Venice and Florence private cab suggestions
 

Hi all, I'm helping plan a couple in their late 60s who will be travelling to Venice and Florence next spring. They are looking for a driver who will pick them up at the airport/train station, carry their luggage to and fro and deposit them at their hotel (which is yet to be determined). Does anyone have any suggestions for such a service. As a comparable, they'll be using Rome Cabs for their stop in Rome. Thanks!

will be travelling to Venice and Florence next spring. They are looking for a driver who will pick them up at the airport/train station, carry their luggage to and fro and deposit them at their hotel (which is yet to be determined)>

Do you realize that in Venice you cannot take a taxi to any hotel? That at some point you must have the taxi take them to the Piazzale Roma - the end of the road in Venice so to speak, and then take waterborn transport to their hotel or near their hotel?

Better yet IMO have them hire a boat at Venice's airport, on the lagoon that Venice lies within, and have this boat-taxi take them to their hotel. In any case no 'driver' can take them from any Venetian airport/train station to hotel.

You can try Trasbagali (lagoon porter service) to transport luggage (and people) from the mainland to a hotel in Venice.
http://www.trasbagagli.it

I worked for a tour operator and I'd use them to take guests' luggage from the bus to the hotel. I've never attempted to use them for an individulal client (as I recall, they charged per bag). I would imagine they could accommodate individuals too (if you find out, could you let me know?)

They're the only service I know of in Venice that does this (and if anyone knows of another, I'd love to hear).

Cheers!

The hotel your friends will be using in Venice likely can recommend a boat operator and porter for the luggage when your friends disembark. Be prepared for sticker shock. Your friends should be prepared for a walk between luggage carousel at the airport and dock for their water transport.

In Florence, and throughout Italy, we used DriverinItaly[.com] for transport between train stations and our hotels, as well as private tours of Rome, Pompeii, Positano. We enjoyed their services.

In Venice, get a hotel with a dock on a canal. Then take a private water taxi directly to the hotel dock. If they arrive at Marco Polo airport, they pay for the water taxi in the terminal (around 100-105 euros). If they arrive at the Santa Lucia train station, the Grand Canal will be right in front of them when they walk out of the station, and there are water taxis there (around 65 euros).

Water taxis aren't inexpensive, but the ride across the lagoon from the airport is great fun besides providing transportation.

The Hotel San Cassiano in Venice for instance has their own dock on the Grand Canal, nothing could be easier than to get a water taxi from San Marco airport to there.

It is about a 15 minute walk from Venice airport arrivals to the water taxi dock.

(I think Rick Steves once timed the walk from the Venice Airport main terminal to the dock, and put it at 8 minutes.)

You need to be a bit more specific. Are they arriving in Venice on the train or plane? Generally, they can follow what Paul said, though it wouldn't be a bad idea to contact the hotel and ask the hotel to book a water taxi to meet them at a designated time for a set price. (They'd probably have to confirm by phone upon arrival at the train station or the airport.) If they're carrying their own luggage, the water taxi is the way to go.

As for Florence, I'm not understanding why they wouldn't just grab the usual taxi at the airport or train station.

Thanks everyone! Palenq, I realize that Venice is on water and they won't be taking a "taxi" per se.

They will be arriving by plane and leaving by train so I am looking for a service that can be there, with the little white card with their name on it preferably, at the airport, take them to their hotel and then pick them up at the end of their visit and take them to the train station. I understanding the logistics of Venice but I've always taken Aliliguna (sp?) so this is a new area to me.

Tarquin,
I'll look into Hotel San Cassiano, that sounds perfect logistically. My friends have travelled extensively throughout northern Europe but have never been to Italy so I want them to "ease" into as simply as possible.

k9korps, maybe RS is a quicker walker than me but I've done that walk a number of times, most recently last Friday, and I reckon it takes me 15 minutes. And I am not elderly or infirm, just middle-aged and averagely unfit.

caroline: LOL. I did it last week, and I'm inclined to agree with you. I just thought it was funny that Steves actually timed it, according to his standards. Maybe it was without luggage.

K9korps and Caroline, I think it is the luggage thing. We're in our thirties but were lugging luggage and it was a hike as I remember!

For the easiest travel in Venice they need to pick a hotel that has a private dock (usually only upscale ones do) and then book a water taxi to take them there. the driver of the taxi and the bellmen at the hotel will deal with their luggage for them. All they have to do is pay for the hotel, the taxi and tip both men nicely. there are water taxis esily available at both the Venice airport and the train station.

Here is a link to a company who provides the service you describe in Venice.

http://www.veniceguideandboat.it/PriceList2010.pdf

Deluxe Transfer: inclusive of meet & greet assistance, private van from arrival to the dock and private water taxi from the airport to hotel in Venice costs 195 euro for up to 6 people.

Be careful if you ask your hotel to book a water taxi. Many hotels will add very high fees for this "convenience." And there really isn't any reason to book a water taxi from the airport to your hotel in advance.

However, if you do want to reserve one just to be sure, you can book it through the water taxi web site and other related sites if you don't want to pay extra fees--these two advertise rates ranging from 94 to 105 euros for up to 3 people--but it doesn't include meet and greet in the airport terminal. Do they really need meet and greet with the sign at their age?
http://www.venicewatertaxi.com/ http://www.venicewelcome.com/servizi...i-form-ing.htm

We booked a water taxi through the hotel, and there were no fees added, though it's probably not a bad idea to ask about it when and if you do book.

A tip when arriving at Marco Polo airport, and taking a water taxi. Even if your bags have wheels, use an airport baggage trolley for your bags. The walk to the taxi dock is about ten or fifteen minutes, and the pavement can be rough in places.
An airport trolley rolls much more easily than a wheeled bag. It is not hard going, though.

Good point, Peter. You need a €1 coin.

Good suggestion Peter on the trolley. Thanks for all the suggestions. They like the ease of having someone waiting for them and leading the way but the price difference is so huge for just that convienence. Best I can do is give them the choice and let them decide, like I said we were always on Aliliguana but it's not my choice to make. I personally would rather spend it on some prosecco!