Venice Airport to the City Centre: Bus or Boat, Which Should You Take?

Marco Polo Airport sits on the mainland, on the edge of the lagoon. No car goes farther into the historic centre than Piazzale Roma, so you choose between a bus to that square, followed by a vaporetto or a walk, and a boat that serves the neighbourhoods directly. If you are still planning your trip, our complete Venice guide helps you pick a neighbourhood, since that decides which transfer works best.

Which Transfer Should You Take From Marco Polo Airport?

Three regular public services connect the airport to the city. The table below shows the fares published by the operators for 2026 (sterling figures are approximate).

In short: the bus is the fastest and cheapest choice if your accommodation is near Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia station, Santa Croce or Mestre. The Alilaguna boat becomes worthwhile if you are staying near St Mark's, the Rialto, on the Lido or on Murano, because it saves you a change with your luggage.

ATVO Bus: The Express Shuttle to Piazzale Roma

The regional company ATVO runs the Venice Airport Bus Express (line 35), a coach that links the airport to Piazzale Roma in about 20 minutes with no intermediate stops. Another branch serves Mestre, handy if you are staying near Mestre station.

Where to Catch It at the Airport

According to ATVO's official page, leave the terminal through exit 3, turn right and head to the second lane on your left: stop C is for buses to Venice, stop D for buses to Mestre.

Fares and Tickets

The ATVO timetable in force since February 2026 lists €12 one way (about £10) and €20 return (about £17), luggage included. Children under 6 travel free. Tickets can be bought:

• online on the ATVO website or in the my-ATVO app, so you can go straight to the stop without visiting a counter;
• at the vending machines in the baggage reclaim hall and at the departure bays;
• at the ATVO counters in the arrivals hall (the main one is open from 08:00 to 23:45).

Each passenger can bring as much luggage as they like at no extra charge, and the coaches have free Wi-Fi and are accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. A paper ticket must be validated before boarding; a ticket bought online is simply shown to the driver.

ACTV Aerobus Line 5: The Cheapest Transfer

ACTV, the city's public transport operator, runs the Aerobus line 5 between the airport and Piazzale Roma. It is a city bus: it makes stops and has no luggage hold, which makes it less comfortable with big suitcases, but it costs less and runs frequently.

The fares published on ACTV's official site are:

• Aerobus 75 minutes: €10 one way (about £9), with possible transfers on the mainland bus and tram network for 75 minutes;
• Aerobus return: €18 (about £15);
• Aerobus + urban network 90 minutes: €18 (about £15), valid for 90 minutes on the urban networks, vaporettos included, which covers the bus and then the boat to your stop;
• Airport supplement on 1-, 2-, 3- and 7-day passes: €7 one way (about £6) or €13 return (about £11).

The Aerobus ticket can also be bought through muoversivenezia's Chat&Go service on WhatsApp. Note that standard vaporetto passes do not cover the airport without this supplement.

Alilaguna Water Bus: Arriving in Venice by Boat

Alilaguna connects the airport's boat dock with the islands and the historic centre across the lagoon. The trip is longer than by bus, but it drops you closest to many hotels, with no change. Three lines serve the airport:

• Linea Blu: Murano, Ospedale, Lido S.M.E., Arsenale, San Zaccaria, San Marco (Giardinetti), Zattere, Giudecca Stucky, Tronchetto, Santa Lucia station (Ferrovia). It also serves Fondamente Nove;
• Linea Arancio: Madonna dell'Orto, Guglie, San Stae, Rialto, Sant'Angelo, Ca' Rezzonico, Santa Maria del Giglio, in other words the Grand Canal;
• Linea Rossa: a seasonal line (April to autumn) to Murano, the Lido, San Zaccaria and San Marco, on a shorter route than the Blu line.

Alilaguna Fares

According to Alilaguna's official fare table:

• airport ↔ Venice: €18 one way (about £15), €32 return (about £27);
• airport ↔ Murano: €10 one way (about £9), €18 return (about £15);
• Venezia Unica cardholders (residents): €10 (about £9) for airport ↔ Lido or Venice;
• 24-, 48- and 72-hour passes: €40, €60 and €80 (about £34, £51 and £68), valid on all Alilaguna lines except the Linea Verde.

Each ticket includes one large suitcase and one piece of hand luggage; each additional bag costs €4 (about £3). Children up to 6 travel free if accompanied by an adult with a ticket, provided you can prove their age. Pushchairs are carried free of charge.

To work out which line to take, find the stop closest to your hotel: the Arancio line suits the Rialto and the Grand Canal, the Blu line St Mark's, Castello, the Giudecca and the Lido. If you are staying near the major sights, our list of things to see in Venice, with 2026 prices helps you place the neighbourhoods. A full run of a line takes more than an hour: check your line's timetable on the Alilaguna website for the exact time to your stop.

Water Taxi: The Private Option

Water taxis leave from the same dock area as the Alilaguna boats and drop you at the jetty closest to your accommodation, sometimes at the hotel's own water door. The price is per boat, not per person, which makes it mainly worth considering for groups or families.

No fixed fare is published for the trip from the airport: agree on the total price (luggage and any night surcharge included) before boarding, or ask for a written quote if you book ahead, for instance through your hotel.

From Piazzale Roma, How Do You Get to Your Hotel?

Piazzale Roma is the bus terminus, at the entrance to the historic centre, right next to Santa Lucia station. From there you have two options:

• on foot if your hotel is in Santa Croce, in Cannaregio near the station or in western Dorsoduro. Expect bridges with steps: a heavy suitcase makes the walk harder than it looks on a map;
• by ACTV vaporetto for the Rialto, St Mark's, Castello or the Lido. The ACTV "Aerobus + urban network 90 minutes" ticket at €18 (about £15) covers the bus and the boat on a single fare.

If you arrive at Tronchetto (Alilaguna Blu line or the Barzi bus from Treviso), the People Mover, a small automated metro, links Tronchetto to Piazzale Roma.

Getting Into Venice From Treviso Airport

Low-cost airlines often land at Treviso Airport (Treviso Antonio Canova), which is farther out, so check which airport your booking names before you plan the transfer. ATVO runs the Treviso Airport Bus Express (line 351) there to Mestre and Venice. According to ATVO's official page, the trip takes about 30 minutes to Mestre and 40 minutes to Venice (Piazzale Roma). Tickets are sold online, at the vending machines in the baggage hall or at the ATVO counter in the arrivals hall; luggage is unlimited.

A second company, Barzi, also runs the route, but it stops at Tronchetto rather than Piazzale Roma: you then need the People Mover or a vaporetto to continue. The two tickets are not interchangeable. Prices for this route vary by source: check the current fare on the operator's website when you book.

Back to the Airport: Tickets and Times

To head home, ATVO and ACTV buses leave from Piazzale Roma. At Piazzale Roma, ATVO has a ticket counter, a vending machine outside and authorised resellers; you cannot buy a ticket from the driver. According to the line 35 timetable in force since February 2026, the first ATVO coach leaves Piazzale Roma for the airport at 04:20, which works for early-morning flights.

With the Alilaguna boat, allow clearly more time than by bus and check the first departure time from your stop: for an early flight, the bus from Piazzale Roma is generally the only public option. In every case, add the time to reach the stop on foot or by vaporetto from your hotel, which is often longer than the bus ride itself.

If you travel with a return ticket, note its validity period: ATVO's can be used within a week of purchase, and check the conditions printed on your Alilaguna or ACTV ticket.

For Travellers From the UK

UK passport holders can stay in the Schengen area, which includes Italy, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you enter and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave. The EES and ETIAS systems affect UK visitors: check the official GOV.UK travel advice for Italy for the current position before you fly. Italian sockets take Type C and F plugs, so UK plugs need an adapter. Check your mobile provider's roaming terms for Italy before you go, so you can show an online ATVO ticket on your phone at the stop.

Frequently asked questions