Omnia Card: Discount Pass for Attractions in Rome

When planning my vacations, I always look into tourist passes whenever possible. I’ve done it in many different cities and usually find that it saves me some time and money. So, when I was planning a trip to Rome, I decided to get the Omnia Card (aka Omnia Pass) for the three days I was there, and it covered most of the must-see attractions in Rome!

Omnia Card Travel Tips

First tip: to save money, check to see if you can find any coupon codes before even buying a tourist pass. Second, sign up for their mailing list in case they distribute codes there. This tip got me a 10% off code when I went to Vienna this summer.

A great travel tip is also to determine how many attractions you’re interested in. I have my master outline and use it to see how many attractions match up with the card on offer. I then calculate how much it would be without the card and with the card. Some cards also give you front-of-the-line access, which can save time, so make sure to factor that in as well when deciding. You don’t want to spend your vacation waiting in line, trust me.

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour

Most cards also include things like a hop on hop off bus tour, walking tours, boat rides, etc. Make sure to check and see what the card offers and if it’ll be of use to you. Another thing to remember is that a hop-on-hop-off bus tour can save you a good amount of walking and transportation fees. If you’re going to touristy places like the Colosseum, it’ll get you basically right to the front door.

I certainly used the bus as my transportation while in Rome. I was already walking LOADS, so it did help me out saving some money on transportation.

If you know where you’ll be staying, it’s a great idea to see where the closest stop on the bus route is to your accommodations. I was staying at the Comics Hostel, so the closest stop to me was by the Vatican. My first full day in Rome, I spent at the Vatican, then hopped on the bus to get in some of the sights while sitting down. I had just climbed the Dome at St. Peter’s Basilica, so I was rather tired.

You can get a lot in while on the bus. You see them quickly while driving by, but if you’re short on time, this can be a great way to cram things in. “With 12 central and popular stops around the city, it’s the perfect way to plan your day and see the sights without tiring yourself out!”

If you have more time, check out a walking tour of Rome.

Roma Cristiana Information

The bus tour that’s included in the Omnia Pass is called the Vatican & Rome Bus Tours (Roma Cristiana). The map the Omnia website provides is rather small, so I found another one on Rome Map 360. I am not sure if it is the most up-to-date, but I’m going to assume it’s pretty close to what they are currently doing. I’ve listed some information below. Again, I don’t know if this is the latest and greatest. But it should provide you with some basic information and be roughly accurate.

First departure: 9:00 am (Termini Station), 09:30 (St. Peter Basilica).
Last departure: 6:30 pm (Termini Station), 6:45 pm (St. Peter Basilica).
Frequency: every 10/15 minutes

On-board commentary available in: English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, and Russian
Availability: Daily from 9 am – 6 pm

Cost: Children under 9 and disabled visitors travel for FREE (or anyone with the Omnia Pass)
Amenities: Free wi-fi included

A View of Castel Sant’Angelo

As I mentioned before, my jumping on point for the bus near my hostel was the Vatican stop. So just before getting on the bus I went and snapped a few photos of the Mausoleum of Hadrian, more commonly known as Castel Sant’Angelo.

You may recognize it from the movie Angels & Demons. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Later it was used as a fortress and castle, and eventually a museum.

Touring the Ancient Ruins of Rome

You may be wondering what you can actually see on the hop on hop off bus tour you get with the Omnia Pass. Yes? Here to help! I chose some of my best snaps from the bus. I sat on the open-air second level to get the best pictures. There is an audio guide you can listen to that describes what you see along the way with some religious, historical, artistic and cultural background.

We passed by a number of ruins, some of which may have been part of the Aurelian Walls. They are a line of city walls built between 271 AD and 275 AD in Rome, Italy, during the reign of the Roman Emperors Aurelian and Probus.

You can also see other gorgeous sites around Rome from the bus, such as the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, Santa Maria Maggiore, the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, and more.

Is it Worth Getting the Omnia Card?

Getting the bus tour through the Omnia Pass not only saved me money but also allowed me to cover a lot in three days! I may not have seen as many tourist attractions as I did without it. For a full list of what attractions are covered, please visit their official site, as it’ll have the most up-to-date information.

Some attractions are fully covered by the pass, such as the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, but some merely provide discounts, make sure to note which are which when deciding.

Whether the Omnia card is right for you really depends on how long you’re in Rome and how much you plan on seeing. I’m the sort of person who likes to pack a lot into a trip, so the Omnia Pass was great for me for this reason. They have a pass available for 24 and 72 hours; I did the 72-hour one and found it to be a great deal! Their official site states the pass can save you up to 55% on your trip to Rome!

Note: They now have an app available rather than just the paper pass offered previously.

Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions about the Omnia card. Feel free to comment below with your experience using it or other similar tourist cards.

Click here to read my full guide to Rome.

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