Getting to Venice Article
Venice is mainly reached by plane, train, car or coach. As the historic centre is entirely pedestrian, each mode of transport drops you at one of the city's «gates» (airport, Santa Lucia station, Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto): here is how to choose and organise the rest of your journey.
Getting to Venice by plane
Venice is served by two airports.
Marco Polo Airport (VCE), about 8 km north of the city on the mainland, is the main airport and handles most direct international flights. Several options allow you to reach the historic centre:
- Alilaguna, the public water bus: several lines (Blue, Orange, Red) serve Murano, Fondamente Nove, Rialto or St Mark's Square directly, in 60 to 90 minutes depending on the line and destination. Expect around €18 one way (€33 return), with luggage included within reasonable limits. It is the most convenient option if your accommodation is close to the water.
- ATVO or ACTV bus to Piazzale Roma (Venice's road terminus, at the entrance to the historic centre): about 20 minutes' journey, for a much cheaper fare, in the region of €10 to €12 one way. It is the fastest and cheapest way to reach the vaporetti or an address within walking distance of Piazzale Roma.
- Taxi or private water taxi: a road taxi to Piazzale Roma, or a water taxi straight to your accommodation (the most expensive, but the most direct).
Treviso Airport (TSF), used in particular by some low-cost airlines, is about 30 km from Venice. The ATVO shuttle links the airport to Piazzale Roma (and Mestre) in a little over an hour, for a fare comparable to the bus from Marco Polo.
Getting to Venice by train
The train is an excellent option from Italy and much of Europe. Tickets can be bought on the official website of the Italian railway company, trenitalia.com (Frecciarossa/Regionale network), or on that of its high-speed competitor italotreno.it (Italo).
From the major Italian cities, connections are frequent and fast: Milan (about 2h30 on Frecciarossa), Florence (about 2h), Rome (about 3h30), Verona or Padua (30 to 50 minutes). From France, there is no longer a direct night train (the service was discontinued in 2020): the simplest option is to reach Milan by TGV from Paris (about 7 to 7h30), then continue to Venezia Santa Lucia by Frecciarossa or Italo (another 2h30 to 3h), i.e. around ten hours of travel in total if you book both tickets in advance.
Getting to Venice by car
Cars do not circulate in the historic centre. From the motorway and Mestre, the SS11 road leads to the car parks at the entrance to the city, at the Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma. Expect, depending on the car park and the season, between €20 and €30 for 24 hours (reductions are available when booking in advance or for a stay of several days). From the Tronchetto, the People Mover (automatic rail shuttle) reaches Piazzale Roma in a few minutes for around €1.50.
A cheaper alternative is to park in Mestre, on the mainland, where car parks and hotel rates are noticeably cheaper, then reach Venice by train (10 minutes to Santa Lucia) or by bus.
Getting to Venice by coach
Long-distance coaches, notably Flixbus, serve Venice directly from many Italian and European cities, with stops at Piazzale Roma, the Tronchetto and Mestre. It is often the cheapest option, at the cost of a longer journey time than the train.
Once you have arrived in Venice, all travel within the historic centre is on foot or by vaporetto: find the details in our article Transport in Venice. Also consider consulting our Venice map and our page where to stay in Venice to choose a neighbourhood well located in relation to your arrival point.