From October onwards, Heidelberg will be charging accommodation tax: 3.50 euros per night!

From October onwards, Heidelberg will be charging accommodation tax: 3.50 euros per night!

From October onwards, there will be a new source of income for the city in Heidelberg: the overnight stay tax, which will come into force on October 1st, 2025, was passed by the local council on June 5th, 2025. This so-called “city tax” is levied on all overnight stays by tourists and business travelers and costs 3.50 euros per person per night. The aim of this tax is to ensure financial resources for the maintenance and promotion of the tourist infrastructure, because the city of Heidelberg must also be prepared for the costs associated with the provision and maintenance of its tourist offerings. The decision to introduce the tax was made by a majority and is intended to be an important tool for improving tourist conditions in the city. As Rheinpfalz reports, the city expects revenue of around five million euros annually, based on the 1.8 million overnight stays achieved last year.

The tax applies only to adults and is levied for a maximum of five consecutive nights in the same establishment. Stays in private holiday apartments that are booked via platforms such as Airbnb are also affected by this regulation. However, certain facilities such as hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, retirement and nursing homes and hospices are excluded. In addition, children and young people up to the age of 16 are completely exempt from tax. Before the statute comes into force, overnight stays that have already been booked can be exempt from tax if the booking was made before October 1st.

Infrastructure in focus

The reorganization of the financial structure should not only serve to keep the tourist attractions alive, but also to promote new projects and the further expansion of the infrastructure. In order to be able to provide the necessary staff to collect the tax, the city has budgeted a budget of around 110,000 euros. These funds are crucial in order to secure the high number of overnight stays that Heidelberg records annually in the future and to position the city as an attractive travel destination.

The introduction of the accommodation tax reflects a trend that exists in many cities. Similar taxes are levied in various German cities in order to generate financial resources for the tourism-related sector. In Bad Ems, for example, an overnight stay tax of 2.50 euros per night will be introduced for adults from 2025, with various exemptions possible. A look at other cities such as Frankfurt, Cologne or Dresden shows how different the regulations are with regard to business overnight stays and other exceptions.

With this new approach, Heidelberg is positioning itself as a city that actively invests in improving its tourist attractiveness. The challenges that this source of income brings with it will certainly be exciting, but the city has set itself a clear goal: visitors should do their part in the maintenance and development of the tourism infrastructure. After all, you not only take advantage of the city's amenities, but also benefit from Heidelberg's lively cultural scene and impressive history.

For more information about the accommodation tax in Heidelberg you can read the articles from Rhine Palatinate and Heidelberg24 visit or get up bettensteuer.de inform about similar regulations in Germany.