Venice Airport Boats

By Durant Imboden

ABOVE: Passengers board an Alilaguna water bus at Venice Marco Polo Airport.

Henry James wrote that Venice was best approached by sea. That's still a good rule to follow, even in the airline era--and thanks to the Alilaguna motoscafi from Venice's Marco Polo International Airport, you can heed the novelist's advice for the cost of a local boat ticket.

Alilaguna routes

During the daytime, two or three Alilaguna lines may be in operation, depending on the season and Alilaguna's current scheduling whims. The main routes are shown below. (Click the links for station descriptions, photos, and local hotel information.)

• Linea Blu or Blue Line,
  with stops at Murano Colonna, Fondamente Nove, Ospedale, Bacini, Certosa, Lido S.M.E., Arsenale, San Zaccaria, San Marco Giardinetti, Zattere, and Giudecca Stucky before reaching the Marittima cruise terminals.

• Linea Arancio or Orange Line,
  with stops at Fondamente Nove (night only), Madonna Dell'Orto, Guglie, San Stae, Rialto, Sant'Angelo, Ca' Rezzonico, and Santa Maria del Giglio on its way to San Marco Giardinetti. (This is the line to use if you're staying along the Grand Canal.)

• Need a convenient place to stay? See hotels near Alilaguna stops.

• Linea Rossa or Red Line,
  a seasonal route with stops at Murano Museo, Certosa, Lido S.M.E., and San Marco Giardinetti on its way to Giudecca Zitelle. This line normally operates from early April until early November.

(The Alilaguna map also shows a "Linea Verde," or "Green Line," but this is a guided boat tour, not a transportation service.)

• Tip: If all of the above seems confusing, just go to the Alilaguna ticket booth, show the location of your hotel on a map, and let the ticket clerk decide which boat you need to catch.

Fares

Adult one-way fares range from 8 to 15 euros, depending on distance, with a reduction for roundtrips on some routes. "Time tickets" (24 or 72 hours) are also available.

You'll pay an extra euro if you buy your ticket on board, and you can save a euro or two by booking online.

The fare includes transportation of  one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage. Extra bags cost 3 euros each.

If you have a VeneziaUnica stored-value card for residents and long-term visitors, show it when buying your ticket for a 50 percent "Cartavenezia" discount.

Please note:

• Some versions of the VeneziaUnica tourist pass (formerly VeniceConnected) include Alilaguna airport transportation, but you may find it simpler just to buy a boat ticket.

• Alilaguna is a separate company from ACTV, the transit authority that runs Venice's public water and land buses. ACTV one- to seven-day travel tickets do not cover transportation on Alilaguna airport boats.

For up-to-date airport-boat timetables, fares, and a route map, click the Alilaguna link below.

• Note: If Alilaguna doesn't stop near your hotel and you aren't on a tight budget, see Viator's Venice Travel & Transportation Services page for information on shared and private water taxis.