These are the most famous Rome tourist attractions & sight tours which sees thousands and millions of visitors each year:
Rome, also known as "the Open-air Museum" has numerous attractive sites. In fact, there are so many places that few people can allocate enough time to visit all of them on their own. Also, visiting those sites without knowledge of their historical background or significance isn't the right thing.
To circumvent these inconveniences, you can book a guided tour of Rome by bus. Furthermore, there are 4 convenient bus tours you can choose from based on your time, interests or some other preferences. They are suitable for both newcomers and repeated visitors and enable you to get a comprehensive overview of Rome.
Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour |
Sightseeing Roma Bus Tour |
I love Rome Gray Line Bus tour |
Bus Tour + Vatican Museum + Sistine Chapel |
Rome Bus Tour + Colosseum |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.0 (550 Reviews) | 2.5 (1,600 Reviews) | 3.5 (635 Reviews) | 3.5 (4,306 Reviews) | 4.5 (5 Reviews) | |
Bus Routes Map | |||||
What is it? |
Rome Big Bus Tour goes through 2 routes covering all the major attractions in Rome. It offers live audio commentary on headphone, and also has a live guide on the bus. There are complimentary walking tours available with the 48-hor and 72-hour ticket. |
These red-coloured Rome buses offer unlimited hop on and hop off opportunity to discover Rome at your own pace. The buses run on one route with 8 stops. They also offer live audio commentary on headphone, and also have a live guide on the bus. |
The Pink-coloured Gray Line Rome buses cover all the major attractions of Rome and allows unlimited hop on and hop off. They offer live audio commentary in 13 languages, free Wi-Fi and a live guide. |
Explore Rome on an open-top double-decker hop-on-hop-off bus with a 24- or 48-hour bus ticket along 10 stops around the city. Marvel at the top attractions in the Italian city through the double-decker bus's panoramic windows that offer 360-degree views with free onboard Wi-Fi as well. Learn more about the history of the city's top attractions, while listening to the onboard audio commentary in over 7 languages. With the Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel pass, you get to enjoy express entry into Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Excite yourself with "The Last Judgement" one of Michelangelo's masterpieces at the Sistine Chapel and get more information about the history of the Catholic Church. Visit some of Rome's top attractions such as the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Renaissance majesty of Piazza di Spagna, Circo Massimo, and many more. | Combine a 24-or-48-hour Rome Hop-on Hop-off Tour and Skip-the-line at the Colosseum with a guided tour. Choose between a 1-or 2-day ticket and discover Rome at your own spare time and enjoy free Wi-Fi aboard the hop-on-hop-off bus with a mobile map to help you navigate the attractions on foot. Explore Rome on an open-top double-decker bus with panoramic windows as you travel pass all the major attractions with an optional walking tour as you marvel at the Capitoline Hill, Castel Sant'Angelo, the Spanish steps, the Pantheon, St. Peter Basilica and many more along the 10 stops. Get free headphones to enjoy the onboard audio guide in 8 different languages. Explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill with express entry and learn more about these ancient landmarks with a professional tour guide as you learn about the history of the Colosseum, and other attractions. Get the Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Colosseum to see and learn the best things about the city. |
Ticket Cost |
24 hour Ticket: 48 hour Ticket: 72 hour Ticket (discount price) |
24 hour Ticket: 48 hour Ticket: 72 hour Ticket (discount price) |
1 run ticket (no hop-on hop-off) 24 hour Ticket: 48 hour Ticket: 48 hour Ticket: |
24-hour Rome Bus Ticket:
Adult (18+) - €55.00 Adult (18+) - €63.00 |
24-hour Rome Bus Ticket:
Adult (18+) - €69.00 Adult (18+) - €75.00 |
Ticket Validity | 24-72 hours | 24 hours - 72 hours | 2 hours - 72 hours | 24 to 48 hours | 1 to 2 days |
Routes and Time |
Red Line:Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 18:00
Blue Line:Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 to 18:00 |
Only 1 route:June to Sep: From 09:00 to 17:00 Oct to May: From 09:00 to 17:00 |
Only 1 route:November to March: From 08.30 to 16.55 April to October: From 08.30 to 18.40 |
Hop-on Hop-off Bus TourStarts from: 09:00 - 19:00 (Mon-Sun)Vatican MuseumsStarts from: 09:00 - 18:00 (Mon-Fri) |
Rome Hop-on, hop-off tour:First departure: 9:00amLast Departure:7:30pm June to September: 7:00 pm October to May: 5:00 pm The Colosseum opens daily from 08.30 am to an hour before sunset seasonally: March 30 – August 31 closes at 07.15 pmSeptember 1 – September 30 closes at 07.00 pm October 1 – October 30 closes at 06.30 pm October 31 – February 15 closes at 04.30 pm February 16 – March 15 closes at 05.00 pm |
Tour Duration | Red Line: 1 Hour 40 Minutes Blue Line: 1 Hour 40 Minutes |
1 Hour 40 Minutes | 1 Hour 40 Minutes |
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: You can enjoy the hop-on-hop-off bus tour for 24-48-hours and it takes 1.5 and 2 hours per loop Vatican Museums: You get unlimited time inside the Vatican museums |
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour: 1 hour and 40 minutes per loop Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour: 3 hours |
Departure Point |
Red Line:Termini Railway StationBlue Line:Termini Railway Station |
Termini Station | Termini Station |
You can start the tour from any of the approved stops or start from the Roma Termini train station terminals such as; Terminal A: Termini-Marsala / Via Marsala 7 Terminal B: Largo di Villa Peretti / Largo di Villa Peretti 1 Terminal C: Piazza dei Cinquecento |
Hop-on Hop-off Bus: Rome Termini Station terminals A, B and C. Colosseum: Visitor Center Colosseo |
Bus Stops/Attractions |
Red Line:
Blue Line: |
|
|
|
|
Frequency |
Red Line:10 - 20 MinutesBlue Line:10 - 20 Minutes |
10 to 20 minutes | 10 to 15 minutes |
Rome Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour:15-30 Minutes |
Hop-on Hop-off Bus:10 to 20 minutes
Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour:From 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm and 1:30pm |
Audio commentary | Yes (9 languages) Spanish, Chinese, English, Russian, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Portuguese | Yes (8 languages) Spanish, English, Russian, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese | Yes (13 languages) Spanish, English, Russian, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Korean, Dutch, Hindi, Portuguese | Yes (8 languages) English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese | Yes (8 languages) English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese |
Complimentary tours and cruises |
Free Walking tours (with 48h and 72h tickets):St. Angel Castle - St. Peter's Square Capitoline HillRoman Forum The Colosseum Capitoline Hill Pantheon Piazza Navona Barberini Square - Baraccia Fountain - Hard Rock Cafe |
None | None | N/A | N/A |
Other amenities | Live guide on bus Free Wi-Fi | Live guide on bus Free Wi-Fi Free mobile app | Live guide on bus Free Wi-Fi | Live Professional Art historian guide at the museum & Sistine Chapel, Free Wi-Fi, Free headphones aboard the bus | Professional Guide at the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Free Wi-Fi on the bus Free headphones |
City Pass which includes this tour | None | None | Rome City Pass | Rome City Pass | Rome City Pass |
Other information | From 1st November to 31st? March, the buses run from 09:00 until 18:00 From 1st April to 31st October, the buses run from 09:00 until 19:00 Free for children below 5 years. | Tour itinerary may change during public holidays. Voucher valid for 3 months from the date of purchase. Only printed voucher is accepted. Free for children below 5 years. | Only printed voucher is accepted. Free for children below 5 years. Tour itinerary may change during public holidays and demonstrations. | Entry into the Vatican Museums and other places of worship requires a dress code. Tourists wearing shorts or sleeveless tops will not be permitted for the tour. It is required that both men and women must cover their knees and shoulders or risk being refused entry. Also, there won’t be tours in the Basilica on religious holidays and ceremonies. Sistine Chapel is not wheelchair accessible so it would be best to book special private tours for people with reduced mobility. | Wheelchair Accessible Mobile and paper vouchers are accepted Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tours close on these days: 1 January, 25 December, 9 May, 5 June, 29 June, 23 September, 4 October, 4 November and every first Sunday of the month from January to March and October to December. Colosseum tour closes on these days: 15:30 (last Sunday of October to the last Saturday of March) 18:00 (last Sunday of March to the last Saturday of October) Colosseum visitors must carry a photo ID along. |
How to use | Mobile voucher and printed voucher, both are accepted. | Exchange the printed voucher for the ticket with the Sightseeing Bus employee at any bus stop. | Exchange the printed voucher for the ticket with the Gray Bus employee at any bus stop. | Both mobile tickets and paper printed vouchers are accepted. All you have to do is hand it over to the bus driver to hop-on the bus. | Exchange your bus tour voucher for a bus ticket by handing it to the driver or at any of the stops you wish to start from and or at the Visitor Center Colosseo for your Colosseum tour. |
Rome Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour |
Rome Sightseeing Bus Tour |
I love Rome Bus tour |
Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel |
Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Colosseum |
The Rome Big Bus Tour is a sightseeing service introducing top points of interest in Rome. The provider has 2 lines that are, in fact, the same line. While Red Line operates on weekdays, Blue Line operates during weekends. The 3rd line operates to the Parco della Caffarella and back. Big Bus Sightseeing Tour disposes of 8 conveniently deployed stops, so you can take off the bus at any moment you choose. The same holds true for rejoining the ride. Also, you are free to hop on and hop off unlimited times during the validity period of your ticket. Besides, you can choose to go in circles if you wish.
Kids under 5 years of age don't pay for sightseeing tours.
TripAdvisor Reviews: The Rome Big Bus Sightseeing Tour has the average rate of 4 by around 550 reviewers on TripAdvisor. The percentage of completely pleased users is extraordinary - almost 50%. Very satisfied travelers participate with 25%. As for disappointed users, their percentage is 10%. With these statistics, you are very likely to have a great experience with this provider.
Take a look at some reviews on TripAdvisor by people who took the Big Bus Tour of Rome:Maria C
Really easy and reliable way to get around Rome
I strained my calf muscle the day before I arrived in Rome, and this saved my life! I was able to see all attractions with minimal walking (or limping in my case). Reliably regular, really good commentary, and very helpful guides on board the bus. I'll definitely be using this again next time I'm in Rome.
Viator Reviews: According to travelers (46) that booked the tour via Viator, the Rome Big Bus Tour deserves the 4.5 rate.
Get Your Guide Reviews: The users of the Get Your Guide booking portal share their opinion, or near enough. Over 500 reviewers gave to this provider the 4.4 rate.
Roma Sightseeing Bus Tour is one of sightseeing service providers in Rome. With a single line and 8 stops along the way, it provides a quick overview of the most important attractions in the city. Hence, you have the freedom to organize a tour at your leisure, by hopping on and off or completing the loop. Pre-recorded narrative is available, as well as great views from open double-decker buses.
TripAdvisor Reviews: When taking a look at the average rate of this bus provider on TripAdvisor - 2.5 by over 1600 users. The number of completely-satisfied and very-satisfied travelers with this service is 25%. However, with over 50% of displeased participants, most people would avoid this sightseeing tour of Rome. Some things people find fault with this provider were about audio commentaries and spending too much time at the stops. Unprofessional behavior of the employees and problems with tickets to attractions were also pointed out in some occasions.
Read through some of the reviews of the Sightseeing Roma Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour to learn some related pros and cons:
Viator Reviews: On the other side, travelers that booked the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Sightseeing Tour of Rome via Viator are very pleased with the overall service. Whatever the reason for bad experiences of TripAdvisor's users, it seems that this can't be said for bookings via Viator. Around 3800 reviewers on Viator gave the average rate of 4 to this sightseeing provider.
Get Your Guide Reviews: Over 1700 travelers that booked Sightseeing Roma Bus Tour via Get Your Guide rated the service with the 3.9 rate.
I Love Rome Panoramic Bus Tour is a sightseeing service offering round and hop-on hop-off services. With this provider, you can choose how to organize your exploring of Rome. With almost a dozen available packages, you can book a service you are most interested in. With the accompanying audio commentary, you will learn a lot about the city and its points of interest. As for the bus route, it is similar or exactly the same as offered by other providers in Rome.
Kids younger than 11 benefits of free rides.
TripAdvisor Reviews: Reviews on TripAdvisor confirm that the I Love Rome Panoramic Sightseeing by bus is a worthy investment. Albeit the overall rate (3.5 by 635 reviewers) leaves room for consideration, the fact is that 44% of past users are fully satisfied with the service. The percentage of very-satisfied travelers is almost 20%.
These are some original reviews posted by past users of the I Love Rome Bus service on TripAdvisor:Elaina R
Bucketlist Excellent. Easy to use. Enjoyed the narrative of each destination. On time and frequent stops used this service everywhere
Viator Reviews: Around 30 posted reviews on Viator give the I Love Rome Bus Tour the average rate of 4.
Get Your Guide Reviews: Over 600 past users that booked the bus sightseeing service via Get Your Guide assess the experience with the 3.9 rate.
Experience Rome with a 24-or48-hour hop-on-hop-off bus tour pass. This Rome hop-on-hop-off bus pass lets you access onboard the open-top double-decker bus with panoramic windows so you never get to miss a moment. Share your moments using the free Wi-Fi on the bus as you travel along the 10 stops, with top attractions such as the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, Circo Massimo, Renaissance majesty of Piazza di Spagna, and many more. Learn about the history of the city and its top attraction as you listen to the audio commentary in over 7 languages. Experience the Vatican city in style, with skip-the-line access to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, while also visiting the St. Peter's Basilica, La Pieta, and more. Sink yourself deep and learn about the over 2000 year history of the Catholic Church with a professional art historian guide around the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. See Michelangelo's "The Last Judgement" at the Sistine Chapel which is a masterpiece. What a way to enjoy Rome!
There are no complimentary tours included in the Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
There are discounts included in the Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, you can see discounts during checkout while buying your tickets. Tourists are advised to bring along with them, a valid ID to the venue for processing.
The following are prices for theRome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel pass:
Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
24-hour Rome Bus Ticket:
Adult (18+) - €55.00
Child (6-17) - €30.00
Infant (0-5) - €0.00
48-hour Rome Bus Ticket:
Adult (18+) - €63.00
Child (6-17) - €38.00
Infant (0-5) - €0.00
NOTE: Children under 5 years ride the for free and must be in the company of adults.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
Starts from: 09:00 - 19:00 (Mon-Sun)
Vatican Museums
Starts from: 09:00 - 18:00 (Mon-Fri)
Top Attractions include Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Trevi Fountain, La Pieta, Raphael's Rooms, Rome Civitavecchia Cruise Port, St. Peter's Square, Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo), Pantheon,and many more.
Discover Rome with a combined hop-on-hop-off bus tour and skip-the-line entry to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Choose between a 24-hour or 48-hour bus ticket and enjoy the best of your tour onboard the open-top double-decker bus with free Wi-Fi to share your moments. Listen to the onboard audio commentary about all the main top attractions in 8 different languages and learn about them. Hop-on and off the bus at any of the 10 stops and explore top attractions like Capitoline Hill, Castel Sant’Angelo, the Spanish steps, the Pantheon, St. Peter Basilica and many more. With professional tour guides, you can learn more about ancient sites and landmarks in Rome. Create your itinerary and explore at your own pace.
There are no complimentary tours included in the Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Colosseum.
There are discounts included in the Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Colosseum.
The following are prices for theRome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Colosseum pass:
Rome Bus Tour with Skip-the-line Colosseum
24-hour Rome Bus Ticket:
Adult (18+) - €69.00
Child (6-17) - €47.00
Infant (0-5) - FREE
48-hour Rome Bus Ticket:
Adult (18+) - €75.00
Child (6-17) - €52.00
Infant (0-5) - FREE
NOTE: Children under 5 years ride the Rome Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour for free and must be in the company of adults.
Rome Hop-on, hop-off tour:
First departure: 9:00 am
Last Departure:7:30 pm
June to September: 7:00 pm
October to May: 5:00 pm
The Colosseum opens daily from 08.30 am to an hour before sunset seasonally:
March 30 – August 31 closes at 07.15 pm
September 1 – September 30 closes at 07.00 pm
October 1 – October 30 closes at 06.30 pm
October 31 – February 15 closes at 04.30 pm
February 16 – March 15 closes at 05.00 pm
Top Attractions include Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Trevi Fountain, La Pieta, Raphael's Rooms, Rome Civitavecchia Cruise Port, St. Peter's Square, Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo), Pantheon,and many more.
You can start the tour from any of the approved stops or start from the Roma Termini train station terminals such as; Terminals A, B & C from 9:00 - 7:30. The Colosseum tour starts from the Visitor Center Colosseo.
Tripindicator's experts taken greater care in comparing prices for Rome sighseeing bus tours from the ratings and leading tickets websites so that you don’t have to. See below the FAQs about Rome open bus tour and answers.
Rome city has many routes leading to a diverse range of attractions, meaning that the time it takes on a Rome bus tour will vary depending on where you’d like to go.