Traveling is supposed to be fun and enriching, but nothing kills the vibe like standing in endless lines or fumbling with foreign ticket kiosks. On my latest multi-city trip, I decided to try something different: I booked everything through the Tiqets app and it was one of my best travel decisions.
Not only did I breeze past ticket queues, I also avoided language-barrier snafus and saved countless hours. As travel guru Rick Steves notes, those who book ahead “can skip the ticket-buying line and waltz right in”, and that became my mantra for this journey.
Here’s a day-by-day of how Tiqets became my secret time-saving weapon on a whirlwind trip through Europe.
Day 1: Arrival in Paris
Normally, arrival day is a wash. You’re tired and just figuring out logistics. Not this time. Before my trip, I had already scoped out Tiqets for Paris and even pre-booked a couple of must-dos.
Knowing that Tiqets operates in over 60 countries (and yes, France is one of them) gave me confidence that I could rely on it here.
After breezing through airport arrivals, I skipped the usual scramble to buy train tickets from a French machine. Instead, I had arranged a shuttle bus into the city via Tiqets.
Within minutes on the app, I’d booked seats on a coach from Charles de Gaulle to the center – no need to navigate the ticket counter in my jetlagged Franglais. The tickets popped up on my phone instantly, ready to scan. This small victory set the tone for the trip: I was already saving time and stress on logistics.
We checked into our hotel near the Louvre, and despite the temptation to crash, Paris was calling. Since we had a free afternoon, I opened the Tiqets app to see what was available last-minute. Sure enough, Tiqets is perfect for last minute travel decisions. Seine river cruise tickets were right there.
Sure enough, Seine river cruise tickets were right there. Booking was so quick and painless (a few taps, Apple Pay, done) that we decided to head to the boat pier for an impromptu sunset cruise.
When we arrived, a huge crowd was waiting to buy tickets on-site – but I flashed my phone and we hopped straight on board. Sailing past Notre-Dame with zero hassle was a perfect intro to Paris. On Day 1, Tiqets had already helped us squeeze an extra experience in, instead of wasting time figuring things out on the fly.
Day 2: The Louvre & Eiffel Tower
Waking up in Paris, I was thankful I’d booked Louvre tickets in advance. I’d heard horror stories of the lines at this world-famous museum – on busy days, ticket queues average two hours if you haven’t planned ahead.
Two hours standing on the hot cobblestones of the Cour Napoleon? Non, merci! Instead, I had timed-entry e-tickets on my phone (courtesy of Tiqets) for 9:30 AM.
We strolled right up to the Louvre’s glass Pyramid and followed the signs for those with online reservations (no confusion there – the Louvre even has a special queue for pre-booked ticket holders). In we went, feeling like VIPs.
Inside, the security check took maybe 10 minutes, but that’s standard for everyone. The key difference was that we completely bypassed the massive ticket-buying line at the entrance.
Visitors with advance tickets can generally enter the Louvre within 30 minutes or less , and I’d say we did even better – from arriving to roaming the galleries was maybe 15 minutes. I saw the unlucky folks in the “buy tickets” line still snaking around outside as we headed toward the Mona Lisa.
I was silently grateful; by booking ahead we likely saved about 2 hours right there. In fact, one traveler review I’d read said they were through security and inside the museum “within minutes” of arrival because they purchased in advance. That was us as well – cruising straight into the art instead of standing outside. For anyone planning a trip, here’s a guide on How to Use Tiqets to Skip the Lines that breaks down exactly how it works.
Skipping the line didn’t just save time, it set a relaxed pace for our Louvre visit. We wandered the Egyptian Wing and Renaissance paintings without that frazzled feeling of “Oh no, we’ve already lost half the day in line.”
By noon, we’d seen our fill of masterpieces (as much as one can in a few hours) and even enjoyed a coffee in the museum café. We walked out just as the crowds were swelling.
I couldn’t help but think of the ticket line we’d avoided – it can easily stretch to at least two hours on a moderately busy day. With Tiqets, we had turned what could have been a late, line-delayed start into a smooth morning of art and culture.
Buoyed by our success, we took an unhurried lunch in a sunny Tuileries garden café – time we definitely wouldn’t have had if we’d been stuck waiting for Louvre tickets.
Over lunch, we made a spontaneous decision to visit the Musée d’Orsay that afternoon, since we still had energy. I hopped on Tiqets and found open slots for later in the day. A few taps later, we had Orsay tickets ready to go. No trekking to the museum to check availability, no printing anything.
We walked across the Seine, scanned our phones at Orsay’s entrance, and waltzed right in to enjoy Monet and Van Gogh. It felt almost too easy.
That evening, we had one more iconic experience planned: the Eiffel Tower. Now, the Eiffel Tower doesn’t technically offer a “skip-the-line” ticket that avoids all lines – everyone has to go through security and wait for the elevators. However, buying a timed entry ticket in advance can save you from the longest line of all: the ticket purchasing line on-site.
The official Eiffel Tower website itself warns that the only way to avoid long ticket queues is to buy your e-ticket ahead of time. I had done just that (Tiqets conveniently linked me to a 5:00 PM entry slot for the second floor). When we arrived at Champ de Mars, I saw exactly what the Tower folks meant – the line to buy tickets at the booth wound around like a coiled snake.
It easily looked an hour or more long. With our pre-booked tickets, we bypassed that queue entirely and entered through a much shorter line for ticket holders. We still waited about 10 minutes at the airport-style security and a few minutes for the elevator, but that was nothing in comparison.
Soon we were rising up above Paris, watching the city turn golden in the early evening light. As we stood atop the Tower, I glanced down at the people still waiting below and felt a tad smug – I had spent those precious hours up here enjoying the view instead of down there in line.
To cap off Day 2, we picnicked on the Champ de Mars lawn as the Eiffel Tower glittered at dusk. We reflected on our day: zero time wasted in lines, two world-class museums visited, and a sunset atop the Iron Lady.
This kind of efficient adventure would have sounded impossible to my past traveler self. Yet here we were, thanks to some savvy planning and a handy app that put Paris in our pocket.
Day 3: Onward to Amsterdam
Morning in Paris brought a quick croissant and then it was time to catch our train to Amsterdam. Typically, changing cities can eat up a lot of time (buying tickets, figuring out transfers), but even here Tiqets gave us a boost.
The night before, I had booked an Amsterdam public transport pass through the app, so I wouldn’t have to fumble for tram tickets upon arrival. This pass was a digital QR code ticket right in the Tiqets app – super convenient.
When we arrived in Amsterdam after a comfortable Thalys ride, I simply logged into the Tiqets app to access my GVB transit pass, which covered unlimited rides on the city’s trams, buses, and metro.
Each time we hopped on a tram, I just scanned my phone at the reader and we were on our way. No need to figure out the Dutch ticket machine (which, trust me, can be confusing when you’re jetlagged and the instructions are in Dutch). The Tiqets pass took the stress out of getting from point A to B in a new city , and we became instant Amsterdam tram experts.
That afternoon, we checked into our canal-side hotel and decided to take it easy. We strolled around the Jordaan neighborhood, grabbed some Dutch poffertjes (fluffy mini-pancakes), and enjoyed not having any logistical worries. All our Amsterdam attractions were already booked on my phone.
I had used Tiqets to reserve Van Gogh Museum tickets for the next morning – a must-do in Amsterdam. Good thing, too, because it turns out you can’t even walk into the Van Gogh Museum without a pre-booked time slot! The museum requires all visitors to have a ticket with a start time, and without one “you can’t visit the museum.”
They don’t sell tickets on-site anymore at all. I had learned this while planning and saw that Tiqets is listed as an official reseller for the Van Gogh Museum , which reassured me I was getting legitimate tickets. Imagine if we had showed up without tickets – we’d have been turned away after traveling all that way.
Instead, I went to bed that night confident that we were all set to enjoy some Van Gogh masterpieces first thing tomorrow.
Day 4: Amsterdam
Our day began at Museumplein, home to Amsterdam’s major museums. Thanks to our pre-booking, we had a 9:00 AM entry to the Van Gogh Museum. As we approached, I noticed a small crowd milling about the entrance. These were folks with tickets for later time slots or those sorting out their reservations, since nobody without a pre-booked ticket can even get in line.
I flashed the QR code from my Tiqets app at the door and we were ushered right in at our designated time. It honestly felt a bit like a fast-pass at a theme park – but for incredible art.
Within minutes, we were standing in front of “Sunflowers” and “The Bedroom,” almost having to pinch myself. Tiqets had let us book entry in minutes and skip the notoriously long lines that used to form here.
Even on a weekday morning, I can imagine a walk-up line would have been massive (back when walk-ups were allowed). Instead, we moved through the gallery freely, marveling at Van Gogh’s brushwork rather than fretting about tickets.
By late morning, we had finished exploring the Van Gogh Museum (feeling moved by the art and quite enlightened by the excellent curation). We grabbed a quick lunch from a food truck in Museumplein and assessed our energy. Since we hadn’t spent any time waiting around, we still had most of the day ahead of us.
We decided to pop into the Rijksmuseum next door to see the Dutch Masters. Normally, I’d hesitate to add another big museum spontaneously – what if tickets are sold out or the line is crazy?
But a quick check on Tiqets showed availability for the Rijksmuseum in the early afternoon. I booked two tickets on the spot while we were finishing our sandwiches.
By the time we walked over, I had our barcodes ready. We entered through the quick “e-ticket” line and were face-to-face with Rembrandt’s “Night Watch” soon after. It’s surreal how much more you can see in a day when you don’t have to queue for tickets at each place.
Later on, we took full advantage of our unlimited transit pass, riding the tram out to the trendy De Pijp district for dinner. We simply flashed our Tiqets QR code pass to the tram conductor and went on our way.
No messing with coins or debating which ticket to buy; it was already sorted. Also, the Tiqets app and tickets were all in English (with prices in USD that I paid upfront), so I never had to struggle with Dutch language websites or currency conversion surprises.
This convenience might sound minor, but when you’re traveling through multiple countries with different languages, having a single, familiar platform is a huge relief. I remember trying to buy train tickets in France on a previous trip and misinterpreting the French prompts – none of those hiccups this time around.
We ended Day 4 with a relaxed canal cruise (yes, I also booked a last-minute evening canal cruise on Tiqets because, when in Amsterdam…). We boarded with ease using our mobile tickets, and as the boat glided through the twinkling canals, I reflected on how smooth this trip had been so far.
In four days we’d visited two major cities, seen world-class attractions, and never once stood in a dreaded line or fumbled through a confusing booking process. And the biggest adventures were yet to come in our final stop: Rome.
Day 5: Rome
After a short flight from Amsterdam, we landed in Rome, the Eternal City, famed for its history… and unfortunately, its crowds. In peak season, Rome’s top sights can test any traveler’s patience.
I was both excited and a bit anxious to tackle places like the Colosseum and Vatican, knowing the reputation of their queues. But I had a secret weapon: I’d pre-booked everything through Tiqets, turning what could be logistical nightmares into (hopefully) straightforward visits.
Upon arrival, we checked into our hotel near the Colosseum (imagine drawing the curtains to see the amphitheater right there – gives you chills). We spent the late afternoon just strolling around the area, grabbing gelato, and soaking in the atmosphere.
It was a strategic move to visit the Colosseum first thing the next morning, when it would hopefully be a bit less crowded. And yes, I already had our skip-the-line Colosseum tickets safely stored in the Tiqets app, ready for 9:00 AM entry on Day 6. That night, I fell asleep feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve – tomorrow I’d fulfill a lifelong dream of stepping inside the Colosseum, and I’d get to do it without wasting hours in line outside.
Day 6: Skipping the Lines at the Colosseum
We woke up early and headed out before the Roman sun got too intense. As we approached the Colosseum’s perimeter, I could see the crowds gathering. Even in the morning, tour buses were unloading and a long line of ticket-less tourists was already snaking around the plaza.
I overheard someone say the wait just to buy tickets at the gate could be well over an hour, possibly two. In fact, I remembered reading that during busy times the line can stretch literally for hours – a claim easy to believe seeing the throngs of people.
Thankfully, we had our priority entry tickets in hand (or rather, in phone). Tiqets had sent a confirmation with all the instructions: we were to use the dedicated entrance for pre-booked ticket holders. We found the clearly marked entrance and joined a short queue of savvy planners like ourselves.
A quick scan of our QR codes, a brief security check, and we were walking through the ancient arches of the Colosseo. It all happened so fast that I had a moment of disbelief: Are we already inside? Indeed, we were standing on the Colosseum’s floor, looking up at the tiers of seating where Romans once roared for gladiators.
Emerging into that arena without delay was worth every penny of the skip-the-line ticket (yes, these priority passes often cost a bit more – one traveler paid about $60 for a Colosseum fast-track ticket vs $20 for basic entry – but I can attest that saving two hot, sweaty hours in line is priceless).
We spent our reclaimed time exploring the Colosseum’s corridors and stands, imagining the roar of ancient crowds. I had ample time to soak it all in, read the informational signs, and even take some photos without rushing. Outside, I could see hundreds of people still inching forward in the ticket line and thanked my past self for thinking ahead.
One thing to note: “skip-the-line” at the Colosseum, like many places, means skipping the ticket purchase line, not security. Everyone must pass a security checkpoint, but it moved quickly and only took about 10-15 minutes. A minor wait for a major payoff – soon we were atop the Colosseum’s upper level, gazing out at the Roman Forum in the distance, instead of standing outside in a queue.
After the Colosseum, our tickets also included entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (the same combo ticket covers all three). We meandered through the ruins of the Forum at our own pace, marveling at the columns and arches.
This part of the day was blissfully un-rushed, partly because we weren’t behind schedule from a morning wait. I recalled a travel tip I’d seen: some people “hack” the system by buying the combo ticket at the less busy Palatine Hill entrance to avoid the Colosseum lines.
It’s a clever idea, but we didn’t even need to resort to that trick – Tiqets had already ensured we skipped the Colosseum line directly. We essentially achieved the same result without walking to a different entrance. By early afternoon, we had seen Ancient Rome’s highlights and still had energy (and daylight) to spare.
So what did we do? We indulged in a long, lazy Italian lunch – a reward for the power-sightseeing morning. Over pasta and wine in a little trattoria, we planned our next move.
The Vatican Museums were on tomorrow’s agenda, but I had one more attraction up my sleeve for this afternoon: St. Peter’s Basilica. Entry to the basilica is actually free, but I knew the security line can be monumental (sometimes 1-2 hours just to get through the metal detectors on busy days).
Tiqets doesn’t sell tickets for the basilica itself (no one does, since it’s free), but it does offer guided tours with fast-track access. After weighing our options (and glancing at the enormous queue curling around St. Peter’s Square while we ate dessert), we decided a guided tour might be worth it to save time and get more insight.
In a few taps, I booked a skip-the-line guided tour of St. Peter’s for late afternoon. This tour met just outside the basilica, and the guide whisked our small group through a special entrance, bypassing the general security line entirely. We were inside the cool, hushed expanse of St. Peter’s in minutes, while the masses outside likely had at least an hour of waiting.
The guide was fantastic – her commentary made the art and architecture come alive (shoutout to our guide Francesca!). We even got to access the basilica’s interior dome elevator with our tour, saving us another line if we’d chosen to climb up on our own.
By the time we stepped out into the late afternoon sun, we had experienced two of Rome’s most important sites in one day, each with minimal waiting. This would have been a brag-worthy feat under normal circumstances; with Tiqets it just felt smooth and enjoyable.
Day 7: The Vatican
Our final full day was dedicated to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, another potential line nightmare that I was determined to conquer with Tiqets. I had reserved skip-the-line Vatican Museum tickets for the 8:30 AM slot.
As it happened, that day was a Wednesday – which I realized meant the Pope’s weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square was happening. That explained the even larger crowds swarming toward Vatican City. I was extra grateful we had a plan, because people without reservations looked visibly worried, asking where to queue up for tickets.
For context, the Vatican Museums can see 2-3 hour waits just to buy a ticket during peak season. The line often wraps around the Vatican walls – a genuinely daunting sight. Even early in the morning, I saw a massive queue of hopeful visitors without tickets forming along Viale Vaticano.
Some were likely going to be standing there for ages, and possibly not even get in before closing time. I remembered a discussion online where someone admitted that even arriving very early could still mean a 2-3 hour wait in the Vatican line. Yikes.
On top of that, the Vatican strictly manages entry times for those with reservations, which can cause confusion if you’re not in the right place at the right time. Luckily, our Tiqets booking info told us exactly where to go: a separate door for “Online Reservations” where we joined a short line of early-bird ticket holders.
We arrived about 15 minutes before our time slot, which was perfect – they don’t let ticket-holders line up too far in advance to keep things orderly (I saw staff turning away folks who came too early).
At 8:30 sharp, our line started moving. We passed the initial checkpoint, went through security, and before we knew it, we were climbing the spiral ramp into the Vatican Museums – no ticket-buying line to slow us down at all. In total, from arriving to being inside was maybe 20 minutes, mostly due to security.
It’s important to note that even with skip-the-line, you still face security checks, which during peak times can take 15-20 minutes. But that’s a breeze compared to the alternative.
We effectively breezed past hundreds of people who were still waiting outside to purchase tickets, and we were exploring the Gallery of Maps while they were probably inching forward in the queue.
Walking through the museum’s halls, I had time to truly appreciate the art – tapestries, ancient statues, Renaissance masterpieces – without the anxiety of thinking “we wasted half the day in line, we need to rush.” We reached the Sistine Chapel and spent a good while gazing up at Michelangelo’s frescoes, shoulder to shoulder with other awe-struck visitors.
Yes, it was crowded inside (skip-the-line doesn’t mean you get the place to yourself, of course), but the experience was profoundly moving and not overshadowed by any logistical headaches.
I thought back to comments I’d read from other travelers: some said you must book Vatican tickets months in advance or risk paying a fortune for a tour last-minute.
Indeed, by the time we planned our Vatican visit, the official site had been nearly sold out for that day. Only pricey guided tour packages remained. Tiqets came through with standard skip-the-line tickets that weren’t exorbitant, essentially rescuing our Vatican visit.
If we hadn’t reserved, we might have had to skip the Vatican or shell out triple the price to a scalper tour. Instead, we paid a normal rate and walked right in to one of the world’s greatest art collections.
Exiting the Vatican Museums around mid-day, I felt a mix of triumph and gratitude. We had successfully navigated what many consider the most trying part of a Rome trip with ease. Outside, I saw the ticket line still stretched far down the street, people wilting in the midday sun.
A Reddit user’s advice echoed in my head: they emphatically said to “definitely get tickets in advance” through a site like Tiqets or risk those looooong lines. I wanted to run over and spread the gospel of Tiqets to those in line, but alas, our tour was ending and we had a flight to catch in a few hours.
Yes, sadly it was time to head home that evening. But not before one more delicious Italian meal to celebrate a trip well spent.
We grabbed lunch near Piazza Navona, basking in that end-of-trip glow. Over plates of cacio e pepe, we tallied up the experiences and the time we saved. By my estimate, Tiqets easily saved us 8-10 hours of waiting time on this trip.
That’s 8-10 hours we instead spent enjoying – whether it was wandering in Montmartre, cruising Amsterdam’s canals, or savoring gelato in a quiet Roman piazza. Beyond the quantifiable hours, it saved us from untold stress and confusion.
No arguing with my travel partner about where to buy tickets, no anxiety about not getting into a must-see sight, no language barrier issues at ticket windows. Everything was handled in a straightforward, familiar way on my phone.
Final Thoughts
In the past, I’d resigned myself to the fact that popular attractions mean long waits and logistical hurdles, especially in foreign countries. This trip proved it doesn’t have to be that way.
In every city we visited, Tiqets acted like a fast-pass, travel agent, and local guide all in one. It got us instant mobile tickets, it gave us skip-the-line access to almost every attraction we wanted, and even handled transport passes so we could zip around cities effortlessly.
For anyone planning a big trip, especially to multiple destinations, I can’t recommend this strategy enough. Identify your must-see sights and book them ahead of time.
As Rick Steves wisely said, there are two kinds of travelers: those who queue, and those who don’t. After this journey, I know which kind I’ll be going forward.
In the end, by using Tiqets for my entire trip, I gained so much: hours of time, peace of mind, and richer experiences.
With a tool like Tiqets in your pocket, you can transform your vacation into more of what you dream it to be: seeing, doing, learning, and living, and a lot less waiting. I know I’ll be using this approach on all my future journeys.
After all, time is the most precious currency when traveling, and Tiqets helped me spend it wisely on this unforgettable trip.
