Venice Day-Tripper Entry Fee Has Now Ended for 2026
Venice’s day-tripper access fee — the first scheme of its kind anywhere in the world — wrapped up its second season on 26 July 2026. From 27 July onwards, visitors entering the historic island city between 08:30 and 16:00 no longer pay anything to get in. There are no barriers, no QR codes to scan, and no passes to book.
What the scheme involved
The fee applied on 60 selected dates between 3 April and 26 July 2026, covering weekends and public holidays when visitor pressure on the city’s narrow calli is at its highest. On those dates, day visitors aged 14 and over paid between €5 and €10 to access the historic centre — a charge that did not apply to hotel guests staying overnight, residents, workers, or students.
The 2026 season followed a 2024 pilot and a 2025 full year of operation. Between all three seasons, the scheme has raised well over €5 million, funds that the city has directed towards maintenance, waste management, and resident services. Officials described the 2026 results as broadly positive, with measurable reductions in peak-hour crowding on the busiest dates.
What visitors can expect now
Until at least the end of 2026, no access fee applies on any date. The city has not yet confirmed whether the scheme will return in 2027, what dates it might cover, or whether the fee structure will change. We will update this article once an announcement is made.
For practical purposes, anyone visiting Venice between now and the end of the year can arrive without pre-booking an entry pass. The usual busy periods — weekends, Italian public holidays, the main summer and autumn tourist season — will still draw large crowds, and early mornings remain the best time to see the Grand Canal and the Rialto area without the thickest foot traffic.
Planning your visit
Our Venice city guide covers the best times of year to visit, how to get there by train or vaporetto from the mainland, and which neighbourhoods to base yourself in. If you are trying to decide between a day trip and an overnight stay, our Venice hotels guide lays out what accommodation costs and where to look.
For those with limited time, our day trips from Venice page covers nearby options including Murano, Burano, and Torcello — all reachable by vaporetto and free to enter independently.
The removal of the fee is good news for spontaneous visits. It also removes the risk of turning up on a day that is unexpectedly busier than anticipated due to the fee incentive. Venice remains one of the most visited places in Europe, but the end of the paid-entry season means one less thing to plan around.