Venice Airport Buses

ACTV is the public-transportation agency for Venice and its mainland suburbs. Its transit routes include the Linea 5 "Aerobus," which runs frequently between the airport and the city from about 4 a.m. until 1 a.m. and costs €10 one-way or €18 roundtrip.

Travel time from Marco Polo Airport to the Piazzale Roma is approximately 20 to 25 minutes, depending on traffic and how often the bus needs to stop for local passengers.

Because this bus costs more than the faster and more comfortable ATVO bus, it may seem like the lesser value. However, there are two reasons why it may be worth considering, especially if you don't have much luggage:

• The "Aerobus" stops at hotels along the road from Marco Polo Airport (though you probably won't want to stay at those isolated hotels unless you have a car), and...

• You can buy an "Aerobus + Nave" ticket for €18 that combines a one-way bus ride and a vaporetto water bus to or from the Piazzale Roma in Venice.  This will save you a small amount of money, and--more important--it will save you from having to stand in line for a vaporetto ticket if you're arriving at the Piazzale Roma from the airport.
  
  (The Aerobus + Nave ticket is good for 90 minutes, so transfer to a water bus promptly after arriving in the city.)

• Warning: You'll need to carry your luggage into the bus with you,  and the bus may be crowded with local commuters. (On the plus side, the bus has a low floor and may be easier to board than the ATVO coach if you have trouble climbing steps.)

Where to buy tickets at the airport:

You can buy ACTV single-fare tickets at the public-transportation booth in the arrivals terminal, which also sells 12-hour to 7-day ACTV Tourist Travel Cards, ATVO coach tickets, etc.

• Tip: If you purchase an ACTV Tourist Travel Card, you can buy ACTV "Aerobus" airport bus tickets for use in combination with the card at a discounted price of €7 one-way or €13 roundtrip.
  
  This is a good deal only if you want to validate and use the Tourist Travel Card on your day of arrival, and if you're returning to the airport before the Tourist Travel Card's validity period has expired.

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

Immediately after boarding the bus, validate your ticket. (If you have the new card-shaped ACTV/Hellovenezia ticket, hold it up to the electronic card reader on the bus and wait for a green light; if you have a small old-style cardboard ticket, insert it in the yellow stamping machine.)

The No. 5 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 Hellovenezia building in the Piazzale Roma or at a ticket machine. Alternatively, you can buy ACTV bus tickets ahead of time at at tobacco shops and many newssstands.
  
  Be sure to validate your ticket before or immediately after boarding the No. 5 bus, which is usually parked along the front of the square near a newsstand.