Short reservation window for the Uffizi and Galleria?

Psyche,

That's right ;-) Both The Uffizi & The Accademia Galleries are very popular, thus the timed entries.

They do reservations by time slot both for crowd control and to offer a way to avoid standing in a long ticket line. Yes, you should plan to be there on time for the slot your reservation is for.

Thank you. Just so I understand, you have to exchange a voucher for a ticket, right? I need to be there within those 15 minutes to do the exchange, and then I can enter anytime I want? Or do I have to do both things in 15 minutes?

I have another question about these museums. I have done some research about being able to take photos inside both of them and I've seen some mixed information. Some say no, others say yes, some say yes for the Galleria and no for the Uffizi. Can you actually take pictures on both, currently? Flash off, of course.

Thanks again

Yes, photos have been allowed in both (no flash, selfie sticks or tripods) since mid 2014.

You need to enter the museum at the time you collect your tickets. From Uffizi.org (not the official website but has some good info):

"Can I visit the museum at a different hour or on a different day than the one written on my voucher?

The simple answer is NO, you cannot. The museum handles visitor flows by selling a specific number of tickets for each date and time. So you can only visit the museum on the date and time written on your voucher."

B-ticket (official site) also states that "Once payment has been made and the transaction concluded, it is no longer possible to change or cancel a booking." That pretty much implies that once you commit to a slot, you can't just come at another time or ask to do so.

Wow, they're super strict. I'd be more comfortable with a 30 minute window to collect the ticket and enter, but it's probably a very quick procedure to do both things.

As long as you're there on time you'll be fine. From Uffizi.org again:

"General Notes on Tickets/Vouchers:

"Your ticket is only valid on the selected date and time you book. Pick it up about 15 minutes before your scheduled entrance time. You can enter the museum up to 20 minutes after your reserved starting time."

So you have more than 15 minutes.. You just can't choose to enter "anytime" you want to after exchanging the voucher: you have to be in within 20 minutes of your reserved time slot.

Psyche, when you see the line of people waiting to get in without a reservation, you will know why they are so strict. And you'll be happy you have a voucher!

Ah, that's much better Kathy, so I actually have over 30 minutes.

And yes, I've seen the Uffizi lines, it's crazy how so many people, at this day and age of information, don't bother with reservations.

Thank you very much!

Have fun!!! :O)

I think there is some misunderstanding. We exchange our voucher outside of the time period, earlier in the morning, and then returned for our timed entry later that morning. In fact we were a little early so stood in a small line waiting for our time window to open. They are very strict with the time. That was two years so maybe it has changed.

...so I actually have over 30 minutes. ....

That is not how I would interpret Kathy's comments.

enter the museum up to 20 minutes after your reserved starting time."

If your entry time is 10 - 10:15, I would think you would be good till 10:20. Instead of focusing on how late you can be, why not just be sure you are on time.

I understand now. Thanks for clarifying.

Frank,

"We exchanged our voucher outside of the time period, earlier in the morning, and then returned for our timed entry later that morning. In fact we were a little early so stood in a small line waiting for our time window to open. They are very strict with the time."

Do you recall exactly where the window was? Thanks in advance, Rich

No one has mentioned the Firenze Card. It is my understanding that you don't have to make reservations if you have this card. Does anyone have experience with this?

Do you recall exactly where the window was? Thanks in advance, Rich

It was at ticket window in a gift shop right across the street from the main entrance.

Sorry for bumping this thread but it's been two weeks and I still did not receive a voucher, only an order confirmation.

From the Rick Steves site:

Online

You can book and pay for your Accademia or Uffizi visit via the city's
official site (€4/ticket reservation fee — click on the gray
"B-ticket" strip). You'll receive an order-confirmation email, which
is followed shortly by a voucher email. Bring your voucher to the
ticket desk to swap for an actual ticket.

Tried logging in with my account at the B-Ticket website but there's nothing there regarding my purchase. Their "CONTACTS" link also doesn't seem to work. What should I do? Do they even have a customer service?

HI Psyche

I went to the Uffizi with a booking made online in October of 2015.

I also received what I think is the same email that you have received already. I took that to the ticket window and they used the numbers on that email to give me my tickets.

At the bottom of the email it said
Come to the ticket office with this voucher and some identification (for reduced-price or free of charge tickets) no more than 15 minutes prior to the time of entry..
In case of problems, please contact the Customer Support: [email protected]
So you should be ok with the email you have received.

Just for clarification, this is how the email started:
ORDER CONFIRMATION

Sig./Sig.ra ........

With this e-mail we send you the information related to your order, as prompted by you on the website http://www.b-ticket.com/B-Ticket/uffizi/

ORDER CONFIRMATION

You can withdraw your ticket/s directly at the box office

And it went on from there with details of the order.

Thank you Shirley, that is the one I have. Somehow I missed that line at the bottom, should have read more carefully.