One of the most amazing experiences in Italy is stepping out of the Santa Lucia train station and witnessing the beauty of Venice. It feels like stepping into the past, a time before cars, where the only way to travel was by boat along the ancient canals.
But now what? Venice transportation is unique and very different than navigating most cities’ public transport. This guide will explain all of your options for transport in Venice so that you’ll know what to do when you arrive.
Don’t have time to read a bunch of reviews and blog posts? Here are some of our top picks for visiting Venice:
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Pro Tip: In an order to promote more sustainable travel, Venice is considering implementing a new booking system which may begin next year. Learn more about the Venice booking system here.
How to Get to Your Hotel or Vacation Rental from the Airport
How do you get from Venice airport to city center? You’ve got several options once you land at the Marco Polo airport. This handy table will be helpful, but I’ve explained each option below.
You can take the #5 Bus operated by ACTV from Marco Polo Airport to Piazzale Roma. This is the last part of Venice navigable by automobile. You’re on foot or by water from here. So you’ll need to walk, take a water taxi, or the Vaporetto (Venice public transport ferry or Venice water bus) to your final destination. The bus will cost €8/person and takes about 25 minutes. The bus comes around every 15 minutes.There are luggage racks in the seating area, so you’ll need to bring your bags on board.
You can also take the buses operated by ATVO. These leave every 30 minutes and have under bus luggage storage so you don’t need to worry about hauling luggage on board the bus. You can purchase tickets at the airport upon arrival. There will be machines to do this. Or you can purchase online before arrival if you’re confident about when you’ll be coming in.
Cost: €8
Duration: 25 minutes
Take a Taxi
You can take a taxi from the airport to Piazzale Roma as well. Look for a white taxi. They will have a fixed fare of €40. This might be a better option if you have several people or a lot of luggage.
Cost: €40
Duration: 20 minutes
Take a Venice Water Taxi
If you’re feeling fancy, or even just exhausted from your travels, you can take a Water Taxi directly to your lodging. It’s not the cheapest way to get around, but probably the most efficient. It will cost you around €30-120. Keep in mind that there may be delays due to the changing sea levels at the airport. This is a good option if you have a large group with lots of luggage. Also keep in mind that there may be an upcharge for extra luggage. Be sure to get a price before you get in the boat. My favorite way to book a Water Taxi in Venice is to do it in advance. You can book a shared water taxi for $38 USD/person here.
Generally, the most cost-effective way to move long distances in Venice, the public ferry, known as the Alilaguna will cost you around €15 from Marco Polo Airport to Venice. But keep in mind that it will take around an hour and fifteen minutes and the boats only leave around once every hour, so it’s even longer and less frequent than the land bus.
If you’ve got time to kill and you really want to arrive by water in a more budget-friendly way than the water taxi, this could be a good option. Just look for the boats with the yellow bottoms and a metro-like station on the dock. It’s about a ten-minute walk from the Airport. You can purchase tickets in the arrivals area inside the airport. The blue, and orange lines both go to Venice, with different stops between. The Red line will only go to the islands of Lido and Murano (in case you’re staying there).
The decision on which option will be best for you may be largely based on what time you arrive. If your arrival to the airport is the middle of the night your only options may be a land taxi or a water taxi as the Alilaguna and the buses do not run all night. Also, pay attention to your flight out of Venice and make a plan for how you are getting to the airport.
Cost: between €15
Duration: 1 hour +
My Recommendation
My recommendation for how to get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice is to take a Water Taxi.
Yes, it is the most expensive option (maybe), but if you are traveling in a large group (more than four), have a lot of luggage, or will need to make a lot of stop or line transfers on the Vaporetto to get to your specific hotel, it may be more cost-effective and definitely less time consuming than hauling your luggage around buses, ferries, and down the cobbled streets of Venice.
Note that this is actually the only option that will take you directly to your hotel or vacation rental. The bus and taxi will require you to transfer to the ferry, and the ferry will require you to walk from the station to your hotel. Depending on where your hotel is located, the Venice water taxi should be able to get you within steps of your destination.
Plus, what better way to begin your Venice vacation than arriving in style! Just be sure you add that into your budget and also think about your trip back to the airport. You can book a shared water taxi for $38 USD/person here, that way there will be no stressing once you arrive!
However you decide to get to Venice, this map will help you know where to go once you arrive.
How to Get to Your Hotel or Vacation Rental from the Venice Train Station
If you are arriving in Venice by train, you will have similar options. First of all, be sure you book your train tickets to the Santa Lucia train station, NOT Mestre train station, which is not close to the Venice you’re looking for!
Once you arrive at Santa Lucia you can either take a water taxi, take the Vaporetto, or walk to your hotel.
It’s a reasonably small city, and if your hotel is not too far, the best way to get around Venice is actually to walk. You’ll be able to explore small alleyways, hidden shops, and ancient palazzos along the canals.
Venice Transport Options During Your Stay
Water Bus or Vaporetto
But there are definitely times you’ll want to get from place to place more quickly, or if you need to haul your luggage, and you definitely do want to see Venice by water.
The Vaporetto is Venice’s public transportation system. It runs all year, 24/7 and usually makes stops around every 10 minutes, so you won’t have to wait long.
You can find ticket machines outside the train station in Venice and outside of the larger Vaporetto stations. If you have cash you can purchase a ticket on board. One ticket is €7.50 and is good for 75 minutes, so you can hop on and off as needed. I prefer to buy a pass so I don’t have to worry about the time.
Purchasing this Vaporetto pass in advance is a great deal and means you don’t have to deal with the Venice water bus tickets each time you ride! You can customize and buy your pass ahead of time, head to the yellow ticket machines, enter your PNR code, and print your pass. They offer 1-day all the way up to a 7-day pass.
I personally used this during my last visit to Venice and it was affordable and simple to use.
Note: kids younger than 5 do not need a ticket to ride the Vaporetto.
Here is a Venice Vaporetto Map to help you navigate the canals.You can also download a PDF here.
Take a Gondola Ride
A trip to Venice is not complete without riding in a Gondola and getting that quintessential picture. The gondolas are a tradition as old as the city itself. They have been used in Venice since the 16th century and at the time it is estimated that there were around 10,000 gondolas on the canals. In 1562, a law was passed to regulate their appearance, requiring them all to be painted black. To this day, the gondolas of Venice are all black.
How much is a Gondola Ride in Venice?
The price of gondola rides are also regulated in Venice. They cost €80 for a 30 minute ride. Yes, it’s touristy and expensive, but it really is reliving a piece of history and I highly recommend it. If you need something more budget-friendly and you don’t mind sharing a gondola, you can book a shared ride for $30/person. Otherwise, look for any open Gondola and ask the Gondolier for a ride. If you’re lucky you might be serenaded!
You may also want to consider purchasing a Venice City Pass also called a Venice Card, which includes public transportation in Venice. You can customize and purchase your pass here.This makes getting around Venice simple and gives you options for museums and more.
I hope this has been helpful in teaching you how to get around Venice efficiently. However you decide to move around, be sure to take in the unique culture and architecture of this beautiful city.
The best way to move around Venice, Italy, is on foot. In fact, going on foot in Venice is almost always the quickest way to reach your destination. It might sound like a health campaign but truth is that Venetian are indeed generally fit and healthy because they move around mainly on foot.
Walking in Venice is safe as the city is car-free and bike-free. Walking is by far the cheapest way to explore Venice, considering the high cost of water buses and taxis.
Online purchases can be made through the website www.veneziaunica.it. If you need further information you can call +39 041 2424. The ACTV site notes, that ACTV tickets do not work on the private waterbus Alilaguna line.
usually take credit cards. With some vending machines you can even only pay cashless with a card (no cash). Also the payment in shops, supermarkets, gas stations etc. is often possible in Venice with a credit card (carta di credito).
The tickets for public transport in Venice can be purchased at the ticket machines which the ACTV – the main transport company – has installed at the most stops. Those are multilingual ticket machines so it should not be a problem to get the ticket you need.
Prices. The rates of the city's water taxis are fixed depending on the different companies, the distance and the number of people. A Water Taxi from Venice Marco Polo Airport to the city centre costs approximately between € 105 ( US$ 115.60) and € 135 ( US$ 148.60).
Undoubtedly, water is the main mode of transportation that is widely used by locals and travellers alike in Venice. Some of the different types of water transport are: Water Bus: This is the most common mode of water transport for locals in Venice.
The primary means of getting where you need to go in Venice are by boat or on foot. In the lagoon and along the canals, travelers can choose between several types of public and private boat options: vaporetto, alilaguna, private water taxi, gondola, and traghetto.
Transportation in Venice is easy and fun, but is a little expensive. ACTV Vaporetto tickets machines accept credit cards and have an English language option. Luggage on the Vaporetto is allowed, but bring a small bag as you'll need to carry it yourself.
Do you tip a Venice water taxi? Tipping your Venice water taxi driver isn't obligatory. If your driver has given you exceptional service or is making multiple stops for you, then you may wish to add 5% to your bill as a tip.
How many suitcases can be carried on a water taxi? It is possible to carry up to 12 suitcases. The price remains unchanged for up to 4 suitcases; from 5 upwards, a € 5,00 per suitcase surcharge is applied.
The public health authority, the environmental protection agency and the public local water service perform thousands of analyses and describes it as safe and fit to drink. Venice water is considered among the best in Italy.
Waiters and waitresses are salaried in Venice. When a service charge is included in the bill, there's no need to leave a tip. But, if you are more than satisfied with the service, you may want to leave 5%-10%. If a service charge is not added to your bill, leave a tip of 12% or so.
In Italy, cash is still preferred in most restaurants, cafes and other establishments, although credit and debit cards are becoming more widely used throughout Italy and are an increasingly convenient way to pay for things. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, although American Express is not.
The official tariff of a 30-minute ride on a gondola is € 80 ( US$ 88.10). The price goes up to € 100 ( US$ 110.10) from 7 pm onwards. If you want the gondolier to sing or to play an instrument during the ride, you will have to pay extra. Note that most gondoliers will charge you more than the official tariff.
Good to know: Unless you pre-book a gondola tour, you'll have to pay cash for your gondola ride. So make sure you have enough money on you. Venice gondola tours that you can pre-book online are usually more expensive than the official rates.
Water Bus Line N°1 Map Line 1 is the vaporetto line everybody has taken at least once in Venice. It is the “big show” line which starts off from Piazzale Roma (where the buses arrive) and then passes through the Grand Canal and its Palaces, to end up in Lido, and vice versa.
Standard gondola rides in Venice have a fixed cost of 80 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour. At night, however, the cost of a gondola ride is 120 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour. If you desire to stay longer, tell the gondolier and ask for the price before the start of the tour.
Public toilets are difficult to find, but there are clean ones at various places around the town (see map below) such as the Station, Academia bridge, San Marco, and Arsenal. Some of these are staffed by an attendant, so you have to pay to use them (usually about 1 euro).
In relation to tipping your gondolier, if the service is good, a tip is obviously appreciated. Also, if you're taking a gondola ride in a group of more than four, a tip is usually expected. Think of it like a service charge in a restaurant. And just for reference, around the 10% mark is the norm.
Vaporetto fare venice. you have a minimum budget of €37.50 /day that you'll spend on a vaporetto, or €75 for a weekend. The Venice vaporetto pass sold by ACTV and Venizia Unica costs €33 for 1 day, €44 for 2 days, and €55 for 3 days, and €77 for 7 days.
Book in advance in Venice and avoid the queues. The queue at the ticket office could be very unpleasant even if you are very patient. Book in advance in Venice. If you don't want to waste your time you could buy the tickets in advance which allows you to skip the line thanks to a priority entry.
A one-way ticket costs € 1.50 ( US$ 1.70) and is valid for 75 minutes. If you're planning on using the public transport system in Venice, we recommend buying the Tourist Travel Card, which is valid both for buses and water buses.
The journey with the tram from Mestre on the mainland is like the railway very cheap, a single ticket costs only 1.50 Euro (in 2023). For expensive Venice this is areal bargain. Trams run at least every 10 minutes during the day (every 15 minutes on Sundays).
The bus comes around every 15 minutes. There are luggage racks in the seating area, so you'll need to bring your bags on board. You can also take the buses operated by ATVO. These leave every 30 minutes and have under bus luggage storage so you don't need to worry about hauling luggage on board the bus.
If you want the short answer: yes, you can easily walk everywhere in Venice and do all your touring on foot. Venice is quite compact as a city, so the most important attractions are all located within a 20 minutes walk of each other.
Do Venice taxi drivers accept credit cards? Unfortunately, Venice taxi drivers don't often have the POS system needed to accept credit cards. We recommend keeping cash in the local currency with you when taking a Venice airport taxi.
FreeNow (formerly mytaxi): the best taxi app in Italy
So, if you do not want to take public transportation from the airport, you can use FreeNow and arrive by cab at one of the destinations covered by the service.
Since gondolas can only hold a small amount of people, today Vaporetto's, or "water buses" are used to transport people along the canal. Just as we have buses as a form of public transportation through cities, the Vaporetto is used the same way but on water as Venice is a "city on water".
Zaccaria Danieli, Fondamente Nove, Lido S.M. Elisabetta, Burano, and Mestre railway station. You can also buy tickets from one of the many authorised sellers (tobacconists', newspaper stores and some cafés): remember to stamp your ticket in the yellow machine before getting on the vaporetto.
Although cheaper than a gondola, public transport in Venice is quite expensive compared to many other major cities. A single vaporetto ticket costs €7.50 (£6.45) and is valid for 75 minutes, children under six travel free and people with reduced mobility receive substantial discounts.
The majority of airlines allow one piece per passenger plus a smaller piece (i.e. a handbag or laptop bag). However some budget airlines count a handbag as a piece of hand luggage so if you want to take both, you will need to pack your handbag or laptop bag inside until you have boarded.
You may have heard that wheelie suitcases are banned in Venice, but in fact you can safely bring them to the city. A ban on dragging luggage through the streets was proposed in 2014 due to the noise, but it was never enacted.
Vaporetto Water Bus line number 12 is a line which leaves from Fondamente Nove to go to Punta Sabbioni, stopping successively at Murano, Mazzorbo, Torcello, Burano and Treporti. Good to know: This water bus has toilets.
What is the rule for tipping in Italy? There is no strict rule about tipping in Italy. Leaving a tip is a courteous gesture that shows the person who provided a service to you, that you appreciated their help. As such, leaving a tip is entirely up to you and, in many cases, it will not be expected, albeit appreciated.
I recommend you don not wear flip flops in Venice as they don't support you enough when walking, they offer nor cushioning on cobblestone streets and, in terms of fashion, Italian consider them beachwear and not city wear.
Cab driver: 15 percent to 20 percent tip of the fare. (Find out ahead of time if your cabbie accepts a credit card. If he or she doesn't, make sure you have enough cash for both fare and tip.)
Venice is not the place for heels–whether they're stilettos or low chunky heels. The cobblestone streets are uneven and there are many slippery bridges to cross. Here are some tips on how to wear ankle boots for fall travel. There are no cars in Venice, so you have to walk everywhere.
Most of Venice's sewage goes directly into the city's canals. Flush a toilet, and someone crossing a bridge or cruising up a side canal by gondola may notice a small swoosh of water emerging from an opening in a brick wall.
The simple answer is: no, you are not allowed to swim in the Venice canals, nor in any other place in the historic center of Venice. In this guide, find out about the rules and regulations that surround swimming in the Venice canals, and discover some alternatives to cooling off in the city's heat.
While that may seem innocent behavior to some, it's actually in violation of the city's ban on public picnics, which prohibits people from eating or drinking while sitting on the ground at specific sites, including St. Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge.
There is no city that is as special as this one for offering you the chance to enjoy everything from the best street food to designer clothing and handcrafted wines. The food, the drinks, the shopping, and the atmosphere in Venice are second to none.
Standard gondola rides in Venice have a fixed cost of 80 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour. At night, however, the cost of a gondola ride is 120 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour.
Tipping your Venice taxi driver is optional, but always appreciated if you think they did a great job. Be sure to agree on a price before starting your journey.
Fares: A 75-minute ticket costs 7.50 euros and entitles you to unlimited travel during that period, starting at the validation time. If you plan to use vaporetti a lot, it makes sense to buy a 1-day (20 euros), 2-day (30 euros), or 3-day (40 euros) pass. Weekly passes cost 60 euros each.
In relation to tipping your gondolier, if the service is good, a tip is obviously appreciated. Also, if you're taking a gondola ride in a group of more than four, a tip is usually expected. Think of it like a service charge in a restaurant. And just for reference, around the 10% mark is the norm.
Waiters and waitresses are salaried in Venice. When a service charge is included in the bill, there's no need to leave a tip. But, if you are more than satisfied with the service, you may want to leave 5%-10%. If a service charge is not added to your bill, leave a tip of 12% or so.
Average daily spend by real travellers in Venice: €129
This reflects what everyday travellers tend to spend in Venice. Think mid-range - most of the major attractions, a few cab rides, maybe a big night out, and a bit of shopping on the side.
Introduction: My name is Patricia Veum II, I am a vast, combative, smiling, famous, inexpensive, zealous, sparkling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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