Roma It is an ancient, magical, super touristy city that no one who likes to travel can fail to visit not once but several times.
For some time now, many tourist cities offer travelers "tourist cards", "tourist passes", cards with discounts to enjoy much more. One of the cards of this style, in Rome, is the Rome Pass, but, worth?
Rome Pass
It is a cultural tourist card that the capital of Italy offers to all its travelers. The ATAC is issued in collaboration and is promoted by the Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Activities and the Roma Capitale.
Like other tourist cards, this one has more than one version: There is a 72-day card and another 48-hour card. Either offers plenty of museums, areas of archaeological interest, experiences and monuments.
The Roma Pass is one of the city's three tourist cards/passes and it must be said that It is the cheapest, therefore the weak point is that It is the most incomplete. What does it offer, basically? Well he unlimited use of public transport. This includes commuter trains, buses, subways and trams for all the hours of the pass.
Secondly you must choose one visit if you bought the 48-hour pass and two if you have the 72-hour pass. There is a list and you choose according to your tastes. In addition, we offer a city map and some discounts on museum admission.
What places can you visit with the Roma Pass? El Colosseum, the Forum, the Palatine Hill, the Borghese Gallery, the Capitoline Museums, the Baths of Caracalla and the Castel Sant'Angelo.
But it has had some new features recently, and today you can experience the Augmented Reality of the Circus Maximus Experience. They give you an AR viewer and you take a virtual trip through the forums. Nothing bad.
The Rome Pass you can buy it in many places around the city, but among the closest that a tourist can find are the following "Tourist Information" offices: the one just steps from the Castel Sant'Angelo, the one near the Colosseum and the one near the Trevi Fountain. Please note that the office at the Trevi Fountain (historic center) and the one at Castel Sant'Angelo are open from 9:30 am to 7 pm and the other from 10:30 to 8 pm.
And it doesn't hurt to remember that The Roma Pass is activated the first time you use public transport or make a visit. Don't count days, count hours. What are the rates for the Roma Pass? Well, here there are two rates, for children up to five years old and for adults: The 48-hour pass and also the 72-hour pass are free for children. For older adults (six years and older), the 48-hour pass costs 33 euros and the 72-hour pass costs 55 euros.
And what discounts do you offer us? If you chose to buy the Rome 72-hour Pass You have free entry to the first two museums or places you visit, and if the chosen museum has a temporary exhibition (sometimes it is paid separately), it is included with the pass. You also have reduced entry to the rest of the museums or sites you visit, including "experiences" and, if applicable, the museum's temporary exhibition.
and you also have Unlimited and free access to the entire public transport network throughout the Roma Capitale area, and to and from Ciampino airport. The 72-hour Roma Pass also gives you access to toilets that are part of the P.Stop network.
Now, you bought the Rome 48-hour Pass. What includes? Basically the same as the previous one but a little less. That is, free entry to the first museum/place you visit, reduced rate in the others, unlimited and free access to the entire transportation network managed by ATAC (train, tram, metro and some bus lines)
Whether you choose one pass or the other, both include a paper map of Rome with all Tourist Infopoint offices well marked, points of interest as well as metro stations. Of course, keep in mind that this is personal, non-transferable passes, and if you lose them while they are valid there is no refund.
But the title of our article today is yes Is the Roma Pass worth it or not?. Well, there is no certain answer to that because It all depends on what your tastes are, the time you have and the money you have.
For example, I really like history and archeology, but not so much art. Therefore, I am not desperate to see all the museums in Rome so I have no problem walking and looking at the buildings and strolling among ruins. To know if it is appropriate or not, you have to know that Rome also offers two more cards: the Rome Tourist Card and the Omnia Card.
We said at the beginning that the Roma Pass was the least complete of the three and so it is. If you're wondering what it is The most complete tourist card of all the answer is the Omnia Card. Because? You can enter without waiting to the best places in Rome and the Vatican such as St. Peter's Basilica or the Vatican Museums or hop on the panoramic tourist bus. Of course, in addition to being complete, it is expensive: 149 euros, the version for those over 18 years of age.
There is also Two versions more: from 6 to 17 years old and children under 5 years old for whom it is free. For the second group the cost is 69 euros. It turns out that The Omnia Card is the combination of itself with the 72-hour Roma Pass.
The Omnia Card is a physical card on the back of which you must sign. You can buy it online, you receive a coupon and exchange it for the card, the map and an explanatory brochure. Where? On Via dei Cestari, not far from the Pantheon, in the Vatican and in Piazza S. Giovanni near the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. They open every day.
The other card is Rome Tourist Card, completely managed online. It is basically a list of tickets without lines at good prices in the most important places. For example, the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica or the Palatine Hill. Only the essentials 114 euros per adult over 18 years old.
There are two other versions but they include the same thing, they only vary in price depending on age: from 4 to 17 years old it costs 72 euros and for children up to 3 years old the price is only 8 euros. How everything is managed online You must, at the time of purchase, choose which days you are going to visit each place. Then you receive the tickets you have selected by email and with them it will not be necessary to wait in line.
You will also be provided with a 10% discount code on selected activities, which you must also book online, and some audio guides concentrated in a mobile app. Another advantage that we can add is that It has no validity period.
Yes, keep in mind that The Rome Tourist Card does not include transportation. Personally, I don't think it's a disadvantage. I always walk in Rome, it is a fairly compact city. Ultimately, as you will see, it all depends on what you want to see or spend and how long you stay. If you go for a few days, less than three perhaps, the Rome Tourist Card is great, if you want to see more there is the Omni Card and if you care little about the Vatican, then this is where the Rome Pass is suitable.