Rome has announced that the Ottaviano metro station in Rome is scheduled to be closed from July 22nd to September 9th for maintenance in preparation for the Vatican's Jubilee of 2025. This station is the closest metro stop to the Vatican, and the one used most often by tourists utilizing public transit for their visit.

Our Vatican tours will run normally, but our Client Experience team will be individually alerting affected clients to ensure they have alternate plans for making their way to Vatican.
 
If you plan on using the metro to travel to the Vatican, we instead recommend taking the Cipro metro stop and walking about 10 minutes to the standard entrance. Otherwise, we highly recommend taking a taxi. Your hotel concierge can assist with reserving/ordering a taxi or you can download the ‘FreeNow’ App on your phone.

Please contact our client experience team at info@contexttravel.com if you have any questions about making it to the meeting point for your Vatican tour. 

Context expects that there will be rolling disruptions related to road closures, venue closures, construction, and safety testing in the lead-up to the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics in Paris. We are actively monitoring the situation, but given the nature of the testing carried out by the Police and the Olympic Committee, the situation is constantly evolving. Advance notice may not always be provided, and some tours may be impacted on the ground. Context's Client Experience team will always contact clients ahead of time with alternative options when and where possible.

Major traffic disruptions are expected throughout Paris in the lead-up to the Olympic games. We recommend accounting for extra time to arrive at your meeting point and travelling by metro instead of a taxi or Uber. For day-to-day traffic updates, please visit Anticiper les Jeux. The website includes an interactive map listing traffic restrictions, including which roads or metro stations will be closed, busy, or normal leading up to and during the Olympic games. 

It's crucial to always have a copy of your passport or legal ID with you while travelling and touring in France, especially during the Olympics. The security protocols may include random ID checks near sporting events and cultural heritage sites. 

Paris as a city will be a living venue with many events taking place outdoors along the Seine, in everyday neighborhoods, and at Versailles. Context is proud to see one of our iconic destinations celebrated in this way and supportive of the Olympic Committee's goal to connect the city's unique geography and history to the games. We also acknowledge that this poses new challenges to our operations and are working diligently to foresee impacts before they arise. 

Please email info@contexttravel.com or write to our chat if you have any questions or concerns. 

Context's Client Experience team frequently receives the question, "Do I need to bring my passport with me on tour?" If you are travelling to Europe, the simple answer is yes. Police and other security personnel can carry out security and identification checks at their discretion. We highly recommend that you always carry a copy of your passport while on tour. 

While it's unlikely that you'll be asked for ID while exploring a neighbourhood or casually walking down the street, there are specific situations where you may need to present legal identification. This includes entering major venues, cultural heritage sites, or areas near highly guarded buildings. Venues such as the Colosseum, the Vatican, and the Last Supper Museum in Italy all require proof of legal ID. In Paris, where the Olympics and Paralympics are taking place in July and August, venues such as Sainte Chapelle, the Louvre, and Versailles may also require legal ID to enter.  

The safety of our clients and experts is Context's highest priority. As such, we abide by all local laws and venue requirements to deliver our tours and cannot provide refunds or credits if a client is denied entry to a venue due to a lack of proper ID. Your confirmation email will indicate whether a valid ID is required for the tour. Please reach out to us at info@contexttravel.com if you have any questions or concerns about your upcoming tour.