In doing the research, it seems it is definitely cost-effective for my husband and I to buy the Roma Pass for 3 days as it pays for itself with 3 museum visits plus includes bus/tram/trains. However, my 17 year old son is free to most of the museums. I am getting conflicting information as to whether we would have to stand in regular ticket lines to get his free tickets (specifically looking at Coliseum/Forum, Borghese, Capitoline Museums, and National Museum of Rome -- he only has to pay for Capitoline) thus losing the time advantage of buying the Roma Pass. Plus, we would have to get his bus/train tickets. What have others done? I know if we buy him the pass, we are spending more money than we need to, but is the convenience worth it?
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15837 posts
Your son can stand in line with you but he needs to have proof - bring his passport - that he's under 18 when your passes are checked.
The Borghese: you must make a reservation for him at the same time as you make your own, and you may or may not have to pay a 2 Euro booking fee for him (not sure). You also must make those reservations by phone if using the Roma Pass:
"For the Roma Pass holders and tour guides, tickets must be booked by phone at +39 06 32810 and picked up at the ticket office of the museum 30 minutes before the opening hour."
This is also good info to know for the Borghese:
"The (2 euro) reservation is free of charge only if the Card is being used for one of the first two free admissions (Roma Pass) or for the first admission (Roma Pass 48 hours). If the Roma Pass and/or Roma Pass 48 hours is being used to visit the Borghese Gallery and/or for Domus Romane/Palazzo Valentini, as one of the reduced price admissions following the first two (for Roma Pass) or following the first one (for Roma Pass 48 hours), then the visitor must add the reservation fee to the reduced price ticket."
I've never seen a queue worth worrying about - if I've seen much of a queue at all - at the Capitoline or National Museum of Rome.
You do realize that the pass only allows you 2 'free' museums, right? Others will have concessionary prices but they're not usually discounted by much.
Posted by
OP
Ohio, USA
41 posts
Kathy - thank you for quick response. I did know about Borghese reservations, but NOT that the reservation fee was extra if not one of your 1st 2 museums. In re-doing the math, we may skip the pass and pay out of pocket. For the 4 museums we want, we would be paying about 54 Euros with the pass (assuming the 30% discount on museums 3 and 4) and only 45 Euros if we pay out of pocket + train/bus costs. Plus not having the pass would give us more flexibility. For instance, we arrive in Rome on a Wednesday and if we get in early enough, wouldn't have minded going to the National Museum as it is a 1-2 minute walk from our hotel. However, that would make our passes expire by Friday and we had planned to do Vatican City on Friday to avoid the busier Saturday crowds.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15837 posts
The reservation fee isn't much - 2 euro per person - but you are wise to do the math plus look at exactly how much time you have from the time you validate the pass until the clock runs out. I'm a big fan of flexibility - the ability to work around the weather and other unforeseen complications - so if individual tickets work, go for it!
Do you have the information you need for ordering Colosseum/Forum/Palatine tickets in advance? It's a good idea if you're going during high season but otherwise just buy them at the Palatine first thing in the morning: queues will be shortest there.
I don't know how much walking you ordinarily do but we've used public transit very little in Rome. The central historic district is not enormous, and it's much, much more fun to explore it on foot. If you group your sightseeing by area versus running from one end to other, you'll save some time and shoe leather! The walk through Villa Borghese to the museum is a nice respite from the crowds - highly recommended - but allow yourself plenty of time. The park is large, and routes aren't exactly straightforward so bring a map!