Venice airport to city centre: trains, buses, taxis and costs

Marco Polo sits on the mainland at Tessera, 13 km from the edge of Venice. Cars and buses stop at Piazzale Roma; beyond that the city is water and footbridges. So every trip is two steps: get to Piazzale Roma, then reach your address.

Treviso (TSF), used by low-cost airlines, is 40 km away and has its own shuttle to Treviso Centrale station, then a 30-minute train to Venezia Santa Lucia. If you land at Treviso, plan for that extra hour.

Two operators run the same route: ATVO and ACTV. Both leave from outside the arrivals hall and run roughly every 15–30 minutes through the day, less often at night. Buy at the desk or machine in arrivals, or on board where allowed. Tickets are one way; a return bought at the airport usually costs less than two singles.

The bus takes 20–30 minutes outside rush hour and longer on weekday mornings. It ends at Piazzale Roma, next to the multi-storey garage and the first vaporetto stops. From there, hotels in Santa Croce, San Polo and Cannaregio are often a 10–25 minute walk over bridges with steps.

A water taxi is a private motorboat that takes you from the airport dock to the nearest canal landing to your hotel. It is the fastest door-to-door option and the only one that avoids bridges, which matters with heavy luggage. Expect €110–130 for up to four people to a central address, more at night or for distant Cannaregio and Giudecca addresses (2026 estimate). Book at the desk in arrivals or through your hotel; unlicensed touts outside charge more.

A land taxi cannot enter Venice. It drops at Piazzale Roma for about €40–50, which only makes sense if you are heading to Mestre or continuing by car. Taxis and water taxis are metered or fixed by tariff; ask the price before you get in.

No. Marco Polo has no rail link. The nearest stations are Venezia Mestre and Venezia Santa Lucia, both reached by bus or taxi first. From Mestre, regional trains run to Santa Lucia in about 10 minutes and cost a few euros; this is useful if your hotel is near the station or you are continuing to Padua, Treviso or Bologna.

From Treviso airport, the shuttle bus runs to Treviso Centrale, then trains to Venezia Santa Lucia take about 30 minutes. Validate paper tickets before boarding or you risk a fine.

Prices below are 2026 estimates for one person unless stated. Children's fares and family deals vary by operator; check at the desk.

Once in Venice, the vaporetto is the local transport. A single ride is about €9.50, so a 24-, 48- or 72-hour travel pass pays off from your second or third ride. Buy at the HelloVenezia desk at Piazzale Roma or at major stops.

Tell your hotel which arrival point you are using. Many will send someone to meet you at Piazzale Roma or the nearest vaporetto stop, which saves a lot of bridge-hauling.

Venice floods occasionally in autumn and winter, when raised walkways go up in low-lying parts of the city. That can change a walking route but not the airport buses. In summer, book the water taxi ahead if you land late; desks close and boats get scarce.

If you are staying in Mestre or Jesolo instead of Venice itself, the airport bus and local trains are simpler and cheaper than anything through Piazzale Roma.