sajoshi

Are water taxis easily available to get to the Venice airport from the island. Our hotel is not too far from St. Marks Basilica. Do you need to book the taxi in advance for the day of travel to the airport.

Thank you!

janisj

>>Do you need to book the taxi in advance for the day of travel to the airport.<<

Yes - the hotels will do it for you.

nytraveler

You cAN generally pick up a water taxis at several central points: train station, airpot, Piazzale Roma and often at a private dock near San Marco. However, if you are coming from a hotel with luggage (and a bellman from the hotel - you will want the taxi at the closest stop to your hotel (or at the hotel's dock if it has a private one).

Dukey1

The hotels will do it for you but you can sometime do it yourself and get a cheaper rate for a private taxi to the airport.

letsgeaux

It would be better to arrange it in advance, especially if you will be on a tight time schedule in the morning. They will pick you up at a designated time and place. It is cool being taken to an airport by boat. We took the water taxi from the Rialto Pier to the airport. We stayed at the Marconi Hotel right at the foot of the Rialto Bridge. We were happy to see on the map that the pier was right outside the hotel. Unfortunately when we arrived we found that it was directly across the Grand Canal from the hotel. We don't pack light. It is not fun lugging heavy suitcases over the cement steps of the Rialto Bridge. (But I wish I was doing that right now)

Ackislander

After carefully booking a water taxi from our hotel, we were left at the Piazzale Roma because it was too foggy that morning for the water taxi to attempt the trip. There were cars ( possibly not legal taxis, more likely friends of the operator, who drove us in the same fog to Marco Polo at a harrowing 120kph.

What's your Plan B?

SavTrav

I've always wanted to take a water taxi because, let's face it, it's a really cool way of arriving in Venice. But it's really expensive.

Keep in mind there's a cheaper option - the Alilaguna. Basically the public "bus" that will take you from the airport to many stops in Venice. You pick it up from the same area as the water taxis. I've never had to wait long, and I just buy the tickets as I arrive.

Here's the website showing the schedules.

http://www.alilaguna.it/en

janisj

>>Keep in mind there's a cheaper option - the Alilaguna. Basically the public "bus" that will take you from the airport to many stops in Venice.<<

But bear in mind it is a very long ride on the Alilaguna . . . depends on 1) if a water taxi fits in the budget, 2) if you have a time crunch, and 3) if you want the fun/experience of having your own speed boat.