Colosseum tickets - open v scheduled entrance time

Hi Debbie -
The ability to buy a general-entry ticket for a particular time slot is a VERY new thing, just in the last week or two, and the website states that...

Tickets purchased can not be reimbursed or moved to another date or to
another time slot on the same day.

So yes, according to that, your ticket would be invalid if you miss your time slot, and no, you couldn't use it later in the day. If you're worried about not making it there at a particular time, then purchase the "open" ticket. That one allows skipping of the longest line (ticket purchasing) but not the security check queue (no one can skip that one).

Putting anything in concrete for an arrival day is always a bit of a risk, should a flight be significantly delayed, cancelled or whatnot. As your "open" ticket would be valid anytime you can get to the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine during your time in Rome, it's your safest option.

It'll be interesting to see what impact the new time-slotted reservation option has on the entry queues.

Thanks Kathy 😊

I didn’t see that bit you quoted about the ticket not being able to transfer to a different time or day- but that is pretty clear!!

Thank you, I will definitely go ahead and purchase the open ticket then.

Also, I guess, that means if everything goes extra well on my arrival to Rome and I end up getting there a bit earlier than I anticipated, I won’t have to wait around for my specific time slot, either.

It WILL be interesting to see what eventually happens with these new time slots - whether in the future, time slots will be compulsory for prebookings. It seems to already be the case for a lot of Florence attractions.

I would get the ROMA Pass. it allows you to get into security line immediately whenever you arrive. Also, depending on which pass you get, at least two of those admissions will be free, over thecourse of 48 or 72 hours, and transportation is covered throughout the city.

Debbie, in case you wanted to double-check the text about refunds/changes and whatnot, this is the page I copy-pasted it from:

http://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=91E7ECEB-72EF-CDE9-62B5-016199B7974F&catalogid=3889EF36-2CC0-CF78-0B93-0161B2D3F069&lang=en

I'm so-so on the Roma Pass. We've needed to take public transport very rarely in Rome, and you can bypass the same ticket lines with pre-purchased attraction tickets - as you're looking at doing for the Colosseum - as you can with the pass. The one or two "free" attraction entrances provided with a 48 or 72-hour Roma Pass are not technically free but covered in the price of the card. Whether the math works depends on how often you'll take the buses and/or metro in Rome, and whether you want to take advantage of discounts on other attractions covered by the card.

The Roma Pass does not cover the Vatican Museums or transport to/from the airports. If using the pass for Galleria Borghese, you are still required to make reservations in advance, and by phone.

"For reservations to the Borghese Gallery and/or Domus Romane/Palazzo Valentini, please call +39 06 32810 (open Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm – Saturdays, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm). Bookings can be made directly from the visitor’s home country, even before purchasing the card."

The two attractions with long ticket queues you want to avoid are the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums. St Peter's - which is free - can have long security queues as well but they move along pretty smartly.

Yeah - I did the math for using a Roma pass instead and, for the sights I want to see, it works out about even.

And given that I DO want to see the Borghese Gallery - and would much rather book my reservation online than by phone (I have this little phobia of the cost of international toll calls - not to mention I much prefer to have a paper trail) it actually seems easier to book everything individually.

I’ve heard some of the queues are awful - my boss did all she could to talk me out of going to the Vatican!! - but I’d so regret if I didn’t go!! - I can always leave if the crowds are really too much for me 😊

I’m still 50/50 on buying a tranport pass. Like you Kathy, I’d prefer to walk wherever possible - it just seems you soak up so much more atmosphere in foot, while public transport is always overcrowded, noisy and stressful. Of course there’s times it’s unavoidable - but where I have the choice, I’d always prefer to walk.

Like you Kathy, I’d prefer to walk wherever possible - it just seems
you soak up so much more atmosphere in foot

Amen, Debbie, and Rome is a TERRIFIC city to experience from the sidewalks! It's really easy to just stop by newsstands or tabacchi and buy a couple of single-ride BIT tickets to tuck away for when you might want them. Just remember to validate them when boarding a bus or going thru the turnstiles for the metro.

And yep, you can just make your reservation for the Borghese online if you're not using the Roma Pass. That's such a great museum; really glad you're going to make time for that one.

Editing to add: always hang onto your validated public-transit ticket until after your journey is completed.

Just note that if you look at the opening times on the website for the Roman Forum it says "the ticket office closes one hour before". It doesn't say this for the Colosseum but this may be an omission. I take this to mean a last-entry time. So, you may need to take this into account. It could be a problem if you needed to collect a ticket on site after skipping the line. It might also be true if you have a ticket with a barcode.