what is the best transportaion from Venice airport to city and
 

How does one get to the city from the airport and to the port for boarding a ship?? Thanks

From airport to city, you can take a bus (cheapest but you still have to get from the terminal near the railroad station to your ship) or watertaxi (most expensive but most impressive/fun and may get you a lot closer to your ship). Surprised, though, that your cruise line isn't providing the transfer.

HKP...we are staying in Venice for 2 nights and then going on a cruise. Should we take an airport shuttle to the hotel and then , what?. the watertaxi to the cruise? Thanks.

Take a water taxi to your hotel from the airport if price is not a major concern. Otherwise, if your hotel is near an aliguna stop (what hotel?) arriving by water is so nice. The aliguna a small "public" boat that transports from the airport to several stops in Venice.

You can take the bus over and then get a vaporetti from there to the stop nearest your hotel. That is the cheapest way. For a first trip to Venice arriving by water is spectacular and you can get on the aliguna directly outside of the airport and it will let you off in Venice. From that stop you can catch a vaporeto to the stop nearest your hotel. I am certain you can find the nearest vaporeto stop by contacting your hotel and asking them or looking at thier web site. Water taxi is the most expensive method and not worth the extra cost when the aliguna and vaporetti are so readily available.

How many are in your party?
How much baggage do you have and is there any problem carrying it?
Exactly where is your hotel or what is the name?
Is cost or convenience a factor to <i>you</i>?

BTW, there are many posts on this you can see by using the search function.((*))

&quot;Water taxi is the most expensive method and not worth the extra cost when the aliguna and vaporetti are so readily available.&quot;

That is the kind of &quot;value judgement&quot; that I think is totally unfair here. To the luxury traveler, one who is staying at a top end hotel, I'd think that taking a water taxi is well worth the cost. I'd never do it personally, because cost is generally more of a factor for ME. That's why I said &quot;if price is not a major issue&quot;. But it cannot be argued that having a private water taxi direct to your hotel and someone to handle your luggage is really very much nicer than a bus and a vaporetto or the aliguna! I was somewhat disappointed when we were required to sit inside the very crowded aliguna when we wanted to stand up front and outside, for example.

Patrick: I wasn't making a value judgement, just expressing my personal opinion, as we all do on this site. I have used a water taxi before and found it not to be worth the extra cost when there are cheaper and equally effective means of transport. For me personally it is not worth the cost but it may be to the OP. The OP now has all of the options available and can choose the one they like without any &quot;value judgement&quot; being attached. Honestly, we are all here to share our own personal experiences and opinions, which gives everyone a wide variety of views to choose from. I may not like a cafe someone else recommends or find another to be great when others say it is awful. Is that placing a &quot;value judgement&quot; on the person making the recommendation? No, it is a sharing of opinions and experiences, which is what this site is all about.

We are staying at the Locanda Orseolo, arriving to Venice by train and departing by air...

I have pretty much decided to take a water taxi to the airport upon departure, but any suggestions/ approximate costs for transportation options from the train station (Santa Lucia)?

We are two active people with one suitcase and carry on each. Our accommodation is near San Marco.

Thanks, and sorry themrsg for hijacking your post.

Tom: The vaporetto (the water bus) stop is right outside the train station. You can take it down the grand canal to San Marco. Or you could walk it if the day is fine -- its not such a big city, really.

themrsg: I vote for the aliguna for the aiport-town trip, or the water taxi if you feel like splurging. (On the theory that anyone who can afford a cruise doesn't need to take the land bus).

How best to get to the cruise ship area depends on where your hotel is -- your choices are water taxi, vaporetto, or walk. Maybe you want to ask at the hotel desk and decide when you get there?

Hello Group,
I want to thank all of you for the information, you have all been very helpful.
Safe travels to everyone.

I am curious about the price difference between a watertaxi and the aliguna?

The Allighuna is 10 or 25 euros per person, depending on whether you take the gold service or not.

The water taxi is 80-100 euros per trip (not per person), depending on where you are going.

the water taxi, like most things in Venice, is outrageously priced. That being said, we can't think of a better way to arrive in Italy. We flew in from California and jumping in the back and feeling the wind was great and worth the price. We ended up never taking a gondola, but we did take two more water taxi trips when we were in Venice.

There were 4 of us, so taking the taxi for &euro;90 was reasonable. We also had a gondola ride (paid for by our children) and many vaporrettos which were great. ((*))

There is no transport in Venice equally as effective as a water taxi. The water taxi is faster than anything else and will get you closer to your destination than anything else (unless you happen to be staying at a hotel located right at the Alilaguna stop).

Whether or not it is more or less COST-effective depends on many other factors. For many people time saved, the fun of a water taxi ride, and convenience make the the water taxi the most Cost-effective way to go. For many other people, not.