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Venice Transportation

From: Venice Links

ABOVE: These enclosed motoscafi are used on waterbus routes that occasionally get choppy, such as the route to Murano and the boats that serve stations along the northern side of Cannaregio, San Marco, and Castello.

General Information

Arriving in Venice veniceforvisitors.com
Tips on reaching the city center from Marco Polo airport, the railroad station, and mainland highways.

Piazzale Roma veniceforvisitors.com
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.

Walking in Venice veniceforvisitors.com
How to find your way with maps, directional signs, and street signs.

Bicyles in Venice veniceforvisitors.com
Riding (or even pushing) a bike in the historic center can result in a 100-euro fine, so here's what you need to know about bringing a bicycle to Venice.

Venice Connected veniceforvisitors.com
Enjoy unlimited travel on public transportation (including airport boats) plus other benefits such as free use of public toilets, local discounts, and admission to leading museums.

Air Travel/Airport Transportation

Venice Marco Polo Airport  veniceforvisitors.com
VCE has a modern terminal, free baggage carts, and flights to cities on four continents. Best of all, it's just 6 km (4 miles) to Venice's historic center by boat, taxi, or bus.

Venice Airport Transportation veniceforvisitors.com
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.

Venice Airport Boat veniceforvisitors.com
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.

Venice Airport Buses veniceforvisitors.com
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 Taxis veniceforvisitors.com
If you prefer private transportation to a bus or you're headed from the airport to a cruise ship, a land taxi may be just what you need.

Treviso Airport Buses veniceforvisitors.com
Ryanair, Germanwings, Transavia, Wizzair, and several other budget airlines fly into Treviso Airport, which is about 26 km or 16 miles from Venice. Two bus lines offer scheduled coach service between Treviso airport and Venice.

Venice Airport Hotels veniceforvisitors.com
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.

Treviso Airport
Ryanair, Wizz Air, and a couple of other budget airlines use this small airport 30 miles or 19 miles from Venice.

Boats - Venice and Lagoon

Local Transportation veniceforvisitors.com
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 veniceforvisitors.com
This illustrated four-page article covers the basics of travel by vaporetto, motoscafo, or motonave in Venice and the Lagoon. For more details, see:

Vaporetto Routes veniceforvisitors.com
Venice's waterbus system is more Byzantine than St. Mark's Cathedral. This article and route table will make the vaporetti less confusing.

Venice Vaporetto and Bus Fares veniceforvisitors.com
Our article has general information and a fare table (including a printer-friendly version to take with you.

Venice ACTV Travel Tickets veniceforvisitors.com
Venice's waterbus fares are outrageous, but you can soothe the pain with a one- to seven-day tourist pass from ACTV, the local transit authority.

Venezia Unica city pass (formerly imob.venezia) veniceforvisitors.com
If you're in Venice for several weeks or longer, or if you visit the city fairly often, the ACTV's stored-value card is a great bargain: With the card, you'll pay about one-sixth of the standard tourist fare for each vaporetto ride.

Vaporetto Sights & Sounds veniceforvisitors.com
Photos and descriptions of Venice's water buses, plus a sound recording of a vaporetto's arrival and departure.

Traghetto veniceforvisitors.com
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 veniceforvisitors.com
Having a chauffeured boat at your disposal is a memorable experience. The fare isn't cheap, but it can be cost-effective if you're traveling in a small group.

Gallivanting by gondola veniceforvisitors.com
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 Islands Tour veniceforvisitors.com
Plan your own day trip to San Michele, Murano, Burano, Mazzorbo, Torcello, and the Lido di Venezia. Our 10-page illustrated guide tells how to reach the islands by public transportation or on an escorted tour.

Venice Boat Rentals veniceforvisitors.com
Cruise the Venetian Lagoon as captain of your own vessel with a self-drive Pénichette from Locaboat Holidays.

Venice to Chioggia veniceforvisitors.com
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.

Brussa Is Boat
Giampetro Brussa rents small boats (with or without driver) for exploring the back canals of Venice and the Venetian Lagoon.

Venice Kayak
Paddle around Venice and the Lagoon by the day or week, with an experienced tour guide. But be aware: Many of Venice's toilets flush directly into the canals. (For pictures, see our Venice Travel Blog post.)

Cruising

Venice Cruise Terminals veniceforvisitors.com
The Terminal Venezia Passeggeri handles more than 600 ships per year and vies with Barcelona as Mediterranean's leading cruise port. Here's what you need to know when departing or arriving by ship.

Venice Cruise Terminal Hotels veniceforvisitors.com
Our four-page article describes hotels near the Piazzale Roma (for Marittima), San Basilio, and the shuttle pier at San Marco-Vallaresso.

Transportation to the Port of Venice veniceforvisitors.com
Here's how to reach the Marittima or San Basilio terminal from the airport or railroad station--by bus, land taxi, airport boat, or water taxi. If you're arriving in Venice on a cruise ship, see Transportation from the Venice Cruise Port.

Venice Barge Cruises veniceforvisitors.com
Go Barging's La Dolce Vita offers 7-day, 6-night cruises by luxury hotel barge on the Venetian Lagoon and the Brenta Canal.

Venice Lagoon and River Cruises veniceforvisitors.com
CroisiEurope's Michelangelo and Uniworld's Venezia offer voyage in the Venetian Lagoon and Po River Valley.

MSC Poesia Eastern Mediterranean Cruise europeforcruisers.com
Our illustrated 10-page Europe for Cruisers review describes a roundtrip cruise from Venice to Istanbul on an Italian megaship with five official languages and a thoroughly European atmosphere. It's accompanied by a 241-page photo gallery.

Parking/Car Ferries

Parking in Venice veniceforvisitors.com
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 veniceforvisitors.com
If you aren't willing to park on the mainland, this is the handiest place to leave your car or camper during a Venice stay. Also see our Venice People Mover article, which tells how to reach the city center from Tronchetto.

San Giuliano Parking (Mestre) veniceforvisitors.com
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.

Venice-Lido Car Ferry veniceforvisitors.com
If you're driving to Venice and staying on the Lido, you can reach the island by boat--and take your car with you.

Rail Travel

Venezia Santa Lucia Railroad Station veniceforvisitors.com
Make sure you get off at the right station, or you'll be stuck in the suburbs. If you want to stay nearby, see Venice Railroad Station Hotels.

Mestre to Venice by Train veniceforvisitors.com
Many visitors stay in Mestre, on the Italian mainland, where hotels are cheaper and parking is easier than in Venice. From Mestre Railroad Station, Venice is only a 10- to 12-minute train ride.

More external Links

ACTV
Venice's public transportation system offers route maps, timetables, and other vaporetto and bus information online. (Still, we've had a Venetian tell us that our own transportation articles and other resources are more helpful and easier to use.)

Porto Turistico di Jesolo Lido
When your ship comes in, park it in Jesolo, at the Northern end of the Venetian lagoon. This tourist port has 488 boat moorings and can accommodate yachts up to 30 meters (100 ft.) in length.

Venezia Lines
High-speed catamarans run between Venice's San Basilio cruise terminal and five Adriatic ports in Croatia and Slovenia.

Venezia Terminal Passaggeri
Venice's port authority has information on Venice's Marittima cruise basin and San Basilio/Santa Marta piers. (Large ships no longer tie up at Marittima, but your cruise line may have you check in there with subsequent bus transportation to a pier on the Italian mainland.)