Venice is spectacular – and surprisingly complex to navigate as a tourist. The Doge’s Palace requires an advance booking, St. Mark’s Basilica has its own separate reservation system, and the vaporetto network runs on a completely different ticketing infrastructure. Without a plan, you’ll spend half your trip walking through narrow alleys and standing in queues.
That’s where a Venice city pass comes in. Not so much as a money-saving trick (though that helps too), but as a way to consolidate your reservations, guarantee entry to the must-sees, and arrive with everything sorted. This guide compares all the relevant tourist cards for Venice – honestly, without the usual marketing fluff – so you can pick the one that actually fits your trip.
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Venice City Passes: All Options at a Glance
Before diving into the details, here’s a quick overview of what each pass covers. The table below compares inclusions across all available tourist cards.
Venice City Passes
See all
-20%Venice
St. Mark's Square Pass
Visit the main sights of St. Mark's Square with one easy pass
-6%Venice
The Venice Pass
Enjoy a curated package of Venice essentials and bag some savings
Venice bestseller
Vaporetto Pass: Venice Public Transport Ticket (ACTV)
Easy public transport around Venice including vaporetto and bus
| The Venice Pass | St. Mark’s Square Pass | Venice Discovery Pass | Venice Museum Pass | Turbopass | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doge’s Palace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| St. Mark’s Basilica or Campanile | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Ca’ Rezzonico | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Correr Museum | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12 Civic Museums | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Scuola Grande di San Rocco | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Chorus Pass (15 churches) | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Gondola ride or Murano & Burano excursion | ✓ | — | — | — | + |
| Grand Canal tour | — | — | — | — | ✓ |
| 24h public transport Pass or Murano & Burano excursion | — | — | ✓ | — | — |
| Vaporetto / ACTV | — | — | ✓ | — | + |
| Alilaguna airport transfer | — | — | ✓ | — | + |
| Validity | flexible | flexible | flexible | 6 months | 1–7 days |
| Best for | First-timers, 1–2 days | Day trip, Piazza San Marco | Fly-in, multi-day | Museum lovers, 3+ days | 3–7 days, max coverage |
✓ included · + optional · — not included
Which Venice Pass Is Best for Your Trip?
Not every trip to Venice is the same – and neither is the right pass. Here’s how to choose based on how long you’re staying:
Day trip (no overnight stay)
If you’re visiting Venice for a single day, keep it focused. The St. Mark’s Square Pass gives you the Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica or the Campanile, and Ca’ Rezzonico – the three essentials you can realistically cover without rushing. Important: check the Access Fee calendar at cda.ve.it before you go. On selected weekends (mainly April–July) a day-visitor charge applies. Register at least 4 days in advance for a 50% discount.
One night
With an overnight stay you have more flexibility – and you’re exempt from the Access Fee (register at cda.ve.it with your accommodation details). The Venice Pass gives you a modular combination of Doge’s Palace, Basilica or Campanile, and a gondola ride or island excursion. If you want more museum coverage, upgrade to the Venice Museum Pass for access to all 12 civic museums. If you’re arriving by plane, the Venice Discovery Pass is a good alternative: it bundles your Alilaguna airport transfer, a 24h vaporetto pass, and the full Museums Pass in one booking.
Multiple nights (3+ days)
The more time you have, the more a comprehensive pass pays off. The Turbopass is the most complete option: 20+ attractions, the Chorus Pass for 15 historic churches, a gondola ride, Grand Canal tour, and the Murano–Burano–Torcello island excursion, in 1–7 day formats. Alternatively, the Venice Museum Pass covers all 12 civic museums at a flat rate – ideal if your priority is art and history over guided experiences.
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More InformationThe Venice Pass
If you want to cover Venice’s three headline experiences in one booking, The Venice Pass is the most flexible option. It bundles three choices: one ticket for St. Mark’s Basilica or the Campanile, one for the Doge’s Palace (with several options including fast track or a Secret Itinerary guided tour), and one for either a gondola ride or a Murano & Burano boat excursion. A fourth component – the Gondola History Gallery with a VR experience – is also included.
The pass is modular: you don’t get a fixed package, but choose from a curated menu of tickets at the time of booking. That means you can tailor it to what interests you most – a solo gondola ride or an island tour, a standard entry to the Doge’s Palace or a guided Secret Itinerary. Availability varies, so book early if you have specific preferences.
What’s included:
- Doge’s Palace (choice: fast track / guided tour in English / Secret Itinerary / Museums Pass option)
- St. Mark’s Basilica OR Campanile (choice: hosted entry / express guided tour / terrace access)
- Gondola ride OR Murano & Burano boat excursion (with option to add Torcello)
- Gondola History Gallery + VR Experience
What’s not included: Vaporetto / public transport, Alilaguna airport transfer.
Best for: First-time visitors who want to secure the three big Venice must-dos in a single, hassle-free booking.
St. Mark’s Square Pass
The St. Mark’s Square Pass zeroes in on the historic heart of Venice around Piazza San Marco. You get skip-the-line entry to the Doge’s Palace – choose from four ticket options including fast track, an express guided tour, the Secret Itinerary, or the full Venice Museums Pass (8 museums). Plus your choice of St. Mark’s Basilica or the Campanile, and entry to Ca’ Rezzonico – a magnificent Baroque palace on the Grand Canal that houses Venice’s Museum of 18th-Century Art, including furniture, paintings, and frescoes by Tiepolo.
It’s compact by design. If your trip to Venice is short – a day or two – and your main goal is to see the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica without spending an hour in each queue, this pass delivers exactly that.
What’s included:
- Doge’s Palace (several options: fast track, Doge’s Palace & Venice Museums Pass, Secret Itinerary Guided Tour in English + Skip The Line, Express Guided Tour in English)
- St. Mark’s Basilica OR Campanile (choice at booking)
- Ca’ Rezzonico (Baroque palace, Museum of 18th-Century Venetian Art)
What’s not included: Vaporetto / public transport, gondola ride, Murano & Burano boat excursion.
Best for: Day visitors or short stays focused on Piazza San Marco. The most efficient pass if the Doge’s Palace + Basilica is your priority.
Venice Discovery Pass
The Venice Discovery Pass is the one pass specifically designed for travellers arriving or departing by air. It’s the only tourist card that combines an Alilaguna airport boat transfer with a 24-hour vaporetto pass or a Murano & Burano boat excursion and the Venice Museums Pass (civic museums including the Doge’s Palace) all in one booking.
That combination is hard to beat for multi-day visitors flying into Marco Polo Airport. Instead of booking your airport transfer, your museum pass, and your island tour separately, you get all three handled at once. The included self-guided audio tour of Venice is a useful bonus for orienting yourself on arrival.
Note: the Alilaguna transfer is one-way only (from or to VCE airport). If you need a return transfer, book an additional Alilaguna ticket here.
What’s included:
- Alilaguna airport boat transfer (one-way)
- ACTV vaporetto pass (24 hours, unlimited) OR Murano & Burano boat excursion (with glassmaking demonstration)
- Doge’s Palace & Venice Museums Pass (12 museums)
- Welcome to Venice self-guided audio tour
What’s not included: St. Mark’s Basilica, gondola ride, Alilaguna return ticket.
Best for: Travellers flying into or departing from Venice Marco Polo Airport planning a multi-day stay who want transport, museums, and islands sorted in one go.
Venice Museum Pass
The Venice Museum Pass gives you access to all civic museums in Venice – the most comprehensive museum coverage available in a single ticket. The centrepiece is the Doge’s Palace, but the pass also covers Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ Pesaro, the Murano Glass Museum, the Burano Lace Museum, the Natural History Museum, Palazzo Mocenigo, Casa di Carlo Goldoni, Palazzo Fortuny, and more.
It’s the right choice if you’re in Venice for several days and genuinely want to explore beyond the Piazza San Marco circuit.
Tip: to avoid the long queue at the Doge’s Palace, exchange your Tiqets voucher at one of the other civic museums first (Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ Pesaro, or any of the smaller ones). You’ll receive the official Venice Museums Pass card, which grants you fast-track entry at the Doge’s Palace – no queue needed.
What’s included:
- Doge’s Palace
- Correr Museum (including temporary exhibitions)
- National Archaeological Museum
- Biblioteca Marciana (Monumental Rooms)
- Ca’ Rezzonico
- Ca’ Pesaro (International Gallery of Modern Art)
- Murano Glass Museum
- Burano Lace Museum
- Natural History Museum
- Palazzo Mocenigo (Textile, Costume & Perfume Collection)
- Casa di Carlo Goldoni
- Palazzo Fortuny
What’s not included: St. Mark’s Basilica or Campanile (separate booking required), gondola ride, vaporetto / public transport.
Best for: Art and history enthusiasts staying 3+ days in Venice who want to explore beyond the main square.
Venice Turbopass
The Turbopass is the most comprehensive tourist card for Venice and the only one that covers more than 20 attractions plus the Chorus Pass (15 historic churches). It’s available in 1 to 7-day versions, with Standard, Classic, or Complete formats depending on how much you want to include.
The Complete version bundles the Doge’s Palace, Correr Museum, Ca’ Rezzonico, Scuola Grande di San Rocco, a Grand Canal tour, and the Chorus Pass. Gondola ride and Murano–Burano–Torcello island excursion are available as optional add-ons. St. Mark’s Basilica and a public transport pass (ACTV vaporetto) can also be added separately.
The Turbopass works differently from Tiqets products: you book the pass via the link below, receive it by email, and use the QR code to obtain individual tickets at each venue.
What’s included (Complete version):
- Doge’s Palace (priority entry)
- Correr Museum
- Ca’ Rezzonico
- Scuola Grande di San Rocco
- Grand Canal tour
- Scala Contarini del Bovolo
- Chorus Pass (15 churches)
Optional add-ons: Gondola ride or Murano, Burano & Torcello island excursion; St. Mark’s Basilica; ACTV vaporetto pass; Alilaguna airport transfer.
Best for: Visitors staying 3–7 days who want maximum coverage and the flexibility of a multi-day pass.
Vaporetto Pass
Venice has no buses or trams on the water. Its public transport network is the vaporetto – the water bus system operated by ACTV. Lines cover the Grand Canal, the outer islands (Murano, Burano, Torcello, Lido), and the mainland connections to Mestre and Marghera. The pass also covers buses, trams, and local trains within the urban zone on the mainland – useful if you’re staying outside the historic centre.
The ACTV pass is sold through the Venezia Unica system and comes in five durations: 75 minutes, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 7 days. The Tiqets voucher is exchanged at an ACTV machine or Venezia Unica office (Piazzale Roma, open daily 07:00–19:30) for a standard contactless travel card. Important: the ACTV pass does not cover Alilaguna lines (airport transfer).
Rolling Venice Card: if you’re between 6 and 29 years old, ask about the Rolling Venice Card at any Venezia Unica office. It gives significantly reduced rates on ACTV transport and discounts at museums and other attractions across the city.
Airport Boat Transfer
Alilaguna is the scheduled boat service between Marco Polo Airport and Venice city centre. Three lines serve the airport route:
Blue Line (Linea Blu): Airport → Murano → Fondamente Nove → Lido → Arsenale → San Zaccaria → Piazza San Marco → Zattere → Giudecca → Tronchetto → Santa Lucia train station. Journey time to San Marco: approximately 75–80 minutes.
Orange Line (Linea Arancio): Airport → Fondamente Nuove → Madonna dell’Orto → Guglie → San Stae → Rialto → Sant’Angelo → Ca’ Rezzonico → Santa Maria del Giglio → Piazza San Marco. Journey time to San Marco: approximately 75 minutes.
Red Line (Linea Rossa): Seasonal (April–November), Airport → Murano → Lido.
Exchange your voucher for a paper ticket at the Agenzia Bucintoro travel office before boarding – located at the airport arrivals hall and at Piazza San Marco. Note: if you book the Venice Discovery Pass, a one-way Alilaguna transfer is already included.
Venice Access Fee
The Venice Access Fee (Italian: contributo d’accesso) is a daily charge for day visitors entering the historic centre of Venice. It applies on selected high-traffic days – typically Easter weekend and Saturdays and Sundays between late April and mid-July, with the exact dates published each year at cda.ve.it. The fee is not included in any city pass or tourist card.
Who pays: Day visitors who are not staying overnight in Venice or the surrounding area. If you have a hotel or accommodation booking in Venice for that night, you are exempt – but you still need to register on cda.ve.it and indicate your accommodation details.
How to save: Register at least 4 days before your visit for a 50% discount. Last-minute registration at full price is still possible up to midnight the day before.
Practical Tips for Your Venice Visit
Book everything before you arrive. The Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, and the Murano boat excursions all have limited capacity and sell out on busy days.
Vaporetto lines 1 and 2 cover the Grand Canal – Line 1 is slower (all stops), Line 2 is faster. For Murano take Line 4.1 or 4.2. For Burano take Line 12 or 14.
The Alilaguna is not the same as the ACTV vaporetto. Your ACTV pass is not valid on Alilaguna lines, and vice versa.
Venice is busiest April through October, with peak congestion in June and July. Consider visiting in March, November, or early December for shorter queues and lower prices.
Frequently Asked Questions – Venice City Pass
Do I need a Venice city pass?
Not necessarily – but if you want to visit the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica, you need advance reservations regardless. A city pass bundles those reservations with other experiences, saving you both money and the hassle of booking each ticket separately.
Is St. Mark’s Basilica included in the Venice passes?
It depends on which pass you choose. The St. Mark’s Square Pass and The Venice Pass include St. Mark’s Basilica (or offer it as a choice). The Venice Discovery Pass and the Venice Museum Pass do not include the Basilica – you’d need to book it separately.
Is the vaporetto included in the Venice city passes?
Only the Venice Discovery Pass includes a 24-hour ACTV vaporetto ticket. The Turbopass offers it as an optional add-on. All other passes do not include public transport.
What is the Venice Access Fee and do I need to pay it?
The Access Fee is a daily charge for day visitors entering Venice’s historic centre on selected high-traffic days (mainly weekends April–July and Easter). If you’re staying overnight in Venice, you’re exempt but must still register at cda.ve.it. Register at least 4 days in advance for a 50% discount.
What’s the best Venice pass for a one-day visit?
For a day trip, the St. Mark’s Square Pass covers the essentials (Doge’s Palace + Basilica or Campanile + Ca’ Rezzonico) without overloading your schedule. If you’re arriving by plane, consider the Discovery Pass instead.
Do I need to print the Venice pass or can I use it on my phone?
All Tiqets passes are fully digital – show the QR code on your smartphone at each venue. The Turbopass also works digitally. The ACTV vaporetto pass requires exchanging your voucher for a physical card at a Venezia Unica point of sale.
What’s the difference between the Alilaguna and the vaporetto?
The Alilaguna is a separate private company that runs boat lines between Marco Polo Airport and Venice. The vaporetto is the ACTV public water bus for getting around the city. An ACTV pass is not valid on Alilaguna lines.
Is the Venice city pass worth it?
For most visitors, yes. The main value isn’t the discount – it’s the guaranteed access and the time saved by not queuing for individual tickets. In peak season, showing up without a pre-booked Doge’s Palace ticket means a very long wait.
Are there discounts for young people in Venice?
Yes. The Rolling Venice Card, available at Venezia Unica offices, offers reduced ACTV transport rates and museum discounts for visitors aged 6 to 29. Children under 6 travel free on ACTV.
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