Panther13

Flying into Venice in July and wanted to see if the Water Taxi is the best option. I know it is more expensive but I am hearing that it's nicer and much quicker. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Staying at the Savoia and Jolanda (San Zacaria stop).

Pepper_von_snoot

The water buses are called Vaporetti.

There is also the Alilaguna. These water buses run from Marco Polo to various stops in Venice.

The vaporetti DO NOT run from Marco Polo.

For the Alilaguna and private water taxi services you would have to walk down to the docks at Marco Polo.

I, of course, always take the #5 public bus from the curb at Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma, then transfer to the vaporetto or walk to my hotel.

You can make transportation arrangements at the transportation desks at Marco Polo.

See you at Pantagruelica.


Thin

zorrosf

Water taxi is MUCH nicer and MUCH more expensive. If you opt for the water taxi, it is a relatively short walk from the terminal to the boat docks. A few tips:

1. Get a quote BEFORE you board and make sure your boat owner agrees with the quote the dispatcher gave you.

2. In addition to #1 above, get a quote for a trip that includes a route from Piazzali Roma down the Grand Canal and then to the stop closest to your hotel. Definite life-changing experience to ride down the Grand Canal is a private water taxi!

tuscanlifeedit

From Marco Polo, I generally do as Thin suggests. But for your hotel, the Blue Line Alilaguna is a decent choice.

But looking at all these options, the Alilaguna from the airport to San Zacaria is about the simplest, fastest and most economical choice.

vincenzo32951

A water taxi is about 100 euros; the Alilaguna is about 15 euros. The water taxi is fast, convenient and a great way to enter the city. The best thing you can say about the Alilaguna is that it's utilitarian.

Two alternatives:

As the above post notes, you can take the bus to Piazzale Roma and then make your way to your hotel via vaporetto, or on foot if it's close to the PR.

Through Viator.com or other services, you can book a group water taxi, where you share the WT with others, and it drops you off at a vaporetto stop nearest your hotel. That'll cost you about 35 euros pp.

Dukey1

You can also book a taxi with a so-called "meet and greet" option. We did this for our visit to Venice this past November. When we arrived at the airport nobody was there to "greet" us so we went to the applicable desk in the terminal and presented ourselves. At that point a man helped us into a vehicle and DROVE us the distance to the dock area where we then boarded the taxi which took us to our hotel.. It was nice to disembark at the hotel's Grand Canal dock and all of that.

Was it worth it? We booked a round trip so the coming and going were certainly about as convenient as it can get and yes, we would probably do it again.

Panther13

Thank you for the responses. I am starting to lean toward the bus and the vaporetto. How often does the bus run from Marco Polo and how long will it take to get to Piazzale Roma?

annhig

Panther - there are two sorts of buses from the airport to Piazzale Roma. The #5 is part of the same organisation as the vaporetti [ACTV] but is no longer covered by the transport pass that covers the vaporetti. it has no separate luggage compartment and stops several times between the airport and Venice. it costs €5 each way.

There is also the SITA bus, which stops right outside the arrivals area, is bright blue, and also costs €5 each way. it doesn't stop and has a luggage area underneath. IMO it's a better option than the ACTV bus.

They both stop at the same place, though at different bus stops.

Panther13

Thank you so much for the advice. Quite helpful

Peter_S_Aus

We have used the shared water taxi several times. Cheaper than your own taxi, more expensive and more fun than a land bus from Marco Polo to Piazzle Roma.

Alilaguna costs about 15 euro, private taxi about 100 euro, shared taxi about 25 euro per person.

http://www.venicelink.com/index.php?...3&lang=english

maxima

The cheapest transport from the airport into Venice is by bus, and there are two options which link Marco Polo Airport with Piazzale Roma (this is as far into Venice as you can get with land transport). Piazzale Roma is in the corner of Venice alongside the lagoon's road-bridge. You will then need to use Venice's public boat service to continue on to the stop nearest your hotel.

Buses depart from a row of stops opposite the exits to the airport building, and there are electronic departures boards.

ATVO runs the express bus service - the line is number 35, but it's clearly labelled for Venice (Venezia). It runs directly to Piazzale Roma, takes 20 minutes, and costs €5. You put your bags in the compartment under the bus . They run approximately every half-hour, check the website for the bus schedule.

There is also a local bus service, the number 5, that goes fro the airport to Piazzale Roma. This is run by ACTV, and is either orange or blue. It does make stops along the way which is why I would take ATVO bus. It also leaves the airport every half hour.

if taking the bus buy your ticket at the kiosk inside the terminal. once you get to Piazzale Roma you will have to buy tickets for the vaporetto. it can be crowded especially with luggage, depending on the time of day. but the ride on the grand canal is always wonderful.

For your hotel the Alilaguna runs from the airport to a stop right nearby. The total cost is about the same, when you add in the bus ticket and the ticket for the vaparetto, and you wont have to make a change of transport. The Alilaguna is a public ferry, and everyone on it will be coming from the airport with luggage. It will take well over an hour to reach your hotel from the airport, and some times it can be choppy crossing the lagoon.

Panther13

Thanks for all of the replies. Leaning towards the bus and the vaporetto if timing works out.

Louise2Italy

I bought a one way ACTV bus ticket from Marco Polo + a 3 day vaporetto pass online at http://www.veneziaunica.it/en/e-commerce/services for my trip last year at the end of April.

We walked out of the airport to a kiosk near the road where the buses pick you up with our confirmation code which produced the bus ticket and the 3 day water bus pass. Please make sure you take all of your receipts out of the kiosk before you leave and keep with you. My 3 day pass stopped working because I stored it near a credit card and the magnetic strip ruined the card for use. I took the receipt from the kiosk to a vaporetto stop near St. Mark's to get a new card.

We boarded the bus and swiped the bus card at the machine near the driver and road the 20 minutes to Pz. Roma. We were going to St. Mark's stop to Locando Orseolo so we walked over the bridge and along the water until we found a landing for the #2 boat. We returned via the vaporetto to the train station 3 days later to go to Florence.

Doing it online ahead of time was very smooth and using the cards there is easy. Didn't mind the bus at all and the vaporetto down the canal to St. Mark's is always a thrill.