Ryanair, one of several European low-cost airlines, has flights that connect Venice with London (Stansted), Liverpool (John Lennon), Brussels (Charlerol), Hahn (90 km from Frankfurt), and Girona (an airport on the Costa Brava, 110 km from Barcelona).

At least, that's what the timetable suggests: In reality, the airline uses Treviso Airport, (TSF), which is about 26 km or 16 miles from Venice, or considerably farther away than Venice's own Marco Polo Airport. Other budget carriers that use Treviso Airport include BelleAir, Transavia, Wizzair, Germanwings, and SkyTrain.

If you're headed for Venice from Treviso Airport, the easiest--and cheapest--way to get there is to take the connecting coach service. Bus times coincide with flight arrivals and departures, and the fare is much cheaper than a taxi. (It's also far less expensive than a private car with driver, which could cost more than your airline ticket.)

Two bus companies offer frequent scheduled service between TSF and Venice's Piazzale Roma with intermediate stops in Mestre, on the Venetian mainland. Buses are modern air-conditioned coaches with ground-level baggage compartments.

Barzi Bus Service

Barzi Bus Barzi takes 40 minutes to cover the distance between TSF and Venice, with a single stop in Mestre.

At the airport, buy your ticket at the Barzi desk or on the bus. The fare is €7 one-way or €13 roundtrip. (Return tickets are valid for 10 days.)
At the Piazzale Roma in Venice, buy your ticket at the Prevedello newsstand near the Calatrava Bridge (the large modern glass bridge at the north end of the square) or on the bus.
If you prefer to order tickets online and pay in pounds sterling, go to www.shuttledirect.com. Use the search tool to enter your pick-up and drop-off points--e.g., "TSF" and "Venice"--and make sure to choose "Public Transport Service" from the list of search results. (At the airport, you can exchange your voucher for a ticket at the Barzi desk or on the bus.)
In Mestre, Barzi buses stop by the Plaza Hotel, which is directly across from the Mestre Railroad Station.
Note: The company also runs a bus from Treviso Airport to Venice Marco Polo Airport with a stop at Treviso's train station.

For more information, including timetables, see Barzi Bus Service's Airport/Mestre/Venice Piazzale Roma page. If the link doesn't work, search from the company's English-language home page at en.barziservice.com.

ATVO

ATVO buses require 60-70 minutes to cover the distance between TSF and Venice's Piazzale Roma. (Unlike Barzi's buses, ATVO buses don't go on the highway, and they stop twice in Mestre: at the Piazza 27 Ottobre and in a cul-de-sac at the eastern end of Mestre Railroad Station.)

At Treviso Airport, buy your ticket from an ATVO ticket machine or at the ATVO counter for €7 one-way or €13 roundtrip. (Return tickets are valid for 7 days.)
At Venice's Piazzale Roma, buy your ticket at the ATVO "Venezia Air Terminal" office on the northern side of the square.
You can also order ATVO tickets online.
No matter where you buy your ticket, be sure to validate it in the stamping machine on the bus after boarding.

For more information, including timetables, see the ATVO Bus Service - Treviso Canova Airport page. If the link isn't working (the ATVO has a bad habit of changing internal URLs from time to time), search the ATVO's site from the home page at www.atvo.it.