Venice Airport to City Centre: Water Bus, Bus & Taxi Prices 2026

The quickest and cheapest way from Venice Airport to Venice is the bus to Piazzale Roma, the car and bus terminal at the edge of the historic centre: the ATVO express takes about 20 minutes for €12, and ACTV’s Aerobus line 5 costs €10. The Alilaguna water bus costs €18 and drops you closer to San Marco or Rialto, but takes much longer, while a land taxi to Piazzale Roma has a fixed fare of €40. For a driver or a private boat waiting for you, compare operators on our Venice Airport transfers page.

Venice Airport to Venice: quick comparison

Option	Price	Journey time	Runs	Best for
ATVO express bus to Piazzale Roma	€12 single, €20 return	About 20 min	Daily, about every 30 min, roughly 06:00–01:10	Most travellers, lots of luggage
ACTV Aerobus line 5 to Piazzale Roma	€10 single (75 min), €18 return	Around 20–30 min, traffic permitting	Daily	Budget, combined with a vaporetto ticket
Alilaguna water bus	€18 single, €32 return	Well over an hour to San Marco or Rialto	Daily, timetable varies by season	Hotels near San Marco, Rialto, Murano, Lido
Land taxi (fixed fare)	€40 Piazzale Roma, €35 Mestre centre	Around 20 min	24/7	Groups, late arrivals
Private water taxi	Per boat, quoted on booking	Usually the fastest door-to-door by water	On request	Hotels on a canal, special occasions
Pre-booked private transfer (car)	Fixed price agreed in advance	As taxi; longer to the Dolomites	24/7	Mestre, Verona, Cortina, child seats

Bus and water bus fares are per person; taxi, water taxi and transfer prices are per vehicle or boat. Remember that no car or bus can enter the historic centre: road transport ends at Piazzale Roma, and from there you walk, take a vaporetto or a water taxi to your hotel.

Venice Airport to Piazzale Roma by bus

The bus stops are outside the arrivals hall. Both bus companies stop at Piazzale Roma and at Venezia Mestre station, so check the destination on the front of the bus.

ATVO express bus

ATVO’s express buses leave from Exit D, second lane on the left: stop 3 for Venice (Piazzale Roma) and stop 4 for Mestre. The ride takes about 20 minutes. On the timetable valid from 1 February 2026, buses to Piazzale Roma run every day, about every 30 minutes, from around 06:00 until 01:10. A single ticket costs €12 and a return €20, and luggage is included with no limit on the number of bags. Buy tickets online or in the My ATVO app, at the machines in the baggage claim area, at the ticket office in the arrivals hall (open 08:00–23:45) or from staff at the stop. Timetables are on the ATVO airport bus page.

ACTV Aerobus line 5

The city transport company ACTV runs Aerobus line 5 between the airport and Piazzale Roma, about 12 km away. A single costs €10 and is valid for 75 minutes from validation; a return (two journeys) costs €18. You can also pay by tapping a contactless Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or American Express card or phone on the validator. Tapping out at the end is compulsory, or you are charged the maximum fare, and up to five people can travel on one card if they all tap within 60 seconds.

If you will use the vaporetti straight away, the Aerobus + boat ticket costs €18 and covers line 5 plus 90 minutes on the water buses. Note that the standard Venezia daily pass and the 2-, 3- and 7-day tickets are not valid on airport buses unless you buy the version that includes the airport transfer (for example 1 day plus a one-way transfer from €32).

Alilaguna water bus from Venice Airport

Alilaguna runs scheduled water buses from the airport’s own dock, a short walk from the terminal; Alilaguna ticket offices are in the dock area. Three lines serve the airport:

• Blue line (Linea Blu): Murano, Fondamente Nove, Ospedale, Lido, Arsenale, San Zaccaria, San Marco (Giardinetti), Zattere, Giudecca, Tronchetto and the railway station.
• Orange line (Linea Arancio): Madonna dell’Orto, Guglie, San Stae, Rialto, Sant’Angelo, Ca’ Rezzonico and Santa Maria del Giglio, through the Grand Canal.
• Red line (Linea Rossa): a summer-only service via Murano and the Lido to San Zaccaria and San Marco.

Alilaguna water bus price

A single from the airport to Venice costs €18 and a return €32; to Murano it is €10 single or €18 return. Each ticket includes one large suitcase and one piece of hand luggage, with a €4 supplement for every extra bag. Children under 6 travel free with an adult. Buy online, at the dock ticket offices or through Venezia Unica. See the official Alilaguna fares page for the current list.

The water bus is slower than the bus plus vaporetto, often well over an hour to San Marco, but it is the most direct public option if your hotel is near one of its stops, and the approach across the lagoon is a good first view of the city.

Venice Airport water taxi price

Private water taxis (motoscafi) leave from the same dock and take you, your group and your luggage to a landing stage close to your hotel, or to the hotel’s own jetty if it has one. Venice’s water taxis are licensed by the city, but the airport does not publish a fixed fare: the price is per boat, depends on destination, number of passengers and bags and the time of day, and is quoted when you book. Expect it to cost far more than the Alilaguna fare, which is why it makes most sense when split between several people. You can request a quote online from the operators listed by the airport, such as Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia, or ask at the dock, and always agree the total before you board. Many hotels and transfer companies can also arrange a boat to meet you.

Venice Airport taxi to Piazzale Roma and Mestre

Land taxis are run by the Cooperativa Artigiana Radiotaxi and wait outside arrivals around the clock (phone +39 041 5964). The airport lists fixed fares of €40 to Piazzale Roma, €35 to Mestre centre and €45 to the cruise terminal. A taxi to Piazzale Roma takes around 20 minutes outside rush hour, and from there you continue on foot or by boat like everyone else. Chauffeur cars (NCC) also operate from the airport’s reserved lanes, and Uber is available 24/7 with several ride types, including premium cars and vans, with the price shown in the app.

Venice Airport to Mestre

If you are staying in Mestre, on the mainland, or catching a train, take the ATVO express from stop 4 (about 20 minutes to Venezia Mestre station, with buses from around 06:10 until 01:10) or ACTV bus 15. Buses stop in front of the station at the “Centro” exit. From Mestre, frequent trains cross the lagoon to Venezia Santa Lucia in the historic centre, and long-distance trains run to Padua, Verona, Milan and beyond. A taxi to Mestre centre is a fixed €35.

Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia and the People Mover

Piazzale Roma is the end of the road. Venezia Santa Lucia railway station is a short walk away across the Ponte della Costituzione, and both are major vaporetto stops for the Grand Canal. The ACTV People Mover, a small automated train, links Piazzale Roma with Tronchetto car park and the Marittima cruise terminal. Bridges in Venice have steps, so if you have heavy cases, a vaporetto or water taxi to the nearest stop to your hotel is often easier than walking.

Venice access fee

In 2026 Venice charged day visitors an access fee (contributo di accesso) on 60 set days between 3 April and 26 July, from 08:30 to 16:00: €5 if booked in advance or €10 in the last few days. Guests staying overnight anywhere in the municipality of Venice do not pay but need an exemption QR code, and children under 14 are exempt. Piazzale Roma and the railway station are not part of the charged area. The 2026 trial period has ended; check the official portal for any 2027 dates before a day trip.

Pre-booked private transfers from Venice Airport

For a hotel in the historic centre, the bus or water bus is hard to beat on price. A pre-booked transfer is worth considering when:

• You are travelling to Mestre, Jesolo, Verona or the Dolomites and want to go door to door.
• You are a family or group: one fixed price for a minivan can compare well with several bus tickets.
• You need child seats fitted in advance, or are carrying skis, golf clubs or a pram.
• You land late at night or very early, when buses thin out.
• You want meet and greet in the arrivals hall, flight tracking and a price agreed before you travel.

Compare the companies serving the airport on our Venice Airport (VCE) transfers hub, or browse drivers based in the city on the Venice transfers page. Companies listed in our directory include Venice Cab Service, Autonoleggi La Fenice, DolomiaGo, Val Gardena Taxi and Class Verona NCC. You book directly with the company, so confirm the price, vehicle size, child seats, included waiting time and the drop-off point (Piazzale Roma for the historic centre) in writing.

Venice Airport to Cortina, Verona and Treviso

Venice Airport to Cortina d’Ampezzo

Cortina is a long road trip north into the Dolomites. In winter, the airport lists ATVO, Cortina Express and the FlySki Shuttle among the services to Cortina, all bookable in advance. ATVO’s line 29 calls at the airport on its way from Venice to Cortina, but seats must be reserved and outside the ski season it runs only on certain days. Many skiers and families prefer a private transfer; see Cortina d’Ampezzo transfers.

Venice Airport to Verona

FlixBus runs direct coaches from the airport to Verona. Alternatively, take ACTV bus 15 or the ATVO express to Venezia Mestre and change to a train. Local drivers are listed on our Verona transfers page.

Venice Airport to Treviso Airport

If you need to connect with a flight from Treviso, take a bus to Venezia Mestre and change to an ATVO or Barzi Service bus to Treviso Airport, or ride the ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma and pick up the ATVO Treviso Airport bus there. Allow plenty of time; see Treviso Airport transfers for direct cars.

Tips for arriving at Venice Airport

• Night arrivals: the last ATVO buses to Piazzale Roma and Mestre leave around 01:10. After that, use the taxi rank, Uber or a pre-booked car. If you want the water bus, check the Alilaguna timetable for the last departure before you fly.
• Validate your ticket: ACTV tickets must be validated, and contactless users must tap in and out. Fare checks are common on buses and vaporetti.
• Use official services: take land taxis from the rank, water taxis from the official dock and agreed price, or a car you have booked, rather than accepting offers inside the terminal.
• Last mile: Google Maps routes in the historic centre include bridges with steps. Ask your hotel for the nearest vaporetto or Alilaguna stop before you arrive.
• Paying: cards are accepted at ticket machines and offices, and ACTV buses take contactless cards. Carry some euros for small purchases.
• Tipping: not expected for taxis or buses; rounding up or a few euros for help with luggage is a courtesy.
• Peak traffic: the road to Piazzale Roma across the Ponte della Libertà can be slow at rush hour and on busy summer weekends; allow extra time when heading back to the airport.