Questions about the ROMA PASS

Ill be keeping an eye on your replies. I have much the same questions.
Where do I go to buy tickets and reserve times for the Vatican?
Thank you,
Steve

David, before going any further, please read the FAQs for the Roma Pass. Those will answer a lot of your questions, and is the best resource as procedures can change:

http://www.romapass.it/en/FAQ/

stbema3, the Roma Pass doesn't cover any attractions at the Vatican. This is the official website for ordering tours/tickets:

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html

Any further questions about the Vatican should be posted to a NEW thread as the Roma Pass doesn't apply there.

“Direct access for the first 2 sites."
Those two sites you that want to be fully covered must be the first two that you visit, regardless of whether they are reserved or not.

"From the 3rd site onwards please apply to the ticket office for concession."
You only get discounts at the additional sites and must buy tickets through the regular ticket line, but there's not likely to be a long line in most locations.

You don't have to have the Roma Pass in hand to make reservations; you just need both pieces when you enter the site. The pass is sold at many Tabac shops and street vendors displaying the sign, as well as any of the covered locations, including some you may not actually plan to visit but that have no line.

You don't need reservations for the Capitoline Museum. Procedures for the Coloseum and Forum change almost every year. From https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/guidebook-updates:

Roma Pass holders now need a €2 reservation to access the Colosseum (see its site for info on reserving). Depending on availability, free same-day booking for pass holders may be possible at the Roman Forum/Palatine ticket office.

The basic €12 combo ticket for the Colosseum/Forum/Palatine Hill (for those who don't have a Roma Pass) now includes a timed-entry slot for the Colosseum. Entry to the Forum/Palatine Hill is possible anytime during the validity of the ticket.

The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine hill count as 1 ticket. The Colosseum requires a reservation €2. You do not have to have the Rome Pass in order to book this. You can visit all of these in 1 day, but they allow you 2 days. The exception is once you enter the Forum/Hill area you can't re enter.

The Capital Museum would count as your 2nd free entry it does not need a reservation.

So on day 2 & 3 you could visit as many museums as you could fit in for the reduced price but you need to go to each ticket office to show them your pass to get the reduction.

Here is a list of all Rome museums and their full and reduced prices.

http://www.romapass.it/files/doc/SitiAderentiCostoBiglietti20190319_eng.pdf

The pass can be purchased at both airports, Rome Termini station and all museums.

The Borghese Gallery is the other attraction which you must make a mandatory reservation for if using the pass, From the FAQ:

"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) or send an email to romapass@tosc.it. The booking fee is free. Bookings can be made directly from the visitor’s home country, even before purchasing the card.
For reservations by email, booking confirmations will be provided within 48 hours.
It is highly recommended to book at least 10 days in advance. You can make a reservation even if you are not in possession of your Roma Pass card yet, always providing the name of the Roma Pass holder."

Thank you, all, for clarifying this. It's extremely helpful. I'm looking further into it on the Roma Pass FAQs page, and will holler if any additional questions come up.

A few additional questions:

With the ROMA PASS:

COLOSSEUM: Once I’ve booked my reservation online, I’m assuming I’d get – via email - a “reservation confirmation voucher” - which I’d print out and be required to show upon entry along with the Roma Pass… correct? Upon arrival at the Colosseum - is there a separate “priority access” entry line for Roma Pass holders who have the printout/proof of their email reservation confirmations?

Is there a time limit for viewing the Colosseum? Or can you stay as long as you like?

After the Colosseum I plan on going directly to the FORUM/PALATINE HILL, then directly to the CAPITOLINE MUSEUM (all would be considered ‘free’ with my Roma Pass). Is there a separate “priority access” entry line at each of these places for Roma Pass holders?

Thanks in advance for any help with these questions.

For the Colosseum, yes you'll get an email, but check your spam/trash folder too. For Palatine Hill/Forum. Entry at the Palatine Hill entry will be less busy.

Picking up at the airport or a lesser museum would be easiest IMO. Once you have your pass you'll hit the ticket window for Rome Pass holders to purchase reduced price tickets.

If you bought the Rome Pass online you still have to exchange the voucher for the actual pass.

If you have 3 days, why are you trying to do the 2 sites in one day?

gerri:

Thanks for your response, but it doesn't seem that I'm getting the answer to one of my questions. Here it is again:

The Colosseum will be my first use of the Roma Pass, so it will be a FREE entry, not a “reduced-priced ticket purchase.” So…upon arrival at the Colosseum (having already pre-booked a day/time reservation online before leaving the U.S.) - I’m asking if I can avoid “lining up at a ticket window”? Is there a separate “priority access” entry line for Roma Pass holders who already have the printout/proof of their email reservation confirmations?

Same question for the Forum/Palatine Hill and Capitoline Museum which I’ll be seeing directly after the Colosseum – both are considered FREE with the Roma Pass (1st and 2nd entries along with the Colosseum). Since I’m not “purchasing discounted tickets” I’m asking if I can avoid “lining up at a ticket window” at these places? Is there a separate “priority access” entry line at each of these places for Roma Pass holders?

There are several other places I want to see in Rome on my other days there, so I’m seeing these 3 places in one day.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Yes, there is a seperate Rome Pass line for the Colosseum and Forum/ Palatine Hill but you will have to go thru security in addition to the pass line.

Same for Capitoline Museum.

At all other sites you will need to go to the ticket window.

Got it. Thanks very much for the clarification.

The FAQ's state that a card isn't necessarily needed for kids under 10 (we have an 8 & 10 year old) but when I look, it seems like only kids are under 6 are generally admitted to sites for free. Can someone clarify? I'm not sure if I need to get our kids a Roma Pass or not?

Not sure where you're seeing that, Davis, as children under age 18 are free to all Italian STATE museums.
However civic and private museums are different and may have different rules. Regular entry at the the Vatican museums, for instance is only free for children under 6. The Roma Pass doesn't apply to that one anyway but it's one example of a private museum with its own ticketing rules.

Details for a couple of the others covered by the pass:
http://www.romapass.it/en/FAQ/

Do children and/or other categories of visitors who enter free of charge have to make reservations for the Coliseum, the Borghese
Gallery and Domus Romane/Palazzo Valentini?

Yes. Reservations for these museums/archeological sites are required
for all visitors, as well as for visitors entitled to free admission.
For the Coliseum, visitors entitled to free admission who enter with Roma Pass holders already booked an admission time, can collect the
free ticket at the ticket office skipping the queue purchasing the
booking fee.