Milan to Venice Day Trip 2023: The Best Way to Get to Venice

If you were wondering whether a day trip from Milan to Venice is possible or not, you’ll be pleased to know that it is!

Venice, the city on the water, dotted by charming bridges and canals with gondolas can make a great excursion from Milan.

You can either arrange transportation by yourself, thanks to the reliable and fast high-speed trains and A4 Turin-Venice motorway or join a guided tour.

If you’ve got extra time in the Italian fashion capital and already visited cities like Bergamo, Mantua and beautiful Lake Como, then it’s time to see Venice (or visit it again!).

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Milan to Venice

Venice is a unique city, built on many small islands in the middle of the Venetian lagoon, and it’s historic and artistic heritage is incredible, it personally never fails to surprise me!

The two cities are only 2 hours and a half away from each other by train, so it’s time to plan this day trip to Venice from Milan. But before that, let’s take a look at where is Venice and why it’s worth visiting it.

Where is Venice?

Venice is the capital city of the Veneto region, located in north-east Italy and it’s 273 kilometres east of Milan. If driving a car it takes more or less 3 hours to get from one city to the other.

Venice is a city built on 118 islands connected one to other by bridges and divided by canals, based in the Venetian lagoon of the Adriatic Sea.

You can get to Venice from the mainland by car, by train, by bus and on foot by crossing the Liberty Bridge. Venice is 121 kilometres away from Verona and 41 kilometres from Padua and Treviso.

You can get an high-speed train from Milan to Venice, if you want to save money get a bus, while hiring a car and driving will guarantee your complete freedom. Alternatively, you can join a day tour and let a guide show you around the beautiful city of Venice.

Is Venice worth visiting?

If you have some extra time to spend in Milan, and don’t know what to do or looking to visit more places in northern Italy, then you should really visit Venice and you can read below some reasons why.

Venice is worth visiting to learn its centuries-old history and culture. Every church, palace and square in Venice is steeped in history and ancient legends. At the time of the Serenissima Republic, the city went through a very wealthy period when the Venetian merchants were trading products from the Middle and Far East. Venice has been a melting-pot of people and cultures and this is a clear result of its rich heritage.
To attend unique city events. In Venice there’s always something going on. There are some recurring appointments such as the much awaited Carnival in February, the Biennale from spring to autumn, the Venice Film Festival that takes place in the Lido of Venice. Apart from the most popular ones, there are also city events such as Festa della Sensa and Festa della Salute that are worth attending to learn more about Venice’s history and take part in the local celebrations.
To taste the Venetian cuisine. Venice counts on a rich cuisine which is the result of the encounter, over the centuries, of many cultures. For example, the risotto dishes exist because the rice was imported from the Far East at the time of the Serenissima Republic. Some of the unmissable Venetian foods to try are: the baccala mantecato, you can taste as appetizer or on top of cicchetti at the bacaro, the bigoli in salsa prepared with duck meat, fegato alla veneziana (veal liver with onions) and spaghetti al nero di seppia (cuttlefish ink spaghetti).

These are just a few of the main reasons I believe Venice is a city worth discovering, but if you’re still not convinced, then check out my post with 7 reasons to visit Venice for more inspiration.

How far is Venice from Milan?

Venice is 273 kilometres away from Milan and it takes around 3 hours to get from one place to the other by car.

You can therefore hire a car and drive all the way from Milan to Venice and park either in Mestre (recommended option because it’s more affordable) and then get a train to Venice or park in Venice.

Even though driving the car gives you complete freedom of your time and the stops you want to do along the way, there are other valid options: high-speed train, bus and guided tour.

The latter is perfect for travellers that want to spend only one day in Venice and don’t want to deal with transportation to Venice and back to Milan.

Best way to travel from Milan to Venice

In my opinion, the best way to travel from Milan to Venice is by high-speed train. This is the fastest option to get to the city of water, which you can actually reach in less than 2 hours and a half.

There are two train companies to look at, at the time of booking, Trenitalia and Italo. Make sure to book a train with no changes in between.

If you decide to travel by high-speed train, book the ticket online or from the ticket office.

Head to Milano Centrale railway station in Milan, get the train that will arrive at the station Venezia Santa Lucia, if you want to get to Venice city centre, or Venezia Mestre, if you prefer to get off in Mestre, the last station in the mainland before getting to Venice.

How to get from Milan to Venice

With no further ado, let’s now take a look at all the ways you can get from Milan to Venice, whether it’s for a day trip or to stay in the city of bridges and canals for longer.

Train from Milan to Venice?

The train is the best and fastest option to get from Milan to Venice. This option is quite affordable and will allow you to save time.

You can either choose between regional trains or high-speed trains. I recommend the second type of trains.

But let’s take a look at both options:

Regional trains: these trains stop more frequently than the high-speed trains (Frecce) and as a consequence, the journey between Milan and Venice lasts longer (3 hours and a half). Along the way, you’ll also have to change train once, usually in Verona Porta Nuova. These trains have a set price, called ordinary fare, and you can change date and time of the train or get refunded if needed, as long as you do it one day before your trip. From Milano Centrale station you’ll first board a Trenord regional train (regional railway service of the Lombardy region) and then the Regionale Veloce (RV) from Verona Porta Nuova station to Venice Mestre or Santa Lucia.

High-speed trains: In this case, you choose between two train companies, Trenitalia with the Frecce trains or Italo. You’ll normally leave from Milano Centrale station, but there are also Frecce trains leaving from Milano Porta Garibaldi. The arrival stations can be as usual, Venice Mestre, the last one before Venice city centre station called Venezia Santa Lucia. I recommend booking online or from a ticket office the ticket as soon as you know you want to travel from Milan to Venice. This is because high-speed train fares tend to increase as you get closer to the departure day. Normally high-speed train fares are higher than regional trains, but it’s quite common to find some good deals and pay less than the regional trains. You can choose among different types of services and offers, based on how comfortable you want your train journey to be and your budget.

💡 Local Tip: check promo campaigns that both train companies, Trenitalia and Italo, might run at the time of your trip that will help you save money.

Milan to Venice by Car

If you’re that type of traveller that likes having total control of his/her own time and not depend on public transport, then hiring a car it’s the best solution.

Another advantage of driving the car from Milan to Venice is that you can stop as many times as you want along the way.

Cities like Bergamo, Brescia, Verona and Vicenza are all worth visiting and you’ll pass by them on your way to Venice. Even the beautiful Lake Garda is a great stop to add on your itinerary, whether it’s to relax by the lake for a day or visit its picturesque villages.

To get from Milan to Venice by car, the best option is to get the A4 Torino-Trieste motorway. You’ll have to pay tolls to access the motorway, and you can check how much it is from the Autostrade.it website. It takes almost 3 hours to cover 270 kilometres and get from the fashion capital city to Venice city centre.

In order to reach Venice, once you get to Mestre, cross the Liberty Bridge. There are different parking spaces in Venice: Autorimessa Comunale, Tronchetto or in Mestre. Remember to book your parking space in advance.

Bus from Milan to Venice

Travelling on a budget but wish to visit both Milan and Venice? Then the bus it’s the ideal solution for you!

There are two bus companies you can choose: Flixbus and Itabus. Both offer affordable tickets and it will take between 3 hours and 10 minutes to 3 hours and 50 minutes to get from Milan to Venice (depending on the service and stops).

There are buses that take a lot longer to get from one city to the other and include a transfer, but I don’t recommend getting those buses unless you have no choice.

Flixbus offers more options than Itabus and the price of the ticket can vary a lot, but you can easily find offers for less than 10 euros (one way).

The departure point is Milano Lampugnano (Via Giulio Natta 226, 20151 Milan), which you can reach from Milano Centrale by underground line 1 (red) and you can choose to end your journey in Mestre, bus station, just a couple of metres away from Mestre railway station or Venice Tronchetto.

From Tronchetto you can get to Venice city centre by water bus route 2 and N (night water bus, after 11pm) or People Mover shuttle train that connects the Stazione Marittima Cruise Terminal to Piazzale Roma. Tickets might increase in price closer to the departure date

Day Trip to Venice with Guided City Tour

If you don’t want to use public transport or drive a car, and only one day to dedicate to Venice, then this day trip to Venice with guided city tour is what you were looking for.

The guided day tour is perfect to learn Venice’s history and culture accompanied by an expert guide, but also have some time to explore the city on your own and don’t worry about getting from one city to the other.

The tour includes round transportation, a boat trip to enjoy the unique landscape of the Venetian lagoon and Venice from the water and then 2 hours guided tour during which you’ll visit the main sights of the city such as St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace.

You’ll also have some free time in the afternoon to have lunch at the restaurant or if you want to maximise your time, have some Venetian street food on the go. You can then go on a gondola ride near the Rialto Bridge or visit a museum of your choice.

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Milan to Venice day trip FAQs

What is the Milan to Venice train cost?

The train ticket from Milano Centrale to Venice Santa Lucia price ranges between 45 and 20 euros depending on how long in advance you purchase it. You can travel by high-speed train Frecciarossa by Trenitalia or Italo and the earlier you book the ticket, the lower the price will be. You can also travel by regional trains (Trenord and Regionale Veloce) which are generally cheaper than the high-speed trains. You’d pay around 22 euros one way with a last-minute booking. By regional trains, the journey is at least one hour longer than high-speed trains, so I don’t recommend this option unless you have no choice. You can find ticket deals with both train companies Trenitalia and Italo by buying the ticket at least a month before your departure date and by travelling from midday onwards. There are also promo codes all year long that you can use at the time of booking to allow you to save extra money.

Is the train ride from Venice to Milan Scenic?

The train ride from Venice to Milan is not particularly scenic but there are some points on the way that are quite picturesque. When you leave Venice Santa Lucia station and cross the Ponte della Libertà, you can admire wonderful views of the Venetian lagoon. You’ll then cross the countryside in the Padua, Vicenza and Verona outskirts in Veneto and on a clear day you can easily spot the Alps all the way to Milan. You can enjoy lovely views of Lake Garda from the train as you approach Peschiera del Garda.

How many days do I need in Venice?

You need at least 3 days to visit Venice’s main attractions and have enough time to explore its neighbourhoods with no rush. With an itinerary of 3 days in Venice you can cover famous landmarks such as St. Mark’s Square, Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, Rialto Bridge and Rialto market but also visit important art museums like the Gallerie dell’Accademia and Peggy Guggenheim Collection. You can walk around the most picturesque districts of the city like Cannaregio, where you can stroll in the Jewish Ghetto and have aperitivo in one of the bacari along Rio della Misericordia. While in the Dorsoduro neighbourhood you can find many family-owned shops to buy authentic souvenirs and the off-the-beaten-path Zattere promenade. Finally, within 3 days, you should be able to head over to other islands of the Venetian lagoon like Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Is Venice better than Milan?

Yes, Venice is better than Milan. Venice is far less chaotic than Lombardy’s capital city as it’s a car-free city. As a result, visiting Venice is a relaxing experience if you go in early spring or late autumn. You can get lost around its narrow streets and small squares where you’ll just find a few other tourists and locals hanging around. Venice is a real open-air museum and compared to Milan, counts on a wider range of landmarks like palaces, churches and museums of inestimable value.

Getting from Milan to Venice

Venice is a day trip worth planning from Milan. If you have some spare time and you’re currently visiting Milan, or it’s your second (or third) time in Milan and want to see more places in northern Italy, then Venice deserves to be discovered.

Its fascinating history, millenary culture and incredible cuisine will keep you busy for a whole day. Getting from Milan to Venice is easy and straightforward.

Whether you decide to arrange your own transport or join a tour, Venice won’t let you down! See this list of tourist attractions in Venice if you’re still not convinced.

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Milan to Venice day trip