Spa levy and beach fee · ostseecard
Visitor’s tax in Travemünde
Travemünde’s visitor’s tax is officially the spa levy (Kurabgabe): overnight guests pay 3.50 € per person per day in the high season (15 May to 14 September) and 2.00 € in the low season. Day visitors pay a beach fee of 3.50 € – 2.00 € after 3 p.m. – in the high season only. Lübeck residents and children are exempt. This page answers the detailed questions, backed by the Hansestadt Lübeck by-law.
Today (high season): overnight stay 3.50 € per person per day · day visitor beach fee 3.50 €, 2.00 € after 3 p.m. Low season from 15 September: 2.00 €, beach visits then free.
Spa levy for overnight guests
Per person and overnight stay, adults from 18. The arrival day is not charged (§ 7 of the by-law) – you pay per night, usually via the host (hotel, holiday flat).
| Period | per person and day |
|---|---|
| 1 January – 14 May | 2,00 € |
| 15 May – 14 September (high season) | 3,50 € |
| 15 September – 31 December | 2,00 € |
| Children’s card (optional, up to and incl. 17) | 1,20 € |
Beach fee for day visitors
Anyone visiting the beach without staying overnight pays a day fee in the high season only (15 May to 14 September) – outside this period the beach is free. Day beach cards are available at the machines at the beach entrances, from the beach-chair rentals or digitally via app.
| Period | per person and day |
|---|---|
| 15 May – 14 September, from 16 | 3,50 € |
| same period, from 3 p.m. | 2,00 € |
| Season beach card (whole high season) | 84,00 € |
| 15 September – 14 May | free |
What will it cost me? Tax calculator
Overnight stay or day trip, high or low season – enter your trip and see the total. Children are already included: they pay nothing.
Who is exempt? Lübeck residents, children, disabled visitors
The Hansestadt Lübeck by-law sets out the exemptions conclusively – these are the most important:
- Lübeck residents
- Exempt – anyone whose habitual residence or main residence is in the Hansestadt Lübeck pays neither the spa levy nor the beach fee (§ 5 (1) no. 7, § 14 d).
- Children and young people
- Spa levy free up to the age of 18 (proof of age); beach fee free up to the age of 16 (§ 5 (1) no. 1, § 14 a).
- Severely disabled visitors
- Fully exempt with a disability degree (GdB) of 100 (§ 5 (1) no. 5); from GdB 50 there is a 50 % reduction on presentation of the ID (§ 19 (1)). An accompanying person is free if mark B is entered (§ 5 (1) no. 6). Reduced beach cards are available at the beach-chair rentals and the spa administration.
- Pensioners
- No reduction – the by-law has no pensioner rate. Regular rates apply unless another exemption applies (e.g. Lübeck residence or severe disability).
- Students in Lübeck
- Exempt with a valid student ID of Lübeck’s universities (§ 5 (1) no. 3, § 14 e).
- Guests with guest cards of other SH resorts
- Exempt from the spa levy for one day if the resort is not part of the ostseecard network (§ 5 (2)); ostseecard holders from other resorts are free for the card’s validity (§ 5 (1) no. 8, § 14 c).
- Second-home owners
- Pay a flat annual spa levy of 98.00 € (28 days of the summer season, § 7 (2) and (3)); in certain cases 56.00 € on application.
Does the tax apply on the Priwall – and where is the beach free?
Yes – the Priwall is part of the levy area (§ 2 of the by-law). Fees apply to the managed Priwall beach between the Südermole and a line 120 m west of the state border with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (§ 11), on the town side to the beach between Nordermole and the northern ramp, and to the lawn beach (Grünstrand). The nature beach below the Brodten cliff remains free of charge – walk there if you want to save.
Where and how do you pay – is online possible?
Overnight guests pay the spa levy via their host, who hands out the ostseecard; registration runs digitally via the online registration form (§ 9). Day visitors buy the beach card before entering at the machines at the beach entrances, from the beach-chair rentals – or digitally via app (§ 16; the spa administration names EasyPark). Note: paying only during an inspection incurs an additional administrative fee (§ 16 (4)); deliberate non-payment is an administrative offence with a fine of up to 2,500 € (§ 20).
What does the ostseecard give you?
The ostseecard is proof of the paid spa levy: it unlocks access to the managed beach sections and further spa services – the beach fee is already included for ostseecard holders (§ 14 c). Frequent visitors can buy the season beach card for 84.00 €, valid for the entire high season (§ 15, § 17).
Visitor’s tax Travemünde at a glance
In Travemünde the Hansestadt Lübeck charges a spa levy from overnight guests (3.50 € per person per day in the high season from 15 May to 14 September, otherwise 2.00 €; the arrival day is not counted) and a beach fee from day visitors (3.50 €, 2.00 € after 3 p.m., high season only). Exempt are, among others, Lübeck residents, children and young people, severely disabled visitors with GdB 100 and students of Lübeck’s universities; from GdB 50 a 50 per cent reduction applies. Payment is made via the host, at beach machines or by app; the ostseecard serves as proof. The Priwall beach is subject to fees, the nature beach at the Brodten cliff is free. The legal basis is the Hansestadt Lübeck spa-levy by-law in the version effective from 15 May 2026.
Frequently asked questions about the visitor’s tax
What does the visitor’s tax cost in Travemünde in 2026?
Overnight guests pay 3.50 € per person per day in the high season (15 May to 14 September) and 2.00 € in the low season; the arrival day is not charged. Day visitors pay a 3.50 € beach fee in the high season, 2.00 € from 3 p.m. – outside the high season the beach is free.
Do Lübeck residents have to pay the visitor’s tax?
No. Anyone whose habitual or main residence is in the Hansestadt Lübeck is exempt from the spa levy (§ 5 (1) no. 7 of the by-law) and the beach fee (§ 14 d). Travemünde is a district of Lübeck – residents are not guests here.
Do pensioners pay less visitor’s tax?
No, the by-law has no pensioner rate – regular rates apply. Exemptions exist for other reasons, such as Lübeck residence or severe disability.
Are severely disabled visitors exempt?
With a disability degree (GdB) of 100, yes (§ 5 (1) no. 5). From GdB 50 there is a 50 % reduction on presentation of the ID (§ 19 (1)). An accompanying person is exempt if mark B is entered (§ 5 (1) no. 6). More on this on the accessibility page.
From what age do you pay the visitor’s tax?
Overnight guests pay from 18 – children and young people are free up to the age of 18 (§ 5 (1) no. 1). The day-visitor beach fee applies from 16 (§ 14 a).
Does the tax apply on the Priwall?
Yes, the Priwall is part of the levy area (§ 2). Fees apply to the managed beach between the Südermole and 120 m before the state border with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (§ 11 no. 2).
Where and how do you pay – also online?
Overnight guests pay via their host (digital online registration, § 9). Day visitors buy the beach card at the machines at the beach entrances, from the beach-chair rentals or digitally via app (§ 16); the spa administration names EasyPark.
Which beaches are free of the tax?
Fees apply only to the managed sections: town beach, Priwall beach and the lawn beach (§ 11). The nature beach below the Brodten cliff is free – and outside the high season no beach costs anything.
What happens if you don’t pay?
Paying the beach fee only during an inspection incurs an additional administrative fee (§ 16 (4)). Deliberate non-payment is an administrative offence with a fine of up to 2,500 € (§ 20).
What do you get for the visitor’s tax?
The ostseecard unlocks access to the managed beach sections and further spa services – the beach fee is included. It is also proof that the contribution has been paid.
