driving in venice

When it comes to driving in Venice, how does it work?

As I suspect you will already know by now, Venice is a city built on more than 100 islands, connected by bridges and divided by a host of pretty impressive canals.

The Lagoon city is an intricate tangle of narrow alleys and small squares and the best way to move around is on foot, by vaporetto (water bus) or with a water taxi.

Anybody that has had the chance to see even just a picture or a short video of Venice at least once knows all the above, but many newcomers can’t seem to get their head around it, and repeatedly ask themselves: are there cars in Venice?

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Driving in Venice

When it comes to visiting Venice this is one question I often get asked and it’s usually due to the misconception that cars don’t exist in Venice.

driving to venice

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To kick off this guide I would like to start by answering the following question:

Are there cars in Venice?

Quick Answer: No, there are no cars moving around Venice but on arrival you can park your car/motorbike/camper van in Venice historic centre.

In other words, Venice is a car-free city, but it is possible to reach the city by car or motorbike. What you can’t do is move around by car or with a motorbike (because there are no roads) and the only ways to get around Venice (other than on foot) are by vaporetto (water bus) and water taxi. I hope this distinction makes sense.

This answer now leads me to another popular question worth answering:

Can you visit Venice by car?

Yes, you can visit Venice by car, but you can only get as far as the historic centre of Venice in your vehicle. This ultimately means that you’ll have to park your car in Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, which are the two main car parking sites of the city.

cars taxis in venice

Alternatively you can park in Mestre, Marghera or in the surrounding area (Punta Sabbioni or Fusina) where it’s cheaper and from there you can get public transport such as the train, water bus and land bus to get to Venice.

One having arrived in Venice you then have the freedom to move around on foot, by water bus, or by water taxi. For most visitors, walking is the most rewarding way to explore the city and this is why I usually suggest specific footwear, but you can see my guide on what to wear in Venice for more ideas on how to dress while here.

Renting a car in Venice

Whether Venice is the first stop of your road trip in Veneto or Italy or you simply like the freedom of driving a car during your trip, you can 100% rent a car in Venice.

You have 3 options when it comes to hiring a car in Venice:

  • Renting a car from the airport. It can be from Venice Marco Polo airport or Treviso airport, depending on where your flight lands.
  • Renting a car from Mestre, the closest city to Venice in the mainland and connected to Venice by public transportation (train, bus and tram).
  • Renting a car in Venice Piazzale Roma where there are car rental offices like Europcar, Sixt, Maggiore, Budget and Hertz.

💡 Local Tip: for travellers who want to move around the best solution is to rent a car from the airport where prices are usually cheaper.

It is worth renting a car in Venice?

Yes, rent a car in Venice if you’re planning to visit more places in the Veneto region, other places in northern Italy or even other parts of the country!

driving in veneto italy

For anyone on their way to Venice and thinking of renting a car while here…

This is what I recommend that you do:

  • Rent the car from the airports (Venice Marco Polo or Treviso) where prices are more affordable. To save money rent the car online and in advance.
  • Be sure to rent the car BEFORE or AFTER you visit to the city.

Why do I suggest that you rent a car in Venice before or after your stay in the city?

Firstly, because you can’t actually move around Venice by car and secondly because parking in Venice is expensive when you weigh up all the costs.

Yes, you can save money by parking in Mestre or other locations of Venice mainland, but that means getting on the train or bus to reach Venice.

It simply makes much more sense to visit Venice first or after your road trip/holidays. Be sure to read this guide on how to get from Marco Polo airport to Venice and how to get from Treviso airport to Venice if you’ll be arriving to the Venice by air.

Where to park in Venice?

Take it from me, finding parking in Venice is not an easy task.

There are no free parking spaces and therefore you need to park your car or motorbike in one of the garages located near the train and bus station.

See the map below which illustrates where to park in Venice:

A positive side of parking in Venice is that you’re close to your car and can walk or get a vaporetto to reach more places in the city. The negative side is that it is pricey.

So let’s take a look now at where you can park in Venice historic centre and in the mainland. This way you’ll be able to make an informed decision based on your travel plans and ideally save yourself some money along the way.

That way, you can treat yourself to a gelato or some Venetian street food instead.

Tronchetto Parking

The Tronchetto car park is located in the Isola Nuova, a small artificial island in Venice at the ‘access point’ of the city.

The island is close to Piazzale Roma and here you can find:

  • Car parks
  • A tourist terminal
  • Vaporetto connections

These are designed for you to reach the tourist attractions in Venice such as San Marco and Rialto (by water bus line 2 during the day and line N during the night).

parking in venice italy

From the Tronchetto island you can get to Piazzale Roma in just 4 minutes by People Mover, a rapid shuttle service via land funicular.

In addition, there are ferries that could transport your car or motorbike if you’re planning to visit the Venice Lido.

Like with all car parks in Venice, there are limited spaces so I highly recommend that you book your slot online and in as far in as advance as possible.

From the official website you can check the rates, save money by booking in advance and, more than anything, guarantee that you will find a spot upon your arrival.

Piazzale Roma

Piazzale Roma is the closest point where you can park to the city’s main attractions. Unfortunately, parking here it’s complicated and you can probably find a car park space in one of the few garages located near the bus station.

buses in venice italy

The largest car park is the Autorimessa Comunale, with its 2044 car spaces and 300 motorcycle spaces (distributed over 6 floors, with 10 parking rooms and 2 terraces).

Another city’s garage is the Garage San Marco, where you have an electric car you can charge it.

A few meters away from the garages, there are a few vaporetto stops that will allow you to easily get all around the city, as well as the islands of the lagoon.

The garages are open 24/7 and the daily rates depend on the vehicle size and type. Book your car parking spot in advance at the Autorimessa Comunale here.

You can save money by booking the ‘single 24h rate’ online (payment by credit card) by midnight of the day before the arrival date.

Book your car parking space in advance at the Garage San Marco here.

Venezia Mestre

Parking in Mestre is a valid alternative to parking in Venice and will make you save money too. Car parks in Mestre are not only affordable, but even well-connected via public transport to Venice city centre.

mestre hotels near train station

You can either get a train, bus or tram to get to the Lagoon city in a matter of minutes and at any time during the day.

There are several car parks near Venezia Mestre train station that don’t cost much and have a lot of space.

The most popular is the Parcheggio Saba Venezia Mestre, but you can find plenty of other options in the area.

You can walk to Venice Mestre station and get to Venice Santa Lucia, the terminal station of Venice, by train in under 10 minutes. Other car parking can be found in Corso del Popolo, Ca’ Marcello, via Torino and Piazzale Candiani.

Tips for driving in Venice

  • Tip 1: If you travel in high season or during popular festivities like the Carnival, New Year’s Eve and Festa del Redentore, I highly recommend that you park in Mestre. This will avoid you the stress to queue in the car to get to Venice city centre. Expect to find packed buses and trains too!
  • Tip 2: To save extra money you can also park near Parco San Giuliano in Marghera and get a bus to Venice city centre or at the Terminal Fusina or Punta Sabbioni, in Cavallino. In both cases, if you want to reach Venice, you’ll have to get a vaporetto.
  • Tip 3: I suggest parking in Venice only for the day or for a two days stay considering the high prices. For longer stays, park in Mestre.
  • Tip 4: If you’re thinking about booking your stay in Venice mainland, consider booking a place with a car park. Check out these hotels with car parking in Mestre.
  • Tip 5: By booking online in advance you can save money in most car parking in Venice and Mestre.
  • Tip 6: Some car parking sites may offer reduced rates for longer stays.
  • Tip 7: By purchasing 30 days in advance car park at the Autorimessa Comunale in Venice, you would pay 30 euros instead of 35 euros. Check the Venezia Unica website for more information.

Driving in Venice FAQs

How expensive is car parking in Venice?

Parking the car in Venice is expensive, see the rates below:

  • Tronchetto: 4 euros for up to 1 hour / 9 euros for up to 2 hours / 16 euros for up to 3 hours / 25 euros for 24 hours and every following 24 hours or less, it costs 25 euros.
  • Autorimessa Comunale: 35 euros for 24 hours or 15 euros night rate (from 5 pm to 5 am). If you book 30 days before your arrival, you can pay 30 euros instead.
  • Garage San Marco: 23 euros for up to 5 hours / 35 euros for up to 10 hours / 45 euros for 24 hours and 20 euros night rate (from 5 pm to 5 am).
  • Parcheggio Saba Mestre station: 3 euros per hour. For stays longer than 24 hours, you can take advantage of discounted rates.

Are there roads in Venice?

There are no roads in Venice historic centre, but there are roads for cars, motorbikes and buses in Mestre (the closest city to Venice in the mainland, 10 minutes by train). The only roads where cars can drive in Venice are the ones that from Ponte della Libertà lead to the Tronchetto island, Santa Chiara island (where there’s the cruise terminal) and Piazzale Roma.

How much is parking at Venice Marco Polo Airport?

There are different car parks at Venice Marco Polo airport and the rates change depending on which car park you choose. There are long stay car parks covered on uncovered, covered garage and a short term car park. For long stays, rates range from 18 to 28 euros for up to 24 hours. You can find all the rates from the airport official website.

Where is the cheapest parking in Venice?

The cheapest parking in Venice city centre is the Tronchetto car park. You can save even more if you decide to park in Mestre, Terminal Fusina or Punta Sabbioni.
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Driving in Venice

Before travelling to the Lagoon city, many tourists ask themselves if there are cars in Venice? And wonder if there are no cars, how do people move around?

In Venice, canals are like normal roads in any other city in the world.

Residents get around Venice mainly on foot, frequently by water bus and sometimes by water taxi. You can read more about getting around Venice here.

By reading this guide, you should know now that you can get to Venice by car and that there are a couple of dedicated car parking sites where you can leave your car.

All car parks are close to vaporetto stops so you can get on one at any time during the day and night to reach your hotel or attractions.

See my post on things to do in Venice to give you ideas on what to do while here.

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