The Roma Pass

Italy is an expensive country to tour-but fortunately, the government has designed a wonderful boon for tourists. This article will focus on the benefits of Rome's useful pass offered for tourists in Italy-the Roma Pass. From my experience traveling in Italy in 2009, the Roma Pass was extremely well-worth the price paid and I highly recommend it!

There are two Roma Passes available-the Roma Pass and the Roma & Piu Pass. Simply put, if you are planning on visiting Rome for several days and not venturing out into Rome's provinces, you should stick with the basic Roma Pass.

Cost:
The Roma Pass costs 23 Euros.

Details:
The Roma Pass covers the entrance fees to two museums/archeological sites in Rome. If cardholders visit more than two museums/archeological sites, the Roma Pass will provide a discount for most other sites visited. The Roma Pass also gives the cardholder free access to Rome's public transportation system for three days. The Roma Pass also comes with a very helpful map.

Museum Hints:
It is quite easy to breakeven and even surpass the 23 Euros spent on the Roma Pass if you use the pass wisely. Most tourists in Rome like to visit the Forum, Colosseum, and the Palatine- this entrance fee is 11 Euros (free for pass holders). The Galleria Borghese is another must-see, and the fee is 8.50 Euros (again free for pass holders). If you plan on seeing these sites, make sure to put the two free Roma Pass entrances towards these entrances, as they are most expensive.

Public Transportation:
Rome has a great public transportation system, with two subway lines and an endless number of busses. The blue (B) subway line hits most of the must-see tourist destinations, such as the Colosseum, Forum, and Pantheon. The red (A) subway line hits the Spanish Steps and Vatican City. Both lines stop at Rome Termini (the main train terminal). If you plan on using public transportation rather than more expensive taxis, the Roma Pass is well worth it.

Other Benefits:
The Roma Pass is also great because cardholders get to use a separate line at most tourist destinations. This means that just by flashing the card, you can skip the horrendously long lines at the Forum and Colosseum!

Where to Buy the Roma Pass:
The Roma Pass can be purchased online and then picked up at the airport at the train terminal. It can also be purchased at the train terminal or other tourist offices throughout Rome.

**Note that neither the Roma Pass nor the Roma Piu Pass covers the 11 Euro train ride from Rome's Fiumicino Airport to Rome Termini.

**This article was written in summer of 2009, so depending on when you travel to Rome, prices and entrance fees may have changed!