Who doesn’t dream of visiting Venice, the city of carnivals and film festivals built on water. Passengers who prefer to travel by plane are greeted at Marco Polo Airport. This international port is considered one of the largest in the country and is famous for its high quality of service. There is a second airport in Venice, it is slightly smaller than Marco Polo Airport.
Venice International Airport is named after the great navigator Marco Polo. It was he who first discovered China. The distance from the airport to the city is only 7 kilometers, it is located on the mainland and receives most flights heading to Venice and its surrounding communities.
Marco Polo Airport is located in the northeast side of Venice, in the town of Tessera. It is connected to the city by the A27 and A57 highways. The airport was opened in 1960 and today it operates at the limit of its capabilities. Passenger traffic has long exceeded the mark of 7 million people per year. Despite the long lines, the registration and security check process is quick and smooth.
The airport infrastructure is modern, there is everything you need for a comfortable stay.
Online scoreboard
You can view the flight schedule at Venice Marco Polo Airport on the online arrivals and departures board:
How to get from Venice to Marco Polo airport
Venice has a developed transport system, the airport is connected to the city center and the train station. The need of passengers to travel not only to the famous city, but also to the suburbs, as well as neighboring regions, is taken into account.
Passengers can choose any of the following modes of transport:
- rented car;
- water taxi;
- Taxi;
- bus.
Since the distance is short, the fare is not high. We'll talk about renting a car in more detail below. Public transport is presented in assortment: there are sea connections and buses.
Bus
The bus is the cheapest form of transport. There are two passenger transport companies at Venice Airport: ACTV and ATVO.
The bus will be marked with the company name. The table below shows the routes they take.
The one-way fare is 8 euros, round trip - 15 euros. Tickets can be purchased at the airport ticket office in the arrivals hall, at ticket machines located in the baggage return area near carousels 3 and 5, and at kiosks at bus stops. The ticket must be validated.
Taxi
You can take a taxi near the airport terminal or order it in advance through the official website. It is convenient to order a taxi; the driver will meet the passenger with a sign. The travel time will be 20 minutes, and the fare will be 25-30 euros to the center. Buses run very frequently.
Water taxi
City guests will see a water taxi to the left of the terminal. It is available in several versions and will cost slightly more than a bus:
- water tram (boat);
- water taxi (individual trip);
- powerboat.
The water bus operates from 6:00 to 23:00 and transports passengers to the city center for 5 euros. The ticket is purchased on board. The movement interval is 1 hour. Water taxis can take you to San Marco, Rialto, Fondamenta Nuove and Le Guglie.
A motor boat runs at the same interval, but the fare is 16 euros plus 3 euros for each suitcase. The stop is made on the island of Murano, so the travel time will be increased to 1.5 hours.
The water taxi can accommodate 10 passengers and will cost 100 euros, which will seem expensive to many.
Transfer
And of course, you can get from Venice airport to the city by. You should order it in advance, and a driver will be waiting for you upon arrival. The cost of the trip is fixed. By the way, a transfer can be ordered not only to Venice, but also to neighboring cities (if there is such a need).
Car rental at Venice Airport
There are several car rental companies at the airport. Their offices are located on the third floor terrace. In order to rent a car for several days, you will need a passport and an international driving license.
Marco Polo Airport terminals: Venice Airport diagram
Marco Polo Airport is represented by one terminal of a huge area - 53,000 m2. It is divided into three floors, each of which has a specific function:
- The 1st floor is the departures and arrivals area, where there are always a lot of people, including those greeting and seeing off;
- 2nd floor - main check-in hall, as well as waiting rooms for passengers flying from Venice;
- 3rd floor - offices of airlines operating at the airport.
Europeans are in no hurry to check-in flights. As a rule, they arrive at the airport no earlier than 2 hours before departure. However, force majeure circumstances must always be taken into account. There are 60 check-in counters on the second floor, the process goes quite quickly.
Additional services
Venice Marco Polo Airport offers passengers a standard range of services:
- Luggage storage is open from 05:00 to 21:00 (located near Gate E outside the terminal);
- those traveling with children are provided with a baby stroller (if necessary) during their stay at the airport; there are also nannies in the waiting room who can keep the child occupied for a while;
- You can connect to high-speed Internet everywhere in the passenger terminal;
- The VIP lounge is open daily from 05:00 to 23:00, here you can relax in comfort in silence for a reasonable fee of 40 euros (the price includes light snacks, showers, magazines, newspapers, television, internet, mobile device charging points );
- Frequent flyers are invited to purchase a special club card, upon presentation of which they can receive significant discounts on airport services;
- the terminal has 11 cafes and restaurants with excellent cuisine;
- Numerous stores offer a wide range of products.
Tax Free at Venice Airport
Value Added Tax (VAT) can be refunded directly at Venice Airport. To do this, you must present at customs:
- the product itself, purchased in Italy, the cost of which exceeds 155 euros;
- boarding pass for a flight outside the European Union;
- a receipt for the goods in a special form that allows you to return the amount;
- traveler's identity document.
After checking at customs, the tax amount is returned at a special “Travelex Italia Ltd” counter, which is located on the second floor in the international departures area (on the diagram of the second floor there is a red circle at number 4).
Official site
Official website of Venice Marco Polo Airport
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We have prepared an overview of tax free return points at the main airports in Italy, as well as a list of practical tips that will help you not only get your legitimate money back, but also save your nerve cells.
IN THE SHOP
Tax Free in Italy can be obtained if the cost of your purchase exceeds 154 euros. It is better to have your passport with you. Of course, in large department stores such as La Rinascente, Prada and Louis Vuitton boutiques and outlet villages, you are unlikely to need it.
However, if you decide to purchase equipment in Italy, especially an iPad, Macbook or iPhone, then without a passport Tax Free will not be issued to you - in terms of Apple products, the Italians are very strict.
The three most common Tax Free return systems: Global Blue, Tax Refund and Premier Tax Free: their logos are below.
Most often in Italy tax free is obtained through global blue, however, if you are offered one of three companies to choose from, choose TAX Refund(yellow envelope). The fact is that at Italian airports there are always an order of magnitude fewer people at the TAX Refund counter than at the Global Blue office.
RETURN TAX FREE TO CITY
An important point. To get Tax Free back, you don’t have to wait for your return flight; this can be done at one of the Global Blue or TAX Refund offices in the city.
It is better to have everything with you at once, namely: 1) a passport, 2) receipts for purchases, 3) the purchases themselves, 4) a return ticket.
Unfortunately, without any problems, tax free is not returned directly in the country in all cases; in terms of clothing and accessories, as a rule, there are no difficulties, but for Mac products the money will be returned to you only at the airport and, most likely, to the card.
List of nearest return offices tax free Global Blue in large cities of Italy you can see here: , right there on the website you can calculate using a calculator how much is refundable.
List of return points TAX Refund can be found here: but it is incomplete, one of the company’s offices is located in Milan, on via Bigli in close proximity to.
And one more thing, important. Tax free checks for purchases made in Italy are only valid for three months, so if you don’t meet this deadline, you can safely throw them away along with the blue envelopes, they are absolutely useless.
PROCEDURE AT ITALY AIRPORTS
The standard tax free refund procedure is as follows:
1) Take your boarding pass.
2) If you are going to check in the items from which you want to get tax free as your luggage, then inform the girl (or boy) at the check-in desk about this, but do not check the bags into your luggage, just take a coupon.
3) After receiving your boarding pass, you and your luggage go to the customs point (in Italian dogana), usually the girls at the reception desk explain with gestures where it is.
4) At dogana, the officer checks your things with those stated in the receipts (therefore, you should not bury them deep in your suitcase, but it is better to take things out of the bags in advance, so as not to delay other passengers).
5) If the customs officer is satisfied with everything, he stamps your checks, and with certified documents you go to the Global Blue or TAX Refund point; in some airports they are located in the check-in area, in others in the Duty Free area.
6) Show the checks stamped by the officer at the Global Blue or TAX Refund point, the money is either given to you in cash, or they take your card details, to which the required amount will be transferred within 3-5 business days, in the second case, you must save the paper , which will be given to you by an employee at the Global Blue or TAX Refund point, if the money is not transferred within two weeks, then call the phone number indicated on the paper and start swearing.
ROME. Fiumicino Airport
The required time to obtain tax free is 1.5 hours
There are two customs offices at the airport. The first counter is located almost in the center of the first floor and is intended for those who want to check in their purchases as luggage after receiving tax free. You need to come here with your boarding pass.
Dogana employees check things with an average level of meticulousness, they may ask you to take boots out of your suitcase, but no one will check the brand names on the receipt with the tags sewn to things (this is how we once received tax free for a Max Mara coat left in Rome until the fall, by presenting customs officers worn Naf Naf).
The line at the first dogana is an absolute inevitability. Fiumicino is a large, international airport, and not only Russians, but also Arabs, Chinese, and Japanese want to get their rightful money here, and therefore, so that standing in line is not nervous, but meditative, it is better to arrive in Fiumicino in advance.
One more thing, the employees of the first dogana like to often take breaks for a smoke or coffee, which automatically has a positive effect on the length of the queue.
Fumichino’s second dogana is for those who live by the principle “I carry everything with me,” that is, for those who do not want to check their purchases in their luggage. Located behind anti-terrorism and passport control in the center of the hall (right behind the Salvatore Ferragamo and Burberry boutiques). Here the line at the customs office is short, the staff works quickly, and you don’t have to wait much, but they inspect the things mentioned in the checks more carefully.
The long queue in Fiumicino is traditionally at the Global Blue return window, because people who have printed checks at both customs go there, you will have to lose 30-40 minutes in it. There is a window - exactly opposite the second dogana.
MILAN. MALPENSA AIRPORT (Aeroporto di Milano -Malpensa)
The required time to obtain tax free is from 3 hours to infinity
From the point of view of obtaining tax free, in my opinion, this is the worst airport in Italy. However, there are more than objective reasons for this.
Firstly, the overwhelming majority associate Milan, of course, not with Leonardo’s “Last Supper” and the Duomo Cathedral, but with shopping, respectively, residents of the UAE, China, Russia and other main consumers of luxury goods come here with one mission - “to ruin » boutiques on Via Montenapoleone or nearby outlets.
In this sense, it is especially funny to observe a crowd of Chinese at the entrance to a Louis Vuitton boutique, asking passers-by to buy for them a third bag from the French fashion house with their own money - according to international rules, Louis Vuitton does not sell more than two products per person.
Actually, then you will meet this whole motley crowd of Russians, Chinese and Arabs in Malpensa. The Chinese are disciplined people, they can stand in lines for hours, and therefore to think that one of them will run out of patience and give up the idea of getting tax free means engaging in vulgar self-deception. In a word, if you are returning home from Malpensa, then remember that you should budget about three hours to receive tax free.
Advice: in Malpensa, it’s better to check things in as luggage, the dogana counter at the check-in point (ground floor, right side, if you stand with your back to the entrance, then the very corner) works more efficiently than the one located behind passport control - those who took purchases are sent there with you on board.
In the dogan queue for passport control, you will have to find yourself in a crowd not only with the Chinese, Russians and Arab beauties, but also with the flight attendants of Singapore or China Airlines, and they often buy things by the suitcase. Therefore, here the wait for things to be checked lasts for an hour and a half.
They check things carefully at the Malpensa customs, sometimes even checking the tags on clothes with the names on the receipt. The queue at the TAX Refund window is 30 minutes, at Global Blue you sometimes have to wait for an hour and a half, but at Premier Tax Free there are almost no people. Cash return offices are open on average from 7 to 23.00, the full schedule is on the airport website:.
Often, an attempt to get tax free in Malpensa results in you being late for your flight, and your name is announced throughout the airport over the loudspeaker, and a walk through duty free turns into a run to the desired exit. In a word, draw your own conclusions, arrive at the airport in advance and load several Buddhist meditation mantras into your player to combine standing in lines with evening (or morning) meditation.
VENICE. MARCO POLO AIRPORT
Time required to obtain tax free: from 15 to 40 minutes
Venice airport is small but pleasant in every way. There is only one dogana office here, located at the entrance. The lady in the office sometimes checks things, and sometimes she trusts receipts, but she stamps them quickly (at least I never got into a queue).
They give out money after passport control at a round counter. Most often in cash, transferred to a card if desired. If you are flying on a flight with a transfer in another European city, the process will take only 15 minutes, if with compatriots it will take 40 minutes.
VERONA. VERONA AIRPORT (Verona Aeroporto)
Time required to obtain tax free: from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours
The local dogana is located at the far edge of the airport (ground floor to the left most corner), you need to go there with your boarding pass, regardless of whether you are taking things on board or checking them in as luggage.
The customs office is not even a room, but a kiosk-type booth. If the booth is empty, customs personnel can be called at the number indicated on a piece of paper attached to the window (although local customs officers do not speak English very well). They check things every other time: they may not ask about clothes at all, but they ask to show jewelry, iPads and iPhones along with the box.
Another tip, when you stand in line at the window, do not lean against the glass door, they often forget to lock it, and if it opens accidentally, you will be charged a fine of 2,000 euros.
The refund point is located before passport control and the duty free area in the center of the first floor. A nice Russian girl works here, she processes everything very quickly, but, unfortunately, cash is not returned at Verona Airport, everything is strictly on the card.
PISA. GALILEO GALILIE AIRPORTAeroporto)
Time required to obtain tax free: from 30 minutes to an hour
The most difficult thing at Pisa airport is to find the dogana office, for inexplicable reasons it is located in the arrivals hall, not the departures hall, next to the toilets. Often the door is locked, in which case it is necessary to alarm the officers by ringing the doorbell. Customs is open both for those who plan to check their belongings as luggage and for those who take purchases on the plane.
Checks should be stamped after receiving your boarding pass, but if you arrived before you checked in for your flight, then the loyal officers at Pisa Airport can certify checks without a boarding pass. They also inspect purchased items every other time; they easily turn a blind eye to small purchases scattered throughout the suitcase (especially if there is a line behind you). Refund offices are located in the passenger check-in area, that is, before passport control.
MILAN AND BERGAMO. ORIO AL SERIO AIRPORTAeroporto)
Time required to obtain tax free: from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours
The airport is small and dirty, there are two customs offices. The first dogana is located at the check-in counters; you need to go here regardless of whether you are taking things on board or checking them in as luggage. The length of the queue directly depends on the number of your compatriots in it; they look at things meticulously and demand to see all the items stated on the receipts.
If you do not seem like a suspicious person to the customs officer (that is, if you bought only clothes, bags and shoes), then your check will be stamped, and you will calmly receive the money right there at the return point (it is located in the airport department before passport control).
If the officer doubts you (usually this happens if you are bringing Mac products and jewelry home), then you will get a receipt stamped only after passing through passport control in a separate dogana window.
By the way, there are no queues for the second dogana, however, there is also no refund office after passport control at Bergamo airport, so you will have to get your tax free in Russia.
RIMINI. FEDERICO FELLINI AIRPORT (Aeroporto di Rimini “Federico Fellini”)
Time required to obtain tax free: from 1 to 1.5 hours
Rimini Airport is the most “Russified” of all Italian airports. This is both good and bad. Good, because dogana is located directly at the check-in counters for flights to Russia, and the word “Customs” is written here in Russian.
The bad thing is that Rimini customs officers are picky, they check the names of the brands on the tags with all the items on the receipts, they open boxes of jewelry, so the process of inspecting things takes at least 20 minutes.
Passengers checking in their luggage and shopaholics who decide to take their purchases on board stand in adjacent queues; the former's belongings are checked right at the check-in counter, after the checks are certified, the suitcases are placed on the belt and sent on the plane.
Money issuing points are located on the second floor of the airport; you need to go there before going through passport control. The duration of the process of obtaining tax free depends on the number of charters flying out of Rimini today, and how quickly your neighbors on the plane will present their things to the dogana officer, but usually everything is done in an hour and a half.
BOLOGNA. GULIELMO MARCONI AIRPORT (Aeroporto G. Marconi di Bologna)
The required time to obtain tax free is about an hour
Bologna Airport is a great original in terms of tax free. The dogana office is located in the arrivals area (right wing, first floor), where people depart after check-in for the flight. The customs office is located far away, so it’s better to take the things for which you decide to get tax free in your hand luggage; no one wants to push a packed suitcase back to the check-in counter.
They do not check purchases very carefully; sometimes they are content to simply glance at the package and not even ask to open it.
If there are no difficulties with checking your belongings, then the main attraction of Bologna Airport is finding a money issuing point. Previously, oddly enough, they were returned in duty free stores, which are behind passport control, now - in a currency exchange kiosk on the second floor of the airport, which is located before the passenger screening area and passport control. In principle, you spend the most time looking for a kiosk, good, even though the airport is not that big.
Another important point is that the kiosk is closed early in the morning and late in the evening, so if you have a night flight, either put the stamped checks in the mailbox (it is also located in the check-in hall before passport control), or you will have to receive the money already in Moscow.
RECEIVING TAX FREE IN MOSCOW IN CASH
If you decide to get tax free not at an airport in Italy, but in Russia, then remember that your checks in any case must be checked and stamped by a customs officer.
Julia Malkova- Julia Malkova - founder of the website project. Former editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about traveling for my own pleasure and the pleasure of readers. If you are a representative of hotels, tourism office, but we are not familiar, you can contact me by email: [email protected]Any shopaholic, even the most seasoned one, needs basic information on the most interesting shopping places in Venice: outlets, shops, markets or shopping centers. And then he can handle it himself. Also, walking around the pearl of Italy, sooner or later you can get hungry. Read below to learn how to combine productive shopping with inexpensive food.
Shopping in Venice: shopping areas and streets
As is customary in all cultural articles about shopping, the story must begin with the most expensive streets of Venice. So let's get started. All the most exclusive boutiques concentrated in Piazza San Marco. There you will see jewelry stores worthy of Elizabeth II herself, workshops and shops full of Buranovsky lace and Murano glass. And although the prices there are very high, the quality is worth it.
Boutiques with big names, quality leather bags stores, made in Venice, shops with knitted and silk products line the streets west of San Marco: Frezzeria, Calle Vallaresso, the “golden” Calle Larga XXII Marzo and Salizzada San Moise.
The busiest trade takes place in the Merceria area in Venice (this is the area from Piazza San Marco to the Ponte Rialto bridge). Boutiques on the streets of Merceria are less expensive than in the square. The first floors in such places are given over to trade. Boutiques of mass brands, as well as unknown Italian brands, delight with prices. The cost of silk accessories, leather bags and wallets, souvenirs and products made from sheep's wool is also quite low. It's worth a look for shopping in Venice in the famous Coin shopping center, it is located on the Ponte Rialto bridge. And although it was previously called as, now it is the location of global brands, little-known Italian brands (Cromia, Roderta or Janet E Janet) and quality products from small factories in Italy. If this is not enough for you, then for inexpensive boutiques head to Strada Nova, which is located in the Cannaregio area.
Also, the shopping route needs to be extended to suburbs of Venice– Verona, Vichenca and Mestre. Following the flood events in Venice, local residents moved to quieter areas of the region. It is in these suburbs that all the outlets, discount centers, stocks and spas are hidden, which give our shopaholics the opportunity to save money. Discounts on luxury brands up to 70% are the norm!
Yes, most popular outlet in Venice Veneto Designer Outlet is considered to be. Brands such as Armani, Burberry, Valentino, Blumarine and Calvin Klein gathered there under one roof. And in the Mestre area - this is Donatello, consisting entirely of luxury brands: Donna Karan, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Moschino, etc. And if you are going to Donatello, then on the way to it do not miss the Valecenter shopping center (middle segment), maybe it is there that you will spend all your saved money on shopping, and Donatello will fade into the background.
Sales in Venice
In 2013, official winter sales took place from January 5 to February 28, and summer sales from July 6 to August 30. Seasonal sales in Venice are no different from other major Italian cities. Read how the formation takes place in our previous materials.
already known sales dates 2014 in Venice. According to the calendar, winter sales 2014 will begin from January 4 to February 28, 2014, and summer sales from July 5 to August 31, 2014. Starting from the New Year, shops and boutiques in Venice will have discounts of 30 - 70% on the entire current fall-winter 2013 collection.
How to save money on food in Venice?
The question is relevant, since prices in restaurants and cafes are European, and many of our compatriots cannot afford them at all. And if you plan to do active shopping in the vast expanses of Venice, then every penny is worth it. There are no inexpensive restaurants in Venice; the average price for a quality dinner (without wine) per person is ? 45. And if you find yourself in Venice during the carnival, then the prices will be even higher. But find a few secluded places in the city where you can get less lunch? 15 is possible.
Especially for our fashionistas, Shopping Expert has compiled a coveted list of inexpensive cafes restaurant type in Venice:
- Arte della Pizza at 1896, Cannaregio. It is quite difficult for tourists to find a pizzeria, since it is discreetly located on the outskirts of Strada Nova street. Pizza prices start from €6, a large slice will cost you €1.5. The pizzeria is open until 21:00. Closed on Monday.
- Taverna del Campiello Remer at 5701, Cannaregio. In addition to the opening panorama of the Canal Grande, there is also inexpensive food. And the presence of "Happy Hours" from 17:30 to 19:30 brings this cafe closer to perfection. At such times you will be offered a buffet: salami, pasta, various risotto, salads, smoked ham, etc. The cost of a regular lunch will cost you € 20. It will include soup, pasta, a couple of main courses, vegetables, dessert and even a glass of wine. Day off at the tavern on Wednesday.
- Al Muro at 222, San Polo. It is located near the Rialto fish market. You can visit it on Saturday, when Venetians rush for fresh food, but still find time to visit the bar. It makes excellent fritto misto (meat, seafood and vegetables fried in olive oil), goulash, risotto with porcini mushrooms and other delicacies. It will cost you €10 and you will also receive a glass of wine as a gift. Closed on Sunday, during siesta.
Also worth noting is the bar-restaurant Bacaro Lounge at 1345, San Marco (lunch costs €10); Da Luca a Fred at 1518, Cannaregio (lunch costs €14); Santa Margherita at 3054, Dorsoduro (lunch costs €15); Rosticceria San Bartolomeo at 5424/a, San Marco (lunch costs €10); Food & Art at 554, Giudecca, Giudecca Island (lunch costs €12); Nono Risorto at 2337, Santa Croce (lunch cost € 15 + wine), Alle Due Gondolette at 3016, Cannaregio (lunch cost € 11.5).
List of supermarkets in Venice We mentioned it earlier in previous materials, but it is worth highlighting once again the Billa supermarket, where food prices are not inflated. It is located on the Fondamenta Zattere Ponte Lungo promenade, which stretches along the Giudecca canal. Unfortunately, the store does not have a sign, and it may not be easy to find it, but pay attention to people with yellow Billa bags in their hands, and there are always a lot of them, ask and they will tell you. For € 11 you can buy yourself 100 g of white chocolate, an apple, two small pizzas, a liter of good wine, grapefruit, 2 liters of juice, 200 g of blue cheese and a portion of fried breaded chicken wings or thighs. There are about three such supermarkets throughout Venice. Another one is located on Strada Nova (landmark - McDonald's).
Standard prices for food in cafes and restaurants in Venice:
Croissant - € 3;
- watermelon discount - € 1;
- a cup of cappuccino - € 3;
- glass of beer – € 7 - € 15;
- large piece of pizza - € 4;
- ice cream - € 2 - € 5;
- fruit slices - € 3 - € 5;
- kebab - € 4 - € 7.
If you don’t have time to buy food in supermarkets or look for more inexpensive cafes, get ready for the fact that for 2 bottles of Coca-Cola, 2 croissants you will have to pay € 17 - € 22. Prices for restaurants, cafes and other establishments in Venice are similar to Rome. True, in winter the pricing policy more or less stabilizes, and the tour becomes budget-friendly.
Tax Free in Venice
The Tax Free system is very attractive for those living in countries outside the European Union. Not only are prices for luxury brands lower than in your hometown, but you also get a portion of the money paid back (from 4% to 20%) depending on the product category.
Venice itself is actively involved in the VAT refund program. And immediately upon purchase for an amount over € 150, consultants, without asking, give you a form to fill out. If you wander into a store that does not offer you this, then demand a “sconto” of 10–15%.
The standard ones are quite simple. You fill out the form and contact the Tax Free exchange centers in Venice (they are listed on globalblue.ru):
- Ital Travel, located at 72 / b San Marco, Calle dell "Ascensione;
- Yex Change Srl at 146, Piazza San Marco, max return amount - € 500;
- Coin Spa at 5787, Via Cannereggio, maximum refund amount is € 500.
You can return the money in cash or to your personal card. In any case, you are required to stamp your form upon departure and drop it in the mailbox near the bank branch. Also, no one canceled the return point at Venice airport (two steps from the check-in counter).
Even if you forgot your stamped receipts, you can still claim a refund in your home country. The website globalrefund.com contains all the information on banks and return points in any country.
We have announced the most interesting moments of shopping in Venice. All you need is a great mood and fighting spirit!
Happy shopping in Venice!
This article answers the questions: What is Tax Free? How to get a tax free refund in Italy? What are the difficulties with obtaining Tax Free in Italy? and etc.
What's happenedTaxfree shopping
This is a form of tax relief, when the buyer, under certain conditions, can receive back VAT on imported goods. IN Italy VAT is called Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto or IVA. Main VAT rate in Italy is 22% (since the summer of 2013, and earlier it was 20%).
Taxfree payment points at Malpensa Airport
How can I get a VAT refund (Tax Free) in Italy
All pick up options tax free are divided into two types: independently directly from the seller or through intermediaries.
1. GetTaxFree directly from the seller in two ways:
- After the export of goods abroad (by sending an invoice with a customs mark on export by mail).
- Immediately upon purchase ("cleared" goods from VAT).
The advantage of a direct VAT refund is that you will receive the full amount of VAT - 22%, i.e. you will save a fifth of the cost of buying in Italy. The downside is that sellers rarely agree to take on extra headaches, which is why they enter into agreements with intermediary firms (see below). Exception: sellers of exclusive and very expensive goods. For example, sellers of fur coats, jewelry, when the refund amount can reach several thousand euros from one item alone.
2. Get your Tax Free refund through one of three intermediary firms: Global Blue, Premier Tax Free or Tax Refund S.p.a.(depending on which of them the store has an agreement with) (see below).
The advantage is that you simplify the procedure for receiving money as much as possible (see below). The downside is that you only get about 11% of the cost of purchases, the rest is taken by the intermediary for their services.
Tax Free return systems introduced in Italy
- Global Blue (www.global-blue.com). It is the Swedish-headquartered organization that has the largest number of VAT refund points around the world and with which stores have the most cooperation. The most recognizable label.
- PremierTaxFree (www.premiertaxfree.com) is the second largest organization established in Ireland that provides tax free refund services in many countries around the world.
- TaxRefundS.p.a. (www.tax refund.it) The Italian company, the least known.
- Innova taxfree (www.innovataxfree.com). Works in 5 other countries.
- Tax free service(www.taxfreeservice.com). Italian company headquartered in Milan, operates only in Italy.
The first three are preferable, because they have many VAT refund offices, including at Malpensa Airport, through which most Russian tourists arrive.
How to get options TaxFree through intermediaries
You can get a VAT refund (tax free refund) in one of the following ways:
1. Immediately in the city of Milan.
If the store is logged in Globalblue, then the refund can be obtained in the Rinascente shopping center itself (Piazza Duomo) on the 6th floor. Opening hours: Mon-Fri: from 09:30 to 21 hours. Sat: from 09:30 to 22 hours. Sun: from 10:00 to 21:00. Maximum cash back - 999.50 Euro. U Premier Tax Free at via Montenapoleone, 21. Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 10.30 to 19, Sat from 13 to 19. TaxRefundS.p.a. office in Milan: CorsoV. Emanuele— Via Larga, 4 Mon-Fri from 9 to 5.
An important addition. Since 2015, Global Blue requires that if you receive money in the city, and not when you fly to the airport, you must give tax free invoices to the Global Blue point at the airport upon departure. So it turns out that you still have to stand in line. But the advantage of getting tax free in Milan, and not at the airport, remains - you get the money earlier and can have time to spend it in Italy.
2. When crossing the border at the airport.
This is the most common way to return taxfree. Items TaxRefund(at least for GlobalBlue) is available at all major airports. When receiving cash currency in points, since the autumn of 2014, they began to take a commission of 3 euros from each tax-free form. Important! Arrive at the airport EARLY (3 hours before departure). there are very long queues to get tax free.
3. Upon arrival home in Russia.
- By bank transfer (on a credit card) by mailing checks and forms (with a customs stamp) in their company envelope, if they did not have time to send it at the Italian airport.
- Cash (in Russian banks with which intermediaries have an agreement).
Here is a list of Russian banks located in Moscow, as of December 2018, where you can get a tax free refund. (Only for GlobalBlu).
New Moscow Bank (branches)
- Moscow, Myasnitsky Ave., 2/1, building 1.
- Moscow, Novinsky Boulevard, 8, building 2
- Moscow, Bolshoi Savvinsky lane, 2-4-6, building 10.
Energotransbank
Moscow, st. Solyanka, 3, building 3.
Lanta-Bank (branches)
- Moscow, st. Novokuznetskaya, 9, building 2
- Moscow, st. Novaya Basmannaya, 35, building 1
- Moscow, Gogolevsky Boulevard, 23
For each invoice, a Russian bank charges a commission depending on the amount of compensation:
up to €50 — commission €3;
from €50 to €100 - commission €5;
from €100 to €500 - commission 5% of the amount;
over €500 - commission €25.
Commission rates may vary, check with banks.
There is another option, which is not actually a tax free refund, but a kind of compensation. For example, a shopping mall (which operates fromGlobalBlue) offers instead of issuing Tax Free invoices to receive a voucher for the amount of the due compensation (this is 10% of the amounts spent on purchases), which you can use as a means of payment in the same shopping center.
Basic rules for paying Tax Free
Most importantly, the goods must be exported from Italy to a non-EU country, and there must be a customs mark that this happened within 3 months from the date of purchase. An important addition. Since 2018, the customs no longer puts a stamp, but immediately enters the fact of crossing the border into the database.
The minimum amount from which a Tax Free refund is made in Italy
Each country independently sets this amount. In Italy, the minimum amount from which you can request a VAT refund is € 154,94 (including VAT) (by the way, in Switzerland, the amount is higher: 300 francs). It follows from the official rules that such an amount should be spent during the day in any stores, not necessarily in one. But in practice, tax free registration is possible only if the purchase for such an amount was made in one store, from one seller. By the way, in the Rinashento shopping center you can shop in different stores for smaller amounts, and at the end of the day you can issue one general tax free account in the office global blue on the 6th floor.
Stages of registration and receipt of Tax Free
If you decide to use the services of intermediaries, you will need to do the following:
- Get a special invoice in the store(in Italian - fattura) (also called Tax Free Shopping Check or Il Modulo Tax Refund ) . It must contain your passport and your home address. Sometimes sellers fill it out themselves, sometimes they ask you to fill it out. In any case, it is necessary to check that they are filled out before presenting them at customs. signed by you. The invoice also indicates the amount to be reimbursed.
- Stamp at customs il timbro doganale ) . This is usually done at the airport after check-in for the flight. At all major airports in Italy, the customs office (Dogana) has a special office for stamping invoices. If you are traveling further within the EU countries, then the stamp is placed in the last country before leaving the EU. You need to be ready to demonstrate the goods to the customs officer. Therefore, all things must be with you, so do not check in your luggage until you get a stamp from customs. They must not be used. If you have an e-ticket printout in English, you can get a stamp at customs even before check-in. Important addition! From August 1, 2015, the procedure for returning tax free from Global Blue at Malpensa Airport has changed. Now you do not need to stand in two queues (first at customs, then at the point of issue). You need to immediately go to the Global Blue pick-up point (which is located in the departure area, i.e. before passport control).
- Get cash at the point Cashrefund corresponding company at the airport, either receive credit on the card or send the forms by mail to the address of this company (if the point Cashrefund not at the airport, or for some reason it is closed or you do not have time to queue). Moreover, it is recommended to send an envelope immediately at the airport, entering your credit card number on the form.
Frequently asked questions about Tax Free
Where to put a customs stamp on Tax Free if you leave another country?
Customs stamp on the export of goods is placed in the last EU country, which you leave, you also get tax free there. The exception is Switzerland. Because Since it is not part of the EU, then you need to get a customs stamp at the Swiss border. The VAT refund itself is made in the EU country that you left last. This is how Global Blue works, at least in Italy.
How to get a Tax Free refund in Italy (before leaving the EU)?
You can get a tax free refund even before leaving the EU. For example, Global blue provides such a service. The procedure is as follows: At Global blue tax free refund points you show invoices (receipts) for receiving tax free. In doing so, you also give your credit card. It is needed in order for Global blue to be able to withhold from this card the amount that it pays you if it does not receive invoices with customs stamps within a certain period of time. In fact, you are given a trust payment, in the expectation that you will fulfill the condition on your part: put a stamp at customs and send a stamped invoice to Global blue. If you do not do this, Global blue will charge your card all the money paid to you plus a fine.
The same option is available at some boutiques that sell luxury goods. This is even more beneficial, because. without an intermediary, the refund amount is 22% (VAT in Italy since 2013). It looks like this: they sell you goods without VAT, i.e. minus 22%. At the same time, the same amount is “frozen” on your credit card. If the store receives an invoice from you with a customs stamp, then this amount on the credit card is “unfrozen”. If the store does not receive this invoice on time, then it will simply write off this very amount from your credit card.
HowTaxFree is different fromdutyFree?
Tax-free and Duty-free are, in fact, the same thing - the ability to purchase goods without VAT. The main differences are that 1) EU citizens leaving their country can also take advantage of this benefit, 2) the sale of Duty Free goods is "territorially" limited: airports and aircraft making international flights. (Also ferries between the two countries, cruise ships). 3) Goods are sold already “cleared” from VAT (the price tag shows the price without VAT, i.e. in Italy it is automatically 22% cheaper).
Why is the VAT rate in Italy 22%, but only 11% is reimbursed?
If we are talking about receiving VAT through one of the return systems (eg. GlobalBlue), then the difference is used to pay the remuneration to the intermediary for the VAT refund services provided. In this case, the exact percentage depends on the amount of the purchase. The more expensive the purchase, the lower the percentage the intermediary takes for himself, respectively, the client receives more.
How to find out exactly how much tax free is refundable?
Each invoice must indicate the exact amount to be reimbursed, already taking into account all deductions, i.e. the net amount to be returned. It is affixed in the store where the product was purchased, on the invoice. If this amount is not specified, then there will be no VAT refund. In addition, for example, Global blue has a progressive scale for VAT refunds: the more you spend, the greater the percentage of this amount will be refunded to you. They have a calculator on their website that can help you calculate an approximate refund amount.
Are there any return restrictions?TaxFree cash?
The TFS system does not provide for any restrictions on the return of value added tax. But the cash payout is limited to 999.50 euros. Also, there may not be enough cash in the points in Tax Free Refund. Or you will be offered to pay the amount, for example, in dollars. However, the course is very unfavorable. It is better to ask for the amount to be credited to your card.
How to senda Tax Refund form by mail?
If you have used the services GlobalBlue and so on. when buying goods, and could not receive VAT refund in Italy, then you can send checks and a receipt with a customs stamp in a company envelope, which is issued along with the invoice. Moreover, there is no need to glue postage stamps on these envelopes, because. they indicate that the recipient pays the shipping costs. But the Russian Post sometimes does not send such letters, demanding to stick stamps. By the way, many airports have special boxes for collecting such envelopes, this method is more reliable.
Customs only puts a stamp, you must send the stamped invoice.
Instead of an invoice (blank) of tax free, the store issued a “long check”. What to do?
Indeed, instead of "invoice" they can issue a "long check", which is a full-fledged alternative to tax free invoices. Its main difference from other checks is that it must contain your data: full name, passport number, and your signature must also be. This data can be entered manually after. The "long check" is stamped by customs. After that, it can be presented at the tax free refund point or sent (necessarily in a BRANDED envelope to the address indicated on this envelope. Also indicate on the check the number of the credit card to which the tax free refund will be transferred to you. No additional forms need to be sent.
How to ask the store forTaxFree in Italian?
In stores, before the seller at the checkout began to make a purchase, you must definitely say that you want to receive tax free. To do this, you can simply say: TaxFree, perfavore". You will be understood. Or say : Mi faccia il Tax Free, per favore. (Mi faccia il taxi fries, per favore).
How does the refund work?TaxFree on a credit card?
Reimbursement occurs in the currency in which your credit card is opened, within 5 days from the receipt of the form in points or within three weeks from the date of receipt of the forms by mail. Important addition! Since 2015, Global Blue began to transfer the amount to the card not in euros, but in dollars at a very unfavorable rate. So if possible, try to get tax free cash in euros (if you made purchases in euros).
Olesya Maranova, stylist-shopper in Moscow and Milan
VAT in Italy is 22%. Non-residents of European Union countries can expect a refund of these funds (called “ Tax Free") in case of export of purchased goods from the territory of the European Union. But taking into account the commission for returning funds, you can count on a maximum of 15%. The amount to be refunded, by the way, is immediately indicated by sellers in the Tax Free form. VAT is not refundable for purchased food products, services in hotels and restaurants.
To get a Tax Free refund in Italy you must make a purchase within one day in one store(can be by different checks) for the amount of 155 euros. After this, you need to ask the seller to fill out a special form, in which, in addition to the purchase data (information from the cash register receipt), passport data and home address are indicated. The procedure is a little tedious, sometimes they let you fill out this form yourself.
Stores where you can apply for Tax Free are marked with a special sign. Nowadays, a VAT refund company called “ global blue».
I read that in some cases VAT can be refunded directly from the seller. In fact, no seller agrees to do this. The calculation is simple: someone will forget, someone will not be returned due to mistakes, someone will apply late (deadline - 3 months). By the way, carefully check the data in the Tax Free form: any minor error or clerical error will lead to non-refund of money.
The goods must not be unpacked or used before being exported from the territory of the European Union. At customs, you will definitely be asked to present all receipts and verify all goods. Sometimes the process is purely formal, sometimes there is a full check. If everything goes well, then the Euro-customs inspector will mark the receipt and tax free form special stamp, confirming the export of goods from the territory of the European Union. There is always a long queue at all these customs points, you need to be prepared for this.
After you have received the coveted stamps, take another line at the cash desk. At airports, money is usually refunded in cash in euros. But for some products (the list is unfamiliar to me), you put the completed form along with the check in a special envelope, which you put in a special mailbox. There is no need to add any additional stamps. You just need to indicate in the form the number of your bank card to which you want to receive a refund. I waited about a month for a refund in this case.
If you are traveling by car, then exactly the same procedure must be completed in the last EU country bordering your country. As a rule, you need to spend even more time at checkpoints (3 hours). Customs does not return money; there are no return points at the crossings. Therefore, you can return your hard-earned euros at home in two ways: either use a special envelope and send it, or contact any banking institution that returns Tax Free. In Odessa, I used the services of Pravex Bank.
For guests Venice there is a nice bonus. Not far from Piazza San Marco, on the opposite side of the Basilica of San Marco, behind the Archaeological Museum there is a Tax Free return point. Located on Calle Larga Ascensione, it looks like an ordinary exchange office. What sets it apart from all the others is that it does not require a customs stamp. Only two conditions: the goods were purchased only in Italy and a bank card is required (not Electron - those with embossed numbers). The money is returned in cash in euros.
