I was on the RomaPass website, and it looks like a great deal. Can this pass be used at the forum, and is there a separate line like at the colliseum for pass holders? Is it even necessary at the forum (I thought I read somewhere that the forum was free)? It looks like one can use certain transportation for free with this pass; is that true? Also, there are two different passes: the RomaPass for 23euros, and the RomaPass Piu, for 25euros. The transportation on the RomaPass Piu looks like it included parts of the Trenitalia line, but is there any other significant difference between the two?
Regarding the vatican, we want to tour the sistene chapel, but not necessarily the entire vatican. Does one need to purchase tickets to the entire tour or can one tour only the sistene chapel? Is there a type of pass like the RomaPass that includes the vatican? Also, if purchasing advance tickets for the vatican, must they be for an exact day, or can one purchase a ticket to be validated upon use? Also, the RomaPass info states that the pass does not become valid until the first usem and then one has three days to use it. So, if I order it now, I won't have to worry about the three days expiring. Is this true? I know what it says on the website, but I wanted find out from someone who has actually used the pass and ordered it ahead of time.
We will be in Italy from July 16-26, 6 nights in Orvieto and 3 in Rome, but that doesn't mean that we won't visit Rome prior to our staying there, since we will be travelling through the Umbrian countryside (using Orvieto as base) and Rome seems easy enough to get to from Orvieto.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any information that you provide!!

The forum used to be free, but that changed a year ago. When using the Roma Pass, the Colosseum, Forum, Palantine Hill count as one entrance. Yes, there are two different passes with the Piu covering a bit more rail lines than the regular pass. You probably don't need the Piu.

If you are flying into Rome, you can buy the Roma Pass in the airport at the Commune di Roma booth (this is not the tourist info booth as you exit baggage claim). No need to order in advance since you would still have to pick it up somewhere anyway.

You get two cards with the Roma Pass. One is for the museums/sites and the other for transportation.

The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums. You can book a Vatican ticket or tour with the Vatican on their website. www.vatican.va

J&J-- to add to the great info Ky provided above: if arriving to Termini Station you can buy the Roma Pass at the Office of Tourism located on second floor near Platforms 25-28. We used it at the Colosseum and went right in thru a different line, same at the Forum; a sure blessing as lines for both are not short ever.... We used the buses and train extensively so we broke even almost within a day.. The Roma Pass is a MUST have if in Rome doing sightseeing for 3 days+.

Here's a good breakdown on the Roma Pass.... http://www.roninrome.com/2009/04/27/...y-a-roma-pass/

And this could help you with other discounts and info on how to get into the Colosseo without waiting!
http://www.roninrome.com/2009/04/30/...ckets-in-rome/

rinr is an advertiser. For a breakdown on the Roma Pass, use the Roma Pass website.

rinr may be an advertiser, (I didn't know that) but his breakdown is very thorough and helpful.

Good info Ron, you've combined several pages of the official Roma Pass site into one cohesive page. Well done.

dave

Thanks for the help - we sure appreciate it!!!!! We'll wait to buy the pass at Termini Station.

Yes, he's advertising which is against Fodor's policy. If he just wanted to share info he could post it here instead of attempting to get hits on his site by posting links to his business.

kybourbon, I appreciate your concern but I am far from an advertiser. You do not MAKE money writing a blog like the one I write - far from it. I have spoken with the Katie the Community Manager for Fodors.com and she has inspected my site and determined it is not an "advertisers" site. Moreover, she has APPROVED the site as representative of information that would be helpful to people on this travel board and has allowed me to post blog links. I do live in Rome and remember my first few trips here... so I hope I can help others.

All good info guys. I'll be sure to pick up my pass at Termini station, too. I'll be there 2 weeks from Sunday!!!

If you get to the Colosseum without a Roma Pass, you can walk up the road towards the "Wedding Cake" and about half way up there is a visitor centre which sells the pass.

rinr - Are you saying your site isn't advertising yourself as a tour guide for Rome? If you are really interested in providing information to Fodorites then you will post it here where it can be found in searches, not providing links to your website.

For everyone wanting a Roma Pass, it's easy to pick it up at FCO. As you exit baggage claim go to the right past all the shops. The floor sort of ramps up and when you run out of shops (it's not very far) the Commune di Roma booth is on the left. In my experience Termini is often out of what you need.

It's certainly FAR easier to post a link ... In doing so you can see the layout in a webpage with pictures, maps, etc. That's much more clear and easier to read than to try and paste it here in these windows that don't allow italics, bold print, headings, etc. If you pasted that here, a post here would be very long - Some of those articles are 2-3 pages.

You can buy the Roma Pass at many locations - not just sites located on the website. It is for sale in four other "newstands" just in Roma Termini - primarily the lower levels. It's also available OUTSIDE Termini on the way to the bus stops. You can also buy it in a newstand in the Colosseo metro station. I've bought many there to avoid the lines. It's available in "newstands" on the Corso, on Via Nazionale and countless other places in town - including INSIDE many hotels! So you're not just limited by the website information.

Rinr, you put in a lot of work to create the webpage(s) and I for one appreciate it. Yes, you could have cut and pasted ALL of that info to a never-ending thread, but instead you did what a NORMAL person would have done and just given the link.

I don't care if your are a tour guide or the King of Siam, GOOD JOB!!!

dave

dave - I didn't object to your website (yes Dave has one too) and in fact provided information for on your bus thread for which you thanked me. I have no problem with private websites people do because they love to travel and want to help or share with others. I do have a problem with people advertising or linking to their business as a response to every question especially when they are promoting their own travel product on it. It doesn't matter if the question is about gelato flavors or the Borghese, every answer is their website. A normal person doesn't answer every question by linking their personal website every time unless they are selling something or are more interested in getting hits on their site.

I agree Ky, but what what I saw, the info he linked to was simply a compilation of information. So what if he is a guide, does that disqualify him for giving out information? If someone has already written stuff once, why do it again? We both know how that is, because we often find ourselves answering the same questions over and over.

I do appreciate your info on the bus and in many, many other areas. But we often go after someone for posting stuff and they are professionals and sometimes we really shouldn't. If someone's only post(s) are to do nothing more than promote themselves, then that's wrong, but rinr has a ton of postings and comments helping people, directing them to specific information.

So consider this, if a person has spent a substantial amount of time putting together information and posted it in a website, why not put a link directly to the referenced material. Now, if every comment were a link to the main index page, and someone would have to search the site to find the requested info, then that is not right.

How many times have we seen the question on Colosseum tickets, buses, Vatican Museums, etc. ? It sure seems easier to me to just say "go to this direct link" than to type in several paragraphs, and I type at about 70 wpm.

Yes, there is a fine line between advertising and advice, but it isn't necessarily black and white.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth...

dave

Thanks to everyone who responded. We will have a well-planned, fantastic trip because of your great advice!!

Just got back from Italy the other day. Have a fab time!
The Roma Pass was well worth it. Used at several museums and on the Metro. It paid for itself. I bought it at the airport before jumping on the Leonardo Express.

Rock on Amy