How to get to Venice

Reaching Venice is simpler than you might imagine thanks to the numerous connections available from all over Italy and Europe. This comprehensive guide will illustrate all the options to arrive in Venice, from low-cost flights to high-speed trains, from cars to buses, providing detailed information on costs, times and practical advice to best plan your trip to Venice.

How to get to Venice by plane

Marco Polo Airport: the main gateway

The Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) represents the main air gateway to reach Venice, located just 12 km from the historic center in the mainland of Tessera. With over 11 million passengers annually, it is Italy's third airport for international traffic and offers direct connections to over 100 European and international destinations.

The low-cost airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, Vueling and Wizz Air offer cheap flights to Venice from all major European cities. The low-cost flights generally start from €29-49 for European routes, making Venice easily accessible even with limited budgets.

The traditional airlines like ITA, Lufthansa, Air France and British Airways guarantee frequent connections with premium services and greater flexibility in schedules, particularly useful for business travel or with bulky luggage.

Treviso Airport: economic alternative

The Treviso Airport (TSF), located 40 km from Venice, represents the low-cost alternative to reach the lagoon city. Mainly served by Ryanair and Wizz Air, it offers particularly competitive rates for European flights, often 30-50% lower than Marco Polo.

The connection from Treviso to Venice takes place via ATVO bus which takes 70 minutes to reach Piazzale Roma at a cost of €12. The buses are synchronized with flight arrivals and depart every 30-60 minutes according to season.

For those looking for cheap flights, Treviso can represent significant savings, especially during high season when Marco Polo applies premium rates. The additional transfer time is often compensated by the economic savings obtained.

Airport-city center connections

From Marco Polo there are several options to reach Venice city center:

Alilaguna manages the airport water buses with three lines that directly connect the airport to the historic center. The Blue Line reaches San Marco in 1 hour and 15 minutes, the Orange Line takes 1 hour for Rialto and San Marco, while the Red Line serves Giudecca in 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The ATVO bus represents the cheapest option to reach Piazzale Roma in 20-30 minutes, from where all water buses for the historic center depart. It's ideal for those with light luggage and want to save money.

The water taxis offer the most comfortable but expensive service to reach San Marco in 30 minutes with door-to-door service. They are perfect for large groups, bulky luggage or special occasions. Once you reach San Marco with the water taxi, you can immediately start discovering what to see in Venice and perhaps book a romantic gondola ride to admire the city from the water

How to reach Venice by train

Trenitalia and national connections

The train represents one of the most comfortable and sustainable ways to arrive in Venice from Italy. The Santa Lucia Station is located directly in the historic center, allowing you to get off the train and immediately find yourself in the heart of the lagoon city, so you can immediately start exploring the city of Venice, from visiting St. Mark's Square to the bacari, and discover the best restaurants in Venice to taste the typical cuisine.

Frecciarossa and Frecciargento connect Venice with the main Italian cities:

• Milan-Venice: 2 hours and 25 minutes with Frecciarossa, fares from €29 in Super Economy
• Rome-Venice: 3 hours and 45 minutes with Frecciargento, from €39 in Super Economy
• Florence-Venice: 2 hours with Frecciarossa, from €25 in Super Economy
• Bologna-Venice: 1 hour and 30 minutes with Frecciarossa, from €19 in Super Economy

The regional trains offer economic alternatives with longer travel times but reduced costs. The Regional Pass allows unlimited travel for 1-15 days on regional trains, ideal for exploring Veneto during your stay.

Italo and private high speed

Italo competes with Trenitalia offering high-speed trains with often competitive fares and premium services. The main connections include:

• Milan-Venice: 2 hours and 25 minutes 
• Rome-Venice: 3 hours and 30 minutes 
• Naples-Venice: 4 hours and 45 minutes 

Italo often proposes special offers with discounts up to 60% when booking in advance, making high speed accessible even to the most limited budgets.

International trains to Venice

Venice is well connected with Europe via international trains:

ÖBB Nightjet connects Venice with Vienna, Munich and Berlin with night trains that allow you to travel sleeping and wake up directly in the city.

Deutsche Bahn offers connections from Germany via Munich and Innsbruck, often with very competitive Europa-Spezial fares for advance bookings.

How to get to Venice by car

Highways and main routes

Reaching Venice by car offers maximum flexibility to explore Veneto and transport bulky luggage. The city is connected via A57 Mestre Ring Road which branches off from A4 Milan-Trieste.

Main routes:

• From Milan: A4 direction Venice, exit Venice-Mestre, then A57 to Piazzale Roma (280 km, 3 hours)
• From Rome: A1 to Bologna, then A13 Padova Sud, finally A57 to Venice (530 km, 5 hours)
• From Florence: A1 to Bologna, then A13 and A57 (260 km, 3 hours)
• From Naples: A1 to Bologna, then A13 and A57 (660 km, 6 hours and 30 minutes)

Parking in Venice: where to leave your car

The historic center of Venice is completely pedestrian, so it's necessary to park at the entrance of the city and continue with public transport. The B&B HOTEL Venice Laguna has a partner parking a few steps from the hotel, offering the ideal solution for those arriving by car without having to look for a place in often crowded public areas.

Tips for traveling by car

During high season (June-September) and special events (Carnival, Biennale), the parking lots fill up quickly. The online booking guarantees a spot and often offers discounts of 10-15%.

The traffic to Venice can be intense on summer weekends and during holiday weekends. Leaving in the early morning hours (6:00-8:00) avoids the main queues.

ZTL Mestre and cameras control access to the center. Check the restrictions to avoid automatic fines.

How to get to Venice by bus

FlixBus connections and international companies

The bus represents the most economical option to reach Venice from many European cities, particularly convenient for students and budget travelers.

FlixBus connects Venice with over 50 European cities:

• Milan-Venice: 4 hours
• Rome-Venice: 7 hours
• Florence-Venice: 4 hours and 30 minutes
• Paris-Venice: 16 hours
• Vienna-Venice: 12 hours

Marino Bus offers connections from Southern Italy:

• Naples-Venice: 9 hours
• Bari-Venice: 8 hours
• Palermo-Venice: 16 hours (with ferry)

Bus stations and center connections

The buses mainly arrive at Piazzale Roma, directly connected to the historic center via water buses. The bus station is integrated with parking and services, making the transfer simple.

Transfers and final connections

From your arrival point to your hotel

Once you arrive at Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia Station or Tronchetto, the connections to reach the historic center are efficient. Understanding the Venetian transport system will help you move smoothly in the lagoon city, using water buses, water taxis and pedestrian routes to explore every corner of the Serenissima.

ACTV Water buses:

• Line 1: scenic along the Grand Canal (45 minutes to San Marco)
• Line 2: fast to Rialto and San Marco (25 minutes)
• Lines 4.1/4.2: circular to all main stops

Tourist passes (€25/24h, €35/48h, €45/72h) are convenient for stays with multiple trips.

Special events and impact on transport

Carnival (February-March) requires bookings months in advance. All transport applies premium rates and availability is extremely limited.

Art/Architecture Biennale (May-November, alternate years) increases demand and prices but less drastically than Carnival.

Historic Regatta (first Sunday in September) causes one-day peaks with intense traffic on all connections.

Where to stay optimizing connections

For those who want to easily reach all Venetian destinations optimizing the transport connections, the choice of hotel location is strategic. The B&B HOTEL Venezia Laguna represents the ideal solution for those arriving in Venice: located on the Tronchetto island, it offers direct connections with all the main means of transport while maintaining affordable prices.

Tronchetto position advantages for arrivals and departures:

• People Mover to Piazzale Roma in 3 minutes, hub of all land transport
• Parking a few steps from the hotel, perfect for those arriving by car
• Water bus station in front of the hotel for historic center in 15 minutes

Book your stay at the B&B HOTEL Venezia Laguna and transform your arrival in Venice into a stress-free experience, with the convenience of reaching all transport in a few minutes and the freedom to explore the Serenissima with ease and convenience.