This is by far the most expensive option, but if you’re traveling with a group of friends among whom you can split the cost, it’s at least worth thinking about. For one thing, you may end up with enough people splitting the fare so that it’s comparable to each of you buying a ticket on the Alilunga water bus. And for another thing (and more importantly), you’ll be taken to precisely where you want to go – really handy if you’ve got more luggage than you want to carry and your hotel or hostel isn’t located right near a water bus stop.
Taking a water taxi from Venice’s Marco Polo Airport into Venice isn’t cheap, there’s no denying it. The cost will vary depending on where exactly you’re going in Venice, how many people you’re squeezing into the boat, and how much luggage you’ve got, but you can expect the cost be €100-150 on average. You’ll pay a higher rate if you’ve got lots of suitcases (another reason to pack light), or if you’re making the trip super-early in the morning or particularly late at night.
You can request a water taxi at the taxi desk in the arrivals area of the airport, and you’ll find the water taxis along the same pier where the Alilunga water buses depart from (hence the confusion I had upon my first arrival). It’s important to settle on a price before you get into the boat, because unlike normal taxis these water taxis don’t have a meter. The price you’ll be quoted is supposed to represent the distance you’re asking to go, plus any “extras” – like a large group or a large amount of luggage. If you think the price is too high, you can try to negotiate, but be sure to agree on a fee before you set foot on the boat – and be absolutely clear whether the price is per person or total (some have reported a quoted fare of €80 for a trip, only to be asked to pay €80 per person upon arrival).
The VeniceLink website offers “tickets,” if you will, for private water taxi transfers from the airport to the city center for €100 if you don’t want to negotiate upon arrival (there’s a €190 round-trip “ticket,” too). See this page for more information.
And if you want to share a water taxi but you aren’t traveling with friends who can help you split the cost, VeniceLink also offers the option of buying two seats (or more) on a water taxi, which they’ll then fill with other people in your situation. Those tickets are €30 per person (€60 round-trip). Information about that is here.
I’ve read that you shouldn’t tip the water taxi drivers, as they own their boats and make plenty of money as it is, but Venice resident Nan McElroy tells me that if they’re doing something particularly nice or that you perceive to be “extra,” above and beyond what you negotiated for at the outset, then a small tip is okay. “We like to reward good behavior,” says Nan. She also points out that the water taxis, although convenient, “really tear up the small canals.” She suggests that visitors who are trying to travel greener go for mass transit (the water buses) instead.
I am in love with traveling by train, but this is one of those times when I’ll tell you about an option to get from the Venice Airport into Venice that involves a train – and then I’ll tell you to ignore it.
The same company that operates the Venice Express bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma, ATVO, also operates a bus that runs from the airport to the Mestre train station. It’s a €3 ticket and a 20-minute trip, and once again it’s a nice big coach where you can store your suitcases underneath.
Now, the Mestre station is the last mainland train stop before trains make their way across the lagoon to the real Venice train station, Santa Lucia. The train trip from Mestre to Santa Lucia is barely over ten minutes, and a ticket from just Mestre to Santa Lucia will cost you a few euro. So if your ultimate destination is the Venetian islands, do yourself a favor and take the ATVO Venice Express all the way onto the islands (or take an Alilunga water bus), but don’t bother getting on and off the bus only to get on and off the train.
If you’re headed elsewhere in the Veneto, on the other hand, the Mestre train station is much more well-connected than the ATVO regional buses. So taking an ATVO bus from the Venice Airport to the Mestre station is an excellent option – provided you’re not actually going to Venice.
There’s one taxi company (of the wheeled variety) listed on the Venice airport’s website, so if your destination in Venice isn’t on the islands and doesn’t require you to go to a watery location or a train station, you could consider taking a regular taxi as an option. This could be especially handy if your arrival is late enough that the buses aren’t running.
RadioTaxi Venezia is available 24 hours a day at the airport, and their minimum charge to/from the airport is €12.45 during the days Monday-Saturday (€15.34 at nights, Sundays, and holidays). There are extra fees per piece of baggage, among other things. Consult their fares page here for the latest tariff information. Their airport office number is +39 041 5416363, and the 24-hour number is +39 041 5952080.
Yes, there is a road that connects the Venice Airport with the island city. But under no circumstances should you pick up a rental car at the Venice Airport and drive it to Venice. Just don’t do it.
If you’ll be spending more time in Italy after your stay in Venice, then pick up your rental car at the airport as you’re leaving the city to drive around the countryside. That’s perfectly acceptable, and even possibly recommended. But there’s no point in driving a car from the airport to the Piazzale Roma parking lot just to leave it parked there while you’re walking and taking boats around a road-less city.
There are lots of links in my overall Venice travel guide to help make your visit to the canal city easier, more enjoyable, and less expensive, but here are a few in particular that you don’t want to miss:
photos, top to bottom, by: PeWu, Nick Bramhall, gwenael.piaser, Son of Groucho, Aube insanite, LOMO Zemme, llamnudds
