how to get
Colosseum Tickets
how to get
Colosseum Tickets
Where to buy Colosseum Tickets?
All tickets at a glance
The queues for the Colosseum can get very long. A lot has change since Covid-19! And how much does a ticket even cost?
I’ve got the answers to all these questions and more right here.
And most importantly: see all Ticket options!
IMPORTANT NOTE
DON'T MISS THE COLOSSEUM AND ROMAN FORUM!
The tickets from the official site of the Colosseum are sold out over the Easter holidays (even until April 12th). Tickets after April 12 are not available there either.
We still have last-minute tickets! Don’t miss the Colosseum and Roman Forum!
My Rating:
Background:
I tried out two different online ticket types from one seller – a standard ticket and a ticket combined with a guided tour. And I’m pleased to say that I didn’t have to wait very long at all on either occasion. It couldn’t have been any more straightforward.
Top Tip:
Keep reading to find out which tickets I went for and how it all worked when I got to the Colosseum.
Last Modification: 14.03.2023 | Céline
Colosseum Tickets
Overview
The most important tickets at a glance
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Video: One minute at the Colosseum
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The details at a glance
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The Pandemic Status
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The prices in detail
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Orientation on site
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tickets upon arrival
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Online Tickets
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More information
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Colosseum
Tickets
| Colosseum Tickets | Price | Information | Buy Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online-Ticket | EUR 24 | Priority Entrance to Colosseum + digital guide + Admission to Roman Forum | Buy Ticket |
| Rome Tourist Card | EUR 87 | Colosseum + Roman Forum + Vatican Museums + ST. Peter Guided Tour + Pantheon audio guide + 10% on further purchases | Buy Ticket |
| Online-Ticket + Multimedia | EUR 30 | Priority Entrance to Colosseum + Immersive 25-minute multimedia video + Admission to Roman Forum | Buy Ticket |
| Hop Colosseum | EUR 48.45 | Priority Entrance to Colosseum + Roman Forum and 1 Day Hop-on Hop-off Bus | Buy Ticket |
| Guided Tour + Arena | EUR 79 | Guided Tour in English, access to the Colosseum & Arena, Roman Forum, small group of max. 10 people, Duration: 2,5 hours | Book Tour |
| Night Tour | EUR 98 | VIP Guided Tour in English, access to the Colosseum & Arena, group of max. 12 people, DurationL: 2 hours | Book Tour |
| Guided Tour | EUR 55 | Guided Tour in EN/FR/IT/ES, access to the Colosseum & Roman Forum, groupe size: 15 people, Duration: 3 hours | Book Tour |
My Tip
The Rome Tourist Card
Do you want to book the most important sights conveniently with one click? Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums?
Then this city pass is just right for you!
You can visit all of this with just one purchase! Choose your desired date – so that you can discover Rome for yourself without stress.
- Colosseum (Video guide) + Roman Forum -> Skip the line
- Vatican Museums + Sistine Chapel -> Skip the line (Normal Ticket almost sold out in July/August: this is your way in!)
- St. Peter’s Basilica guided tour (EN) -> Skip the line
- Pantheon audio guide
- Audio guide app for Rome
- 10% on all further purchases from Tiqets
Price: EUR 87
Save EUR 9!
One Minute
at the Colosseum
Sneak peak!
Do you ever want to take a look at the Colosseum?
We have prepared a little video for you from our last visit…
Have fun!
Yours
Celine
The details
at a glance
Opening Hours
September:
8.30 a.m. – 7.00 p.m
October:
8.30 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. November 1st to February 28th: 9.00 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.
1st March:
8.30 a.m. – 5.00 p.m
March 16 – end of March:
8.30 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Last admission: one hour before closing.
Public holidays:
January 1st, May 1st + December 25th closed
Prices
Online tickets via the official website:
EUR 18 for adults
EUR 4 for 18-25 year olds
free entry for children under 18 years
Booking only possible in EN/IT + with a credit card
You can currently NOT buy tickets on site
show lessInformation
Since April 1st 2022 you don’t need a Covid-19 Green Pass any more to visit the Colosseum.
show more
Rom Pass
A reservation is mandatory. A reservation fee must be paid.
The Colosseum is on the list of museums and sights you can visit with the Roma Pass.
The Roma Pass is valid for 48 or 72 h.
-> Find out more about the Roma Pass
The Roma Pass is also included with the 72-hour Omnia Card.
-> Find out more about the Omnia Card
The prices in detail
What are the ticket options?
Option 1: Buy upon arrival
!This option is currently no longer available!
EUR 16.00 for adults aged 26 and over
EUR 2.00 for young people aged between 18 and 25
Free for children under 18
Double queuing:
You have to wait in line for the security checks and again for the ticket office.
Audio guide: EUR 5.50
Video guide: EUR 6.00
Entry to the Roman Forum is included (tickets valid for 24 hours after being stamped)
Option 2: Buy online through the official Site
EUR 18 for adults aged 26 and over
EUR 4 for young people between 18 and 25 years
free entry for children under 18 years
Disadvantages of the official site:
– Booking is only possible in English or Italian.
– Payment can only be completed by credit card.
Advantage:
The first Sunday of every month is free again! But you have to get a ticket beforehand, and of course, these are limited…
You can get the ticket at the ticket office in Piazza del Colosseo near the Temple of Venus.
Option 3: Buy tickets online through Tiqets
a) Entry + digital guide
EUR 24 for adults over the age of 25
EUR 6 for EU-Citizens aged 18-25 years
EUR 1 for children under the ages of 18 years
b) Entry + arena visit
EUR 29 for adults over 18 years
EUR 4.50 for EU-Citizens aged 18-25 years
EUR 1 for children under the ages of 18
c) Entry + Multimedia
EUR 30 for adults over 18 years
EUR 10 for children aged 6–17 years
EUR 5 for children under the ages of 6
The positives of buying with Tiqets:
+ You only have to queue once for the security checks
+ Booking Platfom in the language you need and feel comfortable with
+ Payment can be made by credit card, Paypal or Giropay (transfer via online banking) or Payconiq by Bancontact (mobile payment method).
Entry to the Roman Forum is included (tickets valid for 24 hours after being stamped)
It’s hard to imagine what it’s going to be like when you arrive at the Colosseum if you’ve never been there before. I remember being really nervous before the first time I went there. I was worrying about all sorts of things: How does it all work? Where do I need to go? Will my online ticket work? So, believe me, I know how you’re probably feeling…
But don’t worry! I’ve put together this guide and map to help ease those nerves of yours.
I do have one disclaimer here for you… Meeting points often change, so make sure you ALWAYS read the instructions when you buy your ticket. The points I’ve marked on the map here show you where I had to go in 2016/2017, but I can’t promise you that they’re going to be the same in 2022 in the wake of the pandemic.
Finding your way around
Orientation on site
Buying Colosseum tickets
upon arrival
A lot has changed since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Only time will tell what the situation will be like once the pandemic is over.
We will have to give it a go and report back once travel restrictions have been lifted. For now, we will work on the basis of 2019…
You can obviously buy a ticket once you arrive at the Colosseum (at the point numbered 1 on the map). This will save you a few euros.
There is, however, a big but…
The Colosseum can only hold around 3000 people. That means you’ll end up waiting outside in the queue for the security checks every time – no matter where you bought your ticket from.
Every single person has to go through security. As you can see in the photo on the right, the queue is often longer for people with online tickets. Having said that, the queues move at roughly the
same speed. Even though we were in the longer line, we were through security in around ten minutes.
This system regulates the number of people inside the Colosseum. As more people come out, the security checks speed up 😉
And now here’s that all-important BUT:
If you have an online ticket, you can go straight in after you’ve been through security. But if you don’t, you’ll have to go from one queue to the next and wait to buy a ticket.
Each time we visited, we managed to get in so quickly that I never actually had time to ask people how long they had been waiting in the queue for the ticket office…
But you can expect to wait a good 20 to 30 minutes more, I would say.
Buying Colosseum tickets
online
a) Online-Ticket with or without Audio guide
My family and I bought our tickets online. You do have to pay a small handling fee, but I think it is so worth it.
Aside: Of course, it’s up to you to decide on the best option for you. Just think about how precious your time is if you’re only in Rome for two or three days.
And so we headed to the slightly longer queue for people with online tickets (at the point numbered 2 on the map).
To start with, I was wondering why our queue was longer than the other one… You can’t see inside, so you wouldn’t realise about the queue for the ticket office.
But within the space of about ten minutes, we had been through security and held our tickets up to the scanner. And we were in!
As simple as that! Everything went super quickly all of a sudden!
Colosseum tickets with mobile phone audio guide
I haven’t tested out this ticket option myself, but it’s definitely on the list for my next trip. Getting into the Colosseum will be no different, though, as the tickets come from the same seller.
You obviously have to queue for the security checks, but then you’re straight in.
You are emailed details about the audio guide so that you can download the app before your trip. Once you’ve got your mobile phone and headphones at the ready, you’ll be all set and ready to explore the Colosseum.
The app contains information about how it all works and where you can make a start on listening to the information.
b) Entry + multimedia show
This offer of Tiqets includes admission and a multimedia show. To do this, go to the tourist information center near the Colosseum (Piazza Venezia) and watch the 25-minute show. This gives you a first impression and an idea of what Rome, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum looked like in ancient times. After that, you get quick access to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
Price per person: 30 euros (Fast entry)
With a 25-minute multimedia show
c) Colosseum ticket with a guided tour
There are so many different tours of the Colosseum available on the various platforms. How are you meant to choose between them?
I’ve tested out one of the guided tours on offer – (that was my second visit to the Colosseum)
After meeting your tour guide, most of the tours start by taking you to the Roman Forum, the home of democracy. Here you can take in all the ruins and walk the ancient roads trodden by Caesar, Cicero and Augustus. You will also visit the Palatine Hill, before heading to the Colosseum.
Prepare to be wowed by this incredible Ancient Roman building. Your tour guide will fast track you through the security checks and tell you all you need to know about the Colosseum, including who would sit where and where the gladiators would wait before their fights.
Here’s a list of guided tours that I think will be the best.
a) Colosseum + Roman Forum Tour
Group of 15 people
Duration: 3 hours
Languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian
Price: EUR 55
b) Colosseum Tour at night
Group of 12 people
Duration: 2 hours
Languages: English
Price: EUR 98
c) Colosseum + Arena + Roman Forum Tour
Group of 10 people
Duration: 2,5 hours
Languages: English
Price: EUR 79
Practical
information
- Remember that your Colosseum ticket also grants you entry to the Roman Forum.
- At both attractions, you’ll need to join a short queue even if you’ve bought an online ticket. There’s just no way around those security checks! Make sure you don’t have a penknife or any other potentially questionable items with you.
- Take a bottle of water with you. You’ll be able to refill it at one of many drinking water taps in the Colosseum (I didn’t spot any at the Roman Forum).
- Keep your belongings close to you in the area surrounding the Colosseum. It’s a crowded place and you can easily get distracted by the Colosseum. Before you know it, a pickpocket will have taken your mobile phone or wallet. I’d recommend wearing your backpack or handbag on your front. And don’t keep your wallet or mobile phone in the back pocket of your trousers.
- Click on the links to find out more about the history of the Colosseum or the Roman Forum.
Official website of the Colosseum (EN): www.parcocolosseo.it
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2016 – 2022
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