ItalyDreaming

Hi - I need some help with some logistics question. We have a reservation to the Scavi tour at 3:30pm, we are hoping to be able to go Ostia Antica in the morning. A couple questions:

1) We'll be taking the train back from Ostia Antica. What is the best option to get to the Vatican, from I assume the Pyramid stop?
2) We'll have day pack with us and I don't think we can carry these into the Scavi tour. Where is the luggage storage in the Vatican? We understand Vatican is large, how much time should we allow ourselves to drop off the luggage and get back to the Scavi tour entrance?
3) We were hoping to go up to the Dome after the Scavi tour. Where does the Scavi tour end and will we have enough time if the Dome closes at 6pm?

Thanks so much for any input/help.

kybourbon

I don't think you will have time for the dome as your tour will take about 1 1/2 hours. It will finish in the tomb area which exits to the area around the elevator to go up to the dome, but most things in the Vatican don't allow entrance one hour before closing usually. Since they close at 6, I would imagine last entry will be at 5.

http://www.vatican.va/various/basili...pola/orari.htm

kybourbon

You would take the local train from Roma Ostiense (the Piramide station) to Roma S. Pietro. Travel time is 9 minutes and cost is .90€ (about 5 departures per hour).
http://www.atac.roma.it/files/doc.asp?r=4

ItalyDreaming

Okay, we'll plan to skip the dome then.

Ah, I didn't think about the metro, that makes things easy!

Any suggestion on where to store our day pack and how long this process would take at the Vatican, so we can have enough time to get to the Scavi tour?

kybourbon

It's not the metro, it's a train. The metro would take much longer as you would have to take the line to Termini, change lines and then the line to Ottaviano. On the map, you will see there are only two metro lines (A orange, B blue).

S. Pietro station location is at the bottom of this map. You will need to walk towards where it says Largo di Porta Cavalleggeri on the map to enter Piazza S. Pietro.
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-In...sporti_02.html

The metro is on the opposite side of St. Peter's from the S. Pietro train station. It might be an option for your return trip depending on where you are staying.

I haven't used the storage at the Vatican. It used to be on the right side near #22 on this map. I'm not sure if that is still the case.
http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Exter...quare-Area.htm