I just read this in the "Blue Guide Rome" 1998 edition. There is a Vatican bus that travels between the "Information Office" in front of St. Peter's on the left (south) side (where the bathrooms and post office are also) of the Piazza thru the Vatican Gardens to a side entrance to the museum. It takes 5min costs 2000L plus you get to see the Gardens and areas that you could only see on a tour. To quote my guidebook "and a way to avoid the queues and tour groups at the main entrance". It seems that the bus takes you straight to it's *own* ticket office at the head of the queue. The bus runs every 1/2hr (at 15 & 45 min past the hour) from 0845-1345 when it's open until 1600 and 0845-1245 when it closes at 1345. It doesn't run on Sundays or Wed.-*when* a Papal audience is being held on the Piazza. Has anyone tried this route? I'm going to try it next month, but i've *never* heard anyone mention this shortcut before on any of the travel forums. Regards, Walter <BR>

It's true ... or at least used to be. I believe the bus service was suspended some time this year. <BR> <BR>I'll be interested to see if someone can confirm this.

Walter-- <BR> <BR>Have you tried a search on the Vatican's site? I am looking for the my bookmark but can't find it! I'll keep looking! Seems to me that I read something about the shuttle starting again--I'll post whatever I find--enjoy your trip! cheryl

Walter, <BR>for some reason, I think I read that the shuttle service had stopped. But I can't remember where I saw that. One hint for bypassing the lines...our Scala Reale tour guide (who must go to the Vatican 2 or 3 times a week!) said that the lines for St Peters and the museums are always worse in the mornings. We took a 1PM tour starting with the museums, then got to St Peters about 5. There were no lines in either place.

Thanks Ed, Cheryl, Beth: I'll check at the info office. I have a early tour of St. Peter's Necropolis (thanks again Ed for your post and wonderful website) and was planning on just hopping on the bus afterwards and visiting a couple of rooms and the Sistine on the short tour and returning later in the week for the long tour. This way I could avoid the crowded rooms (tours) on the way to the Sistine Chapel. Also going off-season with the short hrs (0845-1345) makes it difficult. I tried the long tour in Feb96 but the Vatican Museums although wonderful are not very user friendly. I'll post when I return on the bus info. Regards, Walter <BR>

I checked at the information office last week and was told the bus service stopped in May 97. BTW the info office and post office (on the left/south side) moved to a piazza just outside St. Peter's (left/south side). Regards, Walter <BR>

Hi Walter: <BR> <BR>Don't forget that from November-April, the Vatican Museums are only open from 8:45am to 1:45pm, so plan accordingly. <BR>Buon viaggio.