Italy, Rome, Tips & advice

Getting around Rome – is the Roma Pass worth it?

RiA
8 February, 2018
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Many cities now have travel passes that offer free travel as well as other incentives depending on the type you buy. You’ve probably wondered if you should get a city pass, tourist card, standard travel card or just walk everywhere. I did and bought the Roma Pass. So now you’re thinking about getting around Rome – is the Roma Pass worth it?

What is the Roma Pass?

The Roma Pass is a ticket that helps you get around the city of Rome using various modes of travel such as buses, the metro and trams. The Roma Pass allows you to travel for free for a certain amount of time as well as gain free entry to one or two museums in the city – depending on which one you purchase.

How does it work?

There are two different types of passes – a 48-hour or a 72-hour one – and the time limit begins the moment you first use it. The main benefit of the Roma Pass – apart from the free travel of course – is that you can get into some of Rome’s museums and archaeological sites with it for free. If you purchase the 48-hour ticket, you gain entry into one, and if you decide on the 72-hour pass, you can get into two museums or sites. Either option also allows you to skip the queue as well as receive concessionary tickets to all other museums or archaeological sites visited after your free choices. Here’s a list of the museums and archaeological sites you can choose from. Just bear in mind that the Vatican Museums is not included in the list of free attractions.

Where can you buy the Roma Pass?

You can purchase the Roma Pass online, at the airport, Termini station or any of the designated tourist points around the city (not all tourist kiosks sell the pass so double check). Once you’ve purchased it, you must sign and date it before you can use it.

Is it worth the money?

It’s not the first time I’ve debated getting one of these city passes. I tend to buy a standard travel pass to cover a day or more depending on how far away everything is that I want to visit. I’ve read many people ask if it’s worth the money getting something like this – myself included. I think it really depends on what and where you’ll be going or doing. I like being able to hop-on or off the metro or bus without checking I’ve got the right change on me first. It’s also handy for late night travel too if you’re tired from a long day or go out later in the evening. I wondered whether it was worthwhile, and on this occasion, I felt it was so bought the pass. I would’ve ended up paying roughly the same price for travel and to visit two attractions. It made sense for me, but just make sure it’s right for you. You can get more information on the Roma Pass here.

Getting around without the pass

Getting around Rome is pretty easy without a Roma or standard travel pass. You can walk to most of the attractions like the Colosseum, Roman Forum or the Panetheon. Rome is a big city, so not all of these monuments are close together. The Panetheon is a bit of a walk from the Colosseum for example. You’ll come across historical monuments on route. On the plus side, the transport network is pretty good. You can easily jump on a bus, tram or the metro to get around.