Big Bus Rome: routes, stops and tickets

Route and stops

Big Bus tickets in Rome

• 

  Cancelamento gratuito

  Roma Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Excursão turística aberta

  1 h e 45 min3,4(3 mil)3 mil avaliações·Big Bus Rome

  desdeUS$ 22

• 

  Cancelamento gratuito

  Excursão noturna panorâmica em Big Bus Roma

  1 h3,4(121)·Big Bus Rome

  desdeUS$ 26

• 

  Esgota depressaCancelamento gratuito

  Civitavecchia Port Roma Hop-On Hop-Off ônibus com transfer

  1 h e 40 min3,0(4)·Big Bus Rome

  desdeUS$ 64

Want to see every hop-on hop-off bus in Rome, not just this one? Compare hop-on hop-off tours in Rome.

What riders say

Across these tickets travellers rate Big Bus Rome 3.4 out of 5 from 3,120 reviews.

It was a good way to see the city. I like doing it first. The. You get a good idea of where things are

right off the port and cruise ship there were boots to buy tours and bus ride .

Fantastic way to see and experience many of the city’s tourist attractions. Ensure you buy tickets prior to the different attractions though, if you wish to go inside.

Best time to ride

Spring and autumn are generally comfortable for riding, while midsummer is hot and crowded. Morning rides avoid the afternoon heat on an open deck.

Who it suits

Families

The loop passes the Colosseum and Circus Maximus, and hop-on hop-off lets children skip stretches of walking between the major sites.

Couples

A one-hour panoramic Night Tour is sold separately and departs from Termini in the evening.

Seniors

Hop-on hop-off lets riders choose a few stops rather than walk across the historic centre. Check the operator for current accessibility details before booking.

First-time visitors

The Red Route links Termini with the main ancient and Baroque sights, so it works as orientation for a first visit.

Tips before you go

• A full loop takes about 103 minutes, with buses every 9 to 11 minutes.
• Commentary is available in 8 languages, according to the route page.
• Tickets are activated on the day by pressing Activate in the ticket.
• A separate Night Tour is a panoramic ride, not hop-on hop-off, and was listed until early November.

Sights along the way

Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Piazza Venezia, Vatican, Spanish Steps, Piazza Barberini, Santa Maria Maggiore, Termini station.

Top-ranked in Rome: Colosseum, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Dome (Cupola di San Pietro). All things to do in Rome.

Why take the bus in Rome

The case for a sightseeing bus here is geography. The ancient core around the Colosseum, the Vatican on the far side of the Tiber and the Baroque centre are each walkable inside, but the gaps between them add up over a full day. A bus loop covers those gaps seated, which matters on a hot afternoon or with children or older relatives in the group.

It also works as orientation. On a first visit, riding the loop before you commit to any one area shows how the districts relate: the station area, the ancient ruins, the river, the Vatican, then the shopping streets around the Spanish Steps. That is useful if you only have one or two days in Rome and want to choose where to spend your time.

Walking is better in other places. The Pantheon and Piazza Navona sit close together and make a pleasant short walk of their own, but no bus stop is within a few minutes' walk of either, so a bus ride will not get you to them. The same applies to the Trevi Fountain, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and its dome: none has a stop close enough to call it served by the bus. For those, plan on foot, or on the metro or a taxi for the longer hops.

The bus is also not a substitute for a guided walk. A walking tour typically gives you a guide who explains the ruins and leads you through narrow lanes the bus never enters. The bus gives you flexibility and rest. Many visitors sensibly combine both: a guided visit at one major site and the bus for everything between.

How the routes work together

There is only one route to think about, the Red Route, so no puzzle of colours and transfers. It is a loop with a stop at Termini railway station, the city's main rail hub, which makes it easy to begin the day if you arrive or stay near the station. From there it moves to Santa Maria Maggiore, then on to the Colosseum and Circus Maximus, and continues to Piazza Venezia before heading to the Vatican area. Its last stops are around the Spanish Steps and Barberini.

In plain terms, the loop is the ancient half of the trip first, then the Vatican, then the elegant shopping quarter. Because it is a loop, you can join at any stop and the order simply continues from there.

A full circuit takes about 1 hour 43 minutes without getting off, with eight stops in total. That is short enough to ride once through for orientation and then repeat the sections you liked.

Several sights connect to the loop directly. The Colosseum and Circus Maximus stops are right at those sights, and the Vatican stop sits at the Vatican Museums and Vatican City. The Roman Forum is about 450 metres from the Piazza Venezia stop, and the Palatine Hill is about 400 metres from the Colosseum stop. Those two are walks you can fit into the same stop of the ride.

A sample day on the bus

Start in the morning, when the open deck is comfortable and the main sites are quieter. Board at Termini, ride past Santa Maria Maggiore and settle in for the ancient sights.

Get off at the Colosseum if the stop is running. From that one stop, you can walk about 400 metres to the Palatine Hill and continue to the Roman Forum. Spend the late morning there; the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill form one natural block for a half-day on foot, and Circus Maximus is close by.

Rejoin the bus at Circo Massimo or Piazza Venezia and ride on across the river to the Vatican stop. Treat the Vatican as its own half-day. The Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and its dome belong to one cluster, and the museums and Vatican City are right at the stop. Pick the museums or the basilica as your main event rather than rushing both.

If you have energy left in the evening, ride on to the Spanish Steps and Barberini stops for a stroll, then walk to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Those two are best done on foot as a pair. A separate panoramic Night Tour leaves from Termini in the evening and suits couples, but it is a panoramic ride rather than hop-on hop-off.

Booking advice

Book once your dates are settled rather than on the day.

Think about how you plan to use the ride: a single day linking a few big sights is a different plan from spreading the Vatican, the ancient core and the Baroque centre over two or three days. Compare the options on the ticket page instead of assuming.

Commentary is offered in 8 languages. Frequency is stated as a bus every 9 to 11 minutes, which makes hopping on and off practical, so there is little need to plan around a timetable.

Sights worth the stop

The Colosseum is the anchor of the loop and the most natural place to get off, subject to the stop being open. Pair it with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, which share the same ancient ground.

Circus Maximus is the easiest sight to enjoy straight from the route: the stop is at the site, and it is worth a short look at the long grassy valley where chariot races were held.

The Vatican stop serves the Vatican Museums and Vatican City directly. The Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and the dome are all in the same area, but treat them as a walk from the stop rather than as bus-served sights.

The Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona have no stop nearby. They are the best argument for leaving the bus behind for an afternoon and walking the old centre, ideally in the evening when the stone glows gold.

More on Rome sightseeing

• Big Bus Rome FAQ: Your Questions Answered
• Hop On Hop Off vs Public Transport in Rome
• Hop-On Hop-Off Bus vs Walking Tour in Rome
• 1 Day in Rome: A First-Timer's Itinerary Using a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
• 2 Days in Rome: A First-Timer's Itinerary
• 3 Days in Rome: A First-Timer's Itinerary
• Romantic Things to Do in Rome: A Relaxed Itinerary for Couples
• Rome with Kids: A Family Itinerary Built Around the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

Questions about Big Bus Rome