The Cinque Terre National Park is free to enter. However, I often see people buying a Cinque Terre Pass because they assume that they need to pay an entry free to enter the park.
These passes are pricey! So, in this post I’ll explain:
Who needs to buy a Cinque Terre Pass?
Who doesn’t need to buy a pass?
Train Ticket and Trekking Pass Combo.
How to see 3 or more towns without a pass.
How to Buy Tickets to Cinque Terre.
If you prefer, you can watch our video explaining everything.
What is a Cinque Terre Pass?
There are two types of daily passes:
- Cinque Terre Trekking Card.
- Cinque Terre Treno – Multi Service (MS) Card.
The Cinque Terre Cards have several inclusions and variable pricing. There is also an add-on pass for walking the Path of Love. To understand your options, I recommend you check out: Cinque Terre Card Explained!
Who Needs to Buy a Cinque Terre Pass?
If you are planning to do multiple train journeys OR hiking the Blue Trail (Sentiero Verde Azzurro), then you will need one of the passes.
How to Enter the Park Without a Pass
The cost of the Multi Service (MS) Card is 32.50 Euros in peak season. This year (2024) the price has increased considerably!
But luckily, the following situations don’t require a Cinque Terre Pass:
- You don’t plan on walking the Blue Trail (Sentiero Verde Azzurro – SVA).
- You will only use the train for a maximum of 3 journeys (purchasing single tickets for each trip). If you do more than 3 individual train trips, then it’s more economical to buy the Cinque Terre Treno MS Card.
- You’re arriving at Cinque Terre by car or ferry.
- You are visiting in the off-season/ winter.
If you aren’t buying either of the Cinque Terre Cards, you can still get around by train using single tickets. You can buy these online ahead of time and you will be issued with an eTicket.
Train Ticket and Trekking Pass Combo
Even if you really want to hike the SVA (Blue Trail), then you still don’t need the Multi-Service Card. You can buy a combination of train tickets and a Trekking Card.
Here’s an example day trip:
- You can travel by Cinque Terre Express from La Spezia to Corniglia or Vernazza.
- Explore the town and enjoy some sightseeing.
- Hike from Corniglia / Vernazza along the Blue Trail to Monterosso al Mare.
- Stop for a late lunch of seafood or pizza with a sea view. Walk off lunch and explore the old town.
- Return by train to La Spezia.
The cost of the 2 train tickets and a Trekking Card will be around 27.50 Euros in peak season.
Savvy Travel Tip: All trails (including the SVA) are free in off-season and train tickets are only 5 Euros. So, in off-season you can do the above itinerary for 10 Euros. Off-season is 04 November 2024 to 15 March 2025.
If you like the idea of a self-guided day in Cinque Terre, you may also like our stress free, premade itineraries that include sightseeing, guidance notes, cultural and historical info and map.
How to Visit 3 Towns Without a Pass
You can still visit 3 towns without a Cinque Terre Card and save money! There are lots of options for hiking on the free trails.
Here’s an example day trip:
- You can travel by Cinque Terre Express from La Spezia to Riomaggiore.
- Visit Riomaggiore, enjoy the views from the “Lissa” viewing point (lift access near the train station), grab a coffee at the harbor, and walk around the town.
- Hike from Riomaggiore to Manarola (using the free 531 trail – 1 hour).
- Explore Manarola and after some lunch and sightseeing catch the train to Vernazza.
- Spend a lazy hour strolling through the town and enjoying an aperitivo in the main piazza.
- Return by train to La Spezia.
The cost of the 3 train tickets will be around 30 Euros in peak season.
If you are fit enough and enjoy a long hike, then it’s also feasible to hike between Manarola and Vernazza (using the 502 -506 -507 route. Taking around 5 hours). The cost of 2 train tickets is 20 Euros in peak season.
How to Buy Tickets
Cinque Terre Cards are available through the national park’s website and at their welcome centers in the park.
The Cinque Terre Treno MS Card can also be purchased through Trenitalia. It's quick and easy if you follow our guide on How to BUY a Cinque Terre Card ONLINE.
Single (and return) Cinque Terre train tickets are available online.
Important Advice: The train station at La Spezia is a major ‘gateway’ station for Cinque Terre. Over 2.5 million visitors pass through Cinque Terre each year. The lineup for Cinque Terre tickets can get hectic!!
So, I strongly recommend you buy Cinque Terre Cards and train tickets online before arriving. Use our simple guide to book directly with Trenitalia (the Cinque Terre train provider).
Wrap Up
In this post, I’ve shared ways to visit the park without having to buy a Cinque Terre Card.
I’ve included sample itineraries and costs. Depending on your itinerary, you can save money and access the park without buying a Cinque Terre MS Card!
