Useful tips on how to save on entrance fees and transport in Rome 2024

The Roma Pass and the Omnia Vatican and Rome Card are great tips to save a lot of money on sightseeing and public transport when you visit Rome. Which card will you choose?

Your eyes may be spinning as you calculate the entrance fees to the must-see sights in Rome. I don’t blame you. We had it exactly the same way. We wanted to see everything.

But how to make it so that there is enough left for that delicious Italian ice cream everyone is talking about? Italian gelato is a must, as is a visit to the Colosseum.

One way to save money in Rome is with the Roma Pass and the Vatican and Rome Card. And in this article, we’ll take a closer look at them.

I recommend checking the admission prices from the previous article first and then comparing them to the price of the individual cards.

How to save in Rome: the Roma Pass

The Roma Pass is a handy contactless card that gives you free or discounted entry to more than 45 monuments and museums in Rome. You can visit the most famous sights such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Castle of the Angels for free. The card also gives you unlimited travel on Rome’s public transport.

The Roma Pass can be purchased in two variants:

Option 1: ROMA PASS for 72 hours

With the Roma Pass 72h you get free entry to two selected monuments and reduced admission to more than 45 places for 72 hours. The time starts from the first activation, which counts the entry to the first monument or the first public transport ride.

What is the price of the Roma Pass 72 hours for 2024?

You will pay €53 for the Roma Pass in 2024 .

What are the benefits of the Roma Pass 72h?

Free entry to 2 museums or architectural sites. Vybrat si můžete z těch nejznámějších míst, jako je Koloseum, Forum Romanum, Andělský hrad, Římské muzeum, Galerie Borghese a další. This does not include the Vatican, but more on that in a moment. Free entry applies to the first 2 sights you visit. I recommend choosing among the more expensive ones to save as much as possible with the Roma Pass.

Combination tickets are a special case. With one ticket you can visit several places and still only 1 entry is deducted. This includes:

• Colosseum + Forum Romanum + Palatine Hill (without museum)
• Villa Torlonia museum: Casina delle Civette at Casino Nobile
• National Museum of Rome: Crypta Balbi, Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo, Diocletian’s Baths
• National Gallery of Ancient Art: Palazzo Barberini to Palazzo Corsini

Once you have used up your two free admissions, you get reduced admission to the other attractions. You come to the ticket office, present your card and buy a ticket at the reduced rate, where you can get up to 50% off. The reduced admission also applies to current exhibitions, events and services in Rome. You can find a comparison of full and reduced admission prices in one place here: overview of admission prices for sights in Rome (in aj).

Another great advantage is the free use of public transport for the duration of the card’s validity. What does it all include?

• buses, trams
• metro A, B, B1, C
• trains on the territory of Rome on the lines Roma – Lido, Roma Flaminio Piazza del Popolo Viterbo, Roma Giardinetti, i.e. with the Roma Pass you can go to the sea, for example
• bus line 720 between Ciampino Airport and Laurentina, where it is possible to connect to metro B
• bus line 520 between Ciampino Airport from/to the Subaugusta bus terminal, located directly in front of the metro station, or Cinecittà bus stop.

Attention: Special tpl ATAC buses are not included, nor are connections from Fiumicino Airport.

An extra bonus is the free use of P.STOP information points, where you will find underground public toilets, WIFI or water vending machines.

Option 2: ROMA PASS for 48 hours

With the Roma Pass 48h you get free entry to one selected monument and reduced admission to a number of other places for 48 hours. The time starts from the first activation, which includes entry to the first monument or the first public transport ride.

What is the price of the Roma Pass 48 hours for 2024?

You will pay €33 for the Roma Pass in 2024.

What are the benefits of the Roma Pass 48h?

The benefits are identical to those of the Roma Pass 72h, with one difference: in this case, admission is completely free to only one museum or monument. I recommend using the free entry for the Colosseum, where you save the most. In one ticket you also get the adjacent Forum Romanum and Palatine Hill (without the museum). At the other monuments, you can always just show your card and get reduced admission, which is usually more than 50% less.

What sights, museums and attractions are included in the Roma Pass?

The Roma Pass includes entry to more than 45 venues in Rome, including:

• Colosseum, Forum Romanum and Palatine Hill (all seats for 1 ticket)
• Trajan’s Markets
• Angel Castle
• Capitol Museums
• Borghese Gallery
• Caracalla Baths
• Circus Maximus
• National Museum of Rome: Crypta Balbi, Palazzo Altemps, Palazzo Massimo, Diocletian’s Baths(all places on 1 ticket – you have one week to visit)
• MAXXI
• …and many others

Where do I need to make a reservation even if I have a Roma Pass?

In the current situation, you need to make reservations for several venues – below is the procedure for the most popular ones if you have a Roma Pass. Whether you have a card or not, always book at least 10 days in advance. Especially if you are planning to visit Rome for a weekend, during the holiday season or in high season from April onwards.

Before buying a Roma Pass, check the links below to see if a date is available.

• Colosseum – a must-book for all – use this link to select a date and time. The reservation fee is 2 €.
• Borghese Gallery – book here or email [email protected] with the number of people, age, date and approximate time that would suit you. In high season, book several weeks in advance. (Link is for free admission only, not reduced admission).
• Mausoleo di Augusto- at romapass.vivaticket.it select “PRENOTA” in the right corner and choose the day and time of your visit. (The link is only valid for free entry, for reduced admission you need to buy tickets at the door).
• Angel Castle – booking is not compulsory, but especially in the season from April onwards I recommend it (there are queues all the way to Angel Bridge) – for Angel Castle book with Roma Pass here. (The link is only valid for free entry, for reduced admission you need to buy tickets at the door).
• Capitoline Museums (reservation is not necessary, but recommended) – on romapass.vivaticket.it, click on “BUY” in the right corner and select the date and time of your visit. (The link is only valid for free entry, for reduced admission you need to buy tickets at the door).

Where to buy the Roma Pass?

The simplest is to order a Roma Pass online. All you need is a credit card. The card(s) can then be picked up after a minimum of 24 hours at the tourist information office in Rome (see below to find out where – only valid for purchase from the link above). You can also cancel your reservation up to 24 hours in advance for free via this link.

Please note: There are several retailers offering the Roma Pass, but not all of them allow pick-up at the airport, for example. When you order a Roma Pass via the link above, you can pick up your card at the airport and other locations in Rome.

Where to pick up a Roma Pass?

You can pick up a card at the tourist information, which you can find in several places:

• Tourist information Fori Imperiali, Visitor Center Via dei Fori Imperiali 9:30-19:00, in July and August 9:30-20:00 (5 minutes from the Colosseum towards Piazza Venezia on the right)
• Tourist Information Minghetti, Via Marco Minghetti 9:30 -19:00 (information stand in the centre on the corner with Via del Corso)
• Tourist information at Termini Station 10:00-18:00 (on the platforms in the lobby)
• Tourist information Caste Sant’Angelo (Angel’s Castle) from April to the end of October 09:30 -19:00, the rest of the year 8:30-18:00 (information stand to the left of Angel’s Castle)
• Tourist information at Fiumicino Airport – Arrivals Terminal T3 daily 8:30-20:00 (exceptionally closed 20-25 March)
• Tourist information at Ciampino Airport – arrivals daily 8:30-18:00
• ATAC ticket offices in selected metro stations

All places are well marked, you will not miss them. Along with the Roma Pass, you will receive a detailed map of Rome.

How to save in Rome: the Rome & Vatican Pass

Rome & Vatican Pass is a combination of two tourist cards – the Roma Pass and the Omnia Card. You will have 2 cards in your hand, with the Omnia Card for free entry to the Vatican and the Roma Pass for all other benefits. Hence, unlike the Roma Pass itself, the Rome & Vatican Pass includes far more benefits, which we’ll talk about in a moment.

What are the benefits of the Rome & Vatican Pass?

The main advantage over the Roma Pass is free entry to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Other places that are free with the Rome&Vatican Pass are the Lateran Basilica, the Carcer Tullianum and Santa Maria in Via Lata. The card also comes with an audio guide to St Peter’s Basilica.

In addition to admission to the Vatican, admission to 2 museums or architectural sites remains free. Again, you can choose from the most beautiful monuments in Rome – the Colosseum, the Forum Romanum, the Castel Sant’Angelo, the Roman Museum, the Capitoline Museums, the Borghese Gallery and more.

If you’ve ever seen the lines for the Vatican, you’ll also appreciate thepriority entry (you go through the middle entrance, which is reserved for advance reservations).

For 3 days, enjoy unlimited rides in the sightseeing bus, which normally costs €46. The bus will take you around the most famous sights and there is a guide available in several languages. More information about the sightseeing bus will be forthcoming.

The Rome&Vatican Pass also includes unlimited use of public transport in Rome (save €18), covering all modes of transport except to/from Fiumicino Airport. If you’re arriving at Ciampino Airport, the Roma Pass allows you to save money on transport from the airport to the city centre by taking the 520 or 720 buses and then transferring to the metro.

Use of public transport is valid for 72 hours after activation of the Roma Pass (not the Omnia Card), so you can use the cards independently.

Summary: with the Rome&Vatican Pass you get 2 cards: the Omnia Card, which you show when entering the Vatican, and the Roma Pass, which you show at all other places. Present the Roma Pass at the entrance of the two monuments you have chosen for free entry. Once you’ve used up these two free passes, you’ll go to the ticket office at each of the other sights and present the Roma Pass to get a reduced rate ticket (sometimes 50% off).

The reduced admission fee also applies to current exhibitions, events and services in Rome. You can find a comparison of full and reduced admission in one place here: overview of admission fees for sights in Rome(in aj).

For easier planning and orientation, you will also get a detailed guide and a map of Rome with the card. Again, you can use free P.STOP information points with underground toilets, WIFI and water vending machines.

The validity of each card is 72 hours/3 days from the first activation (entry to a monument or public transport). You can activate the card up to one year after purchase. You get two cards that are independent of each other, i.e. you can activate them at different times.

Example: you are in Rome for 5 days. The Roma Pass is activated on the first day and is valid for the first 72 hours. You decide to activate your Omnia card on the third day, i.e. …you’ll be paid from the third to the fifth day. Just beware that from the third to the fifth day you no longer have free public transport.

What is the price of the Rome & Vatican Pass for 2024?

The OMNIA card costs €149 and €69 for children aged 5-15. During the year, there are various discounts when you can buy cards at a better price.

How to buy the Rome & Vatican Pass?

The easiest option is to order the Rome&Vatican Pass online. You will then receive an email confirmation with full instructions, and you can pick up your card free of charge from one of these locations in Rome:

• O.R.P. – Piazza Pio XII 9 (St. Peter’s Basilica – Vatican) – opening hours: daily 09:00-16:00, closed on public holidays
• O.R.P. – Piazza di Porta S.Giovanni 6 (Lateran Basilica) – opening hours: Monday to Saturday 09:00-16:00, closed on public holidays

If you’re heading to St Peter’s Basilica first, you can pick up your Omnia card at the edge of St Peter’s Square on your left – look for the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi sign.

You will receive both the Omnia card and the Roma Pass in one place.

Please note: When filling in your details, you will be entering the date of your visit to Rome. If you don’t know it yet, nothing happens. Give an approximation. The date you enter is for information purposes – if there is any change, Rome&Vatican Pass staff will inform you (this also applies to the Roma Pass).

Hop On Hop Off sightseeing bus in Rome

The Rome&Vatican Pass includes a sightseeing bus. It stops at 12 stations in Rome, such as the Colosseum, St Peter’s Basilica and Piazza Navona.

Departures

• The first sightseeing tour starts at 09:00 from Termini Station or 09:30 from St Peter’s Basilica.
• Last seen at it is possible to take the sightseeing bus at 18:00 from Termini Station
• Buses run every 8 – 15 minutes depending on the season

What language is the guide available in? English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, French, Japanese and Russian.

Is the Roma Pass or the Rome&Vatican Pass worth it?

It was worth it for us, but it depends on what you plan to visit. Let’s take a simple example of a Roma Pass for 72 hours (3 days), which costs €53. The card gives you free entry to 2 selected sights. The Colosseum will definitely be one of them, along with the Forum Romanum and the Palatine Hill (€16). From here it’s just a short walk to the Capitoline Museums (13€).

We have used up 2 free entries and now you have everything at a reduced price. We have already saved 31€ on sightseeing and 18€ on public transport for 3 days. We check out free places like the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon and just wander the streets.

The next day we head towards the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo and the Borghese Gallery, where we pay a reduced entrance fee and save €6.50. From now on, the Roma Pass is starting to pay off and we have only visited 3 paid sights so far. We stroll through the gardens around the Borghese Gallery, enjoy the view of Rome and continue to the Castle of the Angels, where we save another €6 on admission with the card. And the rest of the day we just wander the streets and enjoy a meal in the Trastevere district across the river.

On the last day we head south of the Colosseum to the Baths of Caracalla and the Roman arena Circus Maximus, where we save a total of €7.

Even at a relaxed pace, you can save a lot of money with the Roma Pass 72h, so we can definitely recommend it.

Is the tourist card worth it for children under 18?

Children under 18 years old can enter most of Rome’s monuments and museums for free. Children under 10 years of age accompanied by an adult can travel free of charge on public transport in Rome. A tourist card for children will not bring the same savings as for adults.

Just be warned that even though children get in for free, you still have to make reservations for some sights (usually for a fee of €2). This applies to the Colosseum, the Baths of Caracalla, the Vatican Museums or the Borghese Gallery – see the previous article for where to go and how to do it.

Which card to choose? Roma Pass or Roma Pass including Omnia Card (Rome&Vatican Pass)?

Wondering which card to use more during your visit to Rome? That depends on whether you plan to visit the Vatican. If you are not going to the Vatican, buy the Roma Pass separately.

However, if you plan to enjoy Rome to the fullest – without the hassle of getting from one place to another, visiting the Vatican and seeing the historic centre from a sightseeing bus, it will be ideal for you OMNIA card.

A clear table that compares the main advantages of the cards will help you decide:

Do I need a reservation at the Colosseum if I have a Roma Pass or OMNIA Card?

Yes, you must make a reservation before visiting the Colosseum. You can purchase the Roma Pass or the OMNIA Vatican and Roma Card.

You can then buy your ticket online at this link for a booking fee of €2 (the fee applies to all tickets, whether you have a Roma Pass or not). You choose a date, a specific time, and scroll down to the bottom of the new table to select a ticket for Roma Pass holders. I recommend making a reservation as soon as possible.

You fill in your details, pay and your tickets will arrive in your email. From there, you can print them out or download them to your mobile phone. You scan the barcode on entry and you are ready to explore.

Detailed directions to the Colosseum can be found in my previous article: Colosseum in Rome.

Do I need a reservation for the Vatican if I have an OMNIA Card?

Yes, but it’s simple. Instructions on how to do this can be found directly in the confirmation email after purchasing the OMNIA (Rome and Vatican Pass).

For whom are tourist cards worthwhile?

You’re not a student or a child – most places offer free admission for children under 18 and reduced admission for students. It’s a good idea to check in advance the status of the sights and museums you plan to visit.

It’s your first time in Rome and you’re planning to visit more sights – if your goal is to soak up the atmosphere, wander the old streets and visit only a minimum of sights, the card won’t save you money.

Summary

With the Roma Pass you get free or reduced admission to over 45 monuments and museums in Rome, including unlimited public transport travel around Rome and other benefits. In addition, the Rome&Vatican Pass gives you free entry to the Vatican and unlimited sightseeing bus travel for 3 days.

Where to book tickets in advance in Rome?

Neither of the tourist cards are worth it? For some places it is mandatory or recommended to book a ticket in advance to avoid long queues. These include:

• Colosseum – it is better to book your ticket in advance, as there are a limited number of tickets available on site. The price includes the adjacent Forum Romanum and Palatine Hill.
• Borghese Gallery – One of the best art collections in the world attracts a lot of visitors, but the gallery strives to maintain a limited number of visits daily. You must book your ticket in advance.
• Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel – due to long queues, it is better to book in advance for a specific date and time.
• Angel Castle – on holidays and weekends it is recommended to book in advance (booking fee € 1). I recommend booking at any time of the season from April to October – there are already queues in April

Tickets for the most popular sights in Rome:

These were our tips on how to save in Rome. Have a safe journey!

More about Rome

THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN ROME: In our article on what to visit in Rome, you will find detailed descriptions of the most beautiful places, including information on admission fees and opening times. We also have special guides for the monuments of ancient Rome or the best museums in Rome.

We’ve created a detailed guide to the Vatican that tells you everything you need to know before your visit.

Read the guides for the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum to avoid queues on site. What not to miss in the Sistine Chapel is covered in a separate article.

ITINERARY FOR ROME: Get inspired by our itinerary for Rome in 3 days. You only have one day? See the itinerary for Rome in 1 day.

ACCOMMODATION IN ROME: We’ve created a detailed guide on where to stay in Rome (best neighbourhoods and accommodation on a budget, a map and how to get from your accommodation to the sights or the airport).

HOW TO ENJOY ROME: For tips on the best things to do in Rome, check out our article on what in. We also share more than 35 tips for travelling around Rome. In a separate article, you can find out about all the ways to get from Fiumicino Airport to the centre of Rome.

FAQ: How to save in Rome