To be eligible for reduced ticket for college student just showing your college id id sufficient? any other document to be carried along? my son is graduating next week and we are soon leaving for Rome. can he still show his id and eligible for reduced ticket?
this is what it stated when booking Vatican tour:
(Students up to 25 years of age on presentation of a student identity card (International Student Card) on the day of the visit.)
Should work if it doesn't indicate expiration on his graduation date.
Of course he should carry his passport in his money belt or other very secure place. Keep his student ID secure as well, but not in the money belt the day he uses it. Rome is one of the top pickpocketing cities of the world, along with Barcelona and Paris. And they love to target teens and other careless tourists.
Another version: It is also possible to reserve a ticket at a reduced price for students up to 25 years of age on presentation of a student identity document or a valid International Student Card on the day of the visit.
I think it more likely that the first document is typical for EU citizens, while international visitors would be expected to have the International Student Identity Card. Note that not being able to show the correct, easily recognizable ID means forfeiting the ticket price paid, according to footnotes on the shopping cart:
If a reduced price ticket is reserved without the required documents the visitor will be asked to make payment of a full price ticket so as to enter. The reduced ticket will not be refunded.
will the regular college id will work as International Student Card?
Garbi, if your son is a U.S. citizen age 18 or over, then his student ID will not work. Most reductions in Italy are for E.U. citizens only between the ages of 18 and 25. Even ISIC IDs don't buy you much. A couple of previous threads on the subject (the most recent is the first one):
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/student-and-youth-discount-cards
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/int-l-study-identity-cards-for-teens
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/isic-for-our-boys
More info:
http://www.statravel.com/discount-cards.htm
You can explore discounts apply with the card in Rome on the second website (type/choose "Roma, Regione Lazio" in the search box). You are unlikely to be going to most of the places on the list, and discounts at the few that you might aren't big enough to warrant the purchase:
thank you all for your reply. I am not risking it and will just buy the regular ticket for him.
For the Vatican museums his student ID WILL work! Be sure he brings it along with his passport.
For sites in Rome the discounts are usually just for EU students but it doesn't hurt to ask. My daughter was given the reduced entry cost at the Castel Sant Angelo with her ID because of her field of study.
Donna
