In a hurry? Left it too late? Don’t panic:
Colosseum tickets – need to knows
The first thing to know is that the ticket for the Colosseum also gets you into the Forum and the Palatine Hill, and vice versa.
Secondly, the Palatine and the Forum are in the same complex, and you can access them through the same entrance (more on that later), while the Colosseum has to be entered via a separate entrance: a huge door in the base of the massive stadium.
How to skip the line at the Colosseum
Here are your options for skipping the line at the Colosseum:
1. Buy a Colosseum entrance ticket from a reseller
Buy a Colosseum entrance ticket for €24 from a reseller (or for €30 with arena floor access). The ticket will also get you in to the Forum and Palatine Hill. This is because the official site is experiencing a ‘ticket drought’. If you’re still having problems, you could also try to get a last-minute ticket.
2. Buy tickets from the official Colosseum website
The cheapest method should be to go direct to the official Colosseum website and buy a basic entrance ticket for the Colosseum and Forum/Palatine there. HOWEVER there is very restricted availability: as noted in the key info on this page, it’s often impossible to find tickets for the day/time you want, which is why we recommend paying slightly more to buy from a reseller, to guarantee getting the date that you need.
Colosseum key info
Colosseum opening hours 2020:
Jan 2 – Feb 15: 8.30am – 3.30pm
Feb 16 – Mar 15: 8.30am – 5.00pm
Mar 16 – Mar 28: 8.30am – 5.30pm
Mar 29 – Aug 31: 8.30am – 7.15pm
Sep 1 – Sep 30: 8.30am – 7.00pm
Oct 1 – Oct 31: 8.30am – 6.30pm
Nov 1 – Dec 31: 8.30am – 4.30pm
(last admission always 1 hour before close)
Only closed Christmas day and New Year’s Day
Nearest metro station:
Colosseo (Line B)
Click to enlarge or downloadImportant note: the authorities that run the Colosseum have recently changed the ticketing rules and it has become increasingly difficult to find a ticket for the date you want on the official website (below). However you may still find tickets for the date you want via a last-minute ticket reseller system.
3. Book a small-group guided tour
Book a small-group guided tour of the Colosseum for €55 per adult. Having a guide is the best way to bring the monument alive, helping to recreate the sights, sounds, and stories of gladiatorial combat and wild animals as you gaze at the vast structure. Your ticket is also good for the Forum and Palatine.
4. Book a private guided tour
If you’d prefer, you can book a private guided tour starting at €115.80 (minimum 2 guests, reductions for higher numbers). Though slightly more expensive than a small-group guided tour, you benefit from one-on-one interaction with your guide to ask as many questions as you please.
5. Use a Discount / Tourist Card
Buy a discount card such as the Roma Pass, Omnia Card, or the new, downloadable Rome Tourist Pass. All of these solutions allow you to walk past the lines. Note however that the Roma Pass and Omnia Card now require you to book a Colosseum visit time-slot too for €2. This must be done on the “standard ticket” page of the official website. If you can find an available time-slot, go through the motions of buying a full-price ticket, and in the options you will find the page that allows you to pay €2 just for an entrance time.
How Colosseum tickets work
Whichever way you buy the ticket you’ll be emailed a PDF voucher, and then you will need to print it out. This voucher needs to be converted into a ticket at the first site you visit.
For the Colosseum this can be done at any of the ticket-holders-only booths just inside the Colosseum door. However during peak months of the year there are temporary booths on the other side of the street from the Metro station that will do this too. If you are entering the Forum/Palatine complex first, you do this at the main Forum ticket booth, indicated on the map. Note that the lines here are usually much shorter.
Note that the Colosseum operates a strict capacity control of 3,000 people at any one time, which during peak times can affect your waiting time even if you have a ticket.
Insider tip: if you haven’t been able to buy a Colosseum ticket in advance, we recommend making your way to the ticket office at the Forum entrance (marked on the map above: down the lane opposite the end of Via Cavour) where the lines are much less brutal, and you can buy a combined ticket there without so much waiting in line.
