Vatican

Posted by jenn_f_5 (Toronto, canada) on 06/12/14 10:48 PM

I'm looking at booking tickets to the Vatican museum in the next few days, once the window opens up (60 days before August 19th).. I was wondering if anyone knew the policy on late or early enterence. What I mean is if I book an enterence time for 1.30pm and can't get there till 1.45/2pm (as I have a flight that lands in the early morning), can I still enter and also the opposite, if I get a time for say 2 can I enter early if I get there at say 1.30? I don't want to make a reservation too early and miss my enterence window cause of transportation delay, but I also don't want to make it too late and run out of time to see both the museum and the basilica.

Thanx

Posted by Sherry

San Jose, CA

06/12/14 11:32 PM

1994 posts

Italy can be unpredictable. They have no requirement to let you in if you're late, so I'd strongly suggest you get there on time. There's also no requirement that the person you're debating with understands English, which is another reason to get there on time (unless you are fluent in Italian). I would suggest planning something that does not require a timed reservation for your arrival day.

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

06/12/14 11:56 PM

16895 posts

I can't argue with the reasoning above.

Posted by donna

Pa and Italy

06/13/14 06:51 PM

4152 posts

The policy is that if you're late they have the right to make you wait in the line. Here is what the official Vatican website says:

**Those who do not present themselves in time, lose the right to the access that was allocated to them. However, the pre-booked ticket remains valid and is to be used according to the duration foreseen (as established in the paragraph "admission tickets"), by going to the queue of those without reservations. It is necessary that the person who made the reservation and the other components of the group are in possession of an identity document and the voucher, that have to be signed and left at the ticket window assigned for issuing the admission tickets. **

Your ticket will still be valid but they can make you wait in the normal line if there is one.

I think it would be better to get there too early than late. If you end up waiting a half an hour or so it's better than having to wait in a line that could be hours long.

Donna