Venice Transportation

Venice Marco Polo (VCE) Airport; credit FuFu33/Wiki

Venice Transportation

Airports

Venice Marco Polo International Airport (VCE) is served by EasyJet, RYANAIR, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, American Airlines, Air Canada, Delta, United, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, and Swiss Air. VCE Airport is located on the mainland near the village of Tessera located 4.7 miles from Venice. The airport appropriately honors Marco Polo, the Venetian merchant, and adventurer who traveled from Europe to Asia in 1271–95. VCE Airport Map. Most American visitors transfer from Milan Airport or Rome Airport to VCE Airport.

Tips Flying to Venice

• Confirm your flight at least 72 hours in advance.
• If you are not flying directly to Venice, arrange plenty of time between transfers. Italian flights are frequently delayed.
• Make 2 copies of your passport & reservations; leave one copy with someone at home, then take the second copy with you.
• Pack headache, motion sickness, and other medicines in your carry-on luggage.
• If you have a cold or have problems with air pressure, purchase special earplugs available at most airports or pharmacies.
• Bring an eye patch for sleeping.

Land Bus & Taxi Station

VCE Airport is connected to Venezia Piazzale Roma bus terminal in Venice, an 8-mile distance. It’s best to purchase ATVO Bus Line #5 tickets at the airport ticket office. ATVO (private) and ACTV (public) provide express bus service. Both feature comfortable air-conditioned buses. ATVO has ample luggage space beneath the passenger compartment. ACTV requires you to carry luggage onboard to place in overhead racks. If you have large luggage we recommend ATVO Express Bus. uring the 22-minute ride, utilize the free WiFi.

Express buses permit Free ticket cancelation up to 24 hours in advance. So it’s a good idea to book your return trip the same day you arrive, unless you plan to explore more of Italy by train (see below). You won’t have to pay for the bus ticket until you return. Tickets cost 10 euros ($11). They can be purchased at ticket machines in the airport baggage area or the ATVO ticket office located in the arrivals hall. Trip time by bus to Venice is only 22 minutes. Express buses depart every 15 minutes.

We do not recommend taking a bus from VCE Airport to Mestre Train Station, then taking a train into Venice because it takes longer and is more expensive than other options.

A regular taxi can transport you from VCE Airport to Piazzale Roma Bus Terminal in 15 minutes and cost 40 euros plus luggage fees. A taxi won’t make any extra stops.

All ground-based options will deposit you at Piazzale Roma Bus Terminal or Santa Lucia Train Station. Depending on where your accommodations are located, you can also walk or take a Vaporetto. The Vaporetto are large bus-like boats that make multiple stops in Venice and the surrounding islands. A 75-minute ticket on the Vaporetto costs 7.5 euros. If you are staying in Venice for 2+ days, consider purchasing a multi-day tourist card for unlimited use of the Vaporettos. The Vaporetto service is provided by ACTV, which enables you to combine land bus, Vaporetto and Tram tickets.

Train Station

Italo high-speed trains go between Milan, Padua, Verona, Venice and Trieste. Trenitalia high-speed trains go between Naples, Rome, Florence, and Venice. Venezia Mestre train station on the mainland feature transfers to Tram Lines 1 & 2, Ferrovia regional trains, and standard buses.

It’s best to arrive at train stations at least 15 minutes before train departure. Given the intense competition between Trenitalia and Italo, fares are surprisingly cheap. Both train stations feature transfers to the Tram, Ferrovia regional trains, and standard buses. Piazzale Roma Bus Terminal and Santa Lucia Train Station are only 4 blocks apart.

Trains to Venice cross the lagoon to Venezia Santa Lucia station, located in Cannaregio district, the northernmost of 6 districts in Venice. Venezia Santa Lucia station has modern atrium housing several retail spaces. As soon as travelers walk outside the station, they can transfer to water taxis or Vaporettos.

ACTV Line 1 Tram in Piazzale Roma; credit Mariordo

Rapid Transit

Venezia-Mestre is a two line Tram System in the small city of Venice. From the mainland, the Tram crosses Venice Lagoon to Venezia Santa Lucia Train Station with tracks beside the Italian High-Speed Trains. This 13-mile (20 km) Tramway is shared with automobiles, so the average speed is only a slight bit faster than a local bus. Nevertheless, Trams are frequent and convenient. VENICE Rapid Transit Map

The multi-section Tram is agile around curves and features large windows for viewing the landscape and the lagoon between Venice and Mestre. It is well patronized in the daytime, so women feel safe using it. Unfortunately, the Venice Tram system does NOT go to VCE Airport.

Tourists sometimes catch the Tram from Venice to Mestre on the mainland, then return the same day. Others park their luggage at the station, then walk around Mestre for a coffee or to browse and later, catch a high-speed train to other parts of Italy.

To minimize targeting by pickpockets, avoid reading maps or tour books on Metro & Tram trains. Instead, read a Metro-Tram Rail Map and tour books in your hotel room. Memorize saying the name of your Metro & Tram stations near attractions in Italian — it’s not hard.

Cruise ships docked in Venice ; (c) Soul Of America

Cruiseports

Venezia Terminal Passeggeri was founded in 1997. It’s one of the most important cruise ports to the Adriatic Sea and eastern Mediterranean Sea. The large terminal is conveniently located centrally between road, rail and water taxi connections, while also being a short walking distance to central Venice. The Port of Venice has 10 multifunctional terminals, 6 dedicated quays, and wide spaces for express buses and taxis. The port area has duty free shops, area to drop off luggage, water taxis, refreshment areas, and over 2,000 parking spaces.

Holland America, MSC Cruises, and Silverseas Cruises dock at the main cruise ports, <strong>Santa Chiara. Most people take a waterbus or water taxi to their place of lodging in Venice.

Alilaguna Waterbus operates between VCE Airport and Venice. Trip time is 1 hour 15 minutes. Some people prefer this relaxing option for at least one leg of their VCE Airport-Venice journey. A one-way ticket will cost you 15 euros (just over $16). Alilaguna water buses have bright yellow bottoms. The Alilaguna fleet now totals 34 boats and they are fairly large and can accommodate many travelers with luggage.

There are 3 Alilaguna Waterbus lines between the airport and Venice. The Red, Blue, and Orange lines each make different stops so ask before buying your ticket. We recommend the Blue Line or Orange Line which makes multiple stops in Venice. If your hotel or Air B&B is close to a water bus stop, this option will save you some travel time in getting from Piazzale Roma bus terminal where you then walk with luggage or take a water taxi to your hotel.

Alilaguna Waterbus tickets can be purchased in the airport arrivals area and the water buses require a 10-minute walk outside of the airport. If you have a lot of luggage allow extra time to get to the dock. The water buses leave hourly.

Water taxis in Venice; (C) Soul Of America

The Private Water Taxi option from the airport to Venice costs 100 to 150 euros depending on where you are going in Venice and the amount of luggage to transport. If you have a large group this might be worth considering as you can split the fare. Always negotiate a price before getting into the water taxi.

A better option is to utilize a shared water taxi. This provides a less crowded ride than the water bus and a somewhat cheaper alternative. Rates start at 35 euros. Inquire about a water taxi at the taxi desk in the airport arrivals. The share water taxi pick-up is at the same pier as the water bus. One of the biggest advantages of the water taxi is that they will take you to the closest spot possible to your accommodations so if you have a lot of luggage this can be a benefit.

Using Vaporetto boats are the most common transportation around Venice and they have many small ports. If you have problems with seasickness, bring wristbands, medications, etc.

Even if the ticket office has a printed timetable, Vaporettos don’t adhere to a specific timetable. When in doubt, use the slow boats. They come more frequently than express boats. A slower boat also gives more time to enjoy the scenery.

Unless you are walking everywhere, don’t plan a tight schedule using the Vaporettos. Before exiting a Vaporetto boat, look at the map and figure out exactly where you are going. Chewing gum is not allowed on Vaporetto boats. Unless you are very good at balancing yourself while standing up in a boat, don’t use the small Traghetto boats. Leave early for your return flight from Marco Polo Airport, especially if you use the Aliaguna Waterbus service.