Venice Marco Polo airport (VCE) is the main international airport of Venice and one of the busiest airports in Italy.
There’s another airport near Venice called Antonio Canova Treviso airport (TFS) where Ryanair and Wizz Air flights arrive, but Marco Polo is closer to the city.
Flights from all around the country, Europe and the world get to this airport every single day! The airport has been named after the merchant and explorer Marco Polo, which is one of the things Venice is most known for.
How to get from Marco Polo airport to Venice
This page contains all the information you need to be able to get to Venice from Marco Polo depending on your own personal preference.
I’ll explain in detail 6 unique transportation options so by the end of this guide you can choose the right one for you. Let’s start by looking at the actual distance so you can get a better idea of how long it should take to arrive to Venice from the airport.
How far is Venice Marco Polo Airport from Venice?
Venice Marco Polo airport is 14 kilometres north of Venice city centre and it takes less than 20 minutes to get from the airport to the city by car and less than half an hour by public transport.
If you will be travelling from Venice to Marco Polo Airport at the end of your trip, then remember to save the link to my guide which cover all modes of transport.
How to get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice city centre?
There are different ways to get from Marco Polo airport to Venice: you can either get the bus, the Alilaguna water bus or taxis. From this airport is available the normal taxi service as well as water taxis.
Bear in mind that these options are always the most expensive but also the most comfortable. Same if you want to get a private transfer.
Keep reading to learn more about each option…
Cheapest way to get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice?
The cheapest and best way to get from the airport to Venice city centre is by bus. The cost of one way ticket is 10 euros. You can choose to get the bus from two different companies: the ACTV bus number 5 or the ATVO bus number 35.
The first bus stop plenty of times and it can take between 30 and 45 minutes to get to Venice, whilst the ATVO bus will be faster.
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Best way to get from Marco Polo airport to Venice (6 Options)
Let’s now see how you can get from Marco Polo airport to Venice by bus and water bus, by train, by normal and water taxi and with private transfer.
Then, you should be able to make an informed decision based on your time availability and budget. It’s also worth asking yourself (if you’ve not yet booked your flight) why not see how to get from Treviso airport to Venice as an alternative?
Marco Polo Airport to Venice by Bus
As mentioned above, there are two bus options to get to Venice Marco Polo airport. I’ll explain the details you need to know so you can consider both options.
ACTV bus: This is bus number 5. To get it, just exit the airport from the arrivals, where you’ll see some bus stops, just after crossing the street. That’s where all buses directed to Venice leave from. The bus leaves every 15 minutes and it stops several times before getting to Piazzale Roma in Venice.
Depending on how many times it will stop and road traffic conditions, it can take between 25 and 45 minutes. Here’s a practical timetable you can consult with to get specific times. The ticket cost is 10 euros one way and 18 euros return.
It can be purchased at the self-service ticket machines located at the airport (just next to the exit door) and in Piazzale Roma. Luggage racks are available in the seating area. As always, I recommend that you carry a phrase book like this one to help you with some basic Italian, but it is not entirely necessary for this trip.
ATVO bus: The ATVO bus number 35 always leaves from the same point where the ACTV buses leave, in front of the airport. These buses leave every 30 minutes and provide an express non-stop service, which means that it will be most certainly faster than the previous bus option. This is the timetable so you can check the schedule. The one way ticket cost is 10 euros and the return ticket is 18 euros.
For the same ticket price you can get the ATVO bus number 25A (line San Donà di Piave-Venice) and 10A (line Lido di Jesolo-Venice). These buses stop more times and take longer than line 35. It takes around 30 minutes to get to the airport on this bus.
You can book your ticket for the Bus Transfer to/from Venice City Center in advance and don’t think about it when you get to the airport. It can be purchased at the self-service machines just next to the arrivals’ exit or next to the bus stop. The bus arrives in Piazzale Roma. Wi-Fi and luggage storage space is provided.
Marco Polo Airport to Venice by Alilaguna Water Bus
This is an unusual way to reach your destination, but you’ll get used to it pretty soon since in Venice everybody moves by water! The second-cheapest way to get from Marco Polo airport to Venice city centre is by water bus (vaporetto).
The company providing this service is called Alilaguna and you can purchase your ticket here. Getting the water bus is a good idea if you want to reach specific areas of the city, for example, to get closer to your hotel or get to some attractions fast.
There are two different lines: blue (linea blu) and orange (linea arancio). With the blue line you can get near St. Mark’s square and with the orange line to Rialto. The water buses leave more or less every half an hour and the ride can last even 1 hour and 20 minutes. There’s also a red line but it’s a seasonal one.
The one-way ticket costs 15 euros and the return 27 euros. You can purchase the ticket online from the Alilaguna website or at the arrivals area at the airport.
To get your water bus go to the first floor and from there just walk a couple of minutes outside the airport. You can recognize an Alilaguna water bus from its white and yellow colour and the big sign ‘Alilaguna’.
Marco Polo Airport to Venice by Train
You can also get a train to Venice city centre, but this means getting first a bus from Marco Polo airport to Mestre railway station and from there a train. This is not my recommended option, but it can turn out to be a good if you decide to book accommodation in Mestre instead of Venice and want to stop at your hotel first.
The buses you can get from the airport to Mestre are the ACTV number 4, 10 and 45 or the bus ATVO number 15. The bus can take more or less 20 minutes to half an hour. Once you got to Mestre, the bus will leave you in front of the station and from there just hop on the next train to Venice. There are trains every 5/10 minutes and it’s only 10 minutes ride.
Marco Polo Airport to Venice by Water Taxi
Your fourth option is to get a water taxi from the airport to Venice. This is one of the most comfortable options but also an expensive one. The benefit of getting a water taxi is that it will take you straight to your hotel or final destination.
The minimum price is 100 euros, but usually costs around 120/130 euros.
For up to 4 people, the price remains the same, after 5 people there’s a supplement of 10 euros per person. You can also book in advance your Marco Polo Airport Water Taxi Transfer and share the ride with other people.
You can also ask for information about rates to the staff when booking your taxi online or at the desk at the airport. By visiting the Venice airport website page for private boats, you can also compare different private companies rates.
Marco Polo Airport to Venice by Taxi
The land taxi service is also available from the airport and provided by Cooperativa Artigiana Radiotaxi. This is a lot less expensive than the water taxi and still a comfortable one, but the only place where it’ll leave you is Piazzale Roma.
From here you’ll have to walk or get a water bus to your hotel. That’s why the water taxi is ideal to get to your destination. The ride cost is 40 euros for up to 4 people with 4 pieces of luggage, which is a reasonable price if you’re travelling in four.
Private Transfer from Marco Polo Airport to Venice
The last option is to get a private transfer from Marco Polo airport to Venice. This is the most expensive way to get to the city centre but also an extremely comfortable one where you won’t have to think about how to get from one place to the other.
In fact, a chauffeur will be waiting for you at the arrivals terminal and escort you to a private motorboat. Book your Venice Marco Polo Airport Private Arrival Transfer today and you can get free 24 hours in advance cancellation.
The table below will help to summarise all your transport options:
Transport type | Duration journey | Cost |
Bus (ACTV or ATVO) | 20 to 45 minutes | 8 euros (one way) / 15 euros (return) |
Alilaguna water bus | 1 hour and 20 minutes | 15 euros (one way) / 27 euros (return) |
Bus to Mestre + Train | 40 to 50 minutes | 3,40 euros |
Water taxi | Fast and depends on your final destination | 120/130 euros (up to 4 people) |
Land taxi | Fast with arrival destination Piazzale Roma | 40 euros (up to 4 people) |
Private transfer | Fast | From £195.30 per group (up to 6) |
Marco Polo Airport to Venice FAQ Guide
Here are some questions people ask when arriving to Venice from the airport:
How to get from Marco Polo Airport to Venice
With this guide, you now have a complete list of ways to get to Venice from Marco Polo airport city centre. As you can see there are many options and the final decision will always depend on you and will be based on your needs and budget.
If you’ll be heading back to the airport, I suggest you read my guide on how to get from Venice to Marco Polo airport for tips on doing this trip in the opposite direction.
Also, if you are thinking of visiting other places in the Veneto region or beyond see these other airports near Venice that may work out to be a better option for you.
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