MBKpublic

My husband is in a wheelchair and cannot walk or stand at all.

Next summer, we will be ending a cruise in Venice, spending the night at a hotel we have not yet selected and flying out the next day. We hope to tour Venice a little but that is optional. I am most concerned about getting from the ship to the hotel and then from the hotel to the airport.

Any advice or ideas on accessible transportation from the port to a hotel and then from the hotel to the airport?

Thanks!

sandi_travelnut

have you tried contacting the hotel to see if they could help?

mclaurie

By doing a websearch for venice in a wheelchair I found a few websites for you with info

http://www.geocities.com/Paris/1502/venicecarnival.htm

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...ble_venice.htm

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...le_venice2.htm

http://www.worldexecutive.com/citygu...nice/tips.html (scroll down to the section on disabled travel and there are links for hotels, dining etc.

Holly_uncasdewar

I'm not sure where the cruise ships dock, but if it's near a vaporetto stop, you won't have any problem. The wheelchair can be wheeled right onto the vaporetto (think of it as a mini people ferry water bus). Take it to San Marco (Vallaresso stop) or the stop next to that, San Zaccaria. There are a number of hotels in the proximity of those two stops, in varying price ranges, which can be reached without having to go over a bridge. To get to the airport from there, you would take the Alilaguna boat (kind've like a fast vaporetto) from Vallaresso right to the airport, about an hour's ride, maybe a little longer.

LoveItaly

Hi Holly, just saw your post. I first saw MBK questions on another thread and suggested she post here which obviously has gotten her some information.

Regarding the SanMarco (Venice) airport. I know there is the shuttle bus that goes from the harbor to the airport every 10 minutes or so but do you know if this shuttle bus is disabled friendly? I went on the airport website and I couldn't find one bit of information regarding help for those in wheelchairs. I know there is a walkway from the harbor to the airport but think it is slightly on a grade and would imagine that MBK would not be able to handle the wheelchair plus their luggage. Do you know if there are porters at the harbor that could take care of this for her? Thanks.

kappa

> SanMarco (Venice) airport

Marco Polo, that is. No big deal. Just in case you have to do google search.

capxxx

You should be able to get around easily by vaporetto, just wheel on and off from the dock. A dozen people will jump to help you.

I think a taxi might be hard to get in and out of, and the Allaguna shuttle would also require a step down into the boat.

As far as hotel location, if you look at a map, you want to avoid crossing water on your way from the nearest vaporetto stop: every little canal bridge will be 3 steps up and 3 steps down.

If you have money, staying on the waterfront near San Marco might be ideal for getting around. The Palazza Selvadego, for example, looks to be well situated on a wide walkway facing the water, just west of Piazza San Marco and the vaporetto stop. But of course you should check with the hotel.

Jocelyn_P

topping for MBKpublic.

LoveItaly

Thanks kappa, yes, Marco Polo. I did give MBK the website on her other thread.

But I still wonder about getting from the harbor at Marco Polo Airport to the actual airport. The website indicated nothing regarding passengers in wheelchairs.

MBKpublic

Thank you soooo much, Holly_uncasdewar, sandi_travelnut, mclaurie, kappa, capxxx, and LoveItaly! You all are being so helpful!

I have not seen anything that specifically says that the airport buses are accessible. But the good news seems to be that none of the many many websites related to the handicapped accessibility/inaccessibility of Venice that I have found have mentioned them as being a problem. So I am inclined to believe that they probably are accessible. It would be nice to have confirmation but I suspect that they are or I think someone would have at least casually mentioned that they were not.

I agree, sandi_travelnut, that the hotel could be a good resource for me to get answers to some of my questions. I am still trying to find a hotel that is in the San Marco area with a handicapped accessible room and that is in a location that does not require us to go over a bridge to get to it from the water taxi, vaporetti or alilaguna. Once we find a hotel, I hope that they will help me with the finer details. I have done a lot of web research, found several hotels that look like possibilities, sent emails and written letters, and am just waiting/hoping for responses at this point.

Thanks again, all, for your interest, help and concern. You are the best!