i_am_kane

Simply, I am confused. We will arrive in San Marco Airport, Venice, and want to board a land bus to Piazzale Roma, then take Vaporetto No. 1 to the San Stae stop. We will also need a tourist 36-hour travel card.

The hotel recommends boarding an ATVO land bus or Bus No. 5 to Piazzale Roma then board Vaporetto No. 1 to San Stae. I was under the impression Bus No. 5 was an ACTV bus.

Online I see there is an ACTV+ card for transfer from the aiport by land bus and vaporetti. There will not be a return to the airport...after three days, we will take the train from Santa Lucia train station to Desenzano.

The hotel must know which bus company to recommend to its guests, but I am uncertain. I will wait until we land to purchase the correct product in the airport (not online).

Can someone clarify this for me?

dfourh

The #5 is an ACTV bus, and it used to be as cheap as every other bus in the region, but about two years ago they added an airport surcharge, which at €6 makes it the same price as the ATVO express bus (the express bus is easier with luggage because it is stowed underneath).

i_am_kane

Thank you dfourh,

So, we should take the ATVO express bus, which the hotel recommends and pay 6 euros (each) on board the bus or at an airport ticket booth.

Also, purchase two 36-hour tourist card for use on the vaporetti. Am I correct?

NYCFoodSnob

ACTV is an older company. ATVO is a partnership of ACTV. Something to do with private shareholders and public shareholders. Italian business can be complicated.

The ACTV #5 bus is an AeroBus. The ATVO bus is called Airport Shuttle. You can Google them and see the visual differences in Images. Each company has its own pick-up/drop-off location. One-way on both buses is 6€. I believe both buses go from the airport to Piazzale Roma without making a stop. I don't think the word "express" applies. I can't speak about luggage storage or comfort level. I've never been on either.

If you want to take the ACTV bus and save 2€, you can purchase the ACTV - 36 hours Ticket + Airport Transfer Bus (one way) for 29€. If you go with ATVO, you'll need to purchase two separate tickets without any savings.

dfourh

I always take the ATVO; the ACTV is more like a city bus in design, the ATVO more like a long-distance coach; there is a ticket machine directly in front of where the ATVO bus stops, and often a rep or the driver there to help you press the right button and put the coins in, but it is easy enough anyways. If you are travelling kind of light saving 2e with the combo ticket could be worth it. If you go to Google Images and type in 'venice airport bus' you'll get plenty images of each.

TXtraveler2013

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annhig

IME the ACTV bus does stop and takes longer, also it does not have the luggage storage underneath so you get luggage all over the place which can be uncomfortable.

the bus stop for the ATVO bus at the airport is right in front of the airport building, and at the paizzale Rome it's towards the back of the bus station, if you think of the Grand canal as being at the front. [it leaves from where it stops, so if you get the ATVO bus into Venice you'll know where the stop is for going back].

The ATVO bus is blue, I seem to remember.

ortizr

I took the Alilaguna boat straight from the airport to my stop. It was a short walk. If you are going to San Stae, I see that the orange line takes you there directly. You can purchase tickets at the boat I believe, around 15E one way. I found this to be the most efficient way to get into Venice. The less time you struggle with your suitcases the better. You'll see what I mean when you get there. Afterwards, I bought my 3 day pass, unfortunately I can't remember where. Here is the website address -
http://www.alilaguna.it/en/linea-arancio. Good luck.

annhig

you can buy your passes, plus alilaguna tickets [or book and pay for a water taxi] at the information desk just ahead of you as you exit the airport arrivals area.

we found them very friendly and helpful, even at 10pm!

bobthenavigator

I too suggest the ATVO bus---very easy.

Peter_S_Aus

I suggest the Alilaguna ferry from the airport to San Stae. It is a very relaxed way to enter Venice, and you get to see a bit of thhe lagoon. It is a 400 metre walk to the Alilaguna dock, an easy walk. Costs about 15 euro per person.

Ortizr's post above is correct, and good advice.

Pepper_von_snoot

The # 5 bus makes stops. They are fast stops though because the locals don't have luggage.

Keith and I always take the #5 bus. It stops right in front of Marco Polo.

It was 6€ in July.

The alilaguna is great if your hotel is near a stop. However, the docks at Marco Polo are a 10- minute walk from airport.

The alilaguna also makes a lot of stops. A boat is also slower than a bus because of the docking at every stop.

Thin-- loves Venice

i_am_kane

Thank you to everyone for your replies. This is our fourth trip to Venice, and we previously entered via the train station, and one time we hired a private boat to transport 10 family members. The bus will be a whole new experience.

So, the Alilaguna ferry is more than double the price of the bus, but as Thin says, a longer ride from the airport to the San Stae stop. Our hotel is the Hotel al Ponte Mocenigno,a short walk from where vaporetti stop.

Got it...I'm done with this little bump in the road. Thanks again!

annhig, is the bus stop at the airport near the big blue clock (I think) as you exit the doors?

flanneruk

The really crucial thing about the Alilaguna is that your red line runs less often than the buses - and the Alilaguna frequency drops off very sharply after about 1900.

Exiting baggage reclaim around 10 pm, using the Alilaguna can easily add an hour to the journey time to your hotel.

During the day, even if you have an Alilaguna stop near your hotel, it's still quicker for almost everywhere to get the bus from right outside the terminal to P Roma, then the vaporetto (the signs announce the walk between the terminal and the Alilaguna berth as 12 minutes. It took us - both fast walkers - 9, with painless luggage).

The daytime case for the Alilaguna is overall convenience and the sheer Veniceness of getting a boat from plane to hotel (the extra €9/head is, by Venice standards, trivial. If it matters, you're holidaying in the wrong city). There IS an argument, though, that the vaporetto is always more Venicey than the Alilaguna (which feels like every airport bus on earth, only on water) and that the No 1 makes a wonderful introduction. Apart from anything else, you've really go to sit down on the Alilaguna, and that's the worst possible way of seeing the Grand Canal.

But you can't predict what time you're going to arrive. So you can't really predict what's the quickest way till you've got your luggage.

Well worth printing off the timetable, and having it with you. Then decide between boat and bus, assuming it'll take you five mins from baggage claim to bus/vaporetto pass purchase to bus and 15 mins to being boatside.

Pepper_von_snoot

Keith and I took the Orange Line Alilaguna to San Stae when we stayed at Ca'Fravetto.

I would probably take the Alilaguna if I were you since it is so convenient.

Thin

annhig

annhig, is the bus stop at the airport near the big blue clock (I think) as you exit the doors?>>

when we were there last, the ATVO bus stop was literally right outside the airport doors beyond the porch area.

the ACTV bus stop is slightly further away, but it's all under cover so it makes little difference.

the italian for bus/boat stop is "fermata" which might come in useful.

bobthenavigator

The Alilaguna will take twice as long and cost more, so why?

annhig

The Alilaguna will take twice as long and cost more, so why?>>

well, it depends doesn't it, Bob? if your accommodation is very close to an alilaguna stop, and you're not in a hurry, it may be more convenient and even quicker than queuing to buy a bus ticket, waiting for the bus, loading your luggage onto it, taking your luggage off, dragging it cross the piazzale Roma, waiting for the right vaporetto, hauling your luggage on baord, getting squished by the crowds piling on with you, having to fight your way off, and then dragging your bags over a couple of bridges or so.

NYCFoodSnob

On the Orange Line Alilaguna in the morning, San Stae is the third stop from the airport. The trip takes 50 minutes. If a family of 10 boards the land bus to Piazzale Roma and then switches to a vaporetto, I sincerely doubt you will save a significant amount of time. Saving 30 minutes here and there will always depend on other things. If the causeway to P. Roma is extremely busy, you can find yourself stuck there for quite some time.

<i><font color=#555555>"The daytime case for the Alilaguna is overall convenience and the sheer Veniceness of getting a boat from plane to hotel (the extra €9/head is, by Venice standards, trivial. If it matters, you're holidaying in the wrong city)."</font></i>

With San Stae so close to your hotel, taking the Alilaguna allows you to start and validate your vaporetto pass a little later. If you take the land bus to P. Roma, you have to acquire and use your 36-hour pass immediately to get you to San Stae via vaporetto. You might save money in the long run if it benefits you to use your 36-hour pass later in the day or the following morning.

bobthenavigator

I was not aware the Orange line went to the San Stae stop---I assumed a vaporetto ride as well. I stand corrected if indeed that is true.