Venice travel guide for 2026 and 2027
By the TravelCheap Editorial Team · Updated October 28, 2026
Venice costs less than its reputation if you sleep one night or more, ride the vaporetto with a pass and eat standing at a bacaro counter. Day-trippers pay an access fee on busy days: in 2026 it was €5 if you booked at least four days ahead and €10 after that, on 60 days between April and July. Anyone with a hotel booking in the municipality, Mestre included, is exempt.
For 2027 the city has said the fee will run on about 72 days, from Good Friday to mid-August, at up to €10. The exact calendar isn't out yet, so check the official site before you book a day trip.
Venice quick facts
- Access fee 2026
- €5 booked early, €10 late, 8:30 to 16:00 on 60 set days
- Access fee 2027
- About 72 days from Good Friday to mid-August; calendar not published yet
- Vaporetto
- €9.50 for 75 minutes, €25 for a 1-day pass
- Airport to Piazzale Roma
- ATVO express bus, about 20 minutes, €12
- Who skips the fee
- Overnight guests, under-14s, and anyone only visiting the islands
- Cheapest base
- Mestre: lower tourist tax, 10 to 12 minutes by train
How the Venice access fee works
On fee days you need a QR code to enter the historic centre between 8:30 and 16:00. It costs €5 if you pay by the fourth day before your visit and €10 after that, with no reduced rates. You get the code on Access fee: rules, prices and exemptions (Venezia Unica).
- You don't pay if you sleep anywhere in the municipality of Venice, including Mestre, Lido and the other islands. Most exempt visitors still register online for a free code.
- Children under 14 are exempt, and so are visitors with a disability and one companion.
- You also skip it if you only pass through Piazzale Roma, the station or Tronchetto, or only visit Lido, Murano, Burano or Torcello.
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Compare hotels in VeniceGetting around: vaporetto tickets and passes
| Ticket | Price | Worth it if |
|---|---|---|
| 75-minute single | €9.50 | You take one or two boats in a day |
| 1-day pass | €25 | You ride three times or more, or go to Murano and Burano |
| 2-day pass | €35 | Two full days in the city |
| 3-day pass | €45 | A long weekend |
| 7-day pass | €65 | A week, or a base in Mestre with daily trips |
Prices from Venice urban services: tickets and passes (ACTV). Lines 16 and 19, the Casino line and Alilaguna boats are not included. Under-30s can buy the €6 Rolling Venice card, which brings the 3-day pass down to €27 (Vaporetto fares and Rolling Venice (Europe for Visitors)).
Walking is free and usually faster than the boat inside one area. Use the vaporetto for the Grand Canal, the islands and your luggage on arrival day.
Our Venice guides
A cheaper Venice day, step by step
- Book a room, even in Mestre, so you are exempt from the access fee and can see the city early and late, when day-trippers have gone.
- Buy a 1-day vaporetto pass on the day you ride the Grand Canal and go out to Murano and Burano.
- Book St Mark's Basilica online and see the Doge's Palace on a ticket bought 30 or more days ahead, when it costs €30 instead of €35.
- Eat lunch at a bacaro counter, where cicchetti and a small glass of wine cost a few euros each.
- Walk back through Cannaregio or Castello in the evening instead of paying for another boat.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay to enter Venice in 2027?
Only as a day-tripper on fee days. Reports in October 2026 said the fee will apply on about 72 days from Good Friday to mid-August 2027, at up to €10. Overnight guests in the municipality are exempt. Check the official calendar before you go.
How much is the Venice access fee?
In 2026 it was €5 if paid by the fourth day before your visit and €10 after that. It applies from 8:30 to 16:00 on fee days only.
Is a vaporetto pass worth it?
A single ride costs €9.50, so the €25 day pass pays off from the third ride. It is good value on days when you go out to Murano and Burano.
Is it cheaper to stay in Mestre?
Usually yes. The tourist tax is lower on the mainland, overnight guests skip the access fee, and trains reach Santa Lucia station in 10 to 12 minutes.
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More Venice guides
Sources
- Access fee: rules, prices and exemptions (Venezia Unica)
- Calendar of 2026 access-fee days (The Local Italy)
- Venice will charge the fee on more days in 2027 (blue News)
- Venice urban services: tickets and passes (ACTV)
- Vaporetto fares and Rolling Venice (Europe for Visitors)
- Venice airport bus express (ATVO)
- ATVO airport bus fares (Europe for Visitors)
- Tourist tax information for guests (Comune di Venezia)
- Mestre to Venice by train (Europe for Visitors)
- Doge's Palace tickets (MUVE)
Prices, timetables and trail status change. We checked the figures on this page on October 28, 2026. Found something out of date? Email contact@travelcheap.online.