Getting to Venice and getting around: a practical guide

Venice is a city without roads, and that changes everything. Whatever you travel by, the last stretch is on water or on foot. Keep it in mind from the start, because every practical choice — where to land, how many bags to bring, which service to take — follows from it. This guide lines up the real options with current prices and tells you which one suits how you’re arriving.

From Marco Polo airport (VCE)

The airport is about 12 km from the historic centre, and the ACTV vaporetto lines don’t serve it. You have three ways in.

• Alilaguna (by water): motor launches across the lagoon, with three lines — Blue, Orange and Red (seasonal). The Blue calls at Murano, Fondamente Nove, Ospedale, Lido and San Marco; the Orange enters the Canal Grande via Guglie, Rialto and Ca’ Rezzonico. Around €18 single (roughly €32 return), one large bag included. Slower than a taxi, far cheaper. If you’re staying in Castello, the Blue line stops at Ospedale — almost at the door.
• Bus to Piazzale Roma (by land): ACTV and ATVO buses reach Piazzale Roma, the last point cars can go, in about twenty minutes for roughly €10. From there you continue on foot or by vaporetto.
• Water taxi: a private launch straight to the water-point nearest your apartment — no bridges, no dragging bags. Pricey (from about €120 for a private trip), but worth it in a group, with heavy luggage, or arriving late. Shared taxis cost less.

By train, by car, and Treviso airport

The train is often the best way in, because it leaves you inside the city: look for Venezia Santa Lucia, right on the Canal Grande — not Venezia Mestre, which is on the mainland. From Treviso airport (TSF), the standard link is the ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma, a little over an hour.

By car you can reach the edge of the city only. Park at Tronchetto or Piazzale Roma (paid, roughly €25-30 a day); from Tronchetto the automatic People Mover reaches Piazzale Roma in a couple of minutes for €1.50. No cars run inside the centro storico.

Getting around: on foot, first of all

The fastest and finest way around Venice is to walk. The city is small — you can cross it end to end in just over an hour — and vaporetti, lovely as they are, are often slower than a stroll. Real distances are usually shorter than the map suggests. Comfortable shoes are the best investment you’ll make.

The vaporetto: tickets and passes

Use the vaporetto for longer hops, the Canal Grande and the islands. Current ACTV fares: single ticket (75 minutes) €9.50; 24-hour pass €25; 48h €35; 72h €45; 7-day €65. Validity runs in hours from first validation, not calendar days. Under-6s travel free, and since 2024 you can tap contactless at the readers — the system charges the cheapest fare. Airport services aren’t included in the passes. Always validate before boarding: fines start at €60, even with a valid ticket.

The traghetto: the local shortcut

The Canal Grande has very few bridges. The Venetian answer is the traghetto — a stand-up gondola ferry that crosses at set points for about €2. Few visitors know it, which is exactly why it’s worth trying.

Luggage and bridges: the real problem

The number-one hassle in Venice isn’t finding your way — it’s carrying bags, because every bridge is a set of steps. Travel light, one case per person; with heavy luggage or a late arrival, take a water taxi to the nearest water-point. And self check-in changes everything: you arrive whenever you like, with no reception hours to catch.

FAQ

How do you get from Marco Polo airport to Venice?

Three ways: Alilaguna launches by water (from about €18), a bus to Piazzale Roma by land (around €10), or a private water taxi (pricier, but close to your door). ACTV vaporetti don’t serve the airport.

How much does the vaporetto cost in Venice?

A single ticket is €9.50 for 75 minutes. For longer stays, passes work out cheaper: €25 for 24 hours, €35 for 48, €45 for 72, €65 for 7 days. Under-6s travel free.

How do you get around Venice with luggage?

Travel light — every bridge is steps. With lots of bags or a late arrival, a water taxi to the water-point nearest your apartment is the least stressful option, and self check-in lets you arrive at any hour.