Hi All,
I am considering taking a train to Venice from Florence. While looking at train schedules I notice there are two train stations in Venice, Mestre and S. Lucia. Is one more convenient than the other? Also,when arriving, is it clear where to proceed to get a water taxi? I have never been to Venice and don't know what to expect. Thanks!

S Lucia is the only train station in Venice. Mestre is a nearby town on the mainland.

Maestre station is actually considered "Venice" too for many folks even though it is across the causeway..but to answer your question...
take a train all the way to Santa Lucia; in some cases you may even have to change in Maestre, hopefully not..

When you get off the train at S.L. proceed straight ahead into the station itself...if you keep going straight ahead you'll FALL INTO the canal on the other side of the building.

I recently went from Florence.s Rifredi station to Venice-Mestre the station on the mainland across the causeway from the lagoon and linked to the deadend in the heart of Venice near the Grande Canala Venice Santa Lucia station

Obviously it's best to leave in your case from Santa Lucia on a Eurostar (ES) train and go straight to Florence SMN or Santa Maria Novella terminus, again a deadend station near the heart of town.

I had a railpass and wanted to just be able to hop on the few InterCity trains that do Florence Rifredi to Florence Mestre a few times daily at not much less time but don't require reservations so with the pass i saved the 15 euro R fee with a pass and more importantly had flexibility and no need to wait in often long lines to make the mandatory reservation.

I hopped frequent trains Florence SMN to Florence Rifredi and then Mester to Venice proper - a bit of a hassle but IC direct trains only seem to go Florence Rifredi to Venice Mestre.

If buying a ticket i'd hop the much more frequent Eurostars from heart of town to heart of town

Thanks so much, I will try not to fall into the canal, but I am a bit klutzy lol.

Hi, elcon. There are 2 main types of water transport in historic Venice.

The one you probably want is the water bus, or vaporetto. This is akin to a city bus in a regular city with streets instead of canals. It a a large boat that moves along the canals to a regular stop, just like a a land bus on city streets.

The other is the water taxi. Just like a land taxi, it has no set stops. It is much more expensive than the water bus.

Go to ACTV.it for more information on the water buses.

In any case be sure to buy the day or longer boat passes

single rides in Jan when i was there cost a whopping 6 euros but the passes are not much more

and if doing just one ride at 6 euros a piece with 2 or 3 you may be better off taking a water taxi right to your hotel

Prices are cheaper if you are a Venetian resident but if not 6 euros flat fee it seemed

Hi elcon,

ditto the above.

there is a vaporetto stop at the SL station - always signposted in Venice as "Ferrovia".

the best way to get to your accommodation depends on where it is. your hotel should be able to tell you the best way to get there, including which vaportetto stop and line you need.

if it is near the station, or in cannaregio, it may be easier to walk along the strada nova. anyway,
vaporetto passes can be purchased at any of the main stops, including ferrovia.

good luck,

regards, ann