Venice Santa Lucia Station to St Mark's Square 2026
- From
- Venezia Santa Lucia railway station
- To
- St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco)
- By
- Vaporetto line 1 or 2 down the Grand Canal, or on foot
- Time
- About 30 minutes on line 2, about 40 minutes on line 1; longer on foot
- Cost
- €9.50 for a 75-minute vaporetto ticket; walking is free
Open directions in Google Maps
From Venice Santa Lucia station to St Mark's Square you have two real choices: a vaporetto (water bus) down the Grand Canal, or a walk through the city. The water bus stop, called Ferrovia, is right in front of the station steps. Line 2 is the faster boat, about 30 minutes to San Marco Giardinetti, and line 1 stops at every landing and takes about 40 minutes to San Marco Vallaresso. Both cost €9.50 for a 75-minute ticket. Walking is free. The square is about 1.5 km from the station as the crow flies, but the route through the alleys and over the bridges is longer than that line suggests, and it is hard work with a suitcase. Can you walk from San Marco to Santa Lucia station? Yes, and many people do it in one direction and ride the boat in the other. The line 1 ride doubles as the cheapest look at the whole Grand Canal, the same water the Grand Canal gondola rides cross.
Step by step
- 1
Walk out of the station to the Ferrovia water bus landings
The landings sit on the Grand Canal at the foot of the station steps, beside the Ponte degli Scalzi. Several pontoons share the name Ferrovia, each marked with a letter and the lines that call there.
- 2
Buy and validate a ticket
A single ACTV ticket is €9.50 and lasts 75 minutes from validation. Passes cost €25 for 24 hours, €35 for 48 hours, €45 for 72 hours and €65 for 7 days. Touch the ticket on the reader before you step on board.
- 3
Take line 2 for speed or line 1 for the view
Line 2 in the September 2026 timetable: Ferrovia to Rialto in about 12 minutes, then on to San Marco Giardinetti, about 30 minutes in all. Line 1 calls at every landing on the Grand Canal: about 19 minutes to Rialto and about 40 minutes to San Marco Vallaresso, every 12 minutes through the day.
- 4
Get off at San Marco Vallaresso or San Marco Giardinetti
Both landings are on the waterfront a few steps west of the square. Walk east along the water and you reach the Piazzetta, between the Doge's Palace and the Marciana Library; St Mark's Square opens out behind it.
- 5
Or walk: station to Rialto, then Rialto to St Mark's
From the station, follow the signs for Rialto through Cannaregio, cross the Rialto Bridge, then follow the signs for San Marco through the shopping streets to the square. Keep the Grand Canal on your right as a rough guide; a map app helps where the alleys fork.
Tips
- From 2 November 2026 ACTV's winter timetable shortens line 2 in the late afternoon: between 16:42 and 19:54, boats from Piazzale Roma end at Rialto. Change there to line 1 for St Mark's.
- Line 1 is slower but stops at every palace landing, so it is the one to take for a first look at the Grand Canal. Sit outside at the front or back if there is room.
- With big suitcases, the boat beats the walk: the walking route crosses many stepped bridges.
- Need to cross the Grand Canal on foot away from a bridge? A traghetto, the gondola ferry, costs visitors €2. Which crossings run changes, so check on the day.
- Arriving in Venice by train on a day trip during the access fee period means the fee applies to you; overnight guests are exempt.
Other ways to get there
| Method | Time | Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaporetto line 2 | About 30 minutes to San Marco Giardinetti | €9.50 for 75 minutes | Fewest stops. In winter late afternoons it ends at Rialto. |
| Vaporetto line 1 | About 40 minutes to San Marco Vallaresso | €9.50 for 75 minutes | Every Grand Canal stop; the slow, scenic choice. |
| On foot via Rialto | Longer than the boat; the route winds well beyond the 1.5 km straight line | Free | Best without luggage. Signposted for Rialto, then San Marco. |
| Water taxi | The quickest door to door | Priced per boat; agree it first | Worth it for a group with luggage going to a hotel with a water entrance. |
Frequently asked questions
Can you walk from San Marco to Santa Lucia station?
Yes. The two are about 1.5 km apart in a straight line, and the walking route via the Rialto Bridge is longer than that. It is signposted and easy without luggage; with suitcases, the many stepped bridges make the water bus the better choice.
Which vaporetto goes from the train station to St Mark's Square?
Lines 1 and 2. Line 2 is faster, about 30 minutes to San Marco Giardinetti. Line 1 stops at every Grand Canal landing and takes about 40 minutes to San Marco Vallaresso.
How much is the vaporetto from Santa Lucia to St Mark's?
€9.50 for a single ticket valid 75 minutes. If you will ride more than twice in a day, the €25 24-hour pass works out cheaper.
Is there a gondola from the station to St Mark's?
Not as a transfer. Gondolas run short loops from their own stations; the official fare is €90 for 30 minutes by day, per gondola. See the best gondola stations to pick a start point.
Where is the water bus stop at Venice Santa Lucia station?
On the Grand Canal directly in front of the station, beside the Ponte degli Scalzi. The landings are called Ferrovia.
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