Getting around · Venice · Italy
Getting around Venice
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Venice has no cars or bikes in its historic centre: you walk or take a boat. Distances are short — crossing the city on foot takes under an hour — but the lanes are a maze and every bridge has steps. ACTV vaporetti run along the Grand Canal, around the edges of the city and out to the islands. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- VCE, TSF
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- ACTV travel cards
Ways to get around
Walking
Walking is the main way to get around; yellow signs point to Rialto, San Marco, Ferrovia and Piazzale Roma, and getting lost is part of the experience.
Use an offline map, and allow extra time with luggage, as every bridge has steps.
Boat
Vaporetti (water buses) serve the Grand Canal (lines 1 and 2), the outer city, Giudecca, the Lido, Murano and Burano. Single tickets are expensive, so passes pay off quickly.
Validate your ticket or pass at the reader on the pontoon before every boarding.
Ferry
Traghetti are gondolas that ferry passengers across the Grand Canal at a few points between bridges for a small fare.
Taxi
Water taxis are fast and convenient for luggage or groups but expensive; agree the fare before departing.
Bus
Buses link Piazzale Roma with the airport, Mestre and the mainland; the People Mover monorail runs between Piazzale Roma, the cruise terminal and Tronchetto car park.
Train
Trains cross the lagoon bridge from Venezia Mestre to Venezia Santa Lucia station on the Grand Canal in about 10 minutes, and continue to Padua, Verona and beyond.
Tickets and passes
ACTV travel cards
Unlimited vaporetto and mainland bus travel for 1, 2, 3 or 7 days; much better value than single tickets if you ride more than a few times.
Rolling Venice
A discount card for visitors aged 6 to 29 that lowers the price of a 3-day transport pass and some museum entries.
St Mark's Square Museums ticket
A combined ticket covering the Doge's Palace, Museo Correr, the National Archaeological Museum and the Monumental Rooms of the Marciana Library.
From the airport
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland about 8 km from the city. Buses reach Piazzale Roma in about 20–30 minutes, Alilaguna water buses go to stops including Fondamente Nove, Rialto and San Marco in about 60–90 minutes, and private water taxis take about 30 minutes. Treviso Airport (TSF), used by some low-cost airlines, is about 30 km away, with coaches to Piazzale Roma.
Do you need a car?
No. Cars cannot enter the historic centre; drivers must park at Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto or in Mestre. A car is only useful for touring the Veneto, the Prosecco hills or the Dolomites.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Verona | About 1 hour 10 minutes by fast train | High-speed or regional train from Santa Lucia |
| Padua | About 25–30 minutes by train | Train from Santa Lucia or Mestre |
| Vicenza | About 45 minutes by train | Train from Santa Lucia |
| Treviso | About 30 minutes by train | Regional train from Santa Lucia or Mestre |
| Prosecco hills | About 1 hour by train to Conegliano | Train to Conegliano, then a car, bike or wine tour |
| Brenta Riviera | About 45 minutes by bus, or a full day by canal boat | Bus from Piazzale Roma, or a burchiello boat cruise |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Venice?
No. Cars cannot enter the historic centre; drivers must park at Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto or in Mestre. A car is only useful for touring the Veneto, the Prosecco hills or the Dolomites.
+How do you get from the airport to Venice?
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland about 8 km from the city. Buses reach Piazzale Roma in about 20–30 minutes, Alilaguna water buses go to stops including Fondamente Nove, Rialto and San Marco in about 60–90 minutes, and private water taxis take about 30 minutes. Treviso Airport (TSF), used by some low-cost airlines, is about 30 km away, with coaches to Piazzale Roma.
+What is the best way to get around Venice?
Walking: Walking is the main way to get around; yellow signs point to Rialto, San Marco, Ferrovia and Piazzale Roma, and getting lost is part of the experience.