Address and public transport

The Colosseum is located in the center of Rome and is easy to reach by public transport. The address is Piazza del Colosseo, snc and the nearest metro stop is also called Colosseo (line B, two stops from the main railway station Termini). Sometime in the far future metro line C might reach the Colosseum as well, but don’t hold your breath. Tram lines 3 and 8 pass by the Colosseum and there are several bus stops in the vicinity.

The ticket office for the Colosseum itself is at the Piazza del Colosseo, which is easily recognizable because of the long line. Since the lines are shorter, or often non-existent, at the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum you gain time by buying your ticket at one of their entrances. For the Palatine Hill this is in the Via di San Gregorio and for the Roman Forum this is at the Largo della Salaria Vecchia. With this ticket you can then return to the Colosseum and go straight to the turnstiles. When it is really crowded and you get your ticket at the Palatine Hill, you will be given a time at which you can enter the Colosseum.

Opening hours Colosseum

The general rule for the Colosseum is that it is open every day from 08.30 until one hour before sunset. The only day of the year the attraction is closed is December 25th. On January 1st the hours are 10.00 until 16.00. The ticket office closes one hour before closing time.

The detailed opening hours are as follows:

• February 16 – March 15 – 08.30 – 17.00
• March 16 – last Saturday in March – 08.30 – 17.30
• Last Sunday in March – August 31 – 08.30 – 19.15
• September 1 – September 30 – 08.30 – 19.00
• October 1 – last Saturday in October – 08.30 – 18.30
• Last Sunday in October – February 15 – 08.30 – 16.30

Ticket price

Admission to the Colosseum is 16 Euros. Note that the ticket is a 3-in-1 and includes a visit to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. If you also want to visit the Arena you pay two euros extra. The last two have to be visited consecutively, so you need to either start or end with the Colosseum. The ticket is valid until noon on the day after you use it first, but can only be used once for each attraction. EU citizens between 18 and 25 years of age pay 2 Euros. People younger than 18 have free entrance. Roma Pass holders enter for free, as do Omnia Card holders. There is a surcharge of 3 Euros when there is a special exhibition.

The subterranean part and the third ring of the Colosseum are only bookable by calling the reservation number (see below). Accompanied visits start at 13.40, but the guide does not provide explanations.

There is now also a Roman Forum and Palatine SUPER ticket, which does not include the Colosseum. What it does offer is access to those parts of the archeological area that are normally closed for visitors. These are the following: Casa di Augusto, Casa di Livia, Aula Isiaca, Loggia Mattei, Domus Transitoria, Museo Palatino, Criptoportico Neroniano, Santa Maria Antiqua with Oratorio dei 40 Martiri and Rampa Domizianea, Tempio di Romolo. Also here EU citizens between 18 and 25 years of age pay 2 Euros and people younger than 18 have free admission.

The ticket can also be bought online or at the ticket offices of the Palazzo Altemps or the Terme di Diocleziano Museum. In case you do this, there is a surcharge of 2 Euros however. The phone number for reservations is +39 06 39967700. The website is www.coopculture.it/ticket.cfm?office=Colosseo&id=2. You will need a credit card. You can even book a ticket while queuing, by clicking on Mobile Ticketing.

Handicapped Access

A ramp at the Roman Forum entrance provides wheelchair access, although once inside it might be difficult to reach all the parts. The ground floor and the first floor (with a lift) of the Colosseum are also wheelchair accessible. For the upper floors you will have to go to the entrance  in order to ask for assistance, since the lifts need to be opened with a key. Both at the ground and at the first floor there is one wheelchair available. There are special toilets.

Luggage

Because of obvious reasons handbags and backpacks are scanned at the entrance. You can enter with small bags and small and medium-size backpacks, but not with big items of luggage. Bottles and glass objects are not allowed and neither are sharp objects.