Arriving in Venice
Tips on reaching the city center from Marco Polo airport, the railroad station,
and mainland highways.
Walking in Venice
How to find your way with maps, directional signs, and street signs.
Piazzale Roma
Venice's car and bus gateway is depressingly ugly, so read our instructions on where to
park (if necessary) and how to find a vaporetto or water taxi.
Venice Connected (formerly Venice Card)
Enjoy unlimited travel on public transportation, plus
other benefits such as free use of public toilets, local discounts, and
admission to leading museums. (Warning: This pass has an unbelievably byzantine
pricing scheme!)
Venice Marco Polo
Airport
VCE has a modern terminal, free
lugage carts, and flights to cities on four continents. Best of all,
it's just 6 km (4 miles) from Venice's historic center by boat, taxi, or bus.
Venice
Airport Transportation
This article links to several of the articles below and contains other tips
for travelers who are arriving at Venice Marco Polo or Treviso Airport.
Alilaguna Airport Boat
Henry James said Venice was best approached by sea. You can follow
his advice for the price of a local boat ticket. Also see our article on
Water Taxis and our illustrated
Step-by-Step Directions to the
airport's boat piers.
Venice Airport Buses
Here's how to take the ATVO coach or the ACTV city bus from Venice's Marco Polo
International Airport to the Piazzale Roma.
Venice Land Taxis
Cabs will get you to
the Piazzale Roma or to your cruise ship in
15 to 20 minutes. (They're also handy for reaching cruise ships from the
Piazzale Roma if a free shuttle bus isn't available.)
Treviso Airport
Buses
If you're flying in on a budget airline like EasyJet, GermanWings, or
Transavia, you'll probably be arriving at Treviso Airport. Coaches from two different bus
lines serve passengers on arriving or
departing flights.
Venice Airport Hotels
Got an early flight or heaps of luggage? Whether you're going to Marco
Polo or Treviso airport, pick a hotel that's convenient to transportation.
US Airways Philadelphia-Venice Flights
Daily nonstop flights now connect Philadelphia and Venice's Marco Polo
Airport from May through October. (Delta has transatlantic nonstops between
JFK and VCE.)
Venice Local
Transportation
When you hail a taxi, don't step off the curb--and if you
chase after a departing bus, make sure you're wearing a lifejacket.
Vaporetto Water Buses
This illustrated four-page "how to" article covers the basics of riding
vaporetti, motoscafi, and motonavi in Venice and the Venetian Lagoon.
Vaporetto Routes
Venice's waterbus system is more Byzantine than St. Mark's Cathedral. This
article and route table will make the vaporetti and motoscafi
network less confusing.
Venice Vaporetto and Bus
Fares
Our article has general information and a fare table (including a
printer-friendly version to take with you).
Venice Tourist Travel Cards
Venice's waterbus fares are outrageous, but you can soothe the pain with a
12-hour to 7-day Tourist Travel Card from ACTV, the local transit authority.
imob.venezia stored-value card (CartaVenezia)
If you're in Venice for several weeks or longer, or if you visit the city
fairly often, you can buy the same discount card used by local residents.
(With the card, vaporetto fares are about 1/6 the standard tourist rate.)
Vaporetto dell'Arte
Is Venice's
"hop on, hop off" water bus a good value or an expensive rip-off? See our
article for an answer--and for a money-saving tip.
Vaporetto Sights & Sounds
Photos and descriptions of Venice's water buses, plus a sound
recording of a vaporetto's arrival and departure.
Traghetto
Unless you're near a bridge, the quickest (and cheapest) way across the
Grand Canal is by rowboat. You'll ride in a secondhand gondola for the price
of a candy bar.
Water Taxis
Having a chauffeured boat at your disposal is a memorable experience, but
the fare can be prohibitive unless you're traveling with family or friends.
(Also see my illustrated
step-by-step directions to the boat piers at Venice's Marco Polo
Airport.)
Gallivanting by
Gondola
The price isn't outrageous if you split it among six people. And
besides, a gondola ride is no more expensive than a bungee jump back home.
Venice Gondola Serenade Tour
It sounded like kitsch, but floating down a canal with a baritone and a
guitarist in the next gondola turned out to be fun--and maybe even a little
magical.
Venice Islands Tour
Plan your own day trip to San Michele, Murano, Burano,
Mazzorbo, Torcello, and the Lido di Venezia. My 10-page illustrated guide tells
how to reach the islands by public transportation or on an escorted tour.
Venice to Chioggia
Chioggia, a busy fishing port at the southern tip of the Venetian lagoon, is an
hour and a half from Venice by bus and ferry.
Venice for Cruisers - Index
This page lists all of our articles and resources about cruising to or from
Venice, including a large satellite-photo map of the port.
Parking in Venice
Our two-page
overview tells where to park in Venice or on the mainland, with links to
garages and other parking facilities.
Tronchetto Parking Garage
This is the handiest place to
leave your car or camper during a Venice stay, unless you're willing to park
on the mainland.
San Giuliano Parking
(Mestre)
If you can't afford the high parking rates in Venice, San
Giuliano is a good alternative: You can park alongside the lagoon and take a
water bus into Venice.
People Mover
Automated cable
trams connect the Piazzale Roma to the Tronchetto parking island in 3
minutes.
Venice-Lido car ferry
If you're driving to Venice and staying on the Lido, you can reach the island by
boat--and take your car with you.
Venice Santa Lucia Railroad Station
Make sure you get off at the right station, or you'll be stuck in the suburbs.
Venice Railroad Station Hotels
If you're in Venice for only a few days, stay at a hotel that you
can reach easily on foot from the station--even with heavy luggage.
Mestre to Venice by Train
Venice's Santa Lucia Station is a 10- to 12-minute train ride from Mestre,
on the Italian mainland, where many tourists stay to save money or for
easier parking. Also see our articles on
Mestre Railroad Station
and Trenitalia Regional
Ticket Machines, which sell inexpensive tickets for trains between the
mainland and Venice.
