10 Days In Italy: Getting To Venice Marco Polo Airport

Here’s a recap of previous posts and a list of what’s upcoming for our recent trip to Italy.

• United Airlines To Rome
• St. Regis Rome
• Vatican
• Osteria 44
• Photo Essay of Angels & Demons
• A Quiet Meal At Cul de Sac
• Trevi Fountain (Semi) Closed For Business
• A Fast Train To Venice
• Tips For Sightseeing In Rome
• St. Regis San Clemente Island, Part 1
• St. Regis San Clemente Island, Part 2
• Hotel Danieli
• Antico Pignolo
• A Quick Trip To Murano
• A Day At The Beach
• How To Ride The Vaporetto (Water Bus) In Venice
• Getting Lost In Venice
• Getting To Venice Airport
• British Airways 787 Flight Home

There are a few different choices for getting from the heart of Venice to Marco Polo airport.  Venice also has a secondary airport (Treviso) that handles mostly Ryanair flights, but the vast majority of carriers serve Marco Polo.  A quick summary of the choices, along with our journey:

1.  Take the vaporetto to Piazzale Roma and transfer to a bus.  You can purchase tickets online ahead of time here.  Tickets are 6 Euro for a one-way ticket, 11 Euro for roundtrip, and there are small discounts for multiple tickets.  As a general rule, buy your tickets ahead of time, though make sure you pay attention to the rules (for example, the bus tickets are only valid for the date purchased).

You should plan plenty of time if you consider this option.  It can easily take 30 minutes to get from a hotel located near San Marco to Piazzale Roma, then 20-30 minutes to take the bus (and a wait for the next bus to depart).  Also, consider that you’ll be hauling a suitcase through multiple stops, and that technically you’re only allowed one piece of luggage on the vaporetto.  You should anticipate at least 90 minutes to transfer via this method.

2.  Take the Alilaguna water bus service to Marco Polo.  This is different from vaporetto tickets and they offer 3 different routes.  You can see the full pricing and the routes offered here.  The current price is 25 Euro roundtrip if you purchase tickets ahead of time.  Depending on where you’re situated, this can take an hour or more.  But, if you time it right and you’re at the right place on a route, you could likely do it in less than 45 minutes.

3.  Take a “Shared Ride” taxi.  Think Super Shuttle in the US.  It’s 25 Euro one-way, 48 Euro roundtrip if you buy your tickets ahead of time.  More info here.  This is a good compromise on time and price.  You may have to wait for others to share a ride with you, as there needs to be a minimum of 2 riders.  But, these make fewer stops, generally near to where the passengers need to go and nowhere else.  There are a handful of departure/arrival points around Venice, including San Marco, San Zaccaria, Piazzale Roma, etc.  The trip is generally 30 minutes, but the total travel time may be more if you have to wait for others to join your shared ride.

4.  Take a private taxi.  This is by far the most expensive option.  Private taxis will likely be available when arrive at Marco Polo, and return trips can be arranged through your hotel.  You should expect to pay between 100 and 125 Euro for the service.

We chose the private taxi option this time.  Why?  We had an early flight and two sleepy kids, and trying to pull a bunch of luggage somewhere to load onto a shared ride just wasn’t in the cards.  It was an extremely pricey way to get to the airport, but the kids thoroughly enjoyed the ride.  The taxi met us at the side entrance of our hotel and helped us load our luggage.

It took us just about 30 minutes and certainly was the most convenient.  If you choose this option, make sure you agree on the price before departing.  Taxi operators will do their best to charge you a different amount if you let them.

Once you arrive at Marco Polo, you’ve got a bit of a walk (half a mile?) to get to the actual terminal.  There are porters there that will take your bags and even mini-shuttle services.  In my opinion, it’s not worth it unless you don’t like walking.  There are free luggage carts to use right at the docks and most of the walk is covered so you’re protected from the weather.  Consider it your last chance to experience Venice weather before boarding a long flight home.

 

 

Bottom Line It For Me, Ed

There are a ton of ways to get to and from the airport in Venice.  You need to consider how much time and money you want to spend, since the different options vary greatly in both regards.  Keep in mind that buying tickets ahead of time will save money with most options.  Safe travels!

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The post 10 Days In Italy: Getting To Venice Marco Polo Airport was published first on Pizza In Motion.

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