Venice Access Fee 2026: Contributo di Accesso, Calendar & Booking

Quick overview – Venice access fee 2026 at a glance

Question	Answer
Status on the selected day	Heute Eintrittsgebühr · 5 € · 8:30–16:00
Official name	Contributo di Accesso (CdA)
Amount	€5 if paid up to and including the fourth-last day before the visit; €10 thereafter
Chargeable days 2026	60 days between 3 April and 26 July
Hours of application	daily 8:30–16:00
Area covered	Venice historic old town plus the affected islands of Giudecca, San Michele and San Giorgio Maggiore
Who pays	Day visitors aged 14 and over who do not stay overnight in the Municipality of Venice
Who is exempt	Overnight guests (with proof), children under 14, residents, commuters, further official categories
Booking	via cda.ve.it
Administrative fine	€50 to €300 (plus the unpaid fee)
Fee-free	smaller lagoon islands (Lido, Pellestrina, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Sant’Erasmo, etc.)

Which situation matches your trip?

The access fee affects travellers differently. Anyone staying overnight in the Municipality of Venice is exempt (with proof). Day visitors have several options — from the €5 fee booked in good time, to arriving after 16:00, to an island day without entering the old town. These scenarios cover the most common types of trip:

What is the Contributo di Accesso?

The Contributo di Accesso – literally „access fee“ – is a charge for certain day visitors who enter Venice’s historic old town on particularly busy days. It was introduced in 2024 as the first model of its kind and has been refined step by step since then. Its main aim is to manage day tourism. The fee is designed as a daily charge – anyone staying overnight in the Municipality of Venice does not pay it.

2026 calendar — all chargeable days at a glance

The city administration sets the chargeable days each year. For 2026, 60 non-consecutive days between 3 April and 26 July have been defined — with a focus on weekends, bridge days and major public holidays. The official calendar at cda.ve.it is always decisive; check it before you travel.

Best time to travel and chargeable days

Anyone wanting to avoid the day-visitor fee should travel outside the 3 April–26 July 2026 period, or outside the individual chargeable days. A climate and best-time-to-travel overview for all 12 months:

Klima-Jahresübersicht — wann ist die beste Zeit für Venedig?

Monat	Temp °C	Regen	Sonne	Bewertung
Januar	0–8	50 mm · 6 d	3 h	Eingeschränkt
Februar	1–10	50 mm · 6 d	4 h	Eingeschränkt
März	4–14	60 mm · 7 d	5 h	Sehr gut
April	8–18	75 mm · 8 d	7 h	Ideal
Mai	13–23	75 mm · 8 d	8 h	Ideal
Juni	17–26	75 mm · 7 d	9 h	Sehr gut
Juli	20–29	60 mm · 6 d	10 h	Eingeschränkt
August	19–28	80 mm · 6 d	8 h	Eingeschränkt
September	15–24	75 mm · 6 d	7 h	Ideal
Oktober	10–18	90 mm · 8 d	5 h	Sehr gut
November	5–12	90 mm · 9 d	3 h	Eingeschränkt
Dezember	1–8	65 mm · 7 d	3 h	Eingeschränkt

Bewertung: Mix aus Temperatur-Komfort, Niederschlag, Acqua-Alta-Risiko und Tourismus-Andrang. Klimawerte sind langjährige Richtwerte.

Who has to pay – and who does not?

Exempt (categories under the official regulation)

• Residents of Venice and people resident in the Veneto region (according to the official category)
• Children under 14 (ID for age checks)
• Holders of the European Disability Card and their companion
• Overnight guests in registered accommodation within the Municipality of Venice
• Workers, commuters, pupils and students in the old town
• People with medical appointments and certain further official occasions

Several of these groups must register or prove their exemption, even though they pay nothing. The exact category and the proof required are listed on the official portal.

Overnight guests: how does the exemption work?

Anyone staying in a registered accommodation within the Municipality of Venice (the old town plus the mainland: Mestre, Marghera, Lido and the Venetian lagoon islands) does not pay the access fee — regardless of the number of nights. The exemption status must, however, be proven:

• Usually via an exemption QR code or a corresponding declaration/confirmation. The accommodation is normally responsible for this.
• With small operators or holiday flats, you should ask actively whether the registration has been done.
• As a fallback, the booking confirmation with the date and address of the accommodation on your smartphone helps.

Important: „Exempt“ does not mean „nothing to worry about“. Overnight guests do not pay the fee, but proof is required if checked.

Where does the fee apply – and where not?

Chargeable area

• Venice historic old town (all six sestieri)
• Giudecca island
• San Michele cemetery island
• San Giorgio Maggiore island

Fee-free smaller lagoon islands in 2026

• Lido di Venezia (including Alberoni and Malamocco)
• Pellestrina
• Murano, Burano, Torcello
• Sant’Erasmo, Mazzorbo, Mazzorbetto, Vignole, S. Andrea, La Certosa
• San Servolo, San Clemente, Poveglia, Sacca Sessola
• San Francesco del Deserto, Lazzaretto Vecchio, Lazzaretto Nuovo, Isola degli Armeni (San Lazzaro)
• plus the transport hubs Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto and the cruise terminal Marittima, as long as you do not enter the old town

Route planning: Anyone visiting only smaller lagoon islands is not affected by the access fee in 2026 — neither payment nor exemption is required. Anyone additionally visiting the historic old town should check the date and time. Visiting the old town after 16:00 is also fee-free.

How and where do you book the access fee?

Booking is done online via the official portal cda.ve.it (available in English): enter the visit date and number of people, select your status (day visitor or exemption category), enter your details, pay, and receive a QR-code receipt by email.

Price and deadline: The fee is €5 if paid up to and including the fourth-last day before the visit; €10 thereafter. Example: a visit on Sunday — payment up to and including Wednesday €5, from Thursday €10. The fee applies per person and per day.

Named receipt and groups: For individual travellers the payment receipt is nominative (in your name). For organised groups, cumulative group receipts may be issued via authorised providers, stating the number of people.

Changes and cancellation: A payment receipt cannot be changed. If the date is wrong, it must be cancelled and rebooked. Cancellation is possible until the day before the access date; the refund is made to the same payment method.

Practical rules, checks and penalties

Time window: Anyone who only enters the historic old town after 16:00 pays no access fee that day. Arriving early does not automatically exempt you, however: anyone who enters before 8:30 and stays in the old town during 8:30–16:00 still needs payment or proof of exemption on chargeable days. The proof must be presentable within the time window.

Transit/changing transport: Anyone using Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, Santa Lucia station or ACTV piers purely to change transport, without visiting the old town, does not pay. If checked, you should be able to plausibly demonstrate that you are travelling on (e.g. a connecting ticket).

Checks: Checks are officially provided for, especially at the main access points; staff are identifiable by vest/ID. The actual intensity of checks can vary greatly depending on the day, time and visitor numbers — reliable statements about this are not possible. Anyone liable to pay should book the QR code in advance and have it ready.

Penalty: If proof of payment or exemption is missing or the certificate is invalid, the official FAQ states an administrative fine of between €50 and €300 — plus the recovery of the unpaid fee (€10). False statements or forged documents can have criminal consequences. The €5 fee booked in good time is considerably cheaper and removes the uncertainty.

Venice passes: admission to museums and sights

If you want to visit several museums or sights, a Venice pass is often cheaper than individual tickets. The services, included attractions and prices change and should be checked on the respective product page before booking. Frequently used options from our partner GetYourGuide:

Important: These passes do not cover the municipal access fee — that is an administrative charge of the Comune di Venezia and is paid separately via cda.ve.it. The passes cover museums, sights and in some cases vaporetto rides.

Vaporetto and public transport: what costs extra?

The access fee covers only entry to the city – not vaporetto rides, not museum admission. Typical daily guide prices (prices for museums and churches can change; check the official ticket pages):

Item	Price (guide)
Access fee (booked in good time)	€5
Vaporetto single ticket (75 min)	approx. €9.50
Vaporetto day ticket (24 hrs)	approx. €25
Doge’s Palace + St Mark’s Square combined	guide price from approx. €30
St Mark’s Basilica Pala d’Oro + Loggia	guide price approx. €10–12
Lunch (simple trattoria)	approx. €20–30

Frequently asked questions about the Venice access fee 2026

Do I really have to pay the access fee in 2026?

Only if all conditions are met at the same time: you are a day visitor without an overnight stay in the Municipality of Venice (Mestre and the Lido count as part of the municipality — if you stay there, you are exempt), you are at least 14 years old, you enter the old town between 8:30 and 16:00, and the date is one of the 60 chargeable days between 3 April and 26 July 2026. If one condition is missing, you are not liable to pay (exemption categories sometimes with proof). If in doubt, check cda.ve.it.

How much is the fee and until when does the cheaper rate apply?

€5 if the fee is paid up to and including the fourth-last day before the visit; €10 thereafter. Example: a visit on Sunday → payment up to Wednesday €5, from Thursday €10. The fee applies per person and per day. Children under 14 are exempt. A payment receipt cannot be changed, only cancelled and rebooked (cancellation until the day before the access date).

Where do I book the access fee?

Exclusively via the city of Venice’s official portal cda.ve.it (available in English). Avoid third-party providers charging a surcharge. After booking you receive a QR code by email, which is shown on your smartphone if checked. For individual travellers the receipt is nominative; for organised groups, cumulative group receipts may be issued.

As an overnight guest, do I need proof?

Yes. As a guest of a registered accommodation in the Municipality of Venice you do not pay, but you must prove your exemption status — usually via an exemption QR code or a confirmation from the accommodation. At larger hotels this mostly happens automatically at check-in; at small guesthouses or holiday flats, ask actively. As a fallback, the booking confirmation with the date and address helps.

Does the fee also apply to children?

Children under 14 do not pay and do not need to register; if checked, they may be asked their age (ID is sufficient). From their 14th birthday, children are considered liable to pay if they arrive as day visitors without an overnight stay. For school groups, the school or organiser usually handles the group registration.

Do I have to buy a new receipt for each day?

Yes, if you come on several chargeable days as a day visitor (without an overnight stay) — one receipt per chargeable day. Anyone staying overnight in the Municipality of Venice is exempt for the whole length of their stay (with proof).

What if I have to change my date?

A payment receipt cannot be changed. If the date is wrong, it must be cancelled and rebooked. Cancellation is possible until the day before the access date; the refund is made to the same payment method.

Are checks carried out?

Checks are officially provided for, especially at important access points such as Santa Lucia station, Piazzale Roma and large vaporetto piers; staff are identifiable by vest/ID. How often checks happen varies depending on the day and visitor numbers. Anyone liable to pay should book the QR code in advance and have it ready.

Am I exempt if I am only passing through?

As long as you do not enter the historic old town – yes. Anyone who arrives at the station or bus terminal and travels straight on (e.g. changing to a vaporetto to Murano or the Lido) does not pay. As soon as the „transit“ is combined with a city visit, it is a day visit and chargeable on chargeable days. If checked, a connecting ticket helps as proof.

What if I arrive in the city after 16:00?

Then no access fee applies — the chargeable period ends at 16:00. This allows an evening programme (aperitivo, dinner, concert) without the fee. Arriving before 8:30 does not automatically make you exempt either: anyone who stays in the old town during the 8:30–16:00 window needs proof on chargeable days.

Does the fee apply on Murano, Burano or the Lido?

No. The smaller lagoon islands (including Murano, Burano, Torcello, Sant’Erasmo, Mazzorbo, Lido, Pellestrina) are excluded in 2026 — neither payment nor exemption is required there. One possible route: the islands in the morning (fee-free), and if you wish, the old town after 16:00 (then also fee-free). Giudecca, San Michele and San Giorgio Maggiore, by contrast, are affected.

What about Carnival and the Festa del Redentore?

Carnival (February/March) falls outside the chargeable period — no fee. The Festa del Redentore (third July weekend) can fall within the chargeable period; the fireworks on the Saturday evening are after the 16:00 cut-off, but a day visit beforehand on a chargeable day is chargeable. Always check the exact chargeable days in the official calendar.

How do I combine the access fee and a vaporetto day pass?

Both are independent: the access fee (€5) covers only entry to the city, the vaporetto day pass (approx. €25) only the ACTV rides. An island day without entering the old town needs no access fee; arriving after 16:00 likewise. Details on vaporetto tickets and lines.

Related topics

• Getting to Venice – overview of all means of transport
• Vaporetto Venice – tickets, lines, the ACTV system
• Murano – the glass island (no access fee)
• Burano – the lace island (no access fee)
• Jesolo – Adriatic beach with day trips to Venice
• Concerts in Venice – evening programme after 16:00
• Venice passes compared 2026
• Acqua Alta – live tide levels and the high-water season

This page explains the rules for travellers, but does not replace the official check of your travel date, route and exemption category. The official pages cda.ve.it and cda.veneziaunica.it are decisive.