Do Rome 'Skip The Line' Tickets Actually Work

[estrawn]

I see everyone and his brother offering skip the line tickets for the Colosseum and St. Peters. Do these tickets actually get you in in a more reasonable length of time? Is there anything to be aware of? Which is the best company to buy the tickets through?

 

I'm planning to take the train from the ship into Rome then tour around on my own with the objective of seeing the Colosseum and St. Peters. Do individual tickets work well or is it more effective to buy the tickets as part of an organized tour group?

 

All suggestions and info will be greatly appreciated.

[dogs4fun]

I see everyone and his brother offering skip the line tickets for the Colosseum and St. Peters. Do these tickets actually get you in in a more reasonable length of time? Is there anything to be aware of? Which is the best company to buy the tickets through?

 

I'm planning to take the train from the ship into Rome then tour around on my own with the objective of seeing the Colosseum and St. Peters. Do individual tickets work well or is it more effective to buy the tickets as part of an organized tour group?

 

All suggestions and info will be greatly appreciated.

Yes, pre-purchased tickets allow you to avoid the queues.

 

For the Colosseum, you book here:

https://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm

You will not be able to avoid the security line no matter with whom you book but you will avoid the long queues to purchase tickets.

 

When you say "St. Peters", do you mean Saint Peter's Basilica? Or, do you also want to visit the Vatican Museums (which includes the Sistine Chapel)?

If the former, you need no ticket - the queues are for security only. Arrive early to avoid the long lines.

If the latter, you book directly with the Vatican and you will bypass the queues.

https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceLivelloVisita=9&step=1

 

No need for an organized tour - you can rent an audio guide at the Vatican Museum.

OR - you can download Rick Steves free audio tours of the Colosseum, the Vatican Musuem & St. Peter's Basilica here:

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours

[Giantfan13]

If you are going to Rome, on a day trip from a cruise, time is your enemy. I would do everything possible to speed things along.

I would heed the advice already given for the Coliseum, as we did it on a 'free' day. but we did buy our tickets for the Vatican (and tour) thru the Vatican's web site and although we did have to stand on lines to get in, (screening), if we didn't have those tickets, we would still be on line to purchase tickets and then another line to be screened. It does help.

Most sites on the internet, to buy tickets in advance, to bypass the lines, all work the same and you will save valuable time.

Cheers

Len

[cruisemom42]

Keep in mind that there are different levels of "faster entry".

 

In some senses, "skip the line" only means that you will skip the ticket purchase line (which, to be fair, can be quite lengthy). However, most of the time you still have to line up to go through the security screening along with everyone else.

 

However, there are a lot of private tour providers (and even the Vatican itself, it seems) who now provide so-called "early access" to sites or sometimes "after hours" access. These are a great way to extend your available sight-seeing hours if you are staying in Rome but are less useful to cruise passengers who are just headed in for the day.

 

There are also some companies that advertise "priority access" -- I haven't used one so I can't comment directly. Perhaps at some sites there is a separate check-in for these tour groups that allows them to skip both the ticket line and possibly go through an expedited security screening.

 

I would just read carefully what is being offered by a "skip the line" ticket and don't count on being able to waltz into the site 5 minutes after you arrive there in most cases...

[euro cruiser]

Most sites on the internet, to buy tickets in advance, to bypass the lines, all work the same and you will save valuable time.

There is no need to pay an additional fee to a secondary supplier when it's so easy to purchase skip-the-line tours directly from the venues themselves, using the links already provided.

[rdt10]

There is no timed entry into St. Peter's Basilica like the Vatican Museum. In October we spent 2 1/2 hours in line for security screening. I don't know if a guide could get you to the front of the line. If you are on your own you could have a long wait.

 

If you are on a tour that includes both the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's there is an exit on the right side of the Sistine Chapel that ends up past the security line for St. Peter's. The normal exit on the left side returns to the front of the Museum.

 

Also they have increased security at the Colosseum which has slowed entry even if you have pre-purchased tickets. A guide we use in Rome recommended arriving at the Colosseum around opening or late afternoon to avoid long security lines. We arrived shortly after they opened and did not have to wait long.

 

This timing doesn't help much on a port day, but something to consider when you plan as these sites may eat up a lot of your time.

[estrawn]

I appreciate all the great information from everyone. In reading all the tour adverts they all seem to claim "the best access of anyone". Does anyone have experience with any of the tour companies that they can share?

[Clarea]

They worked for us at the Vatican Museum. We walked past several blocks of people lined up and walked right in.

[senorbanda]

cruisemom42 is correct when she stated that there are perhaps tours that are offered with a separate access for entry into certain sites. In Oct 2014 we went to St.Peters Basillica on a port stop on our Med cruise. Due to the fact that DW was recovering from a foot injury and was wearing a walking boot. We purchased a tour thru Viator for skip the line tickets with audio guide to St. Peters for $22. We had to wait approx 15 mins before we were able to enter the Basillica. This was the first, and so far only time that I have used Viator. $22pp vs 2hrs+ wait time on a port call. It was well worth it.

[euro cruiser]

So you paid $22 for an audio guide, in essence, since you still waited to get in.

 

St. Peter's basilica is free, the wait is merely for security and you can't buy your way out of that.

[euro cruiser]

I appreciate all the great information from everyone. In reading all the tour adverts they all seem to claim "the best access of anyone". Does anyone have experience with any of the tour companies that they can share?

The only way any of them have anything "better" to offer is if they are one of the few who are allowed to offer before- or after-hours tours. No one offering tours during regular operating hours is going to get you in or around any faster than the Vatican museums themselves.

 

So, unless you're prepared to pay for a

before- or after-hours tour (well worth the money, in my opinion, but not cheap), you might as well avoid the additional fees and just go to the source. That is, unless you want something very specific like a Context tour, which is longer and more academically oriented than a regular public tour.

[estrawn]

No, I'm not looking for a highly detailed tour and since I'm on a cruise I can't take advantage of any after hours offerings. I just want to experience the buildings and the area because of their tremendous history. I also hope to get to see the coliseum. It seems as if going right to the source for tickets may be the best way to go.

[senorbanda]

So you paid $22 for an audio guide, in essence, since you still waited to get in.

 

St. Peter's basilica is free, the wait is merely for security and you can't buy your way out of that.

In 2014 Viator offered entry at specified times. Since this was a port call for us and we weren't sure how long it would take to get to Rome, we opted for a 10am entry time. We arrived at St. Peter's around 9:45am and met with the rep from Viator who told us that he was waiting for a few more people and then we would proceed into the Basillica. The security line for us was quick and efficent. I knew that entry into St. Peter's was free. However, when you have 10hrs in port and you are taking public transport to and from your destination and perhaps would like to see other sites if possible. $22pp beats standing in line 2+hrs any day of the week in my book. Just sayin.

[Grandma Cruising]

We booked tickets for the Vatican Museum on this website

https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do

 

and we walked straight in. There was a huge queue - must have been half a mile long!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[forgotmyCCname]

Yes, pre-purchased tickets allow you to avoid the queues.

 

For the Colosseum, you book here:

https://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm

You will not be able to avoid the security line no matter with whom you book but you will avoid the long queues to purchase tickets.

 

When you say "St. Peters", do you mean Saint Peter's Basilica? Or, do you also want to visit the Vatican Museums (which includes the Sistine Chapel)?

If the former, you need no ticket - the queues are for security only. Arrive early to avoid the long lines.

If the latter, you book directly with the Vatican and you will bypass the queues.

https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceLivelloVisita=9&step=1

 

No need for an organized tour - you can rent an audio guide at the Vatican Museum.

OR - you can download Rick Steves free audio tours of the Colosseum, the Vatican Musuem & St. Peter's Basilica here:

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours

 

 

Thank you for this great info!

[cmlk14]

We did tours from local guides for both the coliseum and the Vatican. We went at Christmas. I don't think we would have managed to wait in line for the amount of time it would have taken without these skip the line tours. Literally saved hours, plus the guides information and tips were invaluable. These tours were around $100, found on viatour. If you are there at a slow time and don't mind the wait, you could do without, but I am really glad I didn't.

The wait for "security" without the tour was several hours long. We went into the Vatican museum with no wait and then into St. Peter's. Audio guides are great, very useful, but human guide was way beyond that. It depends on how much money, time and patience you have! This is who we used to see the Colosseum and the Forum. Well worth it.

https://www.viator.com/tours/Rome/Skip-the-Line-Ancient-Rome-and-Colosseum-Half-Day-Walking-Tour/d511-3731COLOSSEUM

Edited February 25, 2018 by cmlk14