Venice entry fee tickets go on sale. Here’s how they work
Finally, the time has come: it’s time for Venice to charge for entry.
From April 25, the floating city will implement the much discussed entry fee for day trippers.
The fee has been under discussion for years. Although it is expected to expand in scope, for 2024’s pilot run it will only be applied on certain days during the high season, between April 25 to July 14.
It’s not just day trippers who need to worry, though. Although people staying overnight in the city won’t have to pay the charge, if they’ll be in town on those dates, they will still need to register for an exemption.
On January 16, the city council unveiled its online platform to process bookings and exemptions. So how do you register to pay the fee if you’re just coming for the day? And how do you register an exemption if you’re staying overnight? We booked some of the first tickets when they were released today. Here’s what to know.
When will the entry fee be in force?
The access fee will be due on 29 days between April 25 and July 14. The dates are as follows:
• April 25-30
• May 1-5
• May 11-12
• May 18-19
• May 25-26
• June 8-9
• June 15-16
• June 22-23
• June 29-30
• July 6-7
• July 13-14
The fee is charged for day visits between 8.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. For 2024, it’s a flat 5 euros ($5.45) per person per day.
For 2024, the city has exempted the fee for those traveling to most of the lagoon islands, including visitor hubs Murano and Burano, as well as the Lido, home to the city’s beaches. However, most visitors to Murano and Burano will have to pay the fee anyway, since most arrive by taking vaporetto ferries from the city center.
People transiting through Piazzale Roma (the bus terminus), Tronchetto or the Stazione Marittima (where small cruise ships still dock) will be exempt, as long as they don’t cross into the “Old City.”
How to pay if you’re a Venice day tripper
The Venice council has launched an online platform allowing you to prepay if you’re visiting for the day, here.
Click on pay the fee – you’ll then be taken to a landing page run by Venezia Unica, the city’s official tourism site.
Select your date, and then the number of people, including children under 14 (who don’t pay – see below).
Enter the names of the adult travelers – in other words, those who need to pay the fee. You’ll then have 10 minutes to pay.
Fully paid up? You’ll be emailed an A4-sized document, listing your initials, your booking code, the day(s) you’ve booked and a QR code. You can print it off or show it on your phone when questioned.
The “ticket” also advertises various city passes you can buy, and flags the fines payable for banned behaviors, such as picnicking and swimming in canals. Be aware that it’s written in Italian, even though the application can be done in English. Not to worry – the only details you need to check are your initials, the number in your party and the date (written European style, as in day-month-year).
The number of people does not include children – we applied for one adult and two under 14s, and our ticket showed one person.
All too complicated? In “exceptional” circumstances you will also be able to pay on arrival at two entrance points: Piazzale Roma, the bus terminus, and the train station Venezia Santa Lucia. Expect there to be long lines, though.
If you want to cancel, you can do so up to 11.59 p.m. on the day before your booked visit.
