Timing of Vatican tickets

[sc_cruisers12]

We are planning to take train into Rome. Our first stop is going to be Vatican museum. We are planning to pre-purchase tickets online (Not a tour... just go through on our own) so that we don't have to wait in line. Our choices are 9:00 and 10:00. Is there any chance that we could make 9:00 reservations, or do we need to get the 10:00 reservation? We would love to get the earliest start we can, but we also don't want to miss the reservation! Our ship is in port at 7:00.

Thanks!

[euro cruiser]

Well, it's barely possible, but I wouldn't count on it. The first train you might be able to make leaves Civitavecchia at 7:33 and arrives at Roma San Pietro at 8:25. From the train station it is about a 20 minute walk to the entrance of the museums. If your ship gets in on time, and you are able to disembark by 7:15 (at the latest), this could work.

 

The next train leaves Civitavecchia at 7:59 and arrives at Roma San Pietro at 8:53. At a good trot you'd arrive at the entrance to the museums at 9:10, still okay for a 9:00 reservation.

 

If anything else goes wrong, you'll be out of luck.

[sc_cruisers12]

Yikes... I was afraid that would be the case. Perhaps I would be better off scheduling this reservation for the last stop of the day in the afternoon and doing the Coliseum first. :confused:

 

Do you know what times the train actually gets to San Pietro on the way back to Civitavecchia? I can find the times from Termini, but not from San Pietro. Also, we will plan to exit out of the Sistene Chapel at the right entrance to the basilica. If we then exit from the basilica, are we anywhere near the train station? I know we wouldn't be close if we went straight from train to Vatican museum entrance... just not sure about the distance from St. Peters. Thanks!

[euro cruiser]

It's about three quarters of a mile from the basilica to the station, so I'd figure 20 minutes personally.

 

To see the trains on the www.trenitalia.com web site, be sure you use "Roma San Pietro" as your starting station, and "Civitavecchia" as your ending station.

 

There are trains leaving Roma San Pietro on weekdays and Saturdays at 16:29 (arrriving Civitavecchia at 17:13), 16:59 (arrriving Civitavecchia at 17:57), 17:29 (arrriving Civitavecchia at 18:15), 17:35 (arrriving Civitavecchia at 18:27) and 17:59 (arrriving Civitavecchia at 19:04).

[Jdell]

euro cruiser--you seem pretty knowledgable about the vatican, so I'll ask away. We've actually been to the Vatican Museums a couple of times. I have pre-purchased tickets for the first time for our visit in July (as they didn't offer this service in the past when we visited). Do you know if the entrance is the same as for those purchasing tickets, but rather than queue on the long line that wraps around the walls, would you just head to that door/entrance and enter separately?

 

Thanks!

[euro cruiser]

Just walk past the long line and at the head of it you'll see signs for those with reservations; show the guard there your reservation confirmation and you're in.

[CathyCruises]

I would highly recommend going to the Forum/Colosseum first, then making you way to the Vatican and departing from there back to Civitvecchia. But don't go all the way to Termini--get off the train at Ostiense for the Forum.

 

It is a bit of a hike from the train station to the museum entrance--Euro Cruiser says 20 minutes but that's if you're moving a a good clip. If you take the right hand door from the S.C. out to the Basilica, you will be closer to the train station than you would be from the museum entrance, probably a 10 minute walk.

 

But I would definitely print out a google map in case you are running a bit late--the station is not hard to find but neither is it well signed. I stopped the most GORGEOUS Italian man ever to ask directions--sometimes it pays to get a bit lost!

[sc_cruisers12]

Gorgeous Italian men are always good in my book! :D But I will definitely print out google map. We got the tickets for the afternoon, so we will plan to head to Coliseum first.

[Adsmama]

Rome cabs? Good/bad? I have read a lot of reviews saying they were good for transport but what about the little tidbits of history while we are touring the city of Rome? We are a group of 7 with 107 euro pp as the quote including admission to the colliseum. Also, does tickets to the colliseum always include an audio tour? We then will be taken to all the ancient sites, trevi, spanish steps, etc. Do they actually explain the history or is it just a bonafide taxi cab driver who ignores the passengers? I know we also get a private guide at the vatican museum so that is covered. Anyways,

 

Would you think it would be better to just try to do the train DIY Rome?