Rome City Pass Comparison

What is a Rome city pass and why is it worth it?

A city pass should ideally fulfill all these purposes:

• It should give you free admission to attractions and museums
• It should facilitate the organization of visits to attractions
• It should give you discounts
• It should save you from waiting in long lines
• It should get you from A to B

The more points a discount pass fulfills, the more expensive it is. But if you use it extensively, the Rome city pass really pays for itself, and the bottom line is you save a lot of money.

With the cheaper Rome passes you have only a small advantage, with the expensive passes you are completely covered during your city trip to Rome.

Because the Rome tourist cards are so different, the purchase is not only worthwhile if you are planning a power sightseeing program, but sometimes also for a few sights or museums in Rome. The choice depends on what you want to experience during your city trip.

If you prefer to explore Rome off the beaten path, a city pass is probably not worth buying for you.

Next, we’ll show you in which cases it makes sense to purchase a Rome city pass:

#1 When you’re in Rome for the first time

A first visit to a new city is always exciting. With a Rome city pass, you can make everything a little easier for yourself.

#2 For culture lovers

If you want to experience as much culture and art as possible during your trip to Rome, you can make your visits to museums and attractions easier with a Rome pass.

#3 If you like to plan your trip in detail and you know in advance what you want to see

If you have an exact plan in mind for your stay in Rome, compare your plan with the benefits included in the passes. If a Rome city pass covers many or even all of your favorites, be sure to get it.

#4 If you want to see a lot but you’re short on time

It’s not just during peak season that you’ll face long lines at every turn in Rome. With the right pass, you can reduce the long waits in the summer heat and walk past the lines.

#5 If you’re planning a power sightseeing trip in a very short time

If you want to experience as much as possible in Rome in a short period of time, a Rome city pass will not only save you time and money, but also nerves. City passes are designed for just this purpose, you should definitely take advantage of it.

Our personal recommendation for the best Rome city pass

Is this all too detailed for you and you don’t have time to read the whole article? Then just read this section. We’ll tell you straight away which Rome city pass is really worth it.

Rome Turbopass

Our top choice if you’re in Rome for the first time.

In 90 percent of all cases, we recommend the Rome Turbopass for your time in Rome.

It makes sense if:

• you are in Rome for the first time
• you want to see as many attractions as possible
• if you have limited time but still want to visit the most important sights of Rome

By far the most comprehensive pass is the Rome Turbopass. This pass facilitates your visit to Rome in many places. You can also easily add an airport transfer. The Rome Turbopass is available for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days.

The longer the duration of the Turbopass, the cheaper it is per day.

Get the Rome Turbopass here

Omnia Card for 72 hours

Our choice if you want to experience Rome by Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus.

The Omnia Card includes the Roma Pass as well as the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus for the entire duration of the pass, admission to selected Vatican highlights and priority admission to St. Peter’s Basilica.

With the Roma Pass that is included in the Omnia Card, you also visit the Colosseum and Castel Sant’Angelo.

Get the Rome Omnia Card here

Go City Rome Explorer Pass

Our choice if you stay in Rome for more than a week.

At many attractions the Rome Go City Pass will get you priority access and guided tours in Rome.

The pass is valid for 60 days, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the offers included. You can also choose tickets to operas and classical concerts.

Get the Go City Explorer Pass for Rome here

How do the Rome city passes work?

All passes can be purchased online. Some of the city passes have to be picked up in person once you get to Rome, others can be printed out at home or used digitally on your smartphone.

Note: Rome is always crowded with tourists, so you should book your pass as early as possible. In summer or around Easter and Whitsun, the main sights are often booked up weeks in advance.

The included services can differ significantly from pass to pass. It is best to make a to-do list for Rome and compare this list with the included offers. You will quickly see which pass makes the most sense for you.

However, the passes in Rome differ fundamentally. There are three different ways in which the passports work:

#1 Time-based passes

These passes are valid for a specific period of time, during which you can use some or all of the included features, depending on the pass. The more attractions you visit, the more worthwhile the pass.

#2 Attraction-based passes

Attraction-based passes are valid for a certain number of attractions that you can visit over an extended period of time. You can choose from a list of options which attractions you would like to visit with your pass.

#3 Combo tickets

With a combination ticket, specific attractions are included in your pass. When you buy the pass, you decide what attractions you want to visit.

Which Rome city passes are available?

Let’s start with an overview of the passes available in Rome. After that we will go into detail for each of the passes.

#1 Turbopass Rome

The Turbopass is an all-inclusive pass for Rome.

What does the Turbopass offer?

• Time-based pass
• Valid for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 days
• 24 hours hop-on/hop-off bus included
• Free entry to 25 attractions
• Castel Sant’Angelo and St. Peter’s Basilica included
• Vatican City and Colosseum included
• Priority access to St. Peter’s Basilica
• Airport transfer optional
• Further discounts for attractions and tours

What does the Turbopass Rome cost?

You can also book an airport transfer for 12.00 euros.

Pros and cons of the Turbopass

Pros

• Sent via e-mail, no pickup necessary
• Many offers included
• Visits to the Colosseum and the Vatican can be scheduled when buying the pass
• Airport transfer can be booked optionally

Cons

• Galleria Borghese is not included
• Capitoline Museums are not included
• Public transport is not included

Our verdict on the Turbopass

The Turbopass is an all-round carefree package that you should not only buy to save money, but especially for the sake of convenience. It really simplifies the whole organizational aspect. And it is sent via e-mail – so you can just easily print it out at home.

A big advantage: You can already book your dates to visit the Vatican and the Colosseum when ordering the pass. You don’t have to wait in line at the box office in Rome.

However, you should plan these visits as far in advance as possible. Especially in the peak season or around holidays the city is packed with tourists and tickets for the Vatican and the Colosseum are often sold out weeks in advance.

In case there are no free dates for the Colosseum or the Vatican, this will be indicated to you when booking the Turbo Pass. The price of the pass is then reduced automatically.

Get the Turbopass

#2 Rome Tourist Card

The Rome Tourist Card is the pass with the most compact range of features.

What does the Rome Tourist Card offer?

• Combo ticket
• No time limit
• Guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, free admission to the Colosseum, admission to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, tour of the Pantheon
• Additional 10% discount on attractions

What does the Rome Tourist Card cost?

Admission to St. Peter’s Basilica is generally free of charge. The ticket is for a guided tour with priority entrance, which saves you the long wait in line during peak season.

Pros and cons of the Rome Tourist Card

Pros

• Priority access to selected attractions
• No time limit
• Pass is sent to you via e-mail

Cons

• Public transport is not included

Our verdict on the Rome Tourist Card

The Rome Tourist Card is like a mini-pass. If you want to visit the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and other sights, the Rome Tourist Card might be what you are looking for.

If you visit the two to three attractions included, you will save between 3 and 10 euros with the Rome Tourist Card.

In addition, you get a discount at many other sights and museums with the pass. The more of them you visit, the more the pass is worth it.

Get the Rome Tourist Card

#3 Roma Pass

The Roma Pass is the official museum pass of the city of Rome.

What does the Roma Pass offer?

• Time-based pass
• Valid for 48 oder 72 hours
• Official museum pass of the City of Rome
• Free use of public transport
• 1 or 2 free attractions from over 30 offers
• Priority access to some attractions
• Additional discounts at museums and attractions
• A city map of Rome

What does the Roma Pass cost?

Note: If you have children aged 10 or older, you have to buy the Roma Pass at full price. However, since many sights and museums offer discounts or even free admission for visitors up to 17 years of age, the Roma Pass is only worthwhile for those over 18.

Pros and cons of the Roma Pass

Pros

• Potential savings on many museum visits
• Free use of public transport

Cons

• Vatican is not included
• No Hop-On/Hop-Off bus
• You have to book a time slot for the Colosseum and the Palazzo Valentini despite the Roma Pass
• You have to pick up the pass in Rome

Our verdict on the Roma Pass

The Roma Pass is the classic among the city passes in Rome. For those interested in culture, it offers a lot of potential savings when visiting museums and archaeological sites.

You can buy the Roma Pass online and you will receive an confirmation of your order. With this confirmation and your ID card, you can pick up the pass at these locations in Rome:

• Fiumicino Airport
• Ciampino Airport
• Stazione Termini
• Castel S. Angelo
• Minghetti
• Fori Imperiali

When making your purchase online, you will need to specify a date on which you would like to pick up your pass. If you can’t make it on that day, it doesn’t really matter though. You have six months to pick it up, starting 24 hours after your purchase.

Unfortunately, both the pickup process of the pass in Rome and the necessary registration for the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palazzo Valentini is quite complicated. This is much easier when using other passes.

Registration for the Colosseum and the Roman Forum is only possible by phone, for which a fee of 2 euros is charged. They will give you a reservation number with which you must then go to the box office at the Roman Forum. You will then get a receipt with your time slot for the Colosseum.

Booking a time for the Palazzo Valentini can be done via e-mail and is free of charge.

Our tip: The pass is not worth using on a Monday, as most museums and sights in Rome are closed then.

Get the Roma Pass

#4 Omnia Card

The Omnia Card is especially recommended for those who are only in Rome for a weekend.

What does the Omnia Card offer?

• Time-based pass
• Valid for 24 or 72 hours
• Hop-on/hop-off bus on all days the pass is valid
• Free priority access to the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.
• 2 additional free attractions, such as the Colosseum or Castel Sant’Angelo, are included in the 72-hour pass
• Discounts at other attractions

What does the Onmia Card cost?

Pros und Cons of the Omnia Card

Pros

• Hop-On/Hop-Off bus on all days the pass is valid
• The 24 hour pass is available online

Cons

• The 72-hour pass has to be picked up in Rome
• Complicated access to the Colosseum
• Hardly any savings

Our verdict on the Omnia Card

The Omnia Card is an interesting option, as it includes the top highlights – the Vatican and the Colosseum.

If you like exploring cities using a Hop-On/Hop-Off bus, then the Omnia Card is the perfect choice for you. In case you are not planning on using the buses though, the Omina Card is a waste of money.

You can only print the 24-hour pass at home.

After purchasing the 72-hour card online, you’ll receive a voucher that you will need to pick up the actual Omnia Card near the Vatican.

Our tip: To get to the pick-up point, you can ride the Roma Christiana Hop-On/Hop-Off bus using your online booking confirmation.

The Roma Pass is part of the Omnia Card, which means that getting into the Colosseum is also rather complicated.

Overall, you will hardly save any money with the Omnia Card. If you book the attractions separately, you’ll pretty much pay the same price. But at least you won’t have to make all the individual bookings.

Get the Omnia Card for 24 hours
Get the Omnia Card for 72 hours

#5 Go City Rome Pass

The Go Rome Explorer Pass is mainly for those who want to see the sights of Rome through guided tours.

What does the Explorer Pass offer?

• Attraction-based pass
• 2 to 7 out of 25+ attractions included
• Valid for 60 days
• Premium offers included
• Highlights offered as guided tours with priority access
• Hop-On/Hop-Off bus possible
• Opera or classical concerts possible

What does the Go Rome Explorer Pass cost?

Highlights like the Colosseum, the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica are included in the Explorer Pass. You won’t have to wait in line at the entrance.

You can explore the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica independently using an audio guide. St. Peter’s Basilica is also offered as a guided tour. For these tours you have to register via email. It is best to do so as far in advance as possible, as the tours are sold out quickly during the peak season.

Pros and Cons of the Go Rome Explorer Pass

Pros

• Use on mobile or print it yourself, no need to pick up the pass
• Can be used immediately after purchase
• Long validity

Cons

• No public transport included

Our verdict on the Go Rome Explorer Pass

When using the Explorer Pass, you should take a good look at the included offers beforehand and pick out your favorite attractions. The pass is worth it if you select offers that would cost at least 26 euros separately.

As the Explorer Pass has many options that would be quite expensive when purchased individually, the pass is a good way to save some money.

The offers for operas, concerts and ice cream making classes included in this pass are not available in any other Rome pass.

In addition, you get the VIP treatment at some sights, with priority access and audio guides included.

If you are in Rome for more than a week, you can use this pass to visit an attraction every now and then. For longer stays like these, the 60-day duration of the pass is fantastic.

Our tip: The prices for four to seven attractions are often reduced online! So the pass for seven attractions often only costs 139.00 euros instead of 159.00 euros.

Get the Go City Rome Explorer Pass

Best city pass for Rome

Okay, those were the Rome passes in detail. So that you don’t have to scroll up and down like crazy to compare them again, this section will sum up the differences for you.

Rome city pass comparison #1: The billing method

The difference here is that some passes are valid for a certain period of time, others for a fixed number of attractions. In addition, there you can also get a combined ticket in Rome.

All three types have their advantages and disadvantages. We summarized how each pass works again here:

Passes with a certain validity period:

• Roma Pass: 48 or 72 hour validity
• Turbopass: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 day validity
• Omnia Card: 24 or 72 hour validity

Attraction-based pass:

• Go Roma Explorer Pass: You can choose between 2 and 7 from over 25 attractions and have 60 days to do so

Combo ticket:

• Rome Tourist Card: Combines St. Peter’s Basilica with the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum

Rome city pass comparison #2: The included attractions

The most important aspect when choosing a Rome card is usually what the passes have to offer in terms of content. This Rome city pass comparison lists the attractions included in the pass. Compare the table with your to-do list and see which Rome tourist card fits your plans best.

Rome city pass comparison #3: The mode of delivery

The delivery via e-mail is very convenient. You can easily print your Rome city pass at home and don’t have to look for the pickup point in Rome.

You will get these passes via e-mail and you can print them yourself:

• Turbopass Rome
• Rome Tourist Card
• Go Rome Explorer Pass
• Omnia Card 24 hours

You will have to pick up all or part of these passes in Rome or at the airport:

• Roma Pass
• Omnia Card 72 hours

Rome city pass comparison #4: Getting around Rome by public transport

Public transportation is only included in the Roma Pass.

You can optionally book an airport transfer to and from Rome with the Turbopass.

Rome city pass comparison #5: Hop-On/Hop-Off busses

If you like to travel by Hop-On/Hop-Off bus, you should take a good look at the Omnia Card. It includes the Roma Christiana Hop-On/Hop-Off busses for all days of validity.

The Turbopass includes one day of Hop-On/Hop-Off bus transportation.

You can choose to use the BigBus Hop-On/Hop-Off bus as one attraction with the Explorer Pass. Then you can visit one less museum or attraction though.

Judging by the reviews, BigBus is by far the best hop-on/hop-off operator in Rome in terms of quality.

Which Rome city pass is the right one for you?

If you haven’t figured out yet which Rome city pass is the best for you, we will give you an overview of the different types of travel. This will make it easier for you to assess which pass makes the most sense.

Travel type 1: Those who want to see as much as possible and worry as little as possible about tickets. Rome Turbopass

Travel type 2: Those who have more time and want to see the sights through guided tours. Go Rome Explorer Pass

Travel type #1: Visit as many Rome sights as possible (3 days or more)

The Turbopass offers three advantages for a comprehensive sightseeing program in Rome:

1. You don’t have to pick up the passport, you can print it yourself.
2. You don’t have to worry about scheduling time slots for the Vatican and the Colosseum after booking.
3. If you visit lots of the included highlights, you can even start saving money with a Turbopass after two days.

Here’s an example of what three days in Rome with the Turbopass could look like:

• Hop-On/Hop-Off bus (25.00 euros)
• Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill (18.00 euros)
• Terme di Caracalla (8.00 euros)
• St. Peter’s Basilica (free)
• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel (21.00 euros)
• Museum Leonardo da Vinci Experience (12.00 euros)
• Pantheon with audio guide (8.50 euros)
• Castel Sant’Angelo (13.00 euros)

Total price without the Turbopass: 105.50 euros

In total, that’s seven attractions. Combined with a visit to all the sights in Rome for which you don’t need a ticket, such as the Spanish Steps or the Trevi Fountain, the program is easily manageable in three full days.

With the Turbopass for 3 days, you would save 8.60 euros.

Unfortunately, the Turbopass does not include priority access to St. Peter’s Basilica. That doesn’t matter, though. The line in front of St. Peter’s Basilica is long, but it moves along quite quickly. And if you come very early in the morning, there’s usually no line at all.

Our tip: When doing an active program like this, it’s worth planning ahead what you want to visit and when. This way you can visit the sights that are close to each other on the same day and combine the others with the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus tour.

Rome Turbopass

Travel type #2: Visit the sights of Rome with guided tours on a longer stay.

With the 60-day Go Rome Explorer Pass, you can take it easy. You can spread your attractions over a longer period of time and also take a break from sightseeing in between.

The Explorer Pass, including four attractions in 60 days, is well worth it:

• Guided audio tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (38.00 euros)
• Guided tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica (35.00 euros)
• Guided tour of the Catacombs with round trip (48.00 euros)
• Guided tour: Rome at dusk (35.00 euros)

Total price without the Explorer Pass: 156 euros

The Explorer Pass includes premium offers that would be very expensive otherwise. The savings with this itinerary would be 57.00 euros.

Note: You can get into the Colosseum and the Vatican independently for a much lower price. So you shouldn’t choose the Explorer Pass because of the savings, but rather because of the premium features the pass includes.

Go Rome Explorer Pass

Rome without a pass

It’ s also possible that none of the passes works for you. For example, if you are in Rome with children: There are plenty of discounts for children under 18, so a pass is usually only worth it if you are 18 or older.

EU citizens who are 25 or younger often get free admission or discounts. If you’re under 26, check beforehand what tickets would actually cost you at your favorite attractions.

As Rome is very busy in peak season, be sure to buy your tickets for the main sights online in advance, if you don’t have any of the passes.

Frequently asked questions

Last but not least, we gathered all the questions that keep popping up about city passes in Rome.

Are there discounts for children?

Yes, however, a pass for children is almost never worth it, as discounts or even free admission is granted at many sights and museums up to the age of 17.

Are there discounts for students or seniors?

When purchasing a pass, you will not receive any discounts as a student or senior. However, you will often get reduced prices on site, so it’s worth checking the various attractions and museums for discounts beforehand.

Are the passes cheaper locally?

No, on the contrary. You can often get discounts online that aren’t available on site.

Can I visit attractions multiple times with the pass?

No, you can visit each attraction only once.

Can I pause the time of my pass and continue to use it a few days later?

You can only do so with the Rome Tourist Card and the Go Rome Explorer Pass. The time-based passes will continue running even if you don’t use them.

And that was our pass comparison for Rome. Have you already used a Rome city pass or do you have any questions? Then drop us a comment below!