Marco Polo Airport to Venice 2026: Boat, Bus or Water Taxi
- From
- Venice Marco Polo Airport
- To
- Venice (Piazzale Roma, Rialto or St Mark's)
- By
- Alilaguna water bus, airport bus plus vaporetto, or water taxi
- Time
- 20 minutes by bus to Piazzale Roma; about 1 hour to Rialto and 1 hour 25 minutes to St Mark's by Alilaguna
- Cost
- €12 by ATVO bus, €10 by ACTV bus, €18 by Alilaguna; water taxis quote per boat
Open directions in Google Maps
There are three ways to get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice: a bus to Piazzale Roma, a shared Alilaguna water bus, or a private water taxi. The bus is the fastest way to the edge of the city: the ATVO express reaches Piazzale Roma in about 20 minutes for €12 one way, luggage included. From there a vaporetto (€9.50) carries you down the Grand Canal. The Alilaguna boat costs €18 and takes longer, about an hour to Rialto, but it lands you inside the city with your bags. A water taxi is the quickest door-to-door option and by far the dearest, priced per boat. The airport sits on the mainland about 8 km north of St Mark's Square as the crow flies, so every option crosses the lagoon one way or another. If you are staying near St Mark's, pick the boat or the taxi; if you are staying near the station or the Grand Canal hotels on the Santa Croce side, the bus wins.
Step by step
- 1
Decide where you are going before you leave arrivals
Venice has no single 'centre' stop. Piazzale Roma is the bus terminal at the car end of the city. Rialto and St Mark's are reached only by boat or on foot. Check which landing or bus stop is nearest your hotel on Google Maps first.
- 2
For the bus: walk out of Exit D to the ATVO or ACTV stops
ATVO says its Venice buses leave from Exit D, second lane, stop no. 3. Tickets are sold at machines in baggage claim, at the ATVO desks in arrivals, at machines in the bus lanes and online. The ATVO single is €12 and the return €20, luggage included. ACTV runs a city bus to Piazzale Roma too; its airport single is €10, or €18 with a 90-minute water bus ticket added.
- 3
For the boat: follow the signs to the water terminal
A 365-metre covered gallery with moving walkways links the terminal building to the water dock, which opened in November 2016 and has 12 piers. Allow about 10 minutes for the walk. Alilaguna tickets cost €18 one way or €32 return, with one large bag and one hand bag included and €4 for each extra piece.
- 4
Pick the Alilaguna line that stops nearest your hotel
The Orange line runs down the Grand Canal: Madonna dell'Orto, Guglie, San Stae, Rialto, Sant'Angelo, Ca' Rezzonico and Santa Maria del Giglio. In the summer 2026 timetable it took about an hour to Rialto and about 75 minutes to Santa Maria del Giglio. The Blue line goes round the outside via Murano, Fondamente Nove, Lido and Arsenale to San Zaccaria and San Marco Giardinetti, about 1 hour 25 minutes, then on to the railway station. A third, Red line runs in summer only.
- 5
From Piazzale Roma, take vaporetto line 1 or 2 down the Grand Canal
Line 1 stops at every landing and reaches San Marco Vallaresso about 40 minutes after the station stop, every 12 minutes by day. A 75-minute ACTV ticket costs €9.50, or €25 for 24 hours. Validate it at the reader on the landing before you board.
- 6
Or take a water taxi straight to your hotel's door
Water taxis wait at the same dock and are priced per boat, not per person. Ask for the full price, including bags, before you board. It is the only option that can drop you at a hotel with its own water entrance.
Tips
- Alilaguna switches to its winter timetable on 28 October 2026 and suspends its Red line for the winter, so check the current timetable on alilaguna.it before you fly.
- Bus plus vaporetto costs about the same as the boat: €18 with ACTV's combined ticket, or €12 plus €9.50 with ATVO. It is quicker to Piazzale Roma, but you change there with your bags. With heavy luggage, the direct boat is the easier ride.
- Buy the ATVO ticket online or in the myATVO app before you land and you can walk straight to the stop instead of queuing at the desk.
- If you are staying the night in Venice you pay the hotel's tourist tax and are exempt from the day-tripper access fee.
- Landing late? Check the last departure of your Alilaguna line and the last bus before you fly; a water taxi is the fallback when both have gone.
Other ways to get there
| Method | Time | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATVO express bus to Piazzale Roma | About 20 minutes | €12 one way, €20 return | Fastest and cheapest to the edge of Venice. Add a vaporetto (€9.50) for the Grand Canal. |
| ACTV airport bus to Piazzale Roma | Check the ACTV timetable | €10 one way; €18 with a 90-minute water bus ticket | The combined ticket covers the vaporetto too, which suits a one-way arrival. |
| Alilaguna water bus | About 1 hour to Rialto, 1 hour 25 minutes to St Mark's | €18 one way, €32 return | No change of vehicle, one big bag included. Slow, but it arrives inside the city. |
| Private water taxi | The quickest boat | Priced per boat; agree it before you board | Door to door, best for groups who split the fare or for late arrivals with luggage. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice?
For most people, the bus to Piazzale Roma (about 20 minutes) and then a vaporetto down the Grand Canal; ACTV sells both together for €18. With heavy bags or a hotel near Rialto or St Mark's, the Alilaguna boat (€18) saves a change. A water taxi is fastest door to door but costs far more.
How much is the Alilaguna from the airport to Venice?
€18 one way or €32 return, with one large bag and one hand bag included. Each extra bag is €4. Children under 6 travel free with an adult.
How long does it take from Venice airport to St Mark's Square?
About 1 hour 25 minutes on the Alilaguna Blue line to San Marco Giardinetti. By bus and vaporetto it is about 20 minutes to Piazzale Roma, then roughly 40 minutes on line 1, plus any wait.
Is a water taxi from the airport worth it?
It is if you are a group splitting one fare, carry a lot of luggage or land late. The boat is priced per trip, not per person, so the cost per head falls as the group grows. Agree the price before you board.
Can I take a gondola from the airport?
No. Gondolas work short routes inside the city. Once you have settled in, see what a gondola ride costs and how it compares with a water taxi.
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