Cinque Terre Card 2026 Complete Guide
Cinque Terre Card 2026: The Complete Guide
Trekking Card, Train Card, Via dell’Amore tickets — prices, differences and which one to buy
Updated March 2026 · By Cinque Terre Riviera · Local experts in Vernazza since 1991
🎫 What is the Cinque Terre Card?
The Cinque Terre Card is the official pass issued by the Cinque Terre National Park. It is required to access the paid sections of the Sentiero Azzurro (SVA2) — the main coastal trail linking all five villages — and to use the park’s shuttle buses and Wi-Fi hotspots.
Without the card you cannot legally walk the paid trails. Inspectors check cards at entry points and on the trails. The card is personal and non-transferable: write your name on the back before using it.
Important: The card is only required between 14 March and 2 November 2026. Outside these dates all trails are free and no card is needed.
🗺️ The two types of Cinque Terre Card
🥾 Cinque Terre Trekking Card
What it includes:
- Access to all paid hiking trails (Sentiero Azzurro)
- Park shuttle buses in each village
- Park Wi-Fi at railway stations
- Discounts at selected park museums and facilities
What it does NOT include: train travel between villages
Best for: guests staying in one village who plan to walk between villages on foot
Prices 2026:
| Type | 1 day (A/green) | 1 day (C/red) | 2 days (A/green) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult (12–69) | €7.50 | €15.00 | €14.50 |
| Youth (4–11) | €4.50 | €9.00 | €7.20 |
| Over 70 | €6.00 | — | €10.00 |
| Family (2 adults + 2 youth) | €19.60 | — | €31.50 |
| Under 4 | Free | Free | Free |
🚆 Cinque Terre Train Card (Treno MS)
What it includes:
- Everything in the Trekking Card, plus:
- Unlimited train journeys on the Cinque Terre Express between La Spezia — Riomaggiore — Manarola — Corniglia — Vernazza — Monterosso — Levanto
Best for: anyone visiting more than one village, or arriving from La Spezia or Levanto
⭐ Most popular choice for tourists — if you take the train twice in one day, it almost always costs less than two separate tickets, especially in high season.
Prices 2026 — 1 day adult:
| Season band | Adult | Youth (4–11) | Over 70 | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🟢 A — Low season | €19.50 | €12.50 | €16.00 | €49.00 |
| 🟡 B — Mid season | €27.00 | €17.50 | €22.50 | €69.50 |
| 🔴 C — High season | €32.50 | €21.00 | €27.00 | €84.00 |
2-day and 3-day options available. Check the official calendar for your specific dates: card.parconazionale5terre.it
❤️ Via dell’Amore: how the ticket works
The Via dell’Amore (Path of Love) is the famous 900-metre coastal path between Riomaggiore and Manarola, reopened to visitors in August 2024 after years of closure for safety restoration. It is the most photographed trail in the Cinque Terre — and, by design, the most controlled.
Your options:
| Your plan | What to buy |
|---|---|
| Walk trails, no train, + Via dell’Amore | Trekking Card + €10 supplement |
| Train + trails + Via dell’Amore | Train Card + €10 supplement (or Card Plus) |
| Train + trails, no Via dell’Amore | Train Card only |
🤔 Trekking Card or Train Card? How to choose
Choose the Trekking Card if:
- You are staying in one of the five villages and plan to walk between them
- You do not need to travel by train during your stay
- You are visiting in low season and want the most economical option
Choose the Train Card if:
- You plan to visit more than one village and want flexibility
- You are arriving from La Spezia or Levanto and need the train connection
- You plan to take the train more than twice in one day (the card almost always costs less than individual tickets)
- You are visiting in high season when individual train tickets can reach €10 per single journey
💳 Where and how to buy the Cinque Terre Card
🚆 To buy the Train Card (Treno MS) — use our Trenitalia link
We have an official Trenitalia partner link that allows you to buy the Cinque Terre Train Card + hiking and all other Italian train tickets directly, safely, and without queues.
Step by step:
- Open our official Trenitalia booking page — select your language (ITA / ENG / FRA) in the top-right corner
- Click OFFERS AND REGIONAL SERVICES in the main menu
- Select the submenu MULTISERVICE CARDS
- Choose Cinque Terre Card Train + Hiking
- Select your date, ticket type (adult, child, family) and complete payment — you receive your ticket by email
Need help navigating the booking? See our full step-by-step guide: How to buy Cinque Terre train tickets online
🥾 To buy the Trekking Card only — use the National Park website
The Trekking Card (no train) is only available through the National Park directly — not through Trenitalia.
Buy online at: card.parconazionale5terre.it
Or buy on arrival at the National Park welcome centres inside the railway stations of: La Spezia, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso, Levanto. In summer, queues can be very long — always buy online in advance.
❤️ To add the Via dell’Amore — book separately at viadellamore.info
The Via dell’Amore supplement (€10) must be booked separately at: viadellamore.info
Access is by timed 30-minute slots. Maximum 200 people per slot. The path is one-way only (Riomaggiore → Manarola). You must already have a valid Cinque Terre Card (Train or Trekking) to purchase the supplement.
⚠️ Book your slot as early as possible — popular time slots sell out days in advance in high season.
Note: Card sales are suspended on days of official orange or red weather alert.
📋 Important rules to know
- The card is personal and non-transferable — write your name on the back before use
- Always carry a valid ID document alongside the card
- The Train Card must be validated in the Trenitalia machine before your first train journey
- Validity runs until midnight of the last day indicated on the card
- Children under 4 travel and access park services free when accompanied by an adult with a valid card
- Sales are suspended during orange or red weather alerts
🟢 Which trails are free (no card needed)?
Not all trails in the Cinque Terre require the Card. The card is only needed for the Sentiero Azzurro (SVA2) and the Via dell’Amore. The following are free:
- Alta Via delle Cinque Terre (AV5T) — the high ridge trail above the villages, spectacular vineyard views
- Levanto to Monterosso via Punta Mesco — one of the finest hikes on the coast, free, uncrowded
- Manarola to Corniglia via Volastra (sentiero 506+586) — the free alternative when the coastal path is closed
- All trails from 3 November 2025 to 14 March 2026 (winter season, no card required at all)
FAQ — Cinque Terre Card 2026
❓ Is the Cinque Terre Card worth it?
Yes, in almost all cases. The Train Card pays for itself as soon as you take more than two train journeys in a day — especially in high season, when single-journey tickets can cost up to €10 each. The Trekking Card is worth it for anyone planning to walk the Sentiero Azzurro. If you only plan to walk the free high trails and not take the train, no card is needed.
❓ Can I buy the Cinque Terre Card on arrival?
Yes, but we do not recommend it in high season. Station queues in summer can be very long. More importantly, Via dell’Amore timed slots sell out in advance. For the Train Card, buy online through our Trenitalia booking page. For the Trekking Card, buy at card.parconazionale5terre.it. Our step-by-step guide explains the full process with screenshots.
❓ Do I need the card if I just want to walk along the sea?
The Sentiero Azzurro (the main coastal path) requires the card. However, the paths within each village — the streets, the harbour, the beaches — are free to access. The card is only needed when you enter the official paid trail sections between villages.
❓ What is the difference between the Cinque Terre Card and the Cinque Terre Card Plus?
The Card Plus is simply the Train Card with the Via dell’Amore supplement already included. It is slightly more convenient if you know in advance that you want to visit the Via dell’Amore, as it avoids buying the supplement separately.
❓ Is the Via dell’Amore open in 2026?
Yes. The Via dell’Amore between Riomaggiore and Manarola reopened in August 2024 after years of closure for restoration work. It is open in 2026, subject to weather conditions. Note that the section between Manarola and Corniglia (the lower coastal path) remains closed until at least 2028.
❓ Do children need the Cinque Terre Card?
Children under 4 are free (accompanied by an adult with a valid card). Children aged 4 to 11 pay a reduced “Youth” rate. From age 12 the adult rate applies. There is also a Family card (2 adults + 2 or more youth) which can offer a saving for families.
❓ Where can I buy train tickets separately if I don’t want the card?
Individual train tickets are available through our Trenitalia booking page or at Trenitalia machines at all stations. In high season (band C), a single journey can cost up to €10 — in that case the Train Card is almost always cheaper if you plan to travel more than twice. See our full guide: How to buy Cinque Terre train tickets online.
🚆 Buy Train Card + Hiking (Trenitalia) →
🥾 Buy Trekking Card only (National Park) →
Cinque Terre Riviera · Concierge Office in Vernazza · Since 1991
Prices sourced from the official Cinque Terre National Park. Always check card.parconazionale5terre.it for the most current rates and season calendar.
