How to get from San Marco to Piazzale Roma with luggage

How much luggage?

The best method is always a car and driver or a taxi.

Depending on the time of day and the amount of luggage the vaporetti should be as good as any other means. Early morning and late evening should be no problem but during the day the vaporetti is a little crowded but doable with a suitcase and a carry on. It is much cheaper than a water taxi but more time consuming as well.

You might have a little trouble finding a car and driver in Venice. :-)

We will each have a large suitcase (25" or so) & large camera backpacks. We will be leaving our hotel in the San Marco area probably around 9am and we need to get to Piazzale Roma to pick up a rental car. When we arrive in Venice, we will use Alilaguna to get from the airport to the San Marco area but I don't believe I can use Alilaguna to get from San Marco to Piazzale Roma. I wasn't sure how feasible it would be do use a vaporetto with the luggage but it sounds like my only option unless I want to spend more money for a private water taxi which I don't. Thanks for your suggestions.

I strongly suggest you consider bringing just 1 carryon-size suitcase per person, unless you are very young and very strong and blessed with an excess of energy. Venice is more challenging than most places in terms of luggage. Chances are you are going to have to carry it over multiple stepped bridges, some of which can be steep, and that can be challenging even with a carryon.

Agree with Sherry, had to haul my one wheeled duffle over the bridge connecting Santa Lucia with Piazzale Roma. It was grueling but no alternative.

Come on Frank - are you having a joke? That's not like you.

You can easily walk onto and off of the vaporetto with all of your luggage. It's all level from the barge onto the boat. You will have to lift your luggage over the space between the boat and the barge but this isn't much. Once on the vaporetto, you will be able to stand with your luggage. Expect the vaporetto to be a bit crowded. We've done this getting from the train station to the Salute stop and also when we returned to the train station to depart Venice. This is not difficult. Where you could have difficulty are the footbridges over any small canals that you might be crossing from the hotel to the vaporetto stop. They normally don't have flat surfaces for rollers bags. Steps up and steps down. Bumpty bump up and bumpty bump down.

Larry's answer is good - just a small enhancement: your vaporetto ticket or pass entitles you to one piece of luggage per person which should be stowed on the rack or next to it in the centre of the open deck immediately behind the wheelhouse. If you have a backpack on you should take it off in crowds for two reasons: first because you are required to for safety - your backpack can swing around when you turn and clobber people, and second so you can watch it. Pickpockets can easily enter your pack in the throng. If you have too much luggage expect to pay. That is a defined cost, not a scam. The vaporetto worker will let you know.

The people I saw lugging their 25" or larger suitcases in Venice sure looked out of breath and unhappy! Agree with the others. try to bring a carry on size suitcase. The bridges in Venice have steps going up and down each side, not ramps. If you are strong and in great shape then go for it!

If you want to splurge you could hire a water taxi. Way more expensive but probably easiest if you have two large suitcases and backpacks, plus they will get as close to your hotel as they can if it is near or on a canal. If you take the vaporetto, please remove your backpack, not only does it take up room but you can easily give someone a nasty whack in the face. The vaporetto are very crowded most of the day and they really squeeze you in.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Unfortunately we can't get away from each traveling with a large suitcase; we have a lot of camera/electronic equipment and due to some health issues, I have a lot of health-related items that I must pack. I am definitely trying to scale down though. Luckily I ed a hotel that does not involve crossing any bridges so that's a plus. I think we will use a vaporetto to get from San Marco to P. Roma. It will be a short walk from our hotel to the vaporetto dock & since we won't have to cross any bridges, it should be fairly simple. Thank you again for all your input.