HOW TO GET TO VENICE, ITALY

Ah, la Serenissima! I’ve visited Venice more than a few times now and can honestly say it’s one of my favorite destinations in Italy. That being said, getting to it is not straightforward. The city of Venice is an island with only 1 road in and out. The main gateway to the island is Piazzale Roma in the Northern part of the island. This is where all ground transportation including cars and motorcycles, tourist coaches, and local buses enter. After Piazzale Roma, everything is on foot or by the ACTV public water buses (Vaporettos) or private water taxis. To get to Venice, visitors have 4 options. A cruise ship or public water ferry (Alilaguna), a tourist coach or local bus, or by car or train.

Over the years I’ve arrived in 3 different ways. A ferry boat, a train, and a public water ferry from the airport. The first time I visited was in October and we took a ferry over from Porec, Croatia on a rainy, dismal day. As we sailed into the mouth of the Venetian basin and toward the tip of the Punta Della Dogana, the fog started to lift and the island slowly unveiled itself before our eyes.

To our right was the Doges Palace and the Piazzetta di San Marco. It was quite a romantic way to arrive in Venice for the first time.

While I can’t guarantee you’ll have quite as romantic an arrival in Venice I can help sort out some of the confusion about how to get there and how to get around.

Arriving By Air

If you’re flying, Venice’s main airport is Marco Polo Airport and it’s on the mainland. From the airport, you can take a bus, a public water ferry (Alilaguna), or a private water taxi to the island. There is no train from the airport. You can also rent a car at the airport but I don’t really recommend it as you can’t drive on the island and it will have to remain in the parking lot at Piazzale Roma during your visit.

The other airport near Venice is Treviso A. Canova Airport. If you’re flying into Treviso take the ATVO Bus Express to Venice. It’s approximately a 60-minute ride to Piazzale Roma. From there you can take the ACTV public water buses (Vaporettos) to other destinations on the island (see more below). You can check schedules and purchase tickets for the express bus in advance here.

From Marco Polo Airport To The Island of Venice

How To Get To Venice By Boat;

To get to Venice from the airport by boat you have two options. Alilaguna or private water taxi.

Alilaguna;

The public transportation service from Marco Polo Airport to the island of Venice is called the Alilaguna and it runs 365 days a year, holidays included. It is hands down the best and most economical way to get to Venice by boat. To get to the docks, follow the Alilaguna and Water Taxi wall signs. It’s about 10 – 13 min. walk but it’s all inside and there are moving walkways.

There are four different Alilaguna lines, Blue, Red, Orange, and Green and each goes to different stops on the island. Make sure to check out the map and where the closest stop to your destination is to make sure you get the most direct route.

At the time of writing, the one-way fare to Venice’s main island was 15 euros, and 27 euros for a return ticket. You can buy tickets online in advance or if you like to fly by the seat of your pants you can wait until you get to the airport and see if the ticket booth is open (in both my cases it was closed). There are also ticket machines inside the airport where you can buy a ticket but the instructions are in Italian so it can be a little confusing if you don’t know the language.

You can find out more about the Alilaguna service including fares, schedules, and stops here and you can purchase your tickets in advance here.

By Private Water Taxi;

Private water taxis are Venice’s version of taxi cabs. Taking a private water taxi from Venice’s Marco Polo airport is not cheap but it can be the most comfortable and most direct route from the airport to your hotel as it won’t be stopping at other stops to let people off as the Alilaguna does. And if you’re travelling with a group of people that you can split the cost with it can be more economical. At the time of writing you could expect to pay a minimum of between 100-120 Euros for up to 6 passengers plus more for each additional person over that.

There are numerous private water taxi companies so be sure to do your research in advance. In high season (and just about every season is high season in Venice) be sure to book your private water taxi in advance. The docks where you’ll meet your water taxi are by the Alilaguna docks so follow the same path from the airport as you would to get to the Alilaguna docks. Sometimes there are water taxis available by the docks but it’s always best to book in advance to ensure availability. While I haven’t used them I’ve heard good reviews from friends about these two companies, Consorzio Motoscafi, and Consorzio Venezia Taxi. But again, please do your homework before booking with either to make sure it’s the right choice for you.

How To Reach Venice By Land

By Airport Bus;

To reach Venice by bus from Marco Polo Airport, take bus route No. 5-AeroBus. It departs from the bus lane located just meters away from the airport’s arrivals exit. It’s approximately a 20-minute ride to Piazzale Roma, the main gateway for land transportation to Venice. From there you can walk or take one of the public ACTV water buses (Vaporettos) to your destination. You’ll find the Vaporetto landing stations directly in front of the Piazzale Roma (see more below). You can find the airport bus timetables & fares here.

Local City Bus;

Local buses arrive on the island at Piazzale Roma. From here you can access the rest of the island on foot by crossing one of the 4 bridges that will take you to the historic district of Venice. You can also take one of the public ACTV water buses called Vaporettos. You’ll find the Vaporetto landing stations on the canal directly in front of the Piazzale Roma and you can purchase tickets at the nearby Venezia Unica stand or online. See below for more information about the Vaporettos.

By Tourist Coach Or Car;

As cars are not allowed on the majority of the island the only spot you can drive to is the Piazzale Roma. There is paid parking available here and just to the north on Tronchetto Island where the tourist coaches arrive. At the time of writing the costs were 23.40 – 29 Euros a day for the Piazzale Roma lot and 21 Euros for the lot on Tronchetto Island.

From Piazzale Roma, you can access other areas on the island on foot by crossing one of the nearby 4 bridges leading to the Cannereggio and Santa Croce districts. If you have a longer distance to your destination you can also take one of the public ACTV water buses called Vaporettos. You’ll find the Vaporetto landing stations on the canal directly in front of the Piazzale Roma. See below for more information on the Vaporettos.

If you’re arriving on Tronchetto Island you can get to Piazzale Roma via the people mover (an automated monorail train that connects Piazzale Roma and the Tronchetto terminals). You can purchase a ticket at the automatic ticket machines located at the entrance to the People Mover. Or to access other parts of the island you can take a waterbus (Vaporetto) route 2 departing from the ACTV landing stages at the south end of Tronchetto Island. You can purchase tickets at the Venezia Unica stand nearby or online here.

By Train;

Arriving by train is probably the most direct way to arrive in Venice as the Venezia Santa Lucia train station is located in the city itself on the northern edge of the Cannaregio district. To get to your destination from the station you’ll have to walk or take the public water ferry (Vaporetto) or a private water taxi. You’ll find the Vaporetto stations and docks directly outside the train station entrance. You can purchase tickets at the Venezia Unica stand nearby or online here. See below for more information about the Vaporettos.

Arriving By Cruise Ship

From the Stazione Marittima Cruise Terminal, you can walk to Piazzale Roma or take the people mover (the automated monorail train that connects Piazzale Roma and the Tronchetto terminals). You can purchase a ticket at the automatic ticket machines located at the entrance to the People Mover.

Once at Piazzale Roma, you can catch a public water bus (Vaporetto) to your location or you can cross one of the 4 bridges that will take you to the Cannaregio or Santa Croce districts and on to other locations on the island. You can purchase Vaporetto tickets at the Venezia Unica stand nearby or online here. See below for more information about the Vaporettos.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

How to get to Venice from the airport cheap? The cheapest way to get to Venice from the airport is by public bus however depending on where you are staying you will then need to walk a fair distance or transfer to an Alilaguna water bus that will take you to a station closer to your hotel. 

How much is a water taxi from the airport to Venice? A private boat or water taxi from Marco Polo airport to Venice city center will cost between E100-120.

Do you need to prebook a water taxi in Venice? Unless you are arriving during early morning or late night hours there is no need to prebook. Just follow the signs in the airport to the water taxi station where there will be some waiting or the attendent will order one. 

Getting Around Venice

The Vaporettos;

Once you’ve arrived in Venice, the only way to get around is by foot or boat. It’s a very walkable city however sometimes travelling by boat is the better way. The public ACTV water buses are called Vaporettos. There are over 30 Vaporetto lines that deliver passengers to more than 120 floating stations around the city and surrounding islands so you’ll most likely find one that will get you where you want to go. You can find a map of the ACTV Vaporetto routes here. You can purchase tickets for 1, 2, 3, and 7 days. Tickets can be purchased online here or at Venezia Unica ticket points near the Vaporetto landing stations. Be sure to validate your pass before you use it for the first time. Look for the white electronic card reader near the walkway that leads to the floating Vaporetto platform.

However you arrive in Venice, I know you’re going to love the city and the unique travel experience it has to offer. I’ll be writing more about Venice in future posts including what area to stay in, where to eat, and what to see and do so stay tuned!

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If you’re looking for more information about Italy check out my Guide to Rome Restaurants and 6 Things You Absolutely Must Do On The Amalfi Coast.