TLDR
Venezia Marco Polo Airport (VCE) sits 13 km from the historic centre. You can reach the island by Alilaguna water bus (most scenic), ATVO/ACTV coach to Piazzale Roma, or private water taxi. Once in the city there are no cars: you walk, take a vaporetto, or use a traghetto gondola ferry. This guide breaks down every option with real costs and times.
Insider Tip
The Alilaguna Blu or Arancio line from VCE costs 15 EUR one way and drops you near San Marco in 75 minutes. If your hotel is in Cannaregio near La Forcola, the bus-plus-vaporetto combo via Piazzale Roma is faster and cheaper at about 10 EUR.
Planning your stay? Check current rates at La Forcola Hotel, a convenient base for exploring Venice.
Marco Polo Airport (VCE): Main Arrival Point
Marco Polo is the main international airport, used by most long-haul carriers and legacy European airlines. It has two terminals that share a single check-in hall. Arrivals exit onto a concourse with clear signage toward both the bus stand and the water dock.
The bus station is a 5-minute indoor walk. The water dock (moli) is 7 minutes along a covered walkway. Trolleys are free and plentiful, which matters if you have Venezia-sized stairs in mind for the vaporetto.
Free WiFi works across the whole terminal. ATMs give you euros with better rates than the exchange windows. SIMs from TIM, Vodafone, or WindTre are available at kiosks if your mobile plan does not include EU roaming.
Alilaguna Water Bus: The Scenic Arrival
Alilaguna operates three lines from VCE: Blu, Arancio, and Rosso. Blu goes north across the lagoon to Murano, Fondamente Nove, San Zaccaria (San Marco), and on to the Lido. Arancio takes the direct Grand Canal route via Guglie, Rialto, and San Marco. Rosso runs seasonally. For more ideas, see our Things to Do in Venezia: A Local’s Guide.
One-way tickets are 15 EUR, return is 27 EUR. Buy online for a 1 to 2 EUR discount or at the counter on arrival. The first service is around 09:30 and the last around midnight depending on season.
Expect 75 to 90 minutes from airport to San Marco including stops. For La Forcola Hotel in Cannaregio, the closest Alilaguna stop is Fondamente Nove (Blu line), a 10-minute walk from the hotel.
Airport Coach and Vaporetto Combo
ATVO and ACTV (line 5) run buses from VCE to Piazzale Roma in 20 to 25 minutes for 10 EUR one way or 18 EUR return. Services run every 15 minutes from 05:00 to past midnight. Tickets are sold from machines and the counter at the airport.
From Piazzale Roma you step onto a vaporetto at the dock right outside. Line 1 is the slow Grand Canal service (every stop, 45 minutes to San Marco). Line 2 is the express (every other stop, 30 minutes). Single vaporetto tickets are 9.50 EUR.
Piazzale Roma is the only place cars and buses reach in Venezia. It connects to Santa Lucia train station via a 5-minute walk over the Ponte della Costituzione (Calatrava bridge). You can also check our Walking Tours in Venezia: Self-Guided Routes for complementary tips.
Water Taxi and Private Transfers
A private water taxi from VCE to your hotel dock costs 120 to 140 EUR for up to 4 people, or 150 to 170 EUR for up to 8. Travel time is 30 minutes versus 75 for Alilaguna. The official Italia.it page has up-to-date schedules and ticketing.
Book at the official Consorzio Motoscafi desk in arrivals. Avoid anyone approaching you in the terminal: legitimate drivers wait at the water dock or in the taxi office.
If your hotel does not have a water entrance, the taxi drops you at the nearest public dock and a porter can be arranged (usually 15 to 20 EUR for luggage help).
“Spotless apartment in a quiet Venezia corner. Loved being 10 minutes from the Jewish Ghetto. Easy instructions for the Alilaguna water bus from VCE, and good air conditioning in August.”
Sarah from London
Treviso Airport (TSF) and Rail Options
Treviso Airport (TSF) is 40 km north and serves Ryanair and some Wizz Air routes. ATVO runs direct coaches to Venezia Piazzale Roma in about 70 minutes for 12 EUR one way.
Venezia Santa Lucia is the main train station, connected to all of Italy via Trenitalia and Italo. High-speed trains from Milan (2h30m), Rome (3h45m), Florence (2h), and Vienna reach Santa Lucia directly. Fares range from 20 EUR (regional) to 80 EUR (Frecciarossa business).
Do not get off at Venezia Mestre by mistake. Santa Lucia is the one on the island, across a 4 km causeway over the lagoon. Every train makes both stops.
Want to keep planning? Our Best Restaurants in Venezia: Where to Eat covers the next step once you have the essentials down.
Getting Around Once You Arrive
There are no cars in Venezia proper. You walk, use vaporetti (the ACTV public waterbus network), or cross the Grand Canal on a traghetto (stand-up gondola ferry, 2 EUR). Single vaporetto fares are 9.50 EUR per 75 minutes; 24-hour passes 25 EUR; 3-day passes 40 EUR; 7-day passes 65 EUR.
Venezia Unica tourist cards bundle transport with museum entry. The most popular version (City Pass Adult) costs around 52 EUR and covers most of the Civic Museums plus 3-day transport.
Gondolas are a separate category, more tourist experience than transport. Expect 80 EUR for 30 minutes by day, 100 EUR after 19:00. Splitting with up to 6 people makes it more reasonable.
Inside La Forcola Hotel
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alilaguna or the coach bus better?
Alilaguna if your hotel is near a water stop (San Marco, Fondamente Nove, Murano). The coach is faster and cheaper if you are staying near Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia, or anywhere north of the Rialto.
Can I take a regular taxi from VCE?
Only to Piazzale Roma, since roads do not reach the rest of the city. Count on 45 to 60 EUR for the taxi, then you still need a vaporetto from there.
Do children ride free on the vaporetto?
Children under 6 ride free. Ages 6 and up pay the full adult fare unless you buy a Rolling Venice card (for ages 6 to 29) that gives discounted 3-day passes for around 27 EUR.
What is the luggage allowance on a vaporetto?
One small suitcase per person is fine. Oversized luggage technically requires an extra 9.50 EUR ticket but this is rarely enforced unless boarding is packed.
How early should I arrive for a flight from VCE?
Two hours for Schengen flights, three for long-haul. If you depend on Alilaguna or the coach, add 30 minutes buffer for lagoon traffic or queues at the ticket counter.