mjnbrown

I'm going to Venice for the first time in March and will be arriving at the train station from Rome. As a single woman, I will have a 25" wheeled suitcase with me. Would it be easier to walk to my hotel (which is close to the Rialto Bridge) or get on the vaparetto down the Grand Canal? I'm a big walker and have a good map of Venice, I just don't know what the sidewalks are like for walking,but am also concerned about lugging the suitcase in and out of the vaparetto. Thanks for your continued assistance.
Martha

college_travelers

Personally, I wouldn't walk it (I'm not even sure if you can). My hotel was at Rialto Bridge and I took the water metro.

Here is my advice. When I arrived in Venice and got off the train, I was overwhelmed. First, there were many people wanting to "help me with my luggage". I found this very annoying and they followed me until I got onto the water taxi.

Second, it is total chaos around the train station/Grand Canal/water taxi area. Make sure you read the metro map very careful when purchasing your ticket. You do not want to get on the wrong one! I believe it is 5 Euros and don't bother buying any kind of pass. The only time I used the water taxi was to and from the train station and to Lido Island.

The lines are usually long for the metro stop by the train station. It is also cramped on the boats (especially with luggage). The ride is fairly short, but it is a lot better to take the water metro because walking Venice Streets with luggage can be difficult (because of the narrow streets).

After I got off at Rialto Bridge, I pulled out my detailed walking directions. I thanked myself over and over for having such detailed directions. Make sure you have detailed walking directions for your hotel.

Venice is a very different city. You'll know what I mean after visiting there. The best possible solution to your question is to take a personal water taxi from the train station directly to your hotel. It is expensive, but it is the best way. Most hotels have direct access from the canals. Goodluck!

LarryJ

Hi mjnbrown

You would have no problem at all with a 25" wheeley on the vaparetto as it is easily rolled on and off. If you prefer walking as I often do; it will take you maybe 25 minutes to Rialto Bridge and is lots of fun over and along the canals past lots of shops, stands, kiosks, cafes etc. Either way you'll do just fine.

Have lots of fun.

Larry J

ira

Hi Min,

Yes, you can walk it with a wheeled suitcase if you wish.

welltraveledbrit

The problem about walking is that Venice is a city that it's easy to get lost in, which is wonserful when you have time but not so great when dragging a suitcase! Also you should remember that you'll have to pull or lift the suitcase at every bridge you come to during the walk. I'd take the vaporetto to the rialto bridge and walk from there.

misscarol

Ditto to all said by College travelers.

ira

Dear mjn,

I have been to Venice more than several times. I have never taken a water taxi.

If yuo don't care to walk, the vaporetto is easy and convenient.

You will probably have to walk from the Vaporetto stop to your hotel anyway.

The only real problem would be which side of the canal your hotel is on. If it is on the side opposite the train station, I suggest that you cross over at the bridge near the train station. The Rialto is very steep.

PS There will be signs pointing to the Rialto just about every path you take.

NYCFoodSnob

The route to Rialto from the train station is pretty straightforward, if there is such a concept in Venice. Things can get a little tricky once you hit Campo S.S. Apostoli but, if you follow the majority of the crowd, you should find your way through the twists and turns. You'll also have to cross about eight bridges.

Yes, you can do it but your luggage (wheels and handle) will be put to the test of endurance. If you trust the age and quality of your piece, why not walk? Thousands do.

Putting your piece on the vaporetto is a piece of cake and, if you take the 82 boat, Rialto is two stops away. The minimum cost will be 5 Euro. You have a choice.

mjnbrown

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and helpful information. Now my question is, if I take the vaparetto, which side of the canal does it stop at? Do the boats always travel on the left or right side of the canals? My hotel is on the west side of the Grand Canal at that point.
Thanks again. I'm looking forward to a totally different experience in Venice.
Martha

cmt

It's very easy to get your luggage onto the vaporetto. It might not be so easy to get it up and down the many short stairways you might have to take when you cross various little bridges if you decide to walk the whole way to the Rialto. I think you should just make things easier for yourself by taking the vaporetto to the Rialto, and then once you check into your hotel, you can hurry back out and walk for the rest of the day, without being stuck with your luggage.

I was there in early October and really didn't find the train station or the vaporetto stop terribly chaotic at all, so maybe you won't in March either.

adrienne

Hi mjnbrown,

The vaporetti don't travel solely on the left or the right but stop on both sides of the canal, depending on where they're stopping.

The Rialto stop is on the east side of the grand canal, or to be even more specific, on the side towards St. Mark's square. If your hotel is on the opposite side you'll have to walk across the Rialto bridge.

39Steps

It's certainly walkable, but with a suitcase, I would take the vaparetto. Getting on/off the vaparetto is usually not difficult, and we found the train station to boat access quite efficient. Venice is a great walking city so I would get my exercise sans baggage. You never really are lost in Venice, although you may not have a clue as to where you are. There are signs pointing to Rialto bridge, San Marco or Accademia bridge everywhere.

rialtogrl

I wouldn't walk - 25 minutes with a rolling suitcase and many bridges is my idea of hell.

You want to walk out of the train station, buy your ticket, and take the boat heading left down the Grand Canal - towards Lido. If your hotel is near Rialto, you can take the #1 or #82. If you are closer to the Ca' D'Oro stop, you have to take the #1.

It shouldn't be too insanely crowded in March, but if the boats are, there is a rack to stow your luggage while you ride, just behind the captain's cabin. You can put your suitcase there and find a seat up front for the ride.

chardonnay

You have gotten some good advice here.

Since this is your first trip you will not have your orientation enough to find your hotel, so I, too, recommend the vaporetto to the Rialto. It would be better to cross the one Rialto bridge than many smaller ones to get to that point.

I write from experience, there were gondola races the day I left Venice so I dragged wheeled luggage up and down the steps of each bridge to get to the train station from the Rialto and with so many people I got more and more disgusted with my bag and finally the luggage strap holding my carryon broke off so I had to juggle a purse, carryon and the bag, so by the time I reached the station I was a crazed wreck.

Not a good way to end a dream trip, lol.

mjnbrown

Thanks again everyone for your help. You have convinced me that I won't have a problem getting my luggage on and off the vaparetto, so I'll take it from the train station to my hotel. Then I'll probably walk the rest of the time in Venice, since I love to walk in foreign cities. Thanks again.
Martha

Bailey

Martha,
Yes to the vaporetto.....too many steps on bridges to ''drag'' the bag!!

ps....you will do plenty of walking...and I guarantee you will love it!!!

illusion321

your stop is on the left hand side, but if you go one stop after you will be on the right hand side, I was just in venice and did walk from the train station to my hotel (in the area in which you are staying) Its a 25 min walk, but if its a nice day I would do it, true the streets are narrow, but you walk past a bunch of shops and get a good view of the city and the things you want to see/do, this is really helpful if you have limited time ( i only stayed one night) I was also able to find a bar that showed american football games!

Travels_with_Food

Take the vaporetto.
Unless your luggage has ALL TERRAIN WHEELS, take the vaporetto. Some of the sidewalks are cobblestones. It's not the smoothest of city streets. Also, the luggage UP the bridge and DOWN the bridge would be a total pain (with the weight in your suitcase).
A water taxi is very expensive. The vaporetto is cheap and a great way to see the city.

clevelandbrown

I agree that the vaporetto is the best way for you to get to the Rialto the first day, and also very scenic.

We spent a week in Venice, and enjoy walking, but there are certain things you can only see from a boat, and we found the vaporetto's quite satisfactory. Without them, we would not have been able to see Burano or Murano, or the Lido, or the grand canal tour (some of the vaporetto routes are circular, and the scenery from these rides is not to be missed).

Thus my suggestion is that you buy a 3-day vaporetto pass, and see everything that requires a boat ride in the three days of that pass. Our passes were one of the best buys we made, and we still treasure the glasses we found on Murano (not that Murano glassware is not available in "mainland" Venice, but we just enjoyed seeing where it was made).