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Venice's Alilaguna Airport Boats

Alilaguna water buses run from Marco Polo Airport to Venice's historic center, the island of Murano, the Lido di Venezia, and Giudecca.

Alilaguna Orange Line airport boat in Cannaregio Canal.

ABOVE: An Alilaguna Orange Line boat passes a hotel and a palazzo in the Cannaregio Canal.


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 Rossa or Red Line,
    a seasonal route with that connects the airport with the glassmaking island of Murano, Venice's Lido beach resort, and the Piazza San Marco district in central Venice.

  • 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.

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 to receive a discount.


Alilaguna water bus on Giudecca Canal, Venice.

ABOVE: One of Alilaguna's newer flat-bottomed airport boats travels along the Giudecca Canal in Venice.


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.


Alilaguna airport boat at Venice Marco Polo Airport pier.

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


Buying Alilaguna tickets and boarding boats

  • After you've claimed your baggage, follow the signs for airport boats and water taxis, then take the moving walkway to the boat piers. (See our step-by-step directions with photos.)

  • Click the Alilaguna link below for current timetables. (Most routes operate at one-hour intervals, but you can kill time in the café by the pier if you've got a long wait for the next boat.)

  • Alilaguna ticket office photo at Marco Polo AirportNormally, you buy your tickets at the Alilaguna booth by the pier. (The public-transportation counter in the arrivals terminal also sells Alilaguna tickets.) If the ticket booth is closed, or if there's a line, use the 24/7 ticket machines.

  • Remember to validate your ticket before boarding the boat if the boatman doesn't punch it and an electronic ticket reader is available (as it will be at Venice Marco Polo Airport). If the waterbus stop doesn't have a ticket reader, the Alilaguna boatman will check your ticket.

A note about luggage

When you board the boat, the conductor may ask your destination and stow youe suitcase for you. At the end of the ride, grab your bag and take it ashore. (In some cases, the crew may transfer luggage to the pier.)

Alilaguna and ACTV boat schedules

Alilaguna
Check the airport boat's site for current timetables, fares, a route map, and other information. (Please note that Alilaguna also operates a variety of non-airport boats, so just focus your attention on the Blue, Orange, and Red lines.)

ACTV
Venice's public transportation system offers route maps, timetables, and other water and land bus information online. (Please note that ACTV is a separate operation from Alilaguna, with its own tickets and fares.)


Alilaguna Linea Blu airport boat at Bacini water bus stop.

ABOVE: An Alilaguna Linea Blu airport boat arrives at the Bacini waterbus stop.


Related articles:

Directory of ACTV and Alilaguna Stops
Our guide has dedicated pages with maps, photos, and other information for 76 waterbus stations in Venice and the Venetian Lagoon--including the Alilaguna and water-taxi piers at Marco Polo Airport.

Hotels near Alilaguna Stops
With this page from our Venice Hotel Directions guide, you can find hotels (with maps and walking directions) for any Alilaguna airport-boat route and stop.

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


Venice Transportation Guide banner

How to Reach the Alilaguna Waterbus and Water-Taxi Piers
Our step-by-step directions for arriving airline passengers include photos and useful tips.

Venice Airport Buses
If you decide against the boat, here's how to take the ACTV city bus or ATVO airport  bus to the Piazzale Roma.

Arriving in Venice
Tips on reaching the city center from the railroad station and mainland highways, together with abridged information on the airport boat.


About the author:

Durant Imboden photo.Durant Imboden has written about Venice, Italy since 1996. He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching Europe for Visitors (including Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl Imboden in 2001.

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has called this "the premier visitors' site for Venice, Italy." Over the years, it has helped more than 30 million travelers. For more information, see About our site, our Europe for Visitors press clippings, and our reader testimonials.