Your book talks about a bus doing this route. I checked the bus company web site, but could find
any information. Please give more detailed information.
The Padova bus station is next to the train station, to the right as you are facing it (don't get thrown off by the area in front of the train station where the city busses congregate - that's not it.) Busses are quite frequent. They make a couple of stops while still in Padova, then go straight to Venezia, stop at Piazzale Roma, then head out to the airport.
Just to clarify, this forum is mostly volunteer travelers, not Rick Steves employees - if one of the latter chimes in, you can tell by the Rick Steves logo next to their name. If you would like the guidebook to be updated to be more specific about the busses, or anything else, you can contact the company, using links on the blue bar at the bottom of the page. I happened to know about the airport bus because I rode it last Fall :)
Here's a direct link to a PDF of the bus schedule. It runs at least hourly, and more frequently at peak times: http://www.fsbusitaliaveneto.it/images/pdf/inverno2015/extraurbanipadova/S015_Z%20S015_V.pdf
In your book, see also pages 128 (station location marked on the top of the map) and 157 (connections info specifies "platform" 11 in the bus boarding area).
Thank you for all your replies.
The bus schedule shows only busses going to Tessare Airport which is different from Marco Polo International airport.
Actually, 'Tessera' is part of the name - it is the same airport. The bus got me there, I promise!
We were set to bus from Padua to Marco Polo Airport for our flight home when I came across a limo/shuttle service brochure in our hotel lobby. When we factored in prices, time, and shlepping it came out the clear winner. We're as frugal as they come but now and then we go big time. Perhaps your hotel has information if you'd consider this option. Sorry, but no dea at all what the agency name was. We set the time, the hotel folks made the call, and they arrived exactly on time at the front door. We very much enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Al Cason in Padua. Safe travels!
Again, thank you!
Yes, Tessera airport is Marco Polo airport. Thanks for telling me. Now I can go ahead and book the rest.