Experience: Buy Rome City Pass (Turbo Pass Rome): when is it worth it?

Sofronio Cobos

Updated: 26 May 2026 ·

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Rome City Pass (Turbo Pass Rome): My honest test - Experience & evaluation of the sightseeing pass for Rome

For city trips, I like to use city passes - pay once, visit many places for free. Very convenient. There are several Rome passes available. During my last visit to Rome, I tested the Turbo Pass Rome (also known as the Rome City Pass) for you. In this post, I'll show you when buying the Rome City Pass is really worth it for the top sights in Rome and Vatican City.

Because the Rome City Pass isn't always worth it. Sometimes, it's cheaper to buy individual tickets. Read on for my tips.

Why buy a city pass?

The city pass provides access to various sights and attractions. Depending on the city, the ticket may be valid for 1, 2, 3, or more days. You have the opportunity to visit all attractions during the selected validity period without having to purchase an additional ticket.

Which city pass is the best?

The Turbo Pass (Rome City Pass) is the most popular Rome pass. This tourist card grants free entry to numerous attractions - including the three top attractions:

  • Vatican Museums with Sistine Chapel
  • Colosseum including Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
  • as well as Castel Sant'Angelo.
  • These attractions are a must-visit if it's your first time in Rome.

My favorite is also the Rome City Pass because I think it offers great value for money. You can find detailed information here in the article.

Check: Is the Rome City Pass worth it?

Even though many friends recommended the city pass to me beforehand, I did thorough research. Because you don't always save or avoid 'waiting in line' with it. Sometimes, it's cheaper to buy individual tickets for attractions in Rome.

  • Make a list of the attractions you want to visit in Rome.
  • Note the normal admission prices without the pass.
  • For the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica (dome), and the Colosseum, we would always buy a ticket without waiting in line. You save a lot of time because the queues can be really long. This way, you can do many other things additionally.
  • Add up the ticket prices and compare them to the price of the pass. Does it make sense for you? Then buy it. Are you not saving money? Then skip it and buy individual tickets.
Queue at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome / Vatican City
The queue at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome / Vatican City photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Queue at Vatican Museums in Vatican City - very long
The queue for the Vatican Museums in Vatican City is very long (too long). photo by viel-unterwegs.de

Here you see pictures I took in front of St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums. The queues are often longer than a kilometer!

Introducing: Turbo Pass Rome (Rome City Pass)

The Rome City Pass is one of the sightseeing passes for Rome. Here are the advantages:

  • Free admission to the sights and top attractions included. One ticket for all sights and attractions included in the Rome City Pass. Pay once and know what to expect from your budget.
  • Skip the line at the Vatican Museums with Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine subject to availability (booking the pass early and reserving access is worthwhile)
  • Includes ticket for hop-on-hop-off bus
  • Free entry to Caracalla Baths and other historical buildings along the Appian Way
  • Optional: Tickets for public transport (Rome Metro, Bus, Tram) and airport transfer (round trip)
  • Validity: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7 days
  • Digital via email (to print or show on your mobile). No need to pick up on-site
  • See detailed info about Turbo Pass Rome

The big advantage of sightseeing passes is that you only pay once and then you can visit the attractions and sights included in the pass for free. The Turbo Pass Rome is time-based, meaning it is valid for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7 days, depending on which option you choose.

With the Turbo Pass Rome (Rome City Pass), you can avoid many queues at popular sights in Rome, especially the long lines at the Vatican Museums (this is something you must consider in your travel planning). Thus, you save not only time but also money. Brilliant, right?

Read here my comparison of all Rome City Passes. They differ in small details. The currently best pass for Rome is the Rome City Pass (Turbo Pass Rome) that I present in this article.

Sometimes public transport, airport transfers, tickets for the hop-on-hop-off bus, or discounts for restaurants and shops are included. You can add the airport transfer to the Turbo Pass Rome optionally.

Top attractions included in the city pass

  • Vatican in Rome: Vatican Museums (reserved special entrance, skip the line) with Sistine Chapel. 25 € -> If there is no availability on your date, the price decreases by 25 euros
  • St. Peter's Basilica, the largest and most important church in the world (the visit to St. Peter's Basilica is generally free)
  • Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine (reserved access for Colosseum, if available with Arena)
  • Sights along the Appian Way: Villa dei Quintili, Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, Castrum Caetani
  • Pantheon, tour with audio guide
  • Castel Sant'Angelo
  • Leonardo da Vinci Museum (20% discount, very worth seeing)
  • Caracalla Baths
  • Gladiator Museum
  • Hop-On Hop-Off Bus ticket (48 hours): City tour with audio commentary also in English
  • Bike tour with Unlimited Biking (perfect) and a walking tour
  • See all included attractions
Gladiator Museum Rome, interior with many armors and information
The Gladiator Museum in Rome: many armors and information are waiting for you photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Triumphal arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum, Rome
The triumphal arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum, Rome photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Sistine Chapel Michelangelo Ceiling Vatican Museums
Sistine Chapel Michelangelo Ceiling Vatican Museums photo by viel-unterwegs.de

Additional included services:

  • Free luggage storage at five Tourist Info Points in Rome (regular price 8 euros), including at the main train station
  • Optional ticket for public transport (metro, bus, train, tram)
  • Optional ticket for airport transfer from Ciampino and Fiumicino. See more info about airport transfer in Rome here.
  • A downside is that you need a reservation for the Colosseum and Vatican Museums. Therefore, you have to book a long time in advance and cannot be spontaneous. Then another Rome pass might be worthwhile (see comparison) or you buy all tickets for attractions in Rome individually.
  • Not included, but optionally bookable: Ticket for public transport (in my opinion: not necessary for us). The airport transfer is optionally bookable. For a larger group, a private transfer with a taxi or shuttle (book here) can make sense.

Impressions: Exploring Rome with the Rome City Pass

Bridge over the Tiber in Rome on the way to Castel Sant'Angelo
Bridge over the Tiber in Rome on the way to Castel Sant'Angelo photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, a must-see
Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, a must-see photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Caracalla Baths in Rome
Caracalla Baths in Rome photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Colosseum Rome Tickets Experiences
Visiting the Colosseum, a highlight photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Rome attractions Roman Forum
Roman Forum in Rome, one of the most important sights of the Eternal City photo by viel-unterwegs.de
Visiting the Vatican in Rome Sistine Chapel
Rome: Visit the Vatican - All tips & info (entrance fees, tickets, time and order) photo by viel-unterwegs.de
St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Rome
St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Rome photo by viel-unterwegs.de

Buying the Rome City Pass

  • Go directly to the Turbopass website to purchase the Rome City Pass.
  • Choose how many days you want to use the Rome City Pass. Would you like to book with or without airport transfer and the public transport ticket? (Philip had booked the airport transfer)
  • Indicate how many persons you want to buy the pass for.
  • After clicking 'Book Now', you will get to a window. Here, you need to unselect the Colosseum and Vatican if you do not wish to visit them. The price for the pass will then decrease.
  • If no availability is shown for your desired visit day, you should unselect the visit and alternatively book the following tested tickets with tours separately: Colosseum, Forum & Palatine tour with priority entrance booked and Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica with dome: Tour without waiting in line. In both tours, you will learn much more background than without a guide.
  • You will receive the Turbo Pass Rome (Rome City Pass) sent via email without shipping costs.
  • Please book the pass early due to limited visitor capacity at the Colosseum and Vatican.

Tip: Book the Turbo Pass Rome (Rome City Pass) as early as possible because you need reservations for the main attractions (Colosseum and Vatican Museums). These are often not available for spontaneous bookings.

What does the Turbo Pass Rome (City Pass) cost?

The Turbo Pass Rome (as the sightseeing pass is primarily called) is available for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 days. The longer the sightseeing pass is valid, the more expensive it becomes - which makes sense. Generally, the longer a pass is valid, the more money you can save. The Turbo Pass Rome City Pass is worth it if you visit at least 2 attractions over 2 days and use the hop-on-hop-off bus.

Cost of the Rome City Pass:

  • For 1 day: from 114 €
  • For 2 days: from 142 €
  • For 3 days: from 156 €
  • For 4 days: from 165 €
  • For 5 days: from 175 €
  • For 7 days: from 188 €
  • Prices for youth (10-17 years) and children (6-9 years) view here

Note: This article is regularly updated. Since prices and opening hours change frequently, you should check the linked websites for current information. I appreciate a message if something has changed, so I can update this post.

Sample calculation with the Turbo Pass Rome

Duration: 2 days, visited attractions:

Day 1:

  • Vatican with Sistine Chapel 25 €; with St. Peter's Basilica from 41 €, only St. Peter's Basilica with dome from 22 € (Info here with my Vatican tips for visiting)
  • Castel Sant'Angelo (16 €)

Day 2:

  • Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine (20 €; Fast Track and Underground Arena: 22 €)
  • Appian Way with Caracalla Baths (10 €, which includes an online reservation fee) and Villa de Quintili (La Mia Appia Card, 17 €)
  • Pantheon (with free audio guide. Entry is free, audio guide usually costs 8.50 €)

Generally usable: Ticket for hop-on-hop-off bus 2 days: 30.60 €

  • Costs with pass 142.27 EUR
  • Costs without pass: 120.10 EUR

You would save 25.20 EUR per person over 2 days. If you are in Rome for 3 or 5 days (my recommendation), you save even more and can spend that on a nice meal. The most popular city pass for Rome is the Rome City Pass for 5 days, followed by the 3-day pass. With these two passes, you save the most! Consider during your travel planning for Rome (here are the tips on what to keep in mind for Rome), which attractions and sights you want to visit. Check out our reviews for other city passes in the big Rome Pass comparison. There are alternatives like the Omnia Pass, the Roma Pass, and the Go City Rome Pass.

Comparison of the Rome City Pass (Table)

Turbo Pass Rome: Pros and Cons

Advantages of the Turbo Pass Rome City Pass

  • Includes only top attractions, but these are the most important ones that anyone would visit on their first visit: Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine, Vatican (only the entry to Villa Borghese is not included in the Turbo Pass)
  • You benefit from tickets without waiting in line (priority entry), especially important for the Vatican Museums with Sistine Chapel, as you can wait up to 5 hours without one
  • The Turbo Pass comes as a QR code on your mobile. Convenient as a ticket for entry and transport.
  • Other museums in Rome are included that we wouldn't have visited without the pass (Da Vinci Museum with audio guide - very worth seeing and the Gladiator Museum with audio guide)
  • Luggage storage at the main train station: Ideal because often check-out time in hotels is in the morning, while the return flight is in the evening
  • You visit more places that you wouldn't have visited without the pass, discovering exciting attractions.

Disadvantages of the Rome Turbo Pass

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Alternative City Passes for Rome

Read our detailed report comparing the Rome passes here. The three most important passes for us are:

Roma Pass: Official Pass of the City of Rome

The Roma Pass is the official sightseeing pass of the city of Rome. It is the cheapest of all passes and accordingly the best-selling. With the 48-hour pass, you get one free admission. All other sights in Rome are discounted.

With the 72-hour pass, two free entries (view attractions here) are included. For other visits to attractions, you get a discount.

You can enter the Colosseum with the Roma Pass even in 2025, but unlike the Rome City Pass, you must reserve your time slot in advance for €2 on the website ecm.coopculture.it.

View all details with prices (from €36.50)

Ideal: Omnia Pass Rome in combination with the Roma Pass 72 hours

The Omnia Card is a rather rarely purchased tourist ticket in Rome. With the Omnia Card, you can skip the line at the Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Vatican Museums. Admission to these places is also included.

Additionally, a ticket for the hop-on-hop-off bus is included, free public transport is available, and there are discounted admissions to all museums in Rome.

As the city has realized that both tickets are incomplete when sold separately, it now prefers to sell the Roma Pass together with the Omnia Card as a Rome and Vatican Pass package.

-> 3 days - OMNIA Card Vatican and Roma Pass for 149 euros (with hop-on-hop-off bus ticket and Vatican)

Benefits and inclusions with the OMNIA Card:

  • Same benefits as the Roma Pass (72 hours) included.
  • Plus: Free entry to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (skip the line, entrance via a special entrance)
  • Free entry without waiting in line at St. Peter's Basilica
  • Free entry without waiting in line at the Colosseum
  • Free entry to Castel Sant'Angelo
  • Use of public transport for 3 days
  • 3-Day ticket for the hop-on-hop-off buses in Rome

-> Buy 3 days - OMNIA Card (with hop-on-hop-off bus ticket and Vatican)

Conclusion: Is the Rome City Pass (Turbo Pass) worth it?

Whether the Rome City Pass is worth it for you depends on what you want to see. Check ahead of your trip what interests you. Because if you don't utilize the benefits included in the Rome City Pass, you won't save money. Then you should buy individual tickets for the attractions.

  • Which attractions, tours, or museums interest you?
  • Do you enjoy riding the hop-on-hop-off bus?
  • Sometimes it's better to buy individual tickets for attractions, especially in summer during peak travel season when everything is crowded.

For us, the Turbo Pass Rome (Rome City Pass) is the best sightseeing pass for Rome. The price increases of recent years for the other passes make the Turbo Pass even more attractive for us. Alternatively, you could consider the Roma Pass with Omnia Card or the relatively new Rome Explorer Pass (view details of the Rome Explorer Pass here).

The Turbo Pass Rome delivers:

  • The best value for money of all city passes for Rome
  • You can visit all the important attractions without the waiting line

Not important for us, but probably for you?

The Turbo Pass Rome/Rome City Pass does not include a public transport ticket. We always skip that and take the train to Termini since buses often get stuck in traffic in Rome and take longer. Metro rides are so affordable that a 'flat rate' for public transport doesn't make sense for us. We prefer walking.

Do you have any further questions or experiences with the Rome City Pass (Turbo Pass)?

Share your experience and rating with the Rome City Pass for Rome. For us, your opinion is very important. Not sure? Then read our article on the comparison of the Rome City Pass -> view Rome Pass comparison here to see which pass is worth it.

Also read these articles for Rome and use them as your free travel guide to Rome:

  • Vatican visit: Things you must note
  • must know
  • Visiting the Colosseum: What you must know when you want to buy tickets
  • Buy Roma Pass (Recommendations & Alternatives)
  • Rome tips: What you need to know before the trip
  • Rome attractions & highlights
  • These are the best museums in Rome

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