Looks like the Colosseum isn't the only attraction in Rome trying to make things a bit easier for more tourists to get inside, and eliminate bots, scalpers and other secondary ticket gobblers. See the official website's news on extending hours and nominative ticketing starting Jan 1, 2024.
Oh, and they're gradually going to add air conditioning to more of the museums! Yay.
Extending the hours to at least 8 AM to 7 PM should help spread out the visitor load a bit, but I wonder what that means about availability of early-access tours, which have been very popular with posters on this forum.
I also wonder what impact the ID-verification process will have on entry time for people with pre-purchased tickets. It may not make a huge difference since the current procedures involve swapping entry vouchers for tickets once inside the building.
Very good question about impact on early entrance tours. I guess we'll see what the Vatican ends up doing with their own version of that tour plus the usual independent company products?
As far as impact on pre-purchased tickets, it looks like you will need to provide ID info for every individual you're buying tickets for at time of online purchase - and I might assume there's a limit on amount - and ID's checked against that info at the entrance. That's similar to what the Colosseum says it is going to do with ALL of their online tickets, not just underground and arena tours. Or am I missing something?
But heck, it's all new and could be that they'll tweak things as they see what works and what doesn't?
I have read on several third party sites that sell the breakfast tour that in 2024 these tickets will no longer be early access but instead first access. Not sure on the impact to the after hours evening tours.
I'm seeing the same. A quick search turned up this text on current early-entrance tours offered on TA by Livtours and Get Your Guide:
"Starting in 2024, the Vatican Museums will discontinue early access for all tour providers, instead opening to the public at 8AM. This tour will then be offered as a first entrance experience, which we recommend for a less crowded, more personalized, and fully guided experience."
Oddly, I'm seeing early-access tours still advertised and available for booking on the sites of some operators, such as Walks of Italy's Pristine Sistine. Someone who had taken that tour a couple of months ago had reported that the order of their tour wasn't what customers had experienced in the past; it didn't go to the Sistine FIRST. They didn't get to the chapel until mid-morning, when it was already very crowded. I guess we'll have to keep an eye on developments?
I wonder whether the Vatican Museums are planning still to offer their own early-access tours. I'm sure that wouldn't make the tour operators happy, but it seems possible that might be part of the plan. Or maybe the Museums just haven't found those special arrangements worth the effort they require.
Another good question, acraven. I'm wondering if this change was influenced by the upcoming ticketing vendor change for the Colosseum. Two quotes from a relevant Reuters article:
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italys-antitrust-investigates-inflated-prices-colosseum-tickets-2023-07-18/
"But tourists complain it is often impossible to find regular tickets as big tour companies scoop them up on the official website weeks in advance and then repackage them as much more expensive guided tours.... Carlo Rienzi, the head of consumers rights body Codacons, said "secondary ticketing" was costing Italy millions of euros."
It's possible that it has been frustrating for the museums as well to see hoarding by outside entities not just reducing the amount of tickets available to tourists attempting to purchase tickets/tours through the Vatican's website but seeing revenue from higher-priced tours/tickets going elsewhere as well. Maybe they'd like to capture a chunk of that revenue for museum improvements, security, acquisitions, etc? Maybe future early-access tours, should there be any, will be exclusively through the Vatican?
Keep the updates coming.
Same symptoms as the Lie Nation and Taylor Swift tickets. The professionals use shills to scoop up the ticket. It does two things -- increases scarcity and limits sources.
While I am a Capitalist, it is an example of capitalism run amok.
The policy also serves to better monitor the tour guides. I imagine there have been abuses. So, now we get regulation. And only the Vatican's preferred guides. Competition stifled. And, the shills and some of the honest tour guides will suffer losses.
It is an economics Yin and Yan.
When someone finds out exactly when tickets become available, and, how far advance dates are, let us know. I have tried Vatican website to no avail.
I have tried Vatican website to no avail.
Your trip isn't until April sometime, correct? They don't appear to be selling tickets or tours for 2024 dates yet, and I'm not all that surprised as the new measures don't go into effect until Jan 1. They're probably busy updating/overhauling the system.
You'll only be in Rome for two nights - which only gives you one full day - and I believe those two nights are a Sunday and Monday? As the museums are closed most Sundays, you must be looking at a Monday? I'd just keep checking the site to see when bookings becomes available for next year They may only sell general-entry tickets 60 days out (as has been standard) and tours or premium tickets further out than that, or none of the above but you should get a feel for when to be ready to spring before too long.
So, now we get regulation. And only the Vatican's preferred guides.
We don't know that yet. It could be that guides from the same companies already providing tours will still be allowed, just maybe not for as many tickets and not for early access. The ability of 3rd parties to obtain and sell general-entry tickets at inflated rates may also be history. It's a wait-and-see?
This is such a helpful thread! I've been checking and it looks like January 2024 Vatican Museum tickets but no later dates are now available on the official website. Timeslot tickets only; no early access tours. The early access tours show through December 2023 but appear to be sold out. We are going in April. I was looking forward to one of the early morning tours but appreciate the Vatican's efforts to extend hours and limit ticket hoarding by resellers.
Hi Sharon! Wow, the regular-admission tickets must have JUST hit the museum's booking site since I checked yesterday! Good for you for providing that update; takes a village to keep up with darn booking-site changes these days, I swear!
Nope, I'm not seeing that any tours are bookable yet for January either but we'll hope those are not far behind, and that there's an early access version amongst the offerings. :O)
Wow- I guess I really missed out. I’m Trying to book tix for Vatican tour (for four) Mid-April (Tues. 16). They’ve been sold out for a minute now & third party fees are PRICEY!
Wow @ czvallery, so looks like the tickets go on sale much before the 60 days.
6:00 AM this morning (1:00 PM in Rome) the museum's website is showing that tickets are not for booking further out than April 20th so 60 days from today.
It's one of Rome's must-visited attractions, 3rd party tours are more pricey, so their own € 40.00 tour (€ 20 adult entry + € 20 in combined earphone rental, reservation fee and guide fee) sells out quickly for high-season months. For the poster looking for 4/16 tickets, regular-entry (no tour) tickets are still available for select time slots as are audioguides. Rick has his own audioguides for the museums and Sistine that can be downloaded for free.
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours/italy
A complete map of the structure is also available for download or at the entrance to the museum (it's sort of a confusing critter, though.)
https://www.museivaticani.va/content/dam/museivaticani/pdf/visita_musei/servizi_visitatori/mappa_musei_vaticani.pdf
