Big Bus Rome Hop-on Hop-off Tour Bus

Would not recommend!

Horrible experience and will NEVER use them again. Did not receive what we paid for. They charged us 45€ per ticket but we only received a 29€ ticket. This amount was printed at the bottom of our ticket that we collected at their shop, in very fine print (we noticed this AFTER all the trouble we went through) We were denied entrance to the bus at 6:30pm leaving us to find our own transportation back to our hotel area. Their ad was misleading and confusing to anyone trying to purchase (it has recently been changed) The excuses they gave left a very sour taste in my mouth. I’m sure they will reply with said excuses just like they did with the last reviewer, but BEWARE, this vendor is very scammy.

Response from the operator: Hello, good morning, and thank you for your review. First of all, we would like to clarify a few important points regarding the price of the ticket. If you purchase the ticket directly from us once you arrive in Rome, the price is not €29, but **€28**. If you purchase through an online booking platform such as GetYourGuide, Viator, Booking.com, etc., the final price may be higher because these platforms charge booking and service fees. As with any business, there are also operating costs involved, including staff, rent, electricity, and other expenses. To give a simple example, a steak may cost €25 at a restaurant, while the same type of steak may cost €6 when purchased at a supermarket. The difference reflects the service, operating costs, and other expenses involved. When you book through a third-party platform, you are also paying for the convenience of the booking service and the associated risks. We purchase and reserve tickets in advance for our customers, and if a customer later cancels or changes their plans, we may still incur costs. Regarding the **Daily ticket**, the meaning is quite straightforward: it is valid for one day, from the time you start using it until the end of the service that day. For example, whether you start at 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM, or 5:00 PM, the service remains available until the **last tour at 6:30 PM**. It is not a 24-hour ticket. This information is clearly stated on our website and on the booking platforms where the service is offered. We are a serious and professional agency, and we always strive to provide our customers with accurate and detailed information. We simply ask our customers to carefully read the description and conditions before purchasing. If anything is unclear or if you are unsure about any aspect of the service, you are always welcome to contact us by email or phone before booking. We are happy to provide any clarification needed. We respect your opinion and accept your review. We remain available should you need any further information. We wish you a pleasant day.

via Tripadvisor

Complete Disaster! Very Scamy

I cannot recommend this tour based on our experience. The biggest issue wasn’t the bus itself—it was the vendor Viator partnered with, KARAMBAEXPERIENCE. The pickup location was a small shabby gift shop with no clear advertising on the outside. We were told that the pick up spot was “not that far,” and he proceeded to lead us to said location (over a 30 minute walk) The employee later admitted he intentionally took us on a much longer walking route to avoid traffic. In the extreme heat and humidity Rome was experiencing, that unnecessary walk nearly caused me to pass out and require medical attention. We lost a significant amount of time before ever reaching the bus and ultimately received only about 3½ hours of service. Later that evening, we attempted to board the bus 30 minutes before the stated closing time of 7:00pm, but were refused boarding saying it was too late, leaving us to find our own transportation at another expense. The vendor also misrepresented the product. The experience we received did not match what was advertised, and the receipt issued at pickup even reflected a different ticket price 29.00€ than what we paid 45.36€ per person. SCAM!! What was most frustrating was how the complaint was handled. During a phone conversation, the vendor admitted they had made a mistake, yet they still denied my refund request. Despite acknowledging their error, they accepted no responsibility. Viator initially denied my claim three separate times by phone and email before ultimately offering a 50% refund. I understand that travel doesn’t always go perfectly, and I appreciate that Viator eventually provided a partial refund. However, I believe travelers should be able to rely on accurate advertising, clear directions, and a fair resolution process when something goes wrong. Unfortunately, the vendor’s misrepresentation, the unnecessary walk in dangerous heat, having to spend more money to get back to our hotel and the difficult refund process made this a very disappointing experience.

Response from the operator: Hello, good morning, and thank you for taking the time to share your review. We are sorry to hear that your experience was not a positive one. However, we would like to clarify a few points so that other travelers can also have all the necessary information. First of all, our website clearly and in detail explains the different types of tickets, their respective prices, and the duration of each service. The **Daily ticket**, as clearly stated, is valid for one day only, from morning until evening, with the last tour departing at 6:30 PM. It is therefore not a 24-hour ticket. All information regarding the duration and operating hours is provided in the service description. Regarding the meeting point, our office is located at **Via del Mascherino 43**, approximately a 15–20 minute walk from Stop 6 – Castel Sant’Angelo, and not 30 minutes as stated in the review. At the moment, we have only one meeting point. On some occasions, whenever possible, we try to accommodate our customers’ needs by delivering tickets directly to their hotel or sending them via WhatsApp. Normally, however, customers are welcomed at our meeting point, where our staff introduces themselves and provides all the necessary information and explanations about the service once again. As for the weather conditions, unfortunately, we cannot control the weather, and temperatures in Rome have been particularly high in recent days. For this reason, we always try to pay special attention to our customers and we also provide **free drinking water** for them. Nevertheless, we acknowledge your review and we are genuinely sorry that certain aspects of the service contributed to making your experience less enjoyable. We remain available to our customers should you require any further clarification, and we wish you a pleasant day.

via Viator

Loved it

Great experience for a short time to see everything that is a must see in Rome, tickets are cheaper at train station, and bus leave every ten minutes so there is no need to buy expensive tickets on Viator, it is easy and accessible to get them at the train station at any time, the staff is always selling tickets and trying to get customers to buy them, the 48 hour ticket is not worth buying if you’re short on time, the night tour is only worth it if you get seats upstairs otherwise don’t waste your money, buses’ glass are dirty and no good photos or videos can be taken from bottom floor, the only good thing is that downstairs on bottom floor you have AC which is greatly appreciated due to severe heat, highly recommended in early morning only or during sunset ❤️🤍🇮🇹

via Viator

WARNING TO ALL TRAVELERS AND FELLOW TRAVEL ADVISORS

My experience with Karamba Experience Roma was absolutely unacceptable. Before purchasing our tickets, I specifically asked multiple times if we were buying a 24-hour hop-on, hop-off bus ticket. I was assured that we were. Based on that information, we planned our entire day around using the bus. To reach the bus, we walked nearly three miles through the extreme Rome heat to Stop 6. One of my clients became overheated and nearly passed out because of the long walk and the heat. We finally boarded, got off at Stop 8 to sightsee, and when we returned around 6:30 p.m., we were told our tickets were no longer valid. The tickets we purchased and were repeatedly told were valid for 24 hours were not honored. Because of this, we were stranded. Our Airbnb was over 45 minutes away, and we had no choice but to spend additional money on Metro tickets just to get back. We paid for transportation twice because the company failed to provide the service we were told we were purchasing. The most unbelievable part came afterward. A representative from Karamba Experience Roma called me and spent 18 minutes on speakerphone discussing what had happened. During that conversation, he said to me, “You are right, you were scammed.” Even after saying those exact words, the company refused to refund our money, reimburse our additional transportation costs, or accept responsibility for what happened. As a travel advisor, this didn’t just affect me—it affected my clients and my professional reputation. I trusted this company, and they let all of us down. I will never use Karamba Experience Roma again, and I will never recommend them to my clients, fellow travel advisors, friends, or family. Travelers deserve honesty, transparency, and companies that stand behind what they sell. Based on my experience, I did not receive any of those.

Response from the operator: Hello, thanks for the review. It's a shame it didn't go exactly like that. Anyway, on our website, the sightseeing bus is described in detail and it says that the ticket, valid for the day it is stamped, is only valid from 9 AM to 6:30 PM, last trip. It's not our fault if people don't read carefully when booking because they're in a hurry. Picking up the tickets at our office was essential because, for security reasons, we prefer to hand them directly if the customer cannot provide us with an email or WhatsApp number. The walk from our office at Via del Mascherino 43 to stop 6, where the Castel Sant'Angelo stop is, takes 10 minutes on foot. Unfortunately, we can't control the weather and right now it's hot everywhere; we always recommend water and a hat. We have organized everything in detail and with all the correct information. I wish you a good day.

via Tripadvisor

Scam!

DO NOT BOOK THROUGH KARAMBAEXPERIENCE!!! SCAM! After two hours of messaging back and forth, we got a poor copy of a map of the tour bus stops. Several buses drove past as we were waiting as the stop points were vague. We finally got to a stop, and the bus operator would not accept our tickets because they were pictures of vouchers, not actual tickets or anything with a barcode. After calling the seller, he told me to put the bus driver on the phone. We ultimately had to purchase new vouchers from the bus driver. I was told that we would be refunded our money, and five days later I have not received a refund and my messages are not getting answered.

Response from the operator: Good morning, and thank you for your review. We would like to clarify a few important points regarding what happened. We asked you to come to our meeting point, as clearly indicated on the booking platform, in order to collect your tickets. However, we were informed that you did not wish to come to the meeting point. Had you come to our office, you would have received the **original tickets**, together with the original map and complimentary water. Unfortunately, we are not able to send the original tickets via WhatsApp. When tickets are sent electronically in this way, they are provided as photos, and the quality of the image may not always be perfect. Unfortunately, this is something beyond our control. We also have a telephone number available to assist our customers and provide any necessary information or clarification. Regarding the purchase of new tickets, this was a decision you made independently. We had clearly informed you that the tickets needed to be collected at our agency because they were **not digital tickets** and therefore could not simply be used as a photo or voucher on the bus. As for the refund, we would also like to clarify that **the refund has already been processed**. The time it takes for the money to appear in your account depends on the booking platform and the payment method, and unfortunately this processing time is beyond our control. Furthermore, because the instructions regarding ticket collection were not followed, we also incurred a loss because we had already purchased and reserved the tickets for you. We understand that the situation may have been frustrating, but we believe it is important to provide the full context and clarify that the ticket collection instructions had been provided in advance. Nevertheless, we respect your opinion and accept your review. We remain available should you require any further clarification and wish you a pleasant day.

via Viator