Book and pay for a visitor slot before you go.
Venice, Italy is the latest popular tourist destination to impose visitor fees in an attempt to ameliorate tourists’ toll on the environment and infrastructure. The city has instituted a daytripper tax and a cap of 25 people per tour group in the summer.
Daytripper Tax
Initially, the “entry fee” is imposed on certain days between April 25 and July 14. The cost is 5 euros (about $5.45) per person. The tax can be paid prior to entry by visiting the city’s online booking platform.
Currently, the tax doesn’t apply to hotel guests or the city’s workers, commuters, or students. Visitors traveling to Venice’s lagoon islands—including Murano and Burano—are also exempt. However, if you’re arriving at these locations via vaporetto from the city center, you are required to pay the fee.
Children under 14 are not subject to the tax, nor are those visiting residents of the “Old City” (historic center of Venice). Those transiting through the Piazzale Roma bus terminal, Tronchetto, or Stazione Marittima dock are exempt if they’re not passing into the Old City.
Visitors with certified disabilities (along with any caregivers) or those traveling to the city for a sporting event or medical treatment are also exempt. Eligible visitors need to register for exemption on the online booking platform.
What dates is the Venice tourist tax in force?
In 2024, visitors will be required to pay the fee on the following dates between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4 PM:
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
How to prepay the daytripper tourist tax
You must book your visit via the Venice city council’s online booking platform.
Once you’re on the site, click on “Pay the Access Fee,” which takes you to a site signposted by Venezia Unica. This is the official tourism site for Venice, don’t pay the fee anywhere else.
You select travel dates and the number of people traveling, including children (though, as noted above, kids younger than 14 aren’t taxed). After entering the names of non-exempt travelers, you then pay the fee. You’ll receive an email with your booking details and also a QR code to show authorities should you be asked during your visit.
In “exceptional” circumstances, you can pay on arrival at the Piazzale Roma bus terminal or the Venezia Santa Lucia train station. The best practice is, though, to pay prior to your visit.
Should you need to cancel your visit, you can do so up to 11:59 PM the day before you’re due to arrive.
How to register for exemption from the Venice daytripper tourist tax
Those staying overnight in Venice, as opposed to visiting on a daytrip, do not have to pay the entry fee provided they have a confirmed reservation. They instead pay an overnight tax as part of their hotel or rental costs.
Visitors can register for an exemption on the city council website. You are asked for an exemption reason before you enter the dates of your visit, personal details, and contact information. If an exemption is granted, you are emailed a QR code to show authorities if asked during your visit.
25-person tour group cap
Tour groups are capped at 25 people (half the usual number of passengers on a tourist bus). Banned are loudspeakers “that may cause confusion and disturbance.” This measure also applies to groups in Murano, Burano, and Torcello.
Twist’s Take: If you’re planning a daytrip to Venice, know the rules and book your slot before you go.
