00. Tour + free entry tickets for children 17-12 are € 7,00, and 2.00€ for under 12.

If interested, there's also a 3-hour guided tour which includes the Palatine and Forum: 29.00€ per adult; 17.00€ for 17-12 and 2.00€ for under 12 (ignore the prices on the main page: they're wrong. They'll show up when you actually go to the booking page). These also are not yet available for July but should be soon. As above, it doesn't include the Underground or Belvedere.

https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=1990DED7-D72E-516C-08E7-0167AD400F20&catalogid=2F8EF726-70BF-DF02-7F29-0167AD4A65AB&lang=en

EDIT: looks like you booked the Spanish tour while I was typing. Still, be SURE that you didn't book a "reduced" tour if your child isn't a E.U. citizen. I'll leave this post up in case it might help someone else!

I very much appreciate all of the suggestions!! I have an update to my update:

After reading your suggestions, I revisited the website armed with a few more ideas. I had four tickets in my cart for the Spanish tour but my family said they would prefer that I find something else, so back to the website I went, fully expecting to delete the Spanish tour and have no other options. To my surprise, there were tickets available for the English underground tour! I have no idea if I overlooked these or if there were cancellations. Maybe like me, people had tickets lingering in their cart that they didn't intend on using. We wanted to include the Panoramic tour but I'm grateful for what we have. We'll be in Rome from July 4th through the 10th, and are visiting the Colosseum on the 8th. I am so glad we have tickets now, to the Colosseum. Thanks everyone!

So happy to see your post. I am totally frustrated with trying to get any of the tickets for our July 17th visit. I have tried each day they release different tickets to get anything with no luck. Might try the Spanish option.

I would think when they release the tickets, they would have thousands available for each day so seems strange nothing is available. Wonder if they are letting all the tour operators have them before individuals.

Something does not seem right. Getting the Vatican tickets was pretty easy.

Kathy, I did in fact buy a reduced fare ticket. I am worried now that my 17 yo son will not get in. I revisited the site and it states (cut and paste from website) “FREE. Citizens under 18 years old from European Union and no-EU countries.”

Did I interpret this incorrectly? It seems clear but maybe I’m reading it out of context. It’s on the Colosseum information page. I hope I don’t have to try and tackle that website again to buy another ticket!

JOANNE, I feel your pain! I agree; Vatican was a piece of cake compared to this. Keep checking the dates and look at the advice above, regarding release of more tickets in early June.

Sue, reduced tickets and free tickets are not the same thing but don't panic.

All visitors under the age of 18 are entitled to free entry tickets to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine.

E.U. citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 years old are entitled to reduced entry tickets.

Tours have a price for visitors over the age of 11. For booking the English underground tour....

https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=7F92A2ED-7C0B-A61F-649D-016524395482&catalogid=F4C3D833-DD3A-CA7F-4D7B-0167A8418A21&lang=en

...you should have chosen the "free entrance ticket + guided tour € 9,00" ticket for your 17 year-old, not the "reduced entrance ticket € 2,00 + guided tour € 9,00" option. Which one did you buy?

Joanne, tickets for the underground/panoramic tours do largely sell out within hours of becoming available. It's the tickets that (it seems) everyone wants, and no, to my knowledge they don't release them to the 3rd-party guide services early. We're told even those 3rd party companies can't get their hands on them sometimes, thus some tour cancellations. Personally, I'd try to land one of the 45-minute/3 hour tours in English versus a tour in Spanish that you won't understand? While they don't access either area, you can see down into the underground very well from above, the time tours spend down there down there isn't reported to be all THAT long, and you get the same info on it with tours which don't access that area. Belvedere? There are other high-spots-with-a-view in Rome, Worst case, just buy "ordinary entrance" tickets (which sell out fast enough) and use you own guidebook/audioguide.

Thanks again Kathy. I bought the reduced fare ticket. Paid $13. Not sure what the $13 encompasses but it’s $10 less than the the adult tickets which came to $23 each.

Hi SueSD,
No worries on buying the wrong type of ticket. The Coop Culture website (along with many others in Italy) state that if you buy a lesser priced ticket than you should you have, you just have to make up the difference. Since you paid more for your ticket than you had to, there shouldn't be a problem.

Whew! Thanks Kathy!

Trying one more time, Sue....

Colosseum/Forum/Palatine ticket are priced in euros (€) and not U.S. dollars.

https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=7F92A2ED-7C0B-A61F-649D-016524395482&catalogid=F4C3D833-DD3A-CA7F-4D7B-0167A8418A21&lang=en

The adult entry ticket + underground guided tour + 2€reservation fee is 23 €.

A free entry ticket + tour + 2€ reservation fee for minors of any citizenship under age 18 and over age 11 is 11 €.

The REDUCED entry ticket + tour + 2€ reservation fee is 13€

As stated before, REDUCED tickets are only available to E.U. citizens between 18 and 25 years old. You should have purchased the free ticket+tour+ reservation for 11 €. I will say not to panic because if you purchased the reduced ticket in error - as it sounds like you have - you've paid 2 euro more than you should have for the correct ticket so they'll probably let it go at the entrance (don't expect a 2€ refund). As mrm1111 stated above, you'll probably be fine.

But as your son is very close to age 18, be SURE to have his passport along as I'm sure they'll check it both for age and citizenship if his ticket is the REDUCED sort. Have yours along as well.

Sorry to flog this horse but it's important for others referencing this thread for their own trips that they fully understand the different ticket options. I've seen tourists purchase reduced tickets who really needed the FULL type and so would be rejected at the entrance. :O(

Joanne,
According to the latest statistics over 7.4 million tourists visit the Colosseum each year. In simple math that equates to over 20k visitors a day without taking into account fluctuations of high tourist season. You can only imagine how may people are on that website on a daily basis trying to buy the least expensive tours available.

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble, according to the Coop Culture website they will be releasing more tickets in June.

MONTHLY OPENING
Every first Tuesday of the month :
June 4th at 3 pm (italian time): The pre-sale of tickets with scheduled entrance time for the ordinary access of the Colosseum, of tickets with scheduled entrance time to the Coliseum arena, in the monthly availability for July 2019 will be released both online and through the call center.

July 2nd at 3 pm (italian time): The pre-sale of tickets with scheduled entrance time for the ordinary access of the Colosseum, of tickets with scheduled entrance time to the Coliseum arena, in the monthly availability for August 2019 will be available both online and through the call center.

Every first Thursday of the month:
June 6th at 3 pm (italian time): The pre-sale for the underground, the belvedere and the combined underground belvedere tour, in the monthly availability for July will be released online only.

July 4th at 3 pm (italian time): The pre-sale for the underground, the belvedere and the combined underground belvedere tour, in the monthly availability for August will be released online only.

I hope you find this helpful!

Thank you for this detail Kathy. You really took the time to help me and others understand. My son has a driver’s license, two passports, a school ID, and an International School ID. I hope he’s covers! ;D

My son has a driver’s license, two passports, a school ID, and an
International School ID. I hope he’s covers! ;D

Goodness! He doesn't need to carry ALL of that! :O)
His U.S. passport (if he has 2, what is his 2nd citizenship?) is his official ID when traveling in Italy. His school ID could serve as a 2nd backup if has a photo on it.

He has both the US card and booklet passports. Interestingly, we are looking into applying for dual citizenship for our sons (Italia). Next time around, we will have an easier time of it. Thanks again!