poysine

we are flying into marco polo airport..going to venice for 3 days,then back to the airport to pick up our car rental.just want to know logistics and costs of taxi..boat..etc

DonTopaz

From the airport to Venice, the quickest and most spectacular way to go is via a water taxi, which costs about 80€. For less money, you could take the Allilaguna water bus to San Marco for about 11€ each, then a vaporetto or water taxi to your final destinaltion. Lastly, you can take a land bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma, the vaporetto or water taxi.

Also, many car rental companies have offices at Piazzale Roma. If you're renting from one of those companies, it is almost certainly more convenient (and less expensive) to pick up your car there rather than picking it up at Marco Polo.

poysine

our hotel is near san marco.we are getting our car from hertz.it was the cheapest.i will ask when i call them if i can get the car in venice,thanks

Wayne

This might sound picky, but when I deal with people in other countries I tend to leave nothing open to chance. When you ask for a car to pick up in Venice, that will not define the location well enough. (It could be the airport or Piazzale Roma) You will have to ask to pick up the car at Piazzale Roma in Venice. That will leave nothing to question.

Bailey

ps...also check the hours of operation.....ie...half day on Saturday & closed on Sundays.

ira

Hi p,

Before you commit to Hertz, check with www.novarentacar.com and www.autoeurope.com.

I, also, would pick up the car at Piazzale Roma in Venice.

poysine

i checked with all car places,hertz was he cheapest by far

SoloNoMo

My sweetie and I honeymooned in Italy in 2003 and started and finished in Venice. We took the Allilaguna water bus to San Marco, then the water bus up the Grand Canal to our hotel. We rented a car through Auto Europe (their rates include insurance -- from what I've heard, most/all U.S. policiest do not cover you outside the country) and picked it up at the Piazzale Roma. Fortunately we went looking for the Auto Europe office the day before, sans luggage -- their office was across the street from their sign and we did a fair bit of wandering around before we found it. After doing Chianti and Lake Garda, we returned to Venice, found a hotel near the airport with shuttle service the next morning, emptied the car and returned it to the Piazzale Roma. We then hopped on the water bus and enjoyed one more bottle of Soauve at the Rialto before taking the bus back to our hotel. Flying in and out of Venice and taking the water transports is the way to go.

SusanEva

Dear Poysine,

Last month, we did just the opposite of what you are doing - at the end of our two week Italy drive we dropped off our rental car at Marco Polo, went into Venice and then flew out of Marco Polo to return to the US.

Here's what worked well for us. At Marco Polo airport, on the first floor near the entrance is a land bus ticket kiosk (english spoken fluently). We purchased round trip tickets on the bus for 5 euro. You can also purchase your vaporetto tickets or multi-day passes there as well. You walk directly out the front terminal and the bus stop is right there. I believe the bus runs every 30 minutes. We each had a medium roller suitcase and a smaller backpack carry one. The bus had lots of room for luggage. The trip is direct, no changes, and takes about 15 or 20 minutes. It drops you at Piazzale Roma, and is a very short walk to the vaporetto stop.

SusanEva

sherhatfield

I also recommend taking the Alilaguna from the airport and trying to pick up your car from Piazzale Roma. That’s what we did in September and it worked out great. I booked our car thru AutoEurope, making sure I could pick it up on a Sunday. We took the water taxi from our hotel to the Piazzale Roma stop and walked across the street to the Avis office. It was very easy. Don’t forget, AutoEurope will beat any price you get from someone else for the same itinerary – I saved a lot of money that way!