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EXPLAINED: How will the tourist-control system work in Venice?

Venice is introducing a new system to discourage day-trippers in hopes of curbing problems with overtourism in the popular hotspot. Here is what you need to know.

Published: 4 July 2022 15:34 CEST
Updated: 7 July 2022 12:58 CEST
EXPLAINED: How will the tourist-control system work in Venice?
Venice, in Italy, will impose a tourist tax to discourage "day-trippers". (Photo by Henrique Ferreira on Unsplash)

After years of discussing a possible “tourist tax”, the city of Venice has confirmed it will make day-trippers pay from €3 to €10 for access to the city centre starting on January 16th.

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said the goal of the new tourism fee is to discourage day tourism at certain times of the year and encourage overnight tourism. Day-trippers will have to pay a fee, but those who stay overnight continue only to have to pay the city tax of €2 to €5, according to a government press release.

The Commission and the City Council will now examine the regulatory text for the final green light scheduled for the summer.

“We are the first in the world to introduce this system, and we are aware that not everything will work well from the beginning, but we will be ready to improve in the course of work. We want to guarantee the tourist the best quality of the visit and make sure that the city is able to give visitors all the services they need”, said Tourism Secretary Simone Venturini.

READ ALSO: After flooding and coronavirus, is it time Venice stopped relying on tourism?

How much will I have to pay?

The contributo di acesso, or access contribution, will cost from €3 to €10, depending on factors such as tourism numbers for the day and season.

The city will determine a certain threshold of tourists, after which people will be required to pay higher sums. Travellers are encouraged to book in advance to avoid price increases.

Does the payment have to be made in advance?

The government said that nobody would be denied entry to Venice, meaning a pre-registration is not necessary. However, the mayor said that those who book their visit in advance would be “rewarded”. The reward will likely discount the fee.

How will the system work? Where do I pay?

According to the City of Venice, the payment is an alternative to the city tax. It will be required from every person that goes to the old city centre of Venice, as well as other major tourist destinations and islands in the region.

READ ALSO: 16 surprising facts about Venice to mark 16 centuries of the lagoon city

A single payment guarantees access to the old town and the smaller islands.

Tourists will be able to pay through an online and “multilingual” platform where they will receive a QR code to present in case of controls. Tickets should also be available to buy in connection with public transport – so if you are arriving by train, it will be possible to buy the train ticket and the entry pass together.

Who is excluded or exempt from the payment?

There are several exceptions to the payment, according to the website. Among them are residents from the Comune di Venezia, those who work or study there, and those who own homes in the city.

Additionally, exceptions include those born in the Comune di Venezia, children under six years of age, people with disabilities and their accompanying person, public workers, volunteers, people visiting family members, prisoners, or attending funerals, and many others.

Residents of the Veneto region “up to the thresholds that will be set by a specific Council resolution” are also exempt.

Those who stay overnight and, therefore, already pay the city tax through their hotel or short-term rental booking are also exempt from the fee.

The city of Murano, in the metropolitan region of Venice (Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash)

What about people arriving on cruises?

Venice is a very popular stop for cruise ships and people visiting the city on a cruise tour will also have to pay the fee as they disembark in the old town. However, the City of Venice said they might determine a lump-sum measure in agreement with the relevant carriers.

READ ALSO: OPINION: Why more of Italy’s top destinations must limit tourist numbers

Which smaller islands are included?

Only one ticket and payment is required for those travelling to multiple islands, including Venice. The islands that are part of the group are:

  • Lido di Venezia
  • Pellestrina
  • Murano
  • Burano
  • Torcello
  • Sant’Erasmo
  • Mazzorbo
  • Mazzorbetto
  • Vignole
  • S. Andrea
  • La certosa
  • S. Servolo
  • S. Clemente
  • Poveglia

What if I simply don’t pay?

If you fail to produce proof of payment or that you are exempt from the fee, the sanction is from €50 to €300. The fine is the same in the case of people making false statements trying to obtain exemptions or reductions.

Additionally, visitors who don’t pay in advance will have to pay the full €10 fee.

For more info click here.

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STRIKES

What to expect from Italy’s national rail strike this weekend

Rail passengers in Italy may face disruption on Saturday, May 4th and Sunday, May 5th as staff at state-owned railway company Ferrovie dello Stato plan a 24-hour strike.

Published: 2 May 2024 10:59 CEST
What to expect from Italy's national rail strike this weekend

Passengers travelling across Italy by train may face delays or cancellations this weekend as staff at state-owned railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato, which includes Trenitalia, Trenord, and Trenitalia Tper, plan to strike from 9pm on Saturday, May 4th to 9pm on Sunday, May 5th.

The walkout was called by CAT (Coordinamento Autorganizzato Trasporti) – one of Italy’s major trade unions – in late March to demand the renewal of collective labour agreements in the rail transport sector.

The planned protest is expected to affect all types of rail travel, from long-distance services to regional and local ones, with the overall level of disruption expected to vary by city and operator.

While rail companies are legally required to guarantee the operation of a number of minimum services (servizi minimi) during strikes taking place on weekdays, there’s no such requirement for weekend walkouts.

READ ALSO: The transport strikes that will hit travel in Italy in May 2024

This means that operators are free to decide whether or not to guarantee services for passengers.

Trenitalia 

National rail operator Trenitalia said in a statement that their services “may experience changes or cancellations” for the entire length of the strike, but the protest may also “result in service variations both before its start and after its end”. 

Though the statement provided no information regarding possible guaranteed services, Trenitalia generally operates a number of essential long-distance journeys during weekend walkouts. These are available here.

Trenitalia has advised passengers planning to travel with them during the weekend to check the status of their services via their website or mobile app, or by calling toll-free number 800 89 20 21.

Trenitalia Tper

Trenitalia Tper, which operates train services in the Emilia-Romagna region, has said that their services “may experience changes or cancellations” due to the walkout. 

In the event of cancellations, passengers will be able to “ask for a refund according to the operator’s terms and conditions”.

Trenitalia Tper hasn’t yet provided any details regarding possible guaranteed services.

See their website for the latest updates.

Trenord

Trenord, which operates a number of regional trains in the Lombardy region, including connections to and from Milan’s Malpensa Airport, has said that scheduled services “may be subject to cancellations”.

However, the operator has also said that none of its staff are represented by trade union CAT and previous walkouts backed by the union didn’t affect scheduled services.

Trenord will not operate minimum services during the strike. However, should airport link services be cancelled, replacement buses will run the same routes. 

See Trenord’s website or app for the latest updates.

Italo

Private long-distance operator Italo will not be affected by the strike.

What to do if your train is cancelled

If a pre-booked rail service is cancelled due to strike action in Italy, passengers are normally allowed to travel on other equivalent services instead or will be entitled to a refund.

Passengers travelling with Trenitalia will need to request a refund either at the station or by using this web form. 

Keep up with the latest updates in The Local’s strike news section.

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