Parking while in Venice
 

Will be driving from Bellagio to Venice. Where should we park the car. Is it safe to leave some luggage in trunk. We were advised to bring only one suitcase for our 2 nights in Venice, so we didn't have to lug all our bags. Thanks, Mary

I think you can do this, by choosing a "secure" (enclosed or guarded) parking facility near the Mestre train station - - slightly less convenient (and less "esthetic") than the large parking structure on (the separate island of) Tronchetto (near the car "endpoint" for Venice proper).

And of course, the best advice for any trip to Europe - - of any duration - - is to not weigh yourself down with bags that require you to have to "lug" them.

Best wishes,

Rex

We parked at Tronchetto a few years ago. It is very easy to drive to as you are approaching Venice, and there are vaporettos and water taxis within a few hundred feet of the garage. Tronchetto is a MASSIVE indoor parking garage that is not really guarded, but the odds of having your car broken into are pretty slim since there are so many thousands of cars parked there, and it's usually pretty busy. They have a kooky system of having to pay your fee before you get your car, so take your ticket with you.

"kooky"? - - kooky is having others wait behind you while you fumble with money, at a MANNED exit booth - - what a mind-numbing, menial job!

Much more civilized to go to an automated pay machine, insert your ticket, pay for your parking, receive a "paid" ticket back, and then drive your car out with 5 seconds at the exit!

I guess 'kooky' wasn't the appropriate word - perhaps 'not what most Americans are used to' is less offensive. Actually one of the things I enjoy most in Eurpoe is seeing how small things (like parking) are done differently that what I am accustomed to in the US. Not necessarily better or worse - just different.

There are several enclosed parking garages in Mestre across the street from the train station. The train takes about 10 minutes and costs about one euro. The parking last summer was about 5 eruo per 24 hours which I believe is much cheaper than Tronchetto. We did leave some stuff in the trunk of the car (not in view) with no problem. We chose Mestre instead of Tronchetto because we had heard that sometimes traffic over the causeway there can get pretty bad and take forever and also that sometimes in the summer it can be full. Don't know if that's true but we were happy parking in Mestre.

Oh and also, I had heard so much about "that first view of Venice as you step out of the train station" - it was indeed memorable.

Don't park under the Rialto Bridge - you might find your car gone when you get back ;)

It's unusual that no one has mentioned the parking garage right at the Piazzale Roma. I'll mention it only to make the responses complete. While the rates are higher than in Mestre or Tronchetto, the facility is indeed secure. I have used it both before the renovation of a few years ago, and after. The new system for the municipal parking garage, which allows you to pay in advance for a reserved spot via the internet, is appealing to lots of people in spite of the higher rates. Good luck.

In 1999 we used Tronchetto, really convenient driving in and leaving (we were coming from Vienna). We were not required to pay in advance. The hotel had discount coupons that were very advantageous. We tried to park near the checkout, figuring that people would tend to be more in that area. When we came back, while the guys loaded the car, we paid while on foot so there was no problem with holding others up while we found the right money.
We had a Ford Mondeo station wagon which we pulled the cover over and left nothing visible. We took only a 22 inch and a tote because it is much easier on the vaporetto to your lodging. Be sure to get the ticket on the dock for the vaparetto. A couple people thought they could get the ticket on the water bus and the fine was like 10 times the ticket per person or more.