Best Rome City Pass: Go City Rome vs. City Pass vs. Roma Pass
Wondering what is the best Rome tourist pass to save money on attractions? This detailed guide compares Rome Go City Pass vs. Rome City Pass vs. Roma Pass vs. Omnia Card to help you pick out the best Rome pass for attractions and shows you if the Rome Pass saves money.
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The eternal city of Rome is one of the most popular cities to visit in Europe and it is on pretty much every first time in Italy itinerary. I have been to Rome 3 times in the past but there is always a reason to go back again.
From ancient architecture to world class museums to religious sites, Rome simply has it all. Your biggest struggle is not what to do in Rome but how to see everything in Rome within a limited time (and figuring out what’s the best food in Rome of course).
Whether you are a history buff or just a first time tourist, you will love all that Rome has to offer. However, Rome is not cheap to visit, all the attractions that you want to go to in Rome cost money. Attractions in Rome range from €15 – €30 each and they all add up.
In addition you also have to pay for transportation to get around Rome to see all the tourist sites. Sure you can walk to some but you will need some form of transportation unless you want to walk 30000 steps a day everyday!
Don’t worry, this post will help you figure out whether it’s worth getting a Rome attraction pass and if you can actually save money with them.
What are the popular Rome attraction passes?
There are a number of passes offered to help tourists save money on attractions in Rome. The four most popular Rome sightseeing passes include:
There are a number of other passes, such as the Roma Super Pass, Best of Rome All Access Pass, and Vatican City Pass but I don’t find the offerings as compelling as the four passes I mentioned above. Most of the attractions included in these 3 passes are also included in one of the popular four passes above.
Quick Summary: What’s the Best Rome City Pass to Buy
Short on time or simply do not have the patience to read through everything? Don’t worry, this short summary should give you everything you need on what Rome attraction pass to buy.
The best Rome attraction pass for first time visitors
If you are visiting Rome for the first time ever, then the best pass for you is either the Explorer Pass or the Rome City Pass.
Both passes include the most famous attractions in Rome and the Vatican plus walking tours so you can’t go wrong with either.
The best Rome sightseeing Pass for those that are short on time
If you are short on time you should definitely get an all inclusive pass, which means the Rome City Pass.
This pass has a large number of attractions and tours and even if you only have 2 days in Rome you can cram in as much as you can within these two days to make your money’s worth.
The best Rome city pass for museum lovers
If you love museums then Roma Pass would be the best Rome sightseeing pass for you. The Roma Pass gives you discounts on over 30 museums in Rome that are not included in other passes.
The best Rome tourist pass you want a little bit of everything
If you want a little bit of everything (museums, public transportation, Vatican) then the Omnia Card is the best Rome attraction pass for you. It includes the option to get the Roma Pass plus a few more attractions not covered by the Roma Pass.
How Do Rome Tourist Passes Work?
Rome sightseeing passes are pre-paid passes that allow you to see attractions for free or at a discount from a list of attractions and tours each pass offers.
Some of the passes offer everything for free after you pay upfront whereas other passes offer you discounts on attractions. Most passes have a valid time period after which the pass will expire and any unused attractions cannot be accessed anymore.
In general, after you pay for the pass, you will get an email confirmation (or an app QR code) that you can show to get into an attraction or a tour. Some of the passes require you to pick up a physical card when you arrive in Rome (and some don’t).
Some of the attractions have skip the line option. Most of the major attractions require pre-booking even with a pass whereas other attractions and museums allow you to just show up.
The major attractions in Rome are generally offered on each of the 4 passes above, but there are some big differences in what other attractions each pass has.
All Inclusive Rome City Pass vs. Attraction Based Rome Pass
All Rome attraction passes pretty much fall under three major categories:
- All inclusive Passes
- Attraction Based Pass
- Hybrid Discount Passes
All Inclusive Rome Attraction Passes
The All Inclusive Rome sightseeing passes are passes that are valid for a specific number of consecutive days or hours. For example, a pass that’s valid for 72 hours or 3 days is an all-inclusive pass.
Rome City Pass is the only true All Inclusive Rome Pass in Rome. I will explain more about it in the Rome City Pass section specifically.
Attraction Based Rome Tourist Passes
Attraction based Rome sightseeing passes are passes that let you purchase the number of activities you want to do. If you buy a pass that has 4 activities, you can decide which 4 activities you want to do from a list of activities and tours that are offered.
Out of the 4 Rome discount passes mentioned above, only Go City Explorer Pass is an attraction based pass.
Attraction based passes tend to offer more flexibility and a more “relaxed” itinerary whereas all inclusive passes are better for those that have limited time and want to see as much as they can within one day.
Hybrid Discount Rome Passes
The hybrid discount passes for Rome are not true all-inclusive passes even though they are still based on the number of days (or hours). However they differ from true all-inclusive Rome passes in that not everything offered in the pass is free.
The Hybrid model works by letting you choose a couple of attractions to enter for free, after which you only get discounts on attractions from the list of things they have.
Hybrid discount Rome passes include:
I know this can be a bit confusing but I promise after reading about each Rome sightseeing pass in detail this will totally make sense!
Go City Rome Explorer Pass
How does the Rome Explorer Pass Work?
The Rome Explorer Pass by Go City is an attraction based pass that allows you to customize your own itinerary at your own pace.
It is the only attraction based pass out of the 4 Rome attraction passes.
The Explorer Pass is valid for 60 days after activation and you can get refunds within 90 days of purchase if you change your travel plans. Therefore it is probably the most flexible pass for Rome.
What attractions are included in the Rome Explorer Pass?
The Rome Explorer Pass includes pretty much all the most famous attractions in Rome and the Vatican. These include but are not limited to:
- Skip the Line ticket for Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
- 1 Day hop on hop off bus
- Colosseum
- Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Skip the line ticket for Castel Sant’Angelo
- Skip the line ticket for Capitolini Museum
- Altar of the Fatherland Rome Panoramic View
- Tons of walking tours and fun activities
Keep in mind that each pass is subject to a purse value, which is the maximum amount you can use based on the standard gate price. You can read more about the purse value on the official website.
How much is the Rome Explorer Pass?
| 2 Choices | 3 Choices | 4 Choices | 5 Choices | 6 Choices | 7 Choices | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult (16+) | €74 | €99 | €119 | €139 | €159 | €179 |
| Child (5-15) | €44 | €59 | €74 | €89 | €104 | €114 |
Prices do change periodically and it has been going up in the last few months so it’s better to buy as soon as possible.
Is public transportation included in the Rome Explorer Pass?
Public transportation is not included with the Rome Explorer Pass. However you do have access to the 1 day hop on hop off bus in Rome as one of the choices.
What are the pros and cons of the Go City Rome Explorer Pass?
The Rome Explorer Pass is super flexible and covers the most famous attractions for first time visitors. It also includes a ton of walking tours and fun activities such as Cooking Class, Rome Catacombs Tours and treasure hunts.
They have a savings guarantee (no other pass has this). If you used up all the choices on your pass but you realized you didn’t actually save money with this pass, they will refund you the difference! You will never pay more on attractions with this pass so there is only upside.
The downside is public transportation is not included with the pass and you do need to make a reservation for many of the attractions. If the colosseum is sold out then it’s sold out.
Is the Go City Rome Explorer Pass Worth it?
The more attractions you buy, the more worth it the pass is. If you only buy 2 attractions, it averages out to be about €50 per attraction, which is quite expensive.
But if you buy the 6 attraction pass for €159, that is an average of €26 per attraction! A cooking class is about €50 per person and even Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo is €27 a person. The Catacomb tour alone is €48 a person.
So you can see that if you do a few expensive tours and buy more attractions then the Explorer Pass is well worth the money.
Buy your Rome Explorer Pass today!
Rome City Pass
How does the Rome City Pass Work?
The Rome City Pass by Turbopass is an all inclusive pass for Rome. It is the only true all inclusive pass and gives you the option of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7 consecutive days.
If you have a 3 day pass for example, you can visit all the tours and attractions included on the pass for 72 hours straight at no extra cost. You cannot repeat any attractions though.
Some of the attractions come with skip the line privileges, but you still need to book a time slot for many attractions (similar to the Explorer Pass mentioned above).
If you pay a little extra, you can add “public transport ticket” and/or “round trip airport transfer” to your pass. You do not have to if you don’t want to, the base pass is already very comprehensive.
Once you purchase the pass, you will get an email confirmation (You will receive your documents at the latest 1 day before the specified travel date). You do not need to physically pick up the pass unless you purchase the additional public transport ticket.
What attractions are included in the Rome City Pass?
There are over 40 attractions included in the Rome City Pass. Some of the most famous attractions include:
- Skip the Line ticket for Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
- 1 Day hop on hop off bus
- Colosseum
- Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Castel Sant’Angelo
- Pantheon
- Free luggage storage
- Rome Walking Tour
- And many more, see official website
How much is the Rome City Pass?
| 1 Day | 2 Days | 3 Days | 4 Days | 5 Days | 7 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | €99.9 | €114.9 | €127.9 | €134.9 | €144.9 | €154.9 |
| Teen (10-17 yr) | €58.9 | €63.9 | €68.9 | €73.9 | €78.9 | €83.9 |
| Child (6-9 yr) | €48.9 | €53.9 | €58.9 | €63.9 | €68.9 | €73.9 |
It costs additional to include roundtrip airport transfer and public transport tickets.
Is public transportation included in the Rome City Pass?
You can pay extra to include the public transportation ticket. If you pay for the public transit ticket, it includes free metro, bus and train rides in Rome. Without paying more, you just have access to 1 day hop on hop off bus in Rome.
What are the pros and cons of the Rome City Pass?
The Rome City Pass is the only true all inclusive pass in Rome. Once you pay you don’t have to worry about paying anything extra for attractions.
It comes with free luggage storage as well as many museums and famous attractions.
It does not include Capitolini Museum and many other tours though. Also the cancellation/ refund policy is not great. There is no full refund. If you need to cancel you need to pay a €30 cancellation fee.
Go City Rome Explorer vs. Rome City Pass, what’s the difference?
Go City Explorer Pass is an attraction based pass whereas the Rome City Pass is an all inclusive pass. Both cover a lot of famous attractions in Rome. So the key difference is just one is based on the number of days whereas the other one is based on the number of attractions.
Go City Explorer Pass includes more tours and fun activities like cooking class and guided climb to the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Rome City Pass includes more museums but fewer tours.
Is the Rome City Pass Worth it?
Similar to the Explorer Pass, the more you purchase, the better value it is. A one day pass costs €82.9 whereas a 5 day pass only averages €25. That means even if you just do 1-2 things a day you are already saving money.
Therefore I think the Rome City Pass is more worth it if you buy multiple days!
Buy your Rome City Pass today!
Roma Pass
How does the Roma Pass Work?
The Roma Pass is a tourist discount pass that comes with a 48 hour or 72 hour pass. Unlike the other two passes we discussed above, the Roma Pass is more of a discount pass than an attraction pass.
This means the pass comes with 1 or 2 free museum/ attraction and you simply get discounts on the other attractions. Therefore the pass is a lot cheaper than both the Explorer Pass and Rome City Pass since you are not getting everything for free.
You usually get €1-€2 of discount on the museums.
If you have 2 free entries (72 hour card only), they must be used consecutively. Then for the admission after, you will have to pay a reduced price.
You need to physically collect the Roma Pass card before using it. There is no mobile app option.
What attractions are included in the Roma Pass Pass?
The Roma Pass includes over 45 museums, monuments and archaeological sites. Some of the most famous attractions it includes are:
- The Colosseum
- Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
- Musei Capitolini
- Galleria Borghese
- Castel Sant’Angelo
- Discounts on cooking class
- Discounts on Olympic Stadium tour
- Tons of other galleries and museums
How much is the Roma Pass Pass?
- 48 Hour pass: €32 (1 museum free, everything else is discounts)
- 72 Hour Pass: €52 (2 museums free, everything else is discounts)
Is public transportation included in the Roma Pass Pass?
Public transportation is included in the Roma Pass. Transfers to and from airports are not included.
What are the pros and cons of the Roma Pass Pass?
The Roma Pass includes free public transportation and a ton of museums. It is awesome for someone who loves museums as you get discounts on so many museums that are not covered by the previous two passes.
However Roma Pass does not include anything in the Vatican, it really is Rome focused. You only get 1-2 free entrances, you still have to pay for everything else.
The Roma Pass is not refundable. If you realized the Colosseo is booked up after you purchased the pass, that’s too bad.
There are no children prices, it’s just one price. You also do not get skip the line privilege. But many sites require advance booking of a time slot so I don’t think the line would be long.
If you have the 72 hour card, your first two entrances are free, so you need to make sure to plan your days accordingly.
Is the Roma Pass Pass Worth it?
If you plan to utilize public transportation and visit a few museums then I think the pass is super worth it.
Tickets to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are €18 without tour. A public transit card for 48 hours in Rome is €12.50, those two together are already €30.50. You just need to go to two other museums to save money on a 48 hour card.
Buy your Roma Pass today!
Rome Omnia Card
How does the Rome Omnia Card Work?
The Omnia Card is an interesting combination of both the Roma Pass and all inclusive pass.
The Omnia card comes with two versions:
- 24 hour card
- 72 hour card, includes the Roma Pass
The Omnia card includes a few attractions not included in the Roma Pass (or any other pass for that matter).
You can either collect a physical card in Rome or just use email confirmation QR code to enter the attractions.
What attractions are included in the Rome Omnia Card?
The two different versions of the Omnia Card include slightly different things.
Both Omnia Cards include entrance to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel as well as hop on hop off bus for the duration of your card (if you have a 72 hour Omnia Card, you have 72 hours from hop on hop off bus).
Other attractions include:
- Carcer Tullianum
- Cloister and the Basilica of Saint John in Lateran
- Guided tour of Catacombs of Saint Callixtus
- Official audio tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, not including the Dome (72 hour card only)
- Basilica of San Marco & Archaeological excavations with audio guide (72 hour card only)
- Roma Pass (72 hour card only)
To be honest I have never heard of these attractions outside of the Vatican.
Is public transportation included in the Rome Omnia Card?
Public transportation is only included with the 72 hour Omnia Card since it comes with the Roma Pass.
However both the 24 hour and 72 hour Omnia Card comes with hop on hop off bus to take you around Rome.
How much is the Rome Omnia Card?
- 24 hour Omnia Card: €69
- 72 hour Omnia Card: €149
What are the pros and cons of the Rome Omnia Card?
If you want public transportation and the Vatican museums then the 72 hour Omnia card is definitely interesting since it is pretty much the Roma Card plus Vatican plus hop on hop off bus and a few other attractions.
I like that it has both the email confirmation QR code option and the old school picking up a physical card option.
The con is that the card is not cheap given what’s included, since the 24 hour card doesn’t include the most famous attractions in Rome.
Is the Rome Omnia Card Worth it?
The Omnia Card is only worth it if you plan to go to the attractions it offers. I think it’s better suited for someone who either has a lot of time in Rome or has been to Rome before and is looking for something different to do.
If you are a first time visitor with limited time, you probably will not have time to go to these other attractions included on the Omnia Card. You will probably be focusing on the main attractions like the Colosseum, Pantheon, etc.
In addition, I don’t think you need both free public transportation and 3 days of hop on hop off bus for the 72 hour Omnia Card. If you need to go to places that’s not covered by the hop on hop off bus, it is cheaper to buy individual bus tickets.
You can purchase the Omnia Card here.
Key Differences Between Go City vs. Rome City Pass vs. Roma Pass vs. Omnia Card
| Explorer Pass | Rome City Pass | Roma Pass | Omnia Card | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Attraction based pass with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 choices | All inclusive pass for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 7 consecutive days | 48 or 72 hour discount pass on attractions with 1-2 free attractions | Hybrid 24 or 72 hour pass with Vatican museum and other attractions |
| Valid Period | 60 days after activation | Length of pass depends on how many days you purchase | 48 or 72 hours | 24 or 72 hours |
| Refund Policy | Full refund within 90 days | €30 cancelation fee | Full Refund up to 24 hours in advance (on Getyourguide only) | Full Refund up to 24 hours in advance |
| Mobile Ticket? | Yes | Yes unless you bought transit pass | No | Yes and no (need to pick up Roma pass in person) |
| Include public transportation? | No | Yes for additional cost | Yes | Yes (72 hour pass only) |
Attractions Each Rome Attraction Pass Covers (or Not Cover)
Keep in mind that both Roma Pass and Omnia Card are more of discount passes. Even though a lot of museums are included, only 1-2 are actually free. The rest you still need to pay, just €1 to €2 cheaper.
What else do I need to know about the Rome tourist passes?
Any Rome tourist pass would require that you pre-book the Colosseum. It is best to check availability online before you purchase the passes to avoid disappointment. If you bought the pass and then realize the Colosseum (or anything else you want to see) is fully booked, then you are out of luck.
If you have the Roma Pass, you need to pay €2 to reserve the Colosseum ticket online.
Museums and archeological sites (including the Colosseum) are free on the first Sunday of the month in Rome.
The Vatican Museum is free on the last Sunday of every month.
In general children under the age of 6 can enter museums for free. There are other many discounted tickets for students, Italian citizens, old people, European citizens under the age of 25, etc.
If you need to pick up the travel card or transit pass, be sure to find out the location and when they are open/ closed before you purchase. The last thing you want to do is to find out you cannot pick up your pass! This is why digital tickets are way more convenient.
How to save the most money with a Rome Sightseeing Pass?
Here are a few tips to help you save money on a Rome tourist pass.
- Check if you qualify for free tickets/ reduced ticket before buying
- Be sure to figure out all the costs of each attraction and pick the most expensive attractions to use your pass on
- Hop on Hop off bus, cooking classes and catacomb tours are generally the most expensive
- If your pass is time based (Rome City Pass, Roma Pass, Omnia Card), be sure to get up early and go to as many museums/ attractions as you can
- You save more money the more you buy (more attractions, more days, etc)
- Plan your trip ahead of time. Don’t just “wing” it, you won’t be able to get reservation if you just “wing” it and show up
Hope this Rome attraction pass comparison helped you to identify the best Rome sightseeing pass for your trip!