Rome Colosseum, independent

[Budget Queen]

I am arriving via the NCL Jade, and have a Civitavecchia port time of 7a-6p.

 

I would like to visit the Colosseum. I am looking for traveling independently by train. I understand tickets purchased ahead do save time. But, will be purchasing them at the time.

 

I have seen some confusing directions. Could anyone give me the specifics, keeping in mind, I know no Italian. I understand there is a shuttle bus then a long walk to the train station near the port. Then what?? Hopefully this would be recommended as doable? If a few along the way, sights could be glanced at so much the better, but the Colosseum is the priority.

 

Another question- how long to allow at the Colosseum?? I assume it is self guided with English options? Scheduled tours? Thanks for all the help to a first timer. :)

[Captain Canuck]

I linked these before. its easy to do rome on your own. given that you have limited time in Rome I would not use it doing inside the colesseum...do some web research and find the sites you really want to see...ie like the Vatican, the Trevi fountain, the pantheon, the forum...I spent 5 weeks in rome when I was a student and did not see it all....you won't have time to do anything but get a feel for the place...and eat some gelati

 

http://www.kenandpene.com/ROME%20ON%20YOUR%20OWN.htm

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=59139

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...hia+train+rome

[andynapril]

Hey Budget Queen. I've been reading your posts on Alaska for my cruise next year, and they've been very helpful. We were in Rome last October & here's how we did it. We did Rome on our own & it was very easy.

 

Take the cruise ship buses to the entrance of the port. Walk to the station (to the right) & purchase your ticket. Get off at the Ostience (not sure of spelling) station. Transfer to the Blue Line Metro (its all connected & very easy - follow the signs). Get off at the Colisseo stop & the Colisseum is right in front of you. We downloaded Rick Steves Audio Tour, bought a spliter for my MP3 player & we followed that. It was very good & FREE! I would say allow about 2 hours, but I'm sure it's different for each person. We were on a tight schedule & wanted to see alot.

 

Here are the links to Rick Steve's Audio Tours. We downloaded several & they were all very good.

 

http://www.ricksteves.com/news/travelnews/0602/italy_downloads.htm

 

April

[cruisemom42]

Hey Budget Queen. I've been reading your posts on Alaska for my cruise next year, and they've been very helpful. We were in Rome last October & here's how we did it. We did Rome on our own & it was very easy.

 

Take the cruise ship buses to the entrance of the port. Walk to the station (to the right) & purchase your ticket. Get off at the Ostience (not sure of spelling) station. Transfer to the Blue Line Metro (its all connected & very easy - follow the signs). Get off at the Colisseo stop & the Colisseum is right in front of you. We downloaded Rick Steves Audio Tour, bought a spliter for my MP3 player & we followed that. It was very good & FREE! I would say allow about 2 hours, but I'm sure it's different for each person. We were on a tight schedule & wanted to see alot.

 

Here are the links to Rick Steve's Audio Tours. We downloaded several & they were all very good.

 

http://www.ricksteves.com/news/travelnews/0602/italy_downloads.htm

 

April

 

 

Excellent directions. I will just add that if the line for tickets at the Colosseum looks long, just walk down the street (opposite direction from the Metro station) to the Palatine Hill ticket office and buy your ticket there. It's usually much less crowded.

[euro cruiser]

I suggest making a google map of the Civitavecchia port and train station, it will increase your confidence about how easy this is to do.

 

The train station at Civitavecchia is on Via della Repubblica and it's about a half mile from the port, not a long walk at all.

 

When you get to the station, the ticket you want is called a BIRG (Biglietto Integrato Regionale Giornaliero). You want the 5-zone ticket that costs 9 Euro, it will cover your train trip to Rome and back as well as metro, bus and trams throughout the city of Rome.

 

If you are uncomfortable about using the metro in Rome, an alternative is to get off the train at the Trastevere station (one prior to Ostiense) and take the #3 bus from the piazza in front of the station to the Colosseum. This way takes a little longer (5 - 10 minutes) than the metro alternative, if all things are equal, but it avoids the underground.

 

Your ticket for the Colosseum also includes the Forum and I think these are two of the quintessential sites of Rome. The Palatine site is also included in this ticket and you can speed things up a tad by purchasing your ticket at the Palatine booth, which is located down the street from the Colossum on Via di San Gregorio (the street going south from the Arch of Constantine).

[Captain Canuck]

when you buy your train ticket make sure you use the machine to valdate it when you are getting on the train...really good advice about the ticket...its good for the day in all of Rome plus your return trip to the ship...I wanna go too

[cruiser620]

If you are still nervous about taking the train from the port into Rome, here is a great website that tells you exactly how to do it -- with pictures so you know you are in the right place.

 

http://www.europeportreviews.com

 

Click on "Western Mediterranean" then "Italy" then "Rome" then "Where does the ship dock?" At the end of that section it reads "For a thorough report on doing Rome via Train On Your Own, click Here." If you go to that, there are complete directions and pictures.

[Andym]

As you want to see the Colosseum , here is what we did. When we arrived we were approached by a guide by the green hut just outside the metro station. We paid 10 euros above the ticket price and had a great tour. We skipped the long lines are we were inside in 5 minutes. The guide was very knowledgeable and we had a great tour.

 

I know that you can buy your tickets elsewhere but this was the quickest way we could do it and as time in Rome is very tight, I can recommend this way.

 

There is a discount on the tickets for under 18 and over 65, but be sure to have id with you.

[Budget Queen]

I knew I could count on CC. ;) Thank you all for the detailed help, it is priceless. :)

[swalm22]

From Roma Termini to Civitavecchia

Take the regional train 2 class € 4,50 (no reservations)

Every few minutes a train leaves, average travel time 1.15h

http://www.ftroute.com/IT_ROM_CIV.cfm

 

From Civitavecchia to Roma Termini

Take the regional train 2 class = € 4,50 (no reservations)

Every few minutes a train leaves, average travel time 1.15h

http://www.ftroute.com/IT_CIV_ROM.cfm

 

Warning before you get on the train

It is absolutely necessary that you validate your tickets prior to boarding the train.

This is done by inserting the narrow end of your ticket into one of the yellow machines located next to,

or at the end of the platform. You will hear its internal printer put at date/time stamp on the ticket.

If a machine does not appear to work, simply go to another machine.

The penalty for not having a ticket, or a validated ticket, is €25 plus the cost of the ticket.

This is true of all buses in Italy also! A ticket, once validated, is good until midnight the date that it was validated on.

[eschguy]

@ Euro Cruiser / Swalm22,

 

Thanks for the specifics on the tickets -- hoping someone can help clarify one thing for me, though. When you get to the station in Civi, will I purchase

 

1) One 9 Euro BIRG ticket, that I will validate in the morning, that will get me to/from Rome and on the metro

 

or

 

2) One 4.5 Euro BIRG ticket, that I will validate in the morning, and will get me to Rome AND THEN LATER, purchase another 4.5 Euro ticket in Rome, which I will validate before boarding, to get me back to Civi?

 

Thanks very much.

[Susan-M]

When you get to the station in Civi, will I purchase

 

1) One 9 Euro BIRG ticket, that I will validate in the morning, that will get me to/from Rome and on the metro

 

 

Buy the 9 Euro BIRG ticket, which will get you to Rome and back on the Regional train, and includes transportation on buses and subways in Rome.

[eschguy]

Great, thanks, Susan.

[euro cruiser]

A ticket, once validated, is good until midnight the date that it was validated on.

This is not quite right. A train ticket is good for six hours. You can, for example, buy a train ticket from Livorno to Florence but get off in Pisa, then get back on later and continue to Florence, as long as you get it done within six hours.

 

The one day regional BIRG ticket is good until midnight of the day it is validated, as stated by the previous poster.

 

A local bus/metro ticket is good for either 75 minutes, one day, three days or one week, depending on which one you buy. The daily ones are not 24 hours from when you validate them, but until midnight of the day you validate it.

[GSPLover]

This is not quite right. A train ticket is good for six hours. You can, for example, buy a train ticket from Livorno to Florence but get off in Pisa, then get back on later and continue to Florence, as long as you get it done within six hours.

 

The one day regional BIRG ticket is good until midnight of the day it is validated, as stated by the previous poster.

 

A local bus/metro ticket is good for either 75 minutes, one day, three days or one week, depending on which one you buy. The daily ones are not 24 hours from when you validate them, but until midnight of the day you validate it.

 

The train ticket, once validated, is good till midnight on the day that it is validated. I have one in front of me and that is exactly what it says.

[my2monsters]

We'll be in Rome 24th July. We plan to go the other way, starting at St. Peter's and ending at the Colosseum. I'm confused about the Ostiense train station. If I leave the Colosseum to go back to Civitavecchia, at which stop should I get off on the Metro to get to the Ostiense station for the train back? Is it Pyramide? I dread getting lost.

Thanks.

[Captain Canuck]

go to the main station - termini..catch the train back to the port there...also...the track for this train is on the side...right hand side going in...you have to walk to the far side of the terminal and then go forward along the tracks...there are a few tracks off on the right

[bandman10]

Has anyone had experiece with the hop on hop off bus in Rome once you get off the train in Rome?

[weliketocruise86]

Booked the hop on hop off bus last august from viator. The stop is just outside the termini station. It was the red line.

[Lollygil]

You can just walk out of the station and head to the bus area. You can your tickets on the bus.

[Valeen]

When you get to the Colosseum there will be people offering you a tour "in English" and saying that they can "save you time getting in" if you sign up with them. We did that last NOV. We would not again. There were no big crowds mid-AM. We could have gotten a ticket and gotten in SOONER than it took to wait for the "tour group" to reach the size they wanted. The tour leader had a lot to say - way more than we cared to hear. You can tot he inside on your own with ease and 30 min seems enough. The area beside the C. is worth seeing, and is an easy walk from the C. Get a ticket that includes the whole area.

[SusaninCali]

This thread has been great.

 

I heard that it is a good idea to view the Forum/Colosseum area from Capitoline Hill first to get a lay of the land.

 

Can this viewing be done without buying a ticket to the Capitoline area?

 

Since we will be taking the train from the port on a BIRG ticket, does anyone know the best way to get to the Capitoline Hill area from the terminal station?

 

 

Thanks