Transport to/from Marco Polo Airport (VCE) By Water Over the Lagoon
This is a romantic and beautiful way to approach Venice. It can be done expensively by private water taxi, most cheaply via the Alilaguna “ferry” service boat, or in between via a newer service called “Airport Link.” N.B.: The water bus (vaporetto) service run by ACTV around Venice and the lagoon does not serve Marco Polo Airport.
Private Water Taxi
Private water taxis are expensive, but are a quick means of transport to and from Marco Polo airport. See www.veniceairporttransfers.co.uk or www.veneziataxi.it or www.motoscafivenezia.it. A private water taxi can be hired to take you anywhere in the lagoon -- out to the romantic Locanda Cipriani on Torcello perhaps. They are especially useful when arriving at or departing for Marco Polo airport, as they are direct and very convenient means of transport to your hotel. Using a private water taxi rather than the Alilaguna shared boat service, you will avoid having to haul your luggage from the city’s Alilaguna landing stages, which could be many steps from your hotel. The smaller private water taxis can travel down most of Venice’s narrowest side canals to reach hotels and smaller landing points.From Marco Polo airport you can book a private water taxi at the Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia desk in the Arrivals Hall. It should be waiting for you when you have walked along the path to the left of the main exit approximately 750 meters to the landing stage. If you wish to avoid carrying your luggage any distance it is easy, and not expensive, to hire a land taxi for the short drive around the airport roads from the Arrivals Hall to the landing stage. In alternative, the luggage trolleys, readily available in the baggage claim area, can be used and returned in the immediate vicinity of the water taxi to recollect the €1 coin originally deposited.
If the Consorzio desk is closed, outside normal office hours you can just walk down to the landing stage and hire one of the waiting private water taxis that you will find moored at the landing stage. Beware, however: There is a danger of being quoted an excessively high charge and it will be difficult to argue with the driver; he may not speak English.
You can prebook a private water taxi either through your hotel, the night before, or on the internet, with www.veniceairporttransfers.co.uk or www.veneziataxi.it or www.motoscafivenezia.it. You should confirm the cost upon booking. Beware that some hotels add on their own booking fee, which can be an expensive mark-up. Your water taxi could cost you anywhere from €80-125 depending upon the part of Venice in which you are staying. If you leave before 7am, and you should expect the fee to increase by at least €10. Private water taxi drivers require a cash payment unless you book through a hotel or with one of the water taxi companies that accepts credit cards.
Many hotels have direct access to a canal where a private water taxi will collect you. If not, place all your baggage in the hotel lobby. If you are lucky, an Italian bellhop will carry your luggage for you to the private water taxi. Tip the bellhop – a couple of Euros is fair. If not, you may wish to pack lightly because you'll be pulling your luggage across uneven cobblestones. Bridges can be quite an obstacle for any suitcase or cart. Make your way to the Venice canal where your water taxi should be waiting. Board and enjoy your ride snuggled down in the cabin with cushions to sit on. If it is rainy and stormy, you are in for the ride of your life. Choppy, bumpy, and noisy, but you will stay dry at least for the circa 20-minute crossing. Some people would pay for a thrill ride like this. Disembark from your water taxi very carefully, especially if it's raining. The boards can be very slippery.
Water taxi drivers do not expect a tip. (The service is expensive enough without the need for a tip.)
Alilaguna
Alilaguna (see www.alilaguna.it) is the only public boat service serving Venice Marco Polo Airport and currently runs three routes directly to and from the airport: Blu [blue], Rossa [red], Arancio [orange]) and a fourth, seasonal line, Gialla [yellow].The Alilaguna lines access a limited number of landing stages around Venice, including the port where cruises land, called Stazione Marittima (Linea Blu only), the Lido (Linea Blu and Linea Rossa), Murano (Linea Blu, Linea Rossa and Linea Gialla), and Punta Sabbioni (Linea Gialla from Murano: Take either the Blu [with timed connections] or Rossa line and change at Murano). The Gialla line runs during [insert season, or indicate months] and connects the Fondamenta Nove and Murano to Punta Sabbioni and makes connections with the Linea Blu to and from the airport.
The Alilaguna ferry is relatively slow. From the airport it takes over an hour to reach San Marco, and over 1hour and 40 minutes to reach Stazione Marittima. Ticket prices vary depending upon the route you are travelling. There are discounted return (round trip) fares available, and other discounted fares available online through several sites (http://www.venicelink.com, http://www.veniceconnected.com). On the Alilaguna ferry there is a limit on luggage of one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage (though this is not always enforced).Alilaguna fares
- Marco Polo Airport to San Marco, Guglie (Ferrovia), S. Stae, Rialto, Zattere, Stazione Marittima (port), Lido and other Venice stops: €15.00
- Marco Polo Airport to Murano: €7.00
Beware when planning the time needed to reach the airport for check-in that the Alilaguna boats also have a maximum number of passengers allowed to board. Since Fall/Winter 2010-2011, more than once, valid ticket-holding passengers boarding at intermediate stops such as Rialto and Guglie (Ferrovia) have been denied boarding for this reason, and had to wait for a supplementary Alilaguna boat to be readied and sent out. This can mean delays of 20 minutes or more.
Airport Link - "Buccintoro Viaggi"
This new service is an exclusive shared small boat service from Venice Marco Polo Airport to the major point of interests in Venice centre.For €27 per person, you can enjoy a water taxi transfer to easily reach your hotel, or other places, though it will also be making stops on every other traveler’s destination. It is much faster than the normal Alilaguna ferry, and although much more costly, it provides a custom ride to reach the centre of Venice in just 30 minutes!
Airport Link service is not a private water taxi, so it usually stops near the hotels, one by one, at the fixed point closest to travelers' destinations--so you may well have some distance to carry your luggage. If you need to reach the private pier of your hotel in order to minimize carrying luggage, you should consider a private water taxi transfer. Reach them via http://www.bucintoroviaggi.com/.Transport to/from Marco Polo (VCE) Airport By Land
Buses
Cheaper than the boat services are the two bus lines—via greyhound-style coach (ATVO) and airport bus (ACTV) running between Piazzale Roma (the main bus terminal in Venice), and Marco Polo airport.
ATVO
- ATVO is an express coach which runs nonstop to Piazzale Roma and in most cases is the shortest option for transport from Venice centre to Marco Polo Airport (approximately 20 minutes). It has ample luggage compartments under the belly of the bus and has three relatively steep steps to reach the passenger area. A one-way/single ticket costs €5.00 and round trip/return tickets are €9.00.
See http://www.atvo.it for current timetables.
The current timetable runs from 30 October 2011 to 24 March 2012 after which the new Spring/Summer timetable comes into force. The first coaches leave Marco Polo at 7:50am and then 8:20am every day of the week, continuing throughout the day twice an hour at 20 and 50 minutes past the hour until the last late coach at 11.50pm, with one additional run at 1:00pm on working days.The first coach departs from Piazzale Roma for Marco Polo at 5:00am, then 5:40am, 6:20am, 6:50am every day of the week and thereafter once every half hour at 20 and 50 minutes past the hour until the last coach at 8:50pm.
A separate ATVO coach service also departs from the airport for Mestre. DO CHECK carefully at Marco Polo airport which coach you are boarding!
ACTV
- ACTV provides the No. 5 Aerobus service (potentially "local" which can make several stops between Marco Polo Airport and Piazzale Roma). This services runs at 15 minute intervals most of the day, and is scheduled to take 25 minutes, perhaps more, or even slightly less (particularly in off-peak times), depending on traffic and the number of stops it makes, to travel from Piazzale Roma to Marco Polo airport or vice versa. There are large luggage racks which remain in sight in the main passenger compartment. The entrance is easily accessible up one low step from the ground (curb level at the airport), and a single/one-way ticket costs €5.00; round trip/return €9.00. When purchased in combination with one of the time-based ACTV transport passes known as the Tourist Travel Cards (also known as Vaporetto Passes or Public Transport Tickets and available via the VeniceConnected website), the airport trip ticket is available for a reduced cost of €3.00 for a one-way ticket, or €6.00 for a round trip/return. There is also a combination ticket AEROBUS + NAVE which is valid total 90 minutes for waterborne services (vaporettos) and bus route 5 Aerobus from Venice to Airport (or back) one way at a cost of €10.00.
Currently the first buses leave Marco Polo at 4:08am, 5:10am, 5:40am, 6:10am, 6:40am, and then from 6:55am continuing with frequent service throughout the day every fifteen minutes at 10, 25, 40 and 55 minutes past the hour until 21:40, then four more runs until the last late coach at 1:10am.
The first bus departs from Piazzale Roma for Marco Polo at 4:40am (only workdays), then (everyday) 5:40, 6:10, 6:40, 7:10 and thereafter continuing with regular service throughout the day every fifteen minutes at 10, 25, 40 and 55 minutes past the hour until 22:10 at which point there is service every half hour until the last coach at 0.40am.
See http://www.actv.it for specific current timetables.
Summarizing, the first buses to the Airport for early flights leave Piazzale Roma at 4:40am (ACTV Monday-Saturday), 5:00am (ATVO daily), and 5:40 am (ACTV daily).
Land Taxis (automobile cab service)
From the bus station, Piazzale Roma, it is also possible to use a "traditional" land taxi to reach both Marco Polo and Treviso airports. They are particularly convenient when the timetables for the buses don't match well with your flight. They are also an option to reach an airport directly from the cruise port (where autos can arrive near the cruise ship docking areas) without having first to reach Piazzale Roma. If no taxi cabs are present at the taxi stand at Piazzale Roma, or to reserve a taxi ahead of time, it is possible to phone the taxi company at +39 041 5952080. The trip from Piazzale Roma to Marco Polo airport runs about €40 (cash; credit cards not yet accepted).
