Roma Pass

Shelley,

Sorry but no answer other then no one knows. Zero insight at the present time is possible other then check a couple months before you leave. Rules, restrictions, procedures have totally altered travel and “destinations”. Any rules in place now may look totally different in 8-10 months- all depending upon how the Pandemic plays out (aka the virus burns itself out like SARS did in 03). IF the virus is still active next spring AND they even let you in, I would expect masks, limited openings (reservations), social distancing etc to continue.

In the past (2012) a reservation was not required when we used the Roma pass.

Reservations have been required recently--since at least sometime in 2019, maybe longer than that. It seems unlikely to me that the requirement would be lifted in the aftermath of COVID-19.

I just did a dry run for a Colosseum ticket via the official English language website. There is no seems like It, there is a block of text that is Very blunt and direct: Reservation mandatory for Roma Pass holders. They have a click here button in that advisory to make your reservation. That takes you to the main ticketing page. You select the date, time and number of tickets..and you select your ticket....at the bottom of the list of tickets there is entry aka reservation for Roma Pass holders that you check. The ticket is “free” but there is a 2 Euro charge to use the system to make the reservation. So free becomes 2 Euro. Still cheap for stepping back 2000 years. I didn’t play with it long enough to tell if it is 2 Euro per ticket or the entire transaction (multiple reservations). Not sure how far out it books but you can play with it and quickly find out. I wouldn’t expect the reservation system to change in the near future. Even before the Pandemic crowd control had become a destination issue within Europe (Louvre etc).

Shelley, I don't know as anyone can tell you what line-skipping privileges with the Roma Pass will be in 2021. Reservations for entry to the Colosseum with the pass (which we have never chosen to purchase and probably never would) have been mandatory for quite some time now so no, you can't just rock up to the arena with just the pass on the day you arrive and expect to get in. For most current details closer to your date of travel, you should reference the website for the pass:

https://www.romapass.it/en/home/

Current FAQs:
https://www.romapass.it/en/FAQ/

For current specifics regarding card use for the Colosseum, see instructions under "7. Reservations." Procedures could, of course, change by next year. If the only reason you're considering buying the pass is to avoid a queue at this singular attraction, it's not worth the price. There are usually other ways around that with advance tickets although again, it's too early to know what Coopculture's ticketing policies/prices will be next year.

We were supposed to be in Rome next month, but the pandemic halted all planning, and our previous trip was back in 2012. It was December, and back then we simply walked up to the ticket window, and purchased our entry tickets. As already stated, the future is uncertain and undetermined at this point.

But, we also got the Underground Tour option, which got us “behind the scenes,” down to see part of the passageways beneath the Colosseum floor, used to move beasts and gladiators around, as well as parts of the upper seating area not accessible with regular tickets. However you get into the Colosseum, do the Underground part too!

To add to my previous post, some ticketing procedures have changed a lot in the decade since you were last in Rome, and COVID has added another layer of entry rules and regs. How procedures, including visiting days/hours, might change again before May remains to be seen but it's really important to keep a thumb on the official websites for each attraction you plan to see so you know what to expect. For instance, timed-entry reservations (even without a pass), masking, temperature checks and distancing are mandatory at the Colosseum. Reservations and masking are mandatory at the Borghese, etc.

If you don't already have them, here are official websites for some of Rome's most-visited, ticketed places. I've included some links to some visiting info that may not be easily located on some of them.

Colosseum/Forum/Palatine:
https://www.coopculture.it/en/heritages.cfm?id=3&id_c=58091

Galleria Borghese:
https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/visita/
Visiting procedures:
https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/wp-content/uploads/Guidelines-on-the-new-procedures-for-visits.pdf
https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/info/servizi/

Museo Nationale Romano:
https://museonazionaleromano.beniculturali.it/en/

Capitoline Museum:
http://www.museicapitolini.org/en
Current COVID entry info is only available in Italian. Google translation:
http://www.museicapitolini.org/en/node/1007609

"SANITARY MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED IN ALL MUSEUMS: access to the Museum is allowed only with a mask; before entering the museum it is necessary to pass the termoscanner. In the presence of temperatures above 37.5 °, access will not be allowed; it is recommended to bring only small bags with you; inside the museum it will be necessary to keep a safe distance and avoid gatherings, unless it is a family unit."

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

Wow- thank you Kathy for all your information. I will certainly keep it handy for checking things out further in the year.
onefastbob- thank you also for checking into the online Colosseum tickets. I did check into this before but did not take it to the end to see if was per ticket or just the order for the fee of 2E.

You're welcome, Shelley!
What with U.S. citizens unable to go to Italy for some months now, I hadn't looked at the websites for awhile. You gave me a good excuse to get up to speed! :O)