{"id":46116,"date":"2026-10-21T15:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T13:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/?p=46116"},"modified":"2026-10-22T14:46:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T12:46:26","slug":"how-to-use-the-venice-city-pass-purchase-activation-and-validity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/magazine-en\/how-to-use-the-venice-city-pass-purchase-activation-and-validity\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use the Venice City Pass: purchase, activation and validity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Venice City Pass is a single ticket, but practical questions come up at three different moments: before you buy, when you have to choose a date; the first time you use it, when you wonder when the pass starts to be valid; and during the trip, when opening hours and closing days can change your plans. This guide follows the journey in the order you&#8217;ll go through it, from purchase to your last entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Before you buy: the three things to decide<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Buying is simple, but you need to be clear on three points. It&#8217;s best to decide them before completing your order, because one of the three is fixed at that very moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Which pass.<\/strong> The duration (24, 48 or 72 hours) applies to the vaporettos; the 72h is the only one that includes La Fenice Theatre with audio guide. To choose based on your travel days, see the comparison guide.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Doge&#8217;s Palace date.<\/strong> It must be indicated at purchase and applies only to entry to the Doge&#8217;s Palace.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The activation day.<\/strong> It&#8217;s up to you: it doesn&#8217;t have to match the purchase date, and you don&#8217;t need to decide it right away.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>To choose the right pass<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/magazine-en\/venice-city-pass-24h-48h-or-72h-which-one-to-choose-based-on-the-length-of-your-trip\/\">→ Venice City Pass 24h, 48h or 72h: which to choose based on the length of your trip<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Purchase and receiving your tickets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After purchase, your tickets are sent instantly by email, as stated on the three pass pages. A few habits will help you avoid problems during your trip:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>check right away that you&#8217;ve received the email and, if you can&#8217;t find it, look in your spam folder too;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>make sure the pass you received matches the one you chose (24h, 48h or 72h) and that the Doge&#8217;s Palace date is correct;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>keep the email somewhere easy to reach, even offline, because you&#8217;ll need it at the various entrances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If your tickets don&#8217;t arrive or the details don&#8217;t match, write to [email protected]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Doge&#8217;s Palace date: the only choice to make at purchase<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the point that raises the most questions. The pass pages state that <strong>entry to the Doge&#8217;s Palace is valid for the date selected at the time of purchase<\/strong>. The rest of the pass follows different rules, and it helps to keep two concepts separate that are often confused:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>the Doge&#8217;s Palace date<\/strong> is fixed at purchase;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>the pass activation day<\/strong>, and therefore the vaporettos, remains free.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In practice, it&#8217;s best to buy the ticket when you already know which day you&#8217;ll dedicate to visiting St. Mark&#8217;s Square. If your plans then change, no problem: you&#8217;ll still be able to visit the Doge&#8217;s Palace on a different date, either earlier or later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To organize your St. Mark&#8217;s day, the Doge&#8217;s Palace pairs naturally with the Correr Museum and the Archaeological Museum with the Biblioteca Marciana, also located in St. Mark&#8217;s Square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Activation: when the pass starts to be valid<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Activation is the part that confuses first-time city pass users the most. The pass pages state two rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>you can activate the ticket <strong>on any day<\/strong>, not only on the purchase date, which makes it flexible with respect to your travel plans;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>the ticket becomes valid <strong>from the moment of first validation<\/strong> on vaporettos or buses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This leads to a few practical tips, depending on your situation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You buy well in advance.<\/strong> You don&#8217;t need to activate anything right away: the pass is activated when you start using it, on the day you&#8217;ve chosen for your trip.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You arrive in Venice in the late afternoon or evening.<\/strong> If you don&#8217;t need to travel by vaporetto, don&#8217;t validate the ticket: wait until you actually need transport, so the pass&#8217;s duration isn&#8217;t used up while you&#8217;re not using it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You want to use the vaporettos from the morning.<\/strong> Plan your first validation so that the pass hours coincide with your busiest days of travel, such as the day you visit the islands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To work out how many hours or days you need, and how to distribute them, go back to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/magazine-en\/venice-city-pass-24h-48h-or-72h-which-one-to-choose-based-on-the-length-of-your-trip\/\">comparison of the three passes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Validating on vaporettos: every time you board<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The pass pages remind you to validate the ticket <strong>every time you board<\/strong>. It&#8217;s not enough to do it the first time: the first validation starts the pass, and the following ones must be done at every boarding, on vaporettos or buses. This is the most common mistake among people who have never used a travel ticket in Venice, and it&#8217;s best to turn it into a habit from the very first day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All lines are included, including those to the islands of Lido, Murano and Burano. To find your way around lines and stops, see the dedicated guides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>To get around by vaporetto<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/magazine-en\/venice-vaporetto-guide-tickets-routes-passes\/\">→ Vaporetto in Venice: guide to tickets, routes and tourist passes<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/magazine-en\/how-to-move-smartly-in-venice-actv-guide\/\">→ How to get around Venice smartly<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Using the attractions: days, opening hours and last entry<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The pass includes skip-the-line access to the main attractions, but it doesn&#8217;t change opening hours. Two places require special attention, because they have their own closing days and hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fondazione Querini Stampalia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30. <strong>Closed on Mondays.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Scuola Grande dei Carmini<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From April 1 to October 31, it&#8217;s open from 10:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:30. From November 1 to March 31, the hours are 11:00 to 16:00, with last entry at 15:30. Closed on January 1 and December 25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your trip includes a Monday, or falls in winter, it&#8217;s best to slot Querini Stampalia and Scuola Grande dei Carmini into the right days and times before you even decide the rest of your itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>To plan your visit<\/strong><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/magazine\/cosa-vedere-a-venezia-in-3-giorni\/\">→ What to see in Venice in 3 days<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/magazine\/quartieri-di-venezia\/\">→ The districts of Venice: how to choose what to see<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accessibility, La Fenice Theatre and refunds<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Three practical aspects complete the picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Accessibility.<\/strong> The pass pages state that all three passes are accessible to wheelchair users.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>La Fenice Theatre.<\/strong> It&#8217;s included only in the 72-hour pass, with a visit and audio guide in seven languages. Concessions are available for people with a 100% disability: they can visit the foyer, the theatre hall (when not closed for technical rehearsals) and, by lift, the Sale Apollinee; entry is free for one companion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Refunds.<\/strong> The right of withdrawal cannot be exercised for this product: it&#8217;s best to check the date, duration and chosen pass before confirming your order.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Checklist before you leave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I&#8217;ve received the email with the tickets and keep it handy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Doge&#8217;s Palace date is the right one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I know which day to activate the pass and won&#8217;t validate it earlier than necessary.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I&#8217;ll validate the ticket at every boarding on vaporettos or buses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I&#8217;ve checked the days and opening hours of Querini Stampalia and Scuola Grande dei Carmini.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I&#8217;ve kept in mind that La Fenice Theatre is included only in the 72-hour pass.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions about the Venice City Pass<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Can I buy the Venice City Pass well in advance?<\/strong><br>Yes, in the sense that you can activate the ticket on any day, not only on the purchase date. It is valid for 6 months from activation. Keep in mind that the Doge&#8217;s Palace date must be chosen at purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. When does the pass start to be valid?<\/strong><br>The ticket becomes valid from the moment of first validation on vaporettos or buses. Until then, you can keep it without activating it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Do I have to validate the ticket every time I board the vaporetto?<\/strong><br>Yes. Remember to validate it every time you board, not only the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Can I change the Doge&#8217;s Palace date after purchase?<\/strong><br>Entry is valid only for the date selected at purchase, and a later change is not described. If you need to change it, contact Venice Visit Pass customer support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Is the Venice City Pass refundable?<\/strong><br>The right of withdrawal cannot be exercised for this product. It&#8217;s therefore best to check the pass, duration and dates carefully before confirming your purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Is the pass wheelchair accessible?<\/strong><br>Yes, the passes are accessible to wheelchair users. The 72-hour pass also provides concessions at La Fenice Theatre for people with a 100% disability, with free entry for one companion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. When are Querini Stampalia and Scuola Grande dei Carmini closed?<\/strong><br>Fondazione Querini Stampalia is closed on Mondays. Scuola Grande dei Carmini is closed on January 1 and December 25 and has different hours between the summer and winter seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n<article class=\"item_card card__horizontal-pass\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/prodotto\/venice-city-pass-24h\/\" title=\"Venice City Pass 24h\" class=\"card__container card__container--horizontal-pass\"><div class=\"photo-container__horizontal-pass\"><picture><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-5-300x300.jpg\" class=\"card__photo\" alt=\"Venice City Pass24H\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-5-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-5-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-5-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"details__horizontal-pass\"><div> <header class=\"details-header__horizontal-pass\"><h2 class=\"details-title__horizontal-pass\">Venice City Pass 24h<\/h2><\/header><div class=\"details-content__horizontal-pass\"><div class=\"card__pricing\">\n    <div class=\"card__pricing-content\">\n        <span class=\"card__pricing-label\">Starting from<\/span>\n        <span class=\"card__pricing-price-low\">\n            <span class=\"price-wrap\">\n    <span class=\"custom-price discounted\"><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi>69,00&nbsp;<span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&euro;<\/span><\/bdi><\/span><\/span>\n    <span class=\"custom-regular-price\"><del><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi>79,00&nbsp;<span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&euro;<\/span><\/bdi><\/span><\/del><\/span><\/span>        <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n            <div class=\"card__pricing-content-cta\">\n            <div class=\"card__pricing-cta\">\n                <span class=\"cta-text\">Book<\/span>\n                <span class=\"cta-icon\"><\/span>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/article>\n\n\n<article class=\"item_card card__horizontal-pass\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/prodotto\/venice-city-pass-48h\/\" title=\"Venice City Pass 48h\" class=\"card__container card__container--horizontal-pass\"><div class=\"photo-container__horizontal-pass\"><picture><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Venice_city_pass_48-300x300.jpg\" class=\"card__photo\" alt=\"Venice City Pass 48h\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Venice_city_pass_48-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Venice_city_pass_48-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Venice_city_pass_48-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"details__horizontal-pass\"><div> <header class=\"details-header__horizontal-pass\"><h2 class=\"details-title__horizontal-pass\">Venice City Pass 48h<\/h2><\/header><div class=\"details-content__horizontal-pass\"><div class=\"card__pricing\">\n    <div class=\"card__pricing-content\">\n        <span class=\"card__pricing-label\">Starting from<\/span>\n        <span class=\"card__pricing-price-low\">\n            <span class=\"price-wrap\">\n    <span class=\"custom-price discounted\"><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi>79,00&nbsp;<span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&euro;<\/span><\/bdi><\/span><\/span>\n    <span class=\"custom-regular-price\"><del><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi>99,90&nbsp;<span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&euro;<\/span><\/bdi><\/span><\/del><\/span><\/span>        <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n            <div class=\"card__pricing-content-cta\">\n            <div class=\"card__pricing-cta\">\n                <span class=\"cta-text\">Book<\/span>\n                <span class=\"cta-icon\"><\/span>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/article>\n\n\n<article class=\"item_card card__horizontal-pass\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/prodotto\/venice-city-pass-all-inclusive-72h\/\" title=\"Venice City Pass all Inclusive 72h\" class=\"card__container card__container--horizontal-pass\"><div class=\"photo-container__horizontal-pass\"><picture><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-300x300.jpg\" class=\"card__photo\" alt=\"Venice City Pass all Inclusive 72H\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Venice-City-Pass-all-Inclusive-72H-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/picture><\/div><div class=\"details__horizontal-pass\"><div> <header class=\"details-header__horizontal-pass\"><h2 class=\"details-title__horizontal-pass\">Venice City Pass all Inclusive 72h<\/h2><\/header><div class=\"details-content__horizontal-pass\"><div class=\"card__pricing\">\n    <div class=\"card__pricing-content\">\n        <span class=\"card__pricing-label\">Starting from<\/span>\n        <span class=\"card__pricing-price-low\">\n            <span class=\"price-wrap\">\n    <span class=\"custom-price discounted\"><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi>89,00&nbsp;<span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&euro;<\/span><\/bdi><\/span><\/span>\n    <span class=\"custom-regular-price\"><del><span class=\"woocommerce-Price-amount amount\"><bdi>99,00&nbsp;<span class=\"woocommerce-Price-currencySymbol\">&euro;<\/span><\/bdi><\/span><\/del><\/span><\/span>        <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n            <div class=\"card__pricing-content-cta\">\n            <div class=\"card__pricing-cta\">\n                <span class=\"cta-text\">Book<\/span>\n                <span class=\"cta-icon\"><\/span>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/article>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>You might also like<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/magazine-en\/venice-vaporetto-guide-tickets-routes-passes\/\">Vaporetto in Venice: guide to tickets, routes and tourist passes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/en\/magazine-en\/first-visit-to-venice-guide\/\">Venice for the first time: tips and must-see attractions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.venicevisitpass.com\/magazine\/cosa-vedere-a-venezia-in-3-giorni\/\">What to see in Venice in 3 days<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Venice City Pass is a single ticket, but practical questions come up at three different moments: before you buy, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7139,"featured_media":46105,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_agency_custom_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[291],"tags":[1961],"city":[],"class_list":["post-46116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine-en","tag-venice-city-passs"],"acf":[]}