What is the Venice City Pass
The Venice City Pass is a single digital ticket: after purchase, your tickets arrive by email immediately, with no need to print anything in advance. It combines admission to the city’s main museums and cultural venues with public transport by vaporetto, and includes skip-the-line access to the main attractions.
The three versions, 24h, 48h and 72h, share the same cultural core. Two things change: the length of the vaporetto transport and, only in the 72-hour version, admission to Teatro La Fenice with audio guide. This is the key point to keep in mind: you are not choosing between passes with different museums, but between transport windows of different lengths.
To choose the right duration → Venice City Pass 24h, 48h or 72h: Which One to Choose Based on the Length of Your Trip
What the Venice City Pass includes
Museums and cultural venues
The pass includes Palazzo Ducale and 11 other museums, with access to the Bridge of Sighs:
- Palazzo Ducale, with skip-the-line access and the Bridge of Sighs
- Museo Correr, the city museum on Piazza San Marco
- National Archaeological Museum and Biblioteca Marciana
- Ca’ Rezzonico, the museum of eighteenth-century Venice
- Ca’ Pesaro, International Gallery of Modern Art and Museum of Oriental Art
- Palazzo Mocenigo and Casa di Carlo Goldoni
- Museo Fortuny and Natural History Museum
- Murano Glass Museum and Burano Lace Museum
In addition, there are two venues that many visitors only discover thanks to the pass. The Scuola Grande dei Carmini includes the chapel of Santa Maria del Carmelo and the sacristy, the grand staircase, the chapter hall, the archive and the Sala dell’Albergo. The Fondazione Querini Stampalia includes the museum, the area designed by Carlo Scarpa, the exhibition spaces and the Banca Intesa collection.
Public transport
The pass includes ACTV vaporettos on all lines, including those to the islands of Lido, Murano and Burano, for the duration of the version you choose. Transport activates at your first validation on a vaporetto or bus, not necessarily on the day of purchase: you decide when the hour count starts.
Teatro La Fenice, only in the 72h version
The Venice City Pass All Inclusive 72h is the only one of the three to include a visit to Teatro La Fenice, with an audio guide in seven languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. For those who want to fit one of the world’s most famous opera houses into their itinerary, this alone can tip the decision, even for a short stay.
→ Venice City Pass All Inclusive 72h – Discover
Practical information
- Museum validity: 6 months from activation.
- Delivery: tickets sent by email right after purchase.
- Accessibility: wheelchair accessible.
- The pass grants access to the venues but does not include guided tours.
What it doesn’t include
A pass is clear when you know its limits, and three omissions raise the most questions.
- St. Mark’s Basilica. It is not included. The Basilica and Palazzo Ducale face the same square but are two distinct monuments, with separate tickets: if the Basilica is a priority, plan for it separately.
- Alilaguna and airport transfers. The transport included is the ACTV vaporetto; the airport service is not covered.
- Teatro La Fenice in the 24h and 48h versions. It is only part of the 72-hour pass.
This product does not carry a right of withdrawal: it is worth choosing carefully before you buy.
To round out your visit to San Marco → St. Mark’s Basilica Tickets: The Complete Guide
Venice City Pass 24h
With a single day, the pass works if the day is built around three or four stops grouped by area: for example, the Piazza San Marco block (Palazzo Ducale, Museo Correr, Archaeological Museum and Biblioteca Marciana) plus a museum on the Grand Canal or an excursion to Murano and Burano that makes use of the included vaporetto. If, on the other hand, your day is limited to Palazzo Ducale and a few trips, the main advantage remains skip-the-line access, and the 24-hour pass may be more than you need.
Venice City Pass 48h
This is the most natural duration for a weekend. Two days let you devote the first to San Marco and the second to the sestieri or the islands, with the vaporetto always at your disposal so you can get around without counting rides. The 48-hour pass also includes Scuola Grande dei Carmini and Querini Stampalia, which rarely fit into an itinerary built by buying tickets separately.
→ Venice City Pass 48h – Discover
Venice City Pass 72h
Over three days the pace becomes more relaxed and the package shows its full value: besides museums, Carmini and Querini Stampalia, the 72h version includes Teatro La Fenice with audio guide. It is the most complete choice for those who want to see Venice without rushing, alternating between San Marco, the sestieri and the islands.
In short: the Venice City Pass is worth it when you actually use it. The more venues you visit and the more days you travel by vaporetto, the more sense the package makes; with very short itineraries or ones focused on a single attraction, an alternative may be more suitable.
→ Venice City Pass All Inclusive 72h – Discover
When the pass is not the right choice
- You have only one day and want to see just Palazzo Ducale and San Marco.
- You will stay on foot in a single area and will use the vaporetto only a few times.
- You plan on one or two museums in total: a single or combined ticket makes more sense.
- You are looking for guided experiences: the pass doesn’t include guides.
→ Venice Pass: 11 Museums + Skip-the-Line Entry to Palazzo Ducale – Discover
To plan which areas to visit → Venice’s Neighborhoods: How to Choose What to See · What to See in Venice in 3 Days
Venice City Pass or alternatives: how to compare
11 Museums Pass plus a separate Vaporetto Pass
If you want to control every item, you can buy the 11 Museums Pass with skip-the-line entry to Palazzo Ducale and the ACTV Vaporetto Pass separately. The difference lies in management and content: the City Pass gathers everything in one voucher and adds Scuola Grande dei Carmini and Querini Stampalia. The 11 Museums Pass, on the other hand, is the right choice if you want the cultural part but prefer to get around with a different travel ticket or on foot.
Transport only
If museums aren’t part of your plans, the ACTV Vaporetto Pass is the most straightforward solution: vaporettos, buses, the People Mover and regional trains within the Venice area, in 1-, 2-, 3- or 7-day options, with over 120 stops across the lagoon.
→ Venice: ACTV Daily Vaporetto Pass and Buses – Discover
To understand public transport better → Vaporetto in Venice: A Guide to Tickets, Routes and Tourist Passes · How to Get Around Venice Smartly
Who the Venice City Pass is for
- First-time visitors spending 2 or 3 days in Venice who want to cover the main civic venues without managing separate tickets.
- Museum and palace lovers: between Piazza San Marco, the Grand Canal and the sestieri, the civic network is dense, and the pass gives you the margin to also enter the “lesser” places.
- Those who want to include the islands: the included vaporetto lets you reach Murano and Burano with their respective museums, without thinking about tickets.
- Those who prefer a single voucher to a fragmented handling of admissions, dates and travel tickets.
How to make the most of it: six practical rules
- Choose your Palazzo Ducale date right away. Entry is valid for the date selected at purchase: decide in advance which day to devote to San Marco.
- Start the vaporetto at the right moment. Validity is counted in hours from the first validation: starting it in the early afternoon lets you also use the whole following morning.
- Validate on every boarding. The travel ticket must be validated each time you get on board.
- Group your visits by area. Piazza San Marco, Dorsoduro and Santa Croce, the islands: three blocks that avoid unnecessary trips.
- Check days and opening hours. The Fondazione Querini Stampalia is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. (last entry 5:30 p.m.), and is closed on Mondays. The Scuola Grande dei Carmini is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from April 1 to October 31 and from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from November 1 to March 31, closed on January 1 and December 25.
- Use the 6-month validity of the museums. There’s no need to cram everything into a short trip if you’ll be back in Venice.
To visit with fewer crowds → How to Visit Venice Without the Crowds
Frequently asked questions about the Venice City Pass
1. Is the Venice City Pass worth it?
It’s worth it when you visit several museums and travel by vaporetto over multiple days. With official rates, the financial advantage is clearer on the 48- and 72-hour versions, and the package includes venues such as Carmini, Querini Stampalia and, in the 72h, La Fenice. With a single day and few admissions, the savings are limited.
2. Does the Venice City Pass include St. Mark’s Basilica?
No. The Basilica and Palazzo Ducale are distinct monuments, with separate tickets.
3. What’s the difference between the Venice City Pass and the Museum Pass?
The Civic Museums’ Museum Pass covers museums only. The Venice City Pass adds vaporetto transport for 24, 48 or 72 hours, the Scuola Grande dei Carmini and the Fondazione Querini Stampalia and, in the 72h version, Teatro La Fenice.
4. Does the pass include airport transport?
No. Alilaguna and transfers to and from the airport are excluded: the transport included is the ACTV vaporetto.
5. When does validity start and how long does it last?
The vaporetto starts from the first validation, on whichever day you choose, and lasts 24, 48 or 72 hours. Museums are valid for 6 months from activation; entry to Palazzo Ducale is valid for the date chosen at purchase.
6. Are there reduced rates for children, students and over-65s?
The Civic Museums offer reductions on their own tickets for children aged 6 to 14, students aged 15 to 25 and over-65s. For the pass, check the options available on the product page at the time of purchase.
7. Can I get a refund if I change my plans?
This product does not carry a right of withdrawal. Before purchasing, it’s worth choosing the duration based on the days you’ll actually use the vaporetto.
8. Which Venice City Pass duration should I choose?
It depends on the days you’ll actually use the vaporetto and on your interest in La Fenice, included only in the 72h. The full comparison is in the dedicated guide to choosing between 24h, 48h and 72h.