Venice daytripper fee returns for 2026
Venice has confirmed its daytripper fee will run again in 2026, expanding to 60 operational days between April and July. The access charge will apply during peak hours from 830 a.m. to 400 p.m., with multiple exemptions for residents, students, workers, and travelers holding lodging reservations. City officials frame the fee as a tool to manage visitor flows and protect livability, while 2025 data shows only a slight drop in day-visitor volumes. Pricing for 2026 has not yet been finalized.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Venice will apply the daytripper fee on 60 dates in 2026, up from 54 in 2025.
- Travel impact: Fee windows are 830 a.m. to 400 p.m., exemptions include overnight guests, residents, students, and workers.
- What's next: The city will set 2026 pricing later, after evaluating 2025 outcomes.
- Calendar covers Fridays to Sundays plus holiday stretches in April to July.
- QR code checks occur at key entry points, including Venezia Santa Lucia station.
Snapshot
Venice's access fee applies only to daytrippers entering on selected dates, from 830 a.m. to 400 p.m. Overnight guests do not pay the fee, but must still obtain an exemption QR code associated with their hotel booking. Exemptions also cover residents, Venetian-born visitors, students, and workers, among others. Travelers obtain a paid voucher or an exemption QR code through the official Venezia Unica portal, then show it if asked during spot checks at main entry points, including Venice Santa Lucia rail station and Piazzale Roma. The 2026 calendar expands to 60 days, targeting weekend and peak holiday periods between April and July. The city says the system helps smooth the worst crowding while it continues to assess results and refine enforcement.
Background
Venice piloted the access fee in 2024, then expanded it to 54 dates in 2025 with a tiered price, €5.00 if reserved at least four days out, and €10.00 for late bookings. Enforcement focused on spot checks, using QR codes to confirm either payment or exemption status. City leaders argue the tool helps manage "hit and run" tourism, which strains transit, sanitation, and public spaces without matching local benefits. However, the data is mixed. The municipality reported an average of 13,046 paid day entries per operational day in 2025, down from 16,676 in 2024, while the single busiest day, Friday, May 2, reached 24,951 paid entries. Officials note the trend also reflects broader regional softening in visitor numbers. Venice has not yet set 2026 pricing, keeping the program experimental while it gathers seasonal comparisons.
Latest Developments
2026 calendar expands to 60 days, targeting weekends and holiday peaks
The 2026 access-fee calendar runs April 3 to July 26 on a mix of weekend and continuous blocks designed around forecast peaks. The city lists the following dates, all from 830 a.m. to 400 p.m. April 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31. June 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28. July 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26. Officials emphasize that minor lagoon islands remain excluded under existing rules. The city says locking dates now allows procurement and staffing, keeping the 830 a.m. to 400 p.m. model consistent with 2025 while adding six operational days to better intercept spring and early summer surges.
How it works, who pays, and who is exempt in 2026
Daytrippers must secure either a paid voucher or an exemption QR code for covered dates. Travelers staying at hotels or licensed lodging enter reservation details to generate an exemption code, since the lodging bill already includes Venice's separate overnight tax. Residents, students, and workers qualify for exemptions, as do several other categories listed in the official FAQ. Spot checks occur at principal entry points, including Venice Santa Lucia rail station and Piazzale Roma, where stewards verify QR codes. The access fee does not apply outside 830 a.m. to 400 p.m., so early arrivals and evening visitors are not charged, although normal city rules still apply. For trip planning, align museum time slots and gondola tours with the fee window, or schedule key activities for early morning or late afternoon.
Pricing decision pending, with 2025 tiers as the reference point
The municipality has not set the 2026 price. In 2025, the standard amount was €5.00 for bookings made at least four days in advance, rising to €10.00 for late or same-day purchases. City leaders say they will confirm the 2026 amount in a later resolution after reviewing 2025 outcomes, enforcement costs, and privacy-compliance requirements that shaped system tweaks this year. Any change would be communicated through the Venezia Unica portal and city channels. Travelers should assume the same reservation process, build in time to register, and avoid last-minute purchases if a similar tiered structure returns. If you are overnighting, the key step is still generating the exemption QR code tied to your hotel dates, then keeping it ready for checks.
Analysis
Venice is iterating rather than overhauling its access fee, and that is telling. The city's decision to add six more fee days targets known pressure points, especially extended weekends around late April and late May. Keeping the 830 a.m. to 400 p.m. window preserves a clear, predictable rule that aligns with peak daytripper usage patterns, while minimizing friction for early and late visits. The weak spot remains efficacy. Average paid day entries fell from 16,676 in 2024 to 13,046 in 2025, a modest decline that coincided with broader regional softening. Peak demand still punched through, with a single day drawing nearly 25,000 paid entries, about half the resident population. That suggests the fee influences timing and behavior more than absolute volumes, which is still useful for crowd management if paired with smarter routing, staffing, and sanitation.
For travelers, the operational reality is simple. If you are not staying overnight, register in advance, and plan core sightseeing outside the fee window if budget is tight. If you are overnighting, generate the exemption QR code and carry it. Venice will keep refining the system, and it is watching privacy and user-experience concerns closely. As other destinations test their own levers, Venice is becoming a live case study in granular, date-specific visitor management. For broader context on Italy's rules and fines, see Italy Imposes Entry Fees, Selfie Rules, Dress Codes for 2025. The signal to travelers is continuity with incrementally tighter targeting, not a wholesale change.
Final Thoughts
Venice will keep tuning its levers rather than flipping a switch. The 2026 calendar adds dates, maintains hours, and leaves pricing to a later vote, giving travelers clarity on when planning matters most. For daytrippers, advance registration and timing remain the easiest ways to avoid surprises. For overnight guests, the reminder is to secure the exemption QR code, then enjoy the city beyond the 830 a.m. to 400 p.m. window. Expect more fine-tuning as the city weighs results against resident needs, and plan accordingly around the Venice daytripper fee.