One of the must-see’s for many travelers to Rome is a visit inside the Colosseo. Additionally, your ticket to the Colosseo is good for entry to the Forum and Palatine Hill, also remarkable sites. This 3-for-1 combo ticket currently costs €12 for non-EU visitors. Years ago you could pay for entry ONLY to the Colosseo, but that is not an option today. To see the Colosseo, you’ll have to purchase the 3-for-1 ticket.
The Colosseo is the most visited site in Italy… so the lines can get quite long. One alternative is to walk first to either the Palatine Hill or Forum Entrance. At either of these locations, the ticket lines are usually far shorter than the sometimes HUGE lines at the Colosseo. For many visitors, the most convenient “alternative option” is to walk down the Via Fori dei Fori Imperiali, stop at the Forum entrance, purchase their combo ticket and then continue down to the Colosseo.
In this map you can see the Colosseo entrance and ticket office, designated by the red #1. If you’ve never been, the ticket office is inside the Colosseo. The red #2 is the location of the Forum ticket office and entrance. It’s just off the Via Fori dei Fori Imperiali. The red #3, located on the bottom right of the map, is the Palatine Hill entrance and ticket counter. This entrance is on Via di San Gregorio. The orange circles represent public bus stops. Many people ride a bus to the stop just past the Forum, jump off, buy tickets and walk to the Colosseo.
Entrances and Ticket Offices
Palatine Hill
Of these three options, the Palatine Hill ticket office at Via di San Gregorio, (shown above) has the smallest line as it’s off the beaten path a little. To get to the Palatine entrance you can take the B Line Metro to the Colosseo stop. Walk past the Colosseo SOUTH and the Palatine entrance will be about 350 yards on your right. Or, to avoid the crowds, take the B Line Metro one more stop to Circo Massimo, get off there and walk NORTH towards the Colosseo. The Palatine Hill entrance will be on your left.
The following buses stop on same side of the road as the Palatine entrance: 175, 271, 75, 81, 87, and C3. These are primarily coming FROM the direction of the Colosseo first. Going the other way, TOWARDS the Colosseo from Circo Massimo, thus Palatine would be across the street on your left, the buses are currently 175, 271, 673, 75, 81, 85, 87, and C3. Your ticket will be good at all three entrances for two days, but only for one admission at each entrance. So if you enter through the Palatine Hill on Monday, you will not be able to come through this gate on Tuesday… but you can still go to the Colosseo or Forum on Tuesday! The great thing about buying your tickets at the remote locations is you can go directly to the turnstiles once you have a ticket. At ANY entrance, this will save you time.
The Forum
The Forum entrance is perhaps more convenient than Palatine Hill, and thus will probably have longer lines. In the photo above, the yellow circle marks the entrance to the Forum. The traffic signal is on Via Fori dei Fori Imperiali so you can see how convenient this location can be. I might buy my tickets here, but I usually head to the down to the Colosseo for my first entry.
I first visit the Colosseo, then head over and enter Palatine Hill. I walk down from the Hill into the Forum and then exit out the Forum at the far end, near the Arch of Septimius Severus. This allows me to climb the stairs up towards Piazza del Campodoglio and see Capitoline Hill. From up here, you can get another great view of the Forum, perhaps visit the wonderful church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, and then walk through and down the Vittorano Monument. Now you’re in Piazza Venezia and close to the centro area.
The Colosseo
If you already have your ticket, it’s easy to enter the Colosseo. Note the picture above which was taken about 25 meters inside the Colosseo. The guests lined up on the right are waiting in line to purchase tickets – which you may already have! The guests on the left are the “group” tours… also waiting in line. The center area – with no line – that’s where you go if you already have your tickets (or if you have a Roma Pass, which we will discuss momentarily). So you can see from this photo, you can save yourself thirty to forty-five – or more – minutes by NOT purchasing your tickets at the Colosseo.
So as you approach the Colosseo, you may see a line extending outside and wrapped around the building. If you’ve already purchased your tickets, DON’T get in this line. Nope – walk in the entrance, stay to the left and walk by all these folks… then head for the center aisle and on to the entry turnstiles. You will need to have your ticket (or Roma Pass) out for viewing because as you walk through the center aisle, there will be a Colosseo employee checking to make sure you have a ticket. Again, the center aisle is reserved for ticket holders – like you!
The Roma Pass
The ticket offices at the Colosseo, Palatine Hill, and the Forum open up about 08:30. If you get to the Colosseo early the lines are often much shorter. But let’s say you get up late, and you arrive in the Colosseo area about 11:00 AM on a Saturday, in season. By then, the lines at the Colosseo are huge, and even the lines at the Forum and Palatine Hill are fairly long. What can you do?
Well, to avoid the long lines you can get a Roma Pass! You might read our post Should I buy a Roma Pass? to see if this is a good deal for you. But if you want to avoid the long lines, and you plan on heading to another participating museum, than you can purchase one close to the Colosseo… and thus avoid all these long lines!
Your first option – once you see those long lines – is to head for the newsstand just outside the Colosseo metro station. The metro station is directly across the street from the Colosseo. In the above picture, the newsstand is marked by the yellow circle.
If the lines are too long – or if the newsstand is sold out of the Roma Pass – then head in the LEFT door of the metro station in the picture above. Inside the metro station you’ll find a Tabacchi shop, pictured below:
You can see from all the advertisements that the Roma Pass IS available here. In addition, Hop On Hop Off (HO-HO) bus tickets are also for sale at this shop. And if you need metro or bus tickets they have single-use, daily, 3-day, and weekly ATAC passes.
Once you have your Roma Pass, you can then head to the front of the lines at the Colosseo, Palatine Hill, or the Forum. If the Roma Pass is a good choice for you, these two locations are undoubtedly two of the most convenient spots in town.
Another Option
Join a Tour! Check out the Skip-the-Line-Ancient-Rome-and-Colosseum-Walking-Tour available through Viator. They feature a small-group walking tour of Ancient Rome’s major sights including skipping the queues for the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. If this is your first time to Rome, this smaller, group tour would be a good fit for you. You and your certified guide will cover several major sites in a three-hour tour. And again, no waiting in line at the Colosseo!
Whatever route you take, enjoy the Colosseo. I’ve been inside more than 250 times, and it never fails to fascinate. Enjoy your visit!
Lori, as per the Vatican website, the Vatican Museums are closed on Tuesday, May 1… so your options are to go on free Sunday (ouch!) or on Monday. If it’s a can’t miss site for you, then I would try and purchase “skip the line tickets” for that Monday through the Vatican website — if they are still available. Not sure at this late date if they will be, especially with the holiday closure. If not, you can try and go through a vendor like Viator. They work with reputable vendors and may have some slots available. There are no “skip-the-line” tickets available on free Sundays and I’ve done it once and NEVER again! With the holiday closure that week, the Vatican Museums will unfortunately be crowded on your Monday. But, there is NO bad time to be in Rome!
Hi Ron,
I will be in Rome on May 1st and was wondering which attraction you might suggest that I see that day? I’m not sure if I should do the Vatican on that day because the day before (Monday) it will be closed and the day before that is the last Sunday of the month which allows free admission. I arrive on Sunday(free day) and leave on Tuesday (after the holiday.) I wonder if this is a bad time to arrive in Rome? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for all of the great information!
Wanda – It’s a holiday so I’m sure some of the venues will be “more” crowded… but you can’t beat the price!
Just wondering if the 1 euro option on May 1st will make those venues really, really busy?
The Colosseo underground is a separate tour – AND Price – from the entry fee to get into the Colosseo. In most cases, you would have to have a reservation in advance to get onto the “always crowded” Colosseo underground tour. As strong as the demand is, I’d be surprised if they took walk-ups.
Hi Ron,
The Roma pass is not available today as well. I was planning to get my Roma pass tomorrow (not sure if it will be available) but one question. If I have a Roma pass, do I still have to queue to buy the colosseum underground tickets?
Hello Ron
Thank you for your reply – I guess my cunning plan to buy a ticket for the Roman Forum/Palatine/Colosseum just before the ticket office closes one evening (when there are no queues), pop it into my purse and then go straight in the following morning without having to queue to buy it when it’s really busy, isn’t so cunning after all! I just thought that maybe the ticket didn’t ‘start’ until I went through the ticket barrier for the first time, which would then count as Day 1. Never mind! By the way, your posts about Rome have been invaluable in planning my trip – thank you!
Pam, the tickets for the Colosseo “Combo” are only good for the day you purchase .. and the NEXT day. Not really a “true” 48 hour ticket. So you cannot go three days, as you suggest, but you can go over a two day period. You can use a camcorder almost anywhere you can use a camera (most camcorders don’t have flash). Most churches allow photography (again without flash). Exceptions to these rules would include the Galleria Borghese, The Bone Church, the Catacombs, and the Scavi Tour.
Hello Ron
I’ve been reading your advice about keeping queueing time for the Roman Forum, the Palatine and, most of all, the Colosseum to a minimum – I was wondering if it’s possible to buy the ticket for these sights on Day 1, to be used on Days 2 and 3 (like pre-buying a Roma Pass and it becoming ‘valid’ only when first used) – the idea being to buy the ticket one late afternoon when the queues have dispersed, for use the following day.
I would also like to ask you about where it is permitted to take photos / use a camcorder – for example, I understand I can take photos without flash everywhere in the Musei Vaticani except for the Sistine Chapel. Could I use a camcorder in the Musei Vaticani, or is it just a camera that’s allowed? And do you know of any other museums, art galleries, palazzi (eg Farnese) and churches visited by tourists that allow filming and/or photography? If you would like me to ask this question elsewhere on your website, let me know and I’ll do so!
Many thanks, Ron
Best wishes, Pam
Thanks ron! You’ve been a great help, really can’t thank you enough. Wish us luck on our trip!
******* Good Luck – Enjoy your trip ******* R.
From St. Peter’s to the Colosseo, you may have to do a little walking to get to transportation. Directly in front of St. Peter’s is a taxi stand. Near Piazza Risorgimento, you can catch the 492 bus which will take you to Largo Argentina, where you can catch any number of buses that stop directly in front of the Colosseo (like the 87). In the opposite direction – and without a bus change – you can walk south out of St. Peter’s Square to the “Cavalleggeri/S. Pietro” bus stop and ride the 571 all the way to the Colosseo. You could also hike over to Ottaviano metro, ride the A line to Termini, change tot he B line and then ride 2 stops to the Colosseo.
Thank you very much Ron! Forgot to ask, what are our transportation options from the vatican (probably outside St. Peter’s) to Colosseo?
Michelle,
Saturdays are probably one of the busier days of the week but you can avoid the lines at the Colosseo a few ways. First, go early! The Colosseo ticket office opens around 08:30 and if you’re there before 09:00 there is usually not too many folks out and about. Unlike the Vatican you can often go earlier and avoid lines for the Colosseo.
OR DO WHAT MOST FOLKS DO… buy your Colosseo tickets at the Palatine Hill or the Forum entrance. The “ticket” is good at all three locations for 2 consecutive days… so avoid the big lines at the Colosseo; get your “combo entry” tickets at one of the other two entrances; and then walk over to the Colosseo and walk by everyone waiting in line to BUY the ticket you have in your hand! I’ve never pre-bought entrance tickets to the Colosseo and I’ve probably been in there 275 times…
Hi ron, if we visit the colisuem on a saturday end of april, would there be a need to pre-purchase our tickets? Is this a busy day or a busy month for this attraction? Thanks!
Thanks Ron for your awesome blog, all the tips and information (+ maps) of the buses and metro. We’ll let you know soon how they worked!
arrived in Rome on oct 5th, & yes the Roma pass was not available.
we were told at termini station info counter it was a printing issue and they
should be ready on oct 7. on oct 7 I was able to purchase the pass
and used it for the next three days- borghese museum, Colesseum,
forum and buses. it worked great!!
According to the experts over in tripadvisor (specifically Zerlina, who knows her stuff), effective today, Ocotber 7, 2011, the Roma Pass should be back in stock. The distribution problems they have been suffering have apparently been resolved.
Thanks again for the photos and information Ron. I have been reading that the Rome Pass isn’t available right now?