Definition
A local tourist tax charged per person per night, or as a percentage of the room rate, by many European cities and resorts. The hotel collects it, usually at check-out, and Indian package prices generally exclude it. Most rates fall between €1 and €10 per person per night.
How city taxes work
Most popular European destinations levy a tourist tax: taxe de séjour in France, tassa di soggiorno in Italy, Kurtaxe in many Swiss and German-speaking resorts. The hotel adds it to your bill, usually:
- per adult per night, scaled by the hotel's star rating, or
- as a percentage of the room rate, as in Amsterdam
Children are often exempt below an age that varies by city, and some places cap the number of taxable nights.
Typical ranges at the time of review
| Place | Roughly |
|---|---|
| Paris | €1–15 per person per night, by category |
| Rome | up to about €10 per person per night in top hotels |
| Amsterdam | 12.5% of the room rate |
| Swiss resorts such as Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt | about CHF 2–7 per person per night |
Rates change often, so treat these as a guide. Venice also charges day-trippers an access fee on selected peak days, booked online.
Example
A Chennai couple on a nine-night Europe tour spends three nights each in Paris, Interlaken and Rome in 4-star hotels. At roughly €3–8 per person per night, their city taxes come to about €60–120 (₹6,100–12,200). The voucher says city taxes are payable directly at hotels. In Interlaken, the tax comes with a guest card that includes free local buses.
Practical advice
- Read the exclusions in your land package or fixed departure.
- Keep euros or a card ready at check-out.
- In Switzerland, ask for the guest card at check-in; it often includes local transport.
- Budget roughly ₹300–900 per person per night across a typical Europe tour.
See our Schengen visa guide and plan the rest with our travel guides.