How to get to Venice
Venice sprawls across a marshy lagoon between the entrance of the Po and Piave rivers along the Adriatic Sea in northeast Italy.
The most convenient route to Venice is by air to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), located on the mainland north of Tessera, about 12.4km (7.7mi) from Venice by road, and 10km (6.2mi) by water.
A frequent bus service connects the airport to the nearby railway station of Venice Mestre, and to the bus terminal of Piazzale Roma in Venice, via the Ponte della Libertà road bridge connecting the mainland to the historic center of Venice.
You can also take one of the Alilaguna water shuttle buses directly from the boat dock in the airport Arrivals Hall to reach any destination in Venice.
Venice Treviso Airport (TSF) is an alternative airport used mainly by low-cost airlines, located 31km (19mi) from Venice, a one hour shuttle bus drive.
By train, Venice’s Stazione Venezia-Santa Lucia is well serviced by regional and national trains, including trains to and from Florence (1 hr 53 min), Milan (2 hr 13 min), Turin (3 hr 10 min), Rome (3 hr 33 min), and Naples (4 hr 50 min).
In addition, there are international day trains to Zurich, Innsbruck, Munich, and Vienna, plus overnight sleeper services, to London, Paris, Munich and Vienna.
Flight times to Venice
The following are the most convenient and quickest routes to Venice International Airport (VCE).
Within Italy: Alitalia offers the most convenient direct flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Rome to Venice is 1 hr 5 min, direct flight
From United Kingdom: British Airways and easyJet offer the most convenient direct flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
London to Venice is 2 hrs 5 min, direct flight
Manchester to Venice is 2 hrs 25 min, direct flight
From Ireland: Aer Lingus offers the most convenient flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Dublin to Venice is 2 hrs 50 min, direct flight
From France: Air France and easyJet offer the most convenient direct flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Paris to Venice is 1 hr 35 min, direct flight
From Germany: EasyJet, Eurowings, Lufthansa and Air Dolomiti offer the most convenient flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Berlin to Venice is 1 hr 45 min, direct flight
Dusseldorf to Venice is 1 hr 35 min, direct flight
Frankfurt to Venice is 1 hr 15 min, direct flight
Hamburg to Venice is 1 hr 45 min, direct flight
Munich to Venice is 1 hr, direct flight
From United States: Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, British Airways, KLM, Air France and Lufthansa offer the most convenient daily flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Atlanta to Venice is 9 hrs 25 min, direct flight
Chicago to Venice is 8 hrs 45 min, direct flight
New York to Venice is 8 hrs 30 min, direct flight
Boston to Venice is 9 hrs 40 min, connecting flightˆ
Dallas-Fort Worth to Venice is 11 hrs 55 min, connecting flightˆ
Los Angeles to Venice is 13 hrs 20 min, connecting flightˆ
San Francisco to Venice is 13 hrs 10 min, connecting flightˆ
From Canada: Air Canada, Air Transat and Lufthansa offer the most convenient daily flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Toronto to Venice is 8 hrs 10 min, direct flight
Montreal to Venice is 7 hrs 45 min, direct flight
Vancouver to Venice is 12 hrs 25 min, connecting flightˆ
From Australia: Emirates, Qantas, British Airways and Qatar Airways offer the most convenient scheduled flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Adelaide to Venice is 22 hrs 35 min, connecting flightˆ
Brisbane to Venice is 22 hrs 35 min, connecting flightˆ
Sydney to Venice is 24 hrs 5 min, connecting flightˆ
Melbourne to Venice is 23 hrs 45 min, connecting flightˆ
Perth to Venice is 20 hrs 30 min, connecting flightˆ
From New Zealand: Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand and American Airlines offer the most convenient scheduled flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Auckland to Venice is 25 hrs 30 min, connecting flightˆ
From Singapore: Singapore Airlines and Alitalia offer the most convenient scheduled flights to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).
Singapore to Venice is 14 hrs 30 min, connecting flightˆ
(ˆincludes transfer time.)
Flying in
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is located in Tessera on the mainland about 12.4km (7.7mi) from Venice by road, and 10km (6.2mi) by water.
A frequent bus service connects the airport to the nearby railway station of Venice Mestre and to the bus terminal of Piazzale Roma in Venice, taking 20 minutes.
Or you can hop onboard a water bus: it's easy to reach any destination in Venice using the Alilaguna water shuttle, with stops at Murano and the Lido before arriving at Piazza San Marco, from which you can catch a vaperetta launch direct to your hotel.
The water dock is just a short walk from the airport Arrivals Hall and provides a service to various stops in Venice, including San Marco, taking about 1 hour and 12 minutes; Rialto, taking about 57 minutes; Fondamenta Nuove, taking about 38 minutes; Le Guglie, taking about 42 minutes; and Lido, taking about 58 minutes.
It's best to check with your hotel for the best travel options from the airport. It may be more convenient to hire a private water taxi at the airport docks than catch the shuttle bus or boat.
Public transport
Shuttle: A free shuttle runs between the airport terminal, the docks (for water taxis) and various car parks.
Taxi: Taxis to Venice city are available from Radiotaxi (tel: +39 04 15964; www.radiotaxivenezia.com). Shared taxis are also available.
Bus: Scheduled ACTV bus services run to Padua, Mestre and Venice (tel: +39 04 1272 2111; www.actv.it). Bus 5 runs to Piazzale Roma Square, taking about 20 minutes with a fare of €8.
The ATVO Fly Bus (tel: +39 04 215 944; www.atvo.it) also links the airport to the centre, taking 50 minutes with a fare of €8.
Rail: Venice-Mestre railway station (www.rfi.it) is connected to the airport by the ATVO Fly Bus (tel: +39 04 215 944; www.atvo.it) and the ACTV bus 15.
Trains connect to numerous destinations in Italy and further afield.
Water: Alilaguna (tel: +39 04 1240 1715; www.venicelink.com) operates a water taxi service between the airport docks and Venice, Murano, Burano, and Lido. Journey time to Venice is around 75 minutes, with a fare of €15.
A 24-hour motorboat service is available from Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia (tel: +39 04 1240 6712 Mon-Fri/ +39 04 1522 2303 Sat-Sun; www.motoscafivenezia.it).
Car rental
Car hire agencies located at the airport include Auto Europa, Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Maggiore and Sixt, along with several local operators. Car hire desks are situated in the arrivals area.
Terminal facilities
Money: Bureaux de change, banks and 24-hour ATMs are all located within the terminal building.
Food: There is a small selection of bars, cafés and restaurants at Venice Marco Polo Airport.
Shopping: Most shops are located in Departures and include duty-free for travellers leaving the EU.
Wi-Fi: Complimentary Wi-Fi internet access is available for six hours throughout Venice Marco Polo Airport. There are several fixed internet kiosks as well as a post office, which provides currency exchange and fax services, in the public area on the ground floor.
Other: Other facilities available at Venice Marco Polo Airport include VIP lounges, a first aid service (tel: +39 04 1260 5385), a nursery and a prayer room.
Disabled facilities
The terminal is equipped with ramps and lifts that provide access to all areas. Wheelchairs are available for disabled travellers on request.
Passengers requiring special assistance should inform their airline prior to travel.
Entry requirements
A passport valid for at least six months beyond intended period of stay, a return/onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds. No visa is required for a stay of up to 90 days.
Getting around Venice
The best way to get around Venice is on foot and by vaporetto. Vaporetto services are frequent and run 24 hours a day, with stops located across the city.
At just 5km by 2km (3mi by 1.2mi) Venice is easy enough to explore. You can easily walk from one side of the island to the other in one hour – excluding time for sightseeing.
Four bridges cross the Grand Canal but you can also cross by traghetto (public gondola). Journeys are cheap and short.
However, if you want to get somewhere quickly or visit one of the islands, you'll need to use a vaporetto. These water buses have several routes with a fixed timetable. Being quite large, they don’t enter the smaller canals.
There is a wide choice of water transport in Venice, from vaporettos and motorboats to ferries and battelli foranei – a larger type of vaporetto used for transportation to outer islands.
More information about how to get around Venice…
Latest update: How to get to Venice: 11 May, 2022
Advertising