Colosseum tour tickets

Yes but you'll have to purchase a general-entry ticket as well - you can do that at the same time you buy your tour - and you'll use that to enter for your tour at whatever time you booked it for. Be there 30 - 45 minutes early to get through security.

If I buy the Belvedere/arena tour

There isn't a coopculture guided tour which includes just the Belvedere and arena areas but you'll be free to explore the general-public areas inside the colosseum after your tour. I'll refer you back to one of your previous posts:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/colosseum-tours-confused

Just to clarify, if I buy the Belvedere/underground should I buy the entrance ticket separately before June 1st or do I have a specific time for the your? I’m just worried that if I don’t get that tour, which I can’t book till the first Monday in June, that I will end up with having to do after 2pm. Can I buy the entrance now and then just pay for the tour part that first Monday?
Sorry to be so confusing. Just want to make sure I get that I need to

Just to clarify, if I buy the Belvedere/underground should I buy the entrance ticket separately before June 1st or do I have a specific time for the your? I’m just worried that if I don’t get that tour, which I can’t book till the first Monday in June, that I will end up with having to do after 2pm. Can I buy the entrance now and then just pay for the tour part that first Monday?
Sorry to be so confusing. Just want to make sure I get that I need to

Can I buy the entrance now and then just pay for the tour part that
first Monday?

Yes, you could do that. If you land a Belvedere/Underground tour, that tour will be at a specific time so you'll want to save your single entry to the colosseum with your open ticket for that. But if you can't get a tour, an open ticket purchased before June 1 can be used any time, any day the arena is open.

Ok,now I am confused ! Last poster said if we buy Colosseum tickets before June 1st we can enter any time of the day but after June 1st the time would be after 2 pm ? We are arriving around 1 pm to Rome - staying near that area.So,if I buy before June 1st we could enter at say 1:30 ? Or are they only referring to that Belvedere tour ?

Any "open" entry ticket bought before June 1 will allow you to visit at any time on any date you wish. The rules for "open" tickets change on June 1rst. On June 1rst, "open" entry tickets will only be valid after 2pm. These tickets are entry tickets and have nothing to do with the tours.

Belvedere, underground and the combined underground/belvedere tours call all be purchased with entry tickets in a single transaction. The only reason you may want to buy an "open" ticket instead of the tour/ticket package is if you wish to visit the forum/palatine hill first.

Donna

Sorry, I don't understand why you are confused?

"Open" tickets have different usage rules if you are not using them for a tour.

To enter the Colosseum either with a tour or without, you must purchase an "open" ticket.

If you book a tour, you can book an "open" ticket at the same time. That ticket allows you inside to meet your tour at whatever time you booked it for. The after-2 PM rule doesn't apply to tours, at whatever date you buy tour+ open entry tickets for.

If you want to make sure you can enter the Colosseum on an open ticket before 2 PM should you not be able to book a tour, then you must purchase your "open" tickets before June 1st, if visiting on June 1 or after, or purchase a timed-entry ticket for earlier in the day.

The OP stated that they wanted to hedge bets against the 2 PM or later entry time if not being able to land a tour as tours sell out so quickly. If you want to do this, purchase your "open" tickets before June 1 and try to purchase JUST your tour on the date it becomes available. If you are unable to successfully get tour reservations, then you will already have purchased "open" tickets to get in before 2:00 PM and see the general-public areas arena on your own.

Editing to add: If you're not even arriving in Rome until 1:00, you won't be to your hotel, checked in and to the Colosseum by 1:30 anyway so if it doesn't matter if you purchase "open" tickets before June 1 or not. The OP's situation is different.

With all the changes to the official site lately, the information given by Kathy is not quite right.

When you purchase a tour that includes entry ticket those tickets are timed to your tour, not "open". You cannot use them prior to that start time. This means if you wish to visit the forum/palatine hill you should buy the "open" ticket (do this before June 1 when the rules for these tickets change). Entry tickets included with the purchase of a tour are NOT open tickets, they are timed tickets.

If you want to book a tour you'll use the first option for all adults over 18, which is tour+ticket. This is the timed ticket that goes with your tour. Show up 30-45 minutes before the start of your tour to get through security and check in for the tour. After the tour, you can stay inside the colosseum for as long as you wish. Your entry ticket also allows you to visit the forum/palatine hill after the tour or the next day.

If you dont' book a tour you have two options for tickets. The "open" ticket will allow entry on any date at any time if purchased before June 1. June 1 is when the rules for these tickets change. This only effects tickets bought from June 1 or beyond.

If you buy a timed ticket you'll be held to the time you choose.

Donna

Donna, we're providing the same info, just wording it differently.

When you purchase a tour that includes entry ticket those tickets are
timed to your tour, not "open". You cannot use them prior to that
start time

That's essentially what I said in my first post:

"Yes but you'll have to purchase a general-entry ticket as well - you can do that at the same time you buy your tour - and **you'll use that to enter for your tour at whatever time you booked it for."**

The poster only asked about the Colosseum so entry and /or tours so I just left off info about the Palatine/Forum. The OP also wants the ability to see the Colosseum before 2:00 IF they don't manage to snag a tour spot when they go up for sale: that's easily done IF they purchase general-entry ("open") tickets before June 1. If they can snag a tour, they'll just purchase the "Free entrance ticket + guided tour" option and use their general-entry ticket for access. I don't know why that wouldn't be possible as I assume the same "Free entry + tour" selection would apply to visitors using the Roma Pass as their entry ticket and buying tour.

2nd poster has a potentially different situation, and info is missing that would be helpful as I believe she's traveling with a group of 6, ages undetermined, no tour. More info (+ starting a new thread) was kindly requested in a previous thread for best solution for their needs: still waiting for that. Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all response regarding this attraction as there are so many variables! 😳

Kathy, they don't purchase general admission tickets with the tour, it's a timed tour ticket that cannot be used before the start of the tour like a general admission ticket would allow. "Open" tickets bought before June 1 allow them to enter the colosseum at any time, which is different from the ticket they get if they book the tour and entry ticket together. This is what should be explained so people don't make the mistake of thinking their tour tickets are valid at any time, because they are not.

If the OP wants to visit before 2pm they need to buy an "open" ticket now or "timed" ticket in order to do that. Timed tickets are valid for specific times booked from opening until later in the afternoon so this is another option the OP has if they don't end up booking a tour.

As for "no one size fits all", I agree with you but booking rules are booking rules. You cannot claim a ticket to be valid at any time when it isn't. This is all I'm trying to point out. I would hate for the OP to book a tour at 3pm with the expectation of being allowed in at any time they wish. This simply isn't the way tour+entry tickets work.

Donna

Donna, my posts pretty much agree with everything you've just said. It's all how one chooses to read what I've written for their individual situation. Anyway, at this point, it's a done deal unless there are still questions.