Europe > Venice > Transportation & Parking > San Giuliano > Boat to Venice

Marive Transport boat from San Giuliano Parking to Venice

From the Parcheggi San Giuliano in Mestre, the easiest way to reach central Venice is to take Marive Transport's Linea Rosa or 'Pink Line' water bus.

ABOVE: A "Pink Line"  (Linea Rosa) boat arrives at Venice's Fondamente Nove from the San Giuliano parking lots on the Venetian mainland.

By Durant Imboden

Last updated May 15, 2026

For motorists visiting Venice, the parking lots at Parco San Giuliano in Venice's mainland district of Mestre are a popular alternative to the garages at Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma on the edge of the historic center. However, getting from San Giuliano to the city by public transportation isn't always convenient for tourists who aren't familiar with Venice's transit system.

Fortunately, there's a quick, convenient alternative to public buses and trams: Marive Transport's Linea Rosa or Pink Line water bus, which runs hourly from San Giuliano to Venice's historic center from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. (The return trip operates from 9:30 a.m. until 10:35 p.m.) Travel time is only 20 minutes.

ABOVE: On Fondamente Nove in Venice, a sign identifies the Linea Rosa or Pink Line boat pier.

ABOVE: The Linea Rosa pier in central Venice is a short walk from other public waterbus landings on Fondamente Nove.

Where the boat will take you:

The service connects the Parco San Giuliano's Porta Gialla or yellow parking lot to Fondamente Nove in Venice, with an intermediate call at San Giobbe. (See Google Map.)

ABOVE: San Giobbe is a "request stop," so be sure to tell the boatman that it's your destination when boarding in San Giuliano. The stop is used mainly by students, professors, and visitors at the University of Ca' Foscari's economics and business campus at the northern end of the Cannaregio Canal.

From Fondamente Nove, a short walk down the Calle Lunga  Santa Caterina will bring you to the Strada Nova, which is on the main pedestrian route to the Rialto Bridge and the Piazza San Marco.

Alternatively, you can head east along the waterfront toward the Ospedale (hospital) and turn right into one of the side streets that lead directly into the area around Piazza San Marco.

ABOVE: Marive Transport's yellow boats are provided by Alilaguna, which also operates airport waterbuses and other boat services in Venice.

Fares and package deals:

The boat ride isn't cheap, but you can save money with Marive's all-inclusive parking and boat package. You'll save even more if you book online (e.g., €10,-- for an adult boat ticket at the online rate, compared to €20-- at the "walk-in" price.)

To buy tickets online, download a PDF timetable, or see driving directions, go to the Marive Transport Web site. Scroll all the way down the page for a detailed map of San Giuliano.

More parking information:

• San Giuliano Parking

• Parking in Venice

• Venice and mainland hotels with parking

About the author:

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.

PC Magazine 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.