| Offer | Duration | "From" price | Included | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bus + Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry | 24 h or 48 h ticket | about $85 (3.4, 164 reviews) | open-top bus + fast-track Colosseum entry | those who want everything in one purchase | See |
| BigBus & RomeBoat: bus + Tiber boat | 1-day ticket | about $54 (3.6, about 35 reviews) | bus + Tiber river cruise | those who want some variety | See |
| Big Bus Rome: open-top hop-on hop-off | half day, 24, 48 or 72 h | €23 (4.1, 13,179 reviews) | open-top double-decker, audio guide | most visitors | See |
| City Sightseeing: bus with audio guide | 24, 48 or 72 h | €18 (4.0, 18,917 reviews) | panoramic bus, free audio guide | tight budget, first visit | See |
| Rome: night tour by open-top bus | about 1 h 30 | €23 (4.0, 2,062 reviews) | night circuit, audio guide | couples, summer evenings | See |
Ratings and euro prices come from the GetYourGuide ranking of October 2026; dollar prices come from the offer pages and should be reconfirmed when booking.
Bus + Colosseum entry
This bundle combines a 24- or 48-hour bus ticket with entry to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine for about $85. The page says the entry alone costs €18 before booking fees, so you pay for the bus plus the convenience, not a discount. Its rating is the lowest of the group (3.4 out of 5, 164 reviews): travellers mention stops far from the sights, full buses and a slightly clumsy voucher exchange. Book it only if you want to settle bus and entry in one go. See the offer.
BigBus & RomeBoat: bus + boat
A one-day ticket that combines the Big Bus open-top bus with a Tiber river cruise, from about $54. The boat gives you a different view of the city, but the rating is average (3.6 out of 5 from about 35 reviews, with mixed comments on the transport). It is the most original option for a full day, not the safest. See the offer.
Big Bus Rome
Our default pick: from €23, 4.1 out of 5 from over 13,000 reviews. Tickets exist for half a day, 24, 48 or 72 hours. Stops include Termini, Santa Maria Maggiore, the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, Piazza Venezia, the Vatican and the Spanish Steps. The page notes that the Colosseum stop was temporarily closed: check this when you book. The 72-hour ticket adds a panoramic night tour, offered only from 10 April to 2 November and not hop-on hop-off. See the offer.
City Sightseeing
The cheapest of the main buses: from €18, 4.0 out of 5 from nearly 19,000 reviews, 24-, 48- or 72-hour tickets, free audio guide in 12 languages. A good choice for the lowest price on a proper tour of the major sights. Note that the single-run ticket does not let you get off and on. See the offer.
Night tour by open-top bus
From €23, 4.0 out of 5 from over 2,000 reviews, this circuit lasts about an hour and a half (the operator is Green Line Tours) and shows the lit-up monuments, including the Colosseum. It is not hop-on hop-off: you stay on board. Some travellers report crackling audio, and the bus is only partly open-top, so arrive early for the upper seats. For more evening ideas, see Rome at night. See the offer.
What is not included and the pitfalls
- Entry tickets: apart from the Colosseum bundle, no bus ticket includes entry to sights. Book the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum in advance.
- Dollars or euros: offers are not all shown in the same currency; compare for the same ticket length.
- "Single run" ticket: some offers do not let you get off along the way.
- Traffic: at rush hour the loop gets longer; do not count on a fixed timetable.
- Closed stops: stops can be moved (works, events). Check the map before leaving.
Which offer to choose?
- Most visitors: Big Bus, the most reliable rating for the number of reviews.
- Tight budget: City Sightseeing.
- Couples, summer evenings: the night tour, on top of a day ticket.
- To settle everything at once: bus + Colosseum, accepting a lower rating.
- For a slightly different day: bus + boat.
- Short on time (one day): a 24-hour ticket is enough; see what to do in Rome in one day.
Booking at the right time
Book a few days ahead in high season; the ticket is valid from first use. Protect yourself from the sun in summer: the top deck is exposed. To compare with public transport, see transport in Rome.
