This is a bonus article to complement our special report on the Cinque Terre.
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The Cinque Terre National Park, established in 1999, charges a fee for the usage of path #2 Riomaggiore-Monterosso. The objective is to collect funds necessary for the maintenance of the paths.
This summer, the park will be introducing two new types of cards to replace the cards used in previous years. The basic Cinque Terre Card will now be called the Cinque Terre Trekking Card
With this, you’ll have :
- Access to the entire park areas
- Free participation in park events such as guided tours and hikes and workshops
- Free use of the busses that operate in the villages of the Cinque Terre
- Free use of pay restrooms
- Free wi-fi use at Park hot spots in the Cinque Terre
- Information and a basic map from the Cinque Terre Park offices
- Discounts on tickets for the La Spezia Museum Network: Amedeo Lia Museum, the Castle of San Giorgio, the CAMeC Modern Art Museum, The Seal Museum, Palazzina delle Arti, Etnografic Museum, Diocesan Museum
The old Cinque Terre + Train has been renamed the Cinque Terre Train Multi-service Card
With this card you will have all of the services listed above along with unlimited 2nd class train travel on all regional and fast regional trains that run between La Spezia and Levanto (not including trains such as Intercity which require a supplement).
Where to Purchase:
You can purchase the Cinque Terre Card in any of the information points of the national park, located within the railway stations of the Cinque Terre villages and Levanto. The Cinque Terre Trekking Card may also be purchased at most of the trailheads. Prices depend on the type and validity of the Cinque Terre Card (multi-day and family discounts available).
2014 Prices
Cinque Terre Trekking Card (no train)
1 day adult ?7.50
2 day adult ?14.50
1 day child ?4.50
2 day child ?7.20
1 day senior (over 70) ?6.00
2 day senior (over 70) ?10.00
1 day family ?19.60
2 day family ?31.50
1 day group pass (up to 25 people) ?120.00 (each additional person ?5.00)
Cinque Terre Treno MS (with train)
1 day adult ? 12.00
2 day adult ? 23.00
1 day child ? 7.30
1 day senior (over 70) ? 9.70
1 day family ? 31.50
Important Notes and Tips:
No card is needed to access generic public areas, to walk within the villages, or to walk on any other the paths other than the 4 trails that lead between the villages (the number 2 or ‘blue’ path). We DO NOT recommend buying the Cinque Terre Card if the trails are closed for inclement weather or if you will not be hiking.
In case of bad weather conditions (such as heavy rain, sea storms, etc. ) or for maintenance work, some parts of the paths may be closed, so ask in the information point, before you purchase the card, if the path you’re interested in is accessible.
Currently (May 2014) only the Vernazza-Monterosso leg of the hiking trail is open to the public.
Before buying a Cinque Terre card, make sure that the trails are open.
— Kate Little and Megan McCaffrey, BellaVitaItalia.com and Editors of Dream of Italy’s Special Report on Cinque Terre