Venice Airport Buses

Marco Polo Airport - Piazzale Roma

ABOVE: ATVO coaches in new (greenish-grey) and old (blue) livery at the Piazzale Roma.

Venice Marco Polo International Airport is on the Italian mainland at Tessera, just north of Venice. It's a 20- to 25-minute road trip from the Piazzale Roma, the main automotive point of entry into Venice's historic center. Two different bus routes are available, and both are inexpensive:

ATVO Fly Bus

This coach costs €3,00 and is the most convenient option, since it has a luggage compartment underneath where the driver will stow your bags. The stop is located between the Arrivals terminal and the Departures area. (Caution: ATVO also runs buses to other locations, so look for the "Venezia" sign before boarding.)

You can buy tickets at the ATVO counter in the arrivals hall (open 8 a.m. to midnight), from the ticket machines in the baggage-claim area, or from a ticket machine in the bus departure area.

Travel time to the Piazzale Roma is 20 minutes. For more information, including timetables, see the ATVO Web site's Airport Service page.

Important:

• To take the bus from Venice to the airport, buy a ticket at the ATVO Bus Terminal in the Piazzale Roma and walk to the D2 bus bay, where you'll see signs for coaches to the Venice and Treviso airports. Board the bus for Marco Polo Airport. (Treviso Airport buses are for Ryanair and Transavia flights.)

• Be sure to validate your ticket before or immediately after boarding the ATVO coach. At the airport, you'll find a stamping machine next to the bus stop; at the Piazzale Roma, stamp your ticket in the machine behind the driver's seat.

See diagram: Piazzale Roma Bus Stops

Actv city bus

Actv's No. 5 public-transit bus runs frequently from about 4 a.m. until midnight and costs €2,50. Travel time is approximately 25 minutes, depending on traffic and how often the bus needs to stop for local passengers.

If your luggage is minimal and you aren't traveling at rush hour, this public bus is a cheap way to reach the city. However, you'll need to take your bags into the bus with you, there are no luggage racks, and the bus may be crowded with local commuters.

You can buy Actv single-fare tickets at the public-transportation booth in the arrivals terminal, which also sells 12- to 72-hour Actv tourist tickets, ATVO coach tickets, etc.

Once you have your ticket, head for the sidewalk in front of the terminal and look for the Actv stop. Validate your ticket in the stamping machine next to the bus stop. Wait for the No. 5 bus. (The route number and destination are shown on an LED display on the front of the bus.)

Board the #5 bus via the front door. The bus will stop a number of times on the 20-minute trip into Venice, so stay on board until you've crossed the causeway and reached the end of the line. For more information, visit the Actv Web site.

• Note: To take the No. 5 bus from Venice to the airport, buy a ticket at the tile-roofed Actv Biglietteria e informazioni building in the Piazzale Roma and catch the bus at the A1 stop near the newsstand along the quieter side of the square opposite the large parking garages. Alternatively, you can buy Actv bus tickets ahead of time at at tobacco shops and many newssstands. (Be sure to stamp your ticket before or immediately after boarding the bus.)

See diagram: Piazzale Roma Bus Stops

Military vans and tour buses

If you're headed for a military base (such as the U.S. base at Vicenza), you'll find a "NATO / U.S. Military Buses" zone in the center strip between the Arrivals and Departure terminals.

If you're with a tour group, look for your guide or tour leader in the arrivals terminal, or follow the instructions that you were given with your tour materials.

Buses to Venice-Mestre Railroad Station

Both ATVO and Actv run frequent buses to the railway station in Venice's suburb of Mestre, on the mainland, where express trains connect with cities in Northern and Southern Italy. Buy tickets for the "Fly Bus" at the ATVO booth or for the #15 city bus at the Actv counter.

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