Venice's primary airport, Marco Polo Airport, sits a distance away from the main archipelago of Venetian islands. Travelers have the choice of crossing this distance either by water-based transport or by land. Planning ahead on how to reach your hotel from Marco Polo Airport is advisable before arriving in Venice. To assist you, here's a practical guide outlining the various transportation options from Marco Polo Airport to Venice, along with essential considerations to help you decide on the best mode of travel for your needs.
Getting to Venice from the Airport
Venice's public transportation system is highly efficient, catering to the needs of both visitors and locals. Whether you're arriving from Piazzale Roma or Venice Airport, you'll find convenient options for getting around. The Marco Polo Airport Bus Ticket (ACTV Aerobus) offers a swift and comfortable express bus connection. Alternatively, the Alilaguna Shuttle Service provides a convenient shuttle from the airport to the city center. For budget-conscious travelers, shared water taxi services are available, dropping you directly outside your hotel. If you prefer more privacy, private water taxi services offer seamless travel between Marco Polo Airport and Venice.
Venice Airport Transfer Tickets
Marco Polo to/from Venice - Water Taxi Timings & Duration
Depending on your time of arrival, make sure you book the right option as the price varies between day and night
- From Airport to Hotel - Day
- Operating hours: 7:00 AM - 8:55 PM
- Pick up will be between 7 am and 8:55 pm
- Duration: 1 hr
- From Hotel to Airport - Day
- Operating hours: 7:00 AM - 8:55 PM
- Pick up will be between 7:00 Am and 8:55 PM
- Duration: 1 hr
- From Airport to Hotel - Night
- Operating hours: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Pick up will be available between 4:00 AM - 6:55 AM & 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Duration: 1 hr
- From Hotel to Airport - Night
- Operating hours: 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Pick up will be available between 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM
- Duration: 1 hr
Marco Polo to/from Venice - Minivan Transfer Timings & Duration
Transfers operate daily on an hourly schedule from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. This service is convenient for passengers arriving on flights between 7:00 AM and 7:30 PM. The final transfer departs from the airport at 8:30 PM, accommodating flights landing at or before 7:30 PM.
Depending on where the hotel is located, travel time is approximately 35 minutes.
Good To Know
- Most minivan transfers are not considered private but is shared with other guests not belonging to the same party.
- Allowance for 1 piece of medium-sized luggage (79 cm x 117.5 cm or 74 cm x 88 cm or 68 cm x 70 cm or 55 cm x 33 cm) and a handbag or backpack (37 cm x 13 cm).
- Oversized luggage (85 cm x 131.5 cm), which will be chargeable.
- Luggage porter service is not included at the pickup at the Venice hotel or at the airport.
- Make sure to provide all relevant information about arrival/departure time and date, flight origin, flight number, and/or destination, as well as the name of the hotel where you are staying at the time of booking.
- This service is not fully accessible for passengers in wheelchairs or those with mobility impairments.
- Once a flight lands, passengers have 1 hour to reach the desk, after which then the minibus will depart. If passengers miss the service, they can take the next transfer, provided it is available.
Bus Transfers
ATVO Buses
Traveling from Marco Polo Airport to Venice city center via the Airport Bus Shuttle, also known as the ATVO Buses or Venice Express buses, offers the most affordable and convenient option for covering the distance. Keep an eye out for bus number #35, which provides a direct, non-stop route to downtown Venice, specifically the main bus station, Piazzale Roma, in just 20 minutes. With a fare of 8 Euros for a single trip and a frequency of every 20 minutes, you can catch this bus upon arrival with minimal waiting time. Tickets for an ATVO bus can be purchased from the ATVO machines at the airport or online in advance to avoid queues upon arrival. These buses feature wifi and comfortable seating with ample legroom for a pleasant journey.
To reach this bus, exit the airport building through Exit D and head towards the second lane on the left, where you'll find platform number 2. These buses also operate from Piazzale Roma to return to Marco Polo airport.
ATVO Timings
To locate the bus, depart the airport terminal via Exit D and proceed to the second lane on the left. Platform number 2 will be there. These buses also provide service from Piazzale Roma back to Marco Polo airport.
You can buy the ATVO bus tickets online here.
Good To Know
- A single journey ticket, with baggage included, is priced at €8.00, whereas a round-trip ticket, also including baggage, costs €15.00. For groups exceeding 10 individuals, discounted rates are available at €6.00 per person for one-way travel and €11.00 per person for round trips.
- The ATVO buses have underneath luggage compartments, so you don’t have to drag your luggage onto the bus.
- These buses also run to other destinations in the Veneto area, so if you’re not actually going to Venice itself check the website to see if the bus goes to your destination.
ACTV Buses
ACTV buses are the local transportation option for navigating within the city, with a singular route extending to the airport. Operating between Marco Polo and Piazzale Roma, these buses run approximately every fifteen minutes. Bus line #5 specifically services the route from Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma, with a travel duration of around 25 minutes for a one-way journey. Tickets are available for purchase at self-service machines located in both the airport and Piazzale Roma, as well as at designated newspaper stands marked with a prominent "T" sign, known as Tabacchi.
ACTV Timings
The first bus leaves Piazzale Roma from Monday-Saturday at 04:35 AM and the last bus leaves at 00:40 AM (on Sundays and holidays the departures begin at 05:40 and end at 24:40). The first bus leaves the airport bound for Venice at 04:08 AM, and the last bus of the day departs at 01:10 AM.
Good To Know
- The ACTV buses have luggage racks in the seating area, which means you will have to carry your luggage onto the bus.
- The ACTC buses are smaller than ATVO buses and have several stops on the way. It is also known to be more crowded and traveling with big suitcases can be quite a hassle.
- You are required to validate your tickets in the bus via a machine. Make sure you don't forget to do this on your way in.
Train Transfers
While train journeys are one of my favourite ways to get around the city, going from the Marco Polo airport to Venice by train is not something I'd recommend. This is because you'll have to first take a bus from the airport to the Mestre Train Station and then get to Venice. This is quite a round about way and not needed when you have so many other, more convinient ways of getting to the city. However, if your end destination is somewhere elsewhere in the Veneto, the Mestre train station is much more well-connected than the ATVO buses. In this case, it is worth going to the Mestre station and traveling from there.
From the Marco Polo airport to the Mestre train station will cost you 3 Euros and from here it's just 1 Euro to the Santa Lucia Train Station in Venice city. While the trip costs a total of 4 Euros and is definitely the cheapest way to go from Marco Polo to Venice city, it involves getting on and off a train & bus which I personally think is not worth the effort. Especially not after a long flight and odd hour!
Good To Know
- Once you disembark from the Santa Lucia Train Station, you have to cross the Calatrava Bridge to reach Piazzale Roma from where you can hail a bus/ taxi to reach your hotel. If you have multiple/heavy pieces of luggage the journey up this bridge is not going to be pleasant. However, there is no other way around it.
Taxi Transfers
Hailing a taxi can get you from the Marco Polo airport to Piazzale Roma in about 15 minutes but will cost you quite a bomb - about 50 Euros or so ( including luggage). However, if you're in a hurry this one proves to be the best option as you won't be making an extra stops.
One of the recommended taxi services is RadioTaxi Venezia which is available 24 hours a day at the airport, and their minimum charge to/from the airport is €8 during the days Monday-Saturday (€11 at nights, Sundays & holidays). You can check out their website should you like to see the charges in detail and make a booking prior to your arrival.
Good to Know
- Unlike cabs around the world, the taxis in Venice will drop you at Piazzale Roma, and from there you will have to walk or take the vaporetto to your accommodation. This is because Venice is a vehicular free zone and does not have roads that can accomodate cars.
Final Thoughts
Depending on your budget, you have an array of options to get from Marco Polo Airport To Venice. Also, all the above options apply for the reverse route in getting from Venice back to the airport. I would personally recommend the Alilaguna if you're on a budget and the water taxi if you're up for splurging. Whatever said and done, Venice is best explored via the waters and what better than getting a taste of it as soon as you land?! Make sure you keep ample time to traverse the distance as the water-traffic is quite unpredictable.
Keep in the mind that apart from the water taxi and water bus, you will be deposited at Piazzale Roma or the Santa Lucia Train Station. From here, you can choose to walk or take a vaporetto to your destination. Also, if you're staying in Venice for a few days, buying a Vaporetto Pass online is a wise move. This pass provides unlimited use on the Vaporetto and allows you to move about the city hassle-free.
For a quick pictorial representation of the distance between the Venice Marco Polo Airport and boarding points of each mode of transport , head here.
