Hello All. My wife and I are arriving in Venice on a Saturday from Milan. We will have a rental car. Does it make more sense to drive into Venice P. Roma and return the car there or is it a slow, crowded drive and too much of a hassle? We can alternatively either return the car at Mestre or just hand it over in Milan and take the train into Santa Lucia. Also, we are trying to live day-by-day in Venice. Can we find a nice hotel for two nights if we just show up or do we need to book in advance? Is there anywhere to find a room for the night last minute? Thank you.
Posted by
Green Bay
21356 posts
There may be a small premium to drop at P. Roma, but dropping at the airport will still cost 6 eu each for the bus back to P. Roma plus time. Check with car agency. The causeway to P. Roma is a giant speed trap, so don't exceed the limit!
Venice can get busy and winging it for lodging is not advisable. You don't want to spend your time in Venice going from place to place seeing if they have rooms (and at what price?)
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Dan, you are choosing between relaxing on a 330kmh train for 2hrs 35min and driving almost 4 hours at posted speed limits. Your train ticket can be as low as 19Euro if you buy in advance and are willing to accept a non-refun/non-exch ticket. Regular 2nd class fare is 37.50Euro. Conversely, you will be paying the car rental rate for an extra day plus approximately 50Euro extra for tolls and fuel according to www.michelin.com. Your choice here. As for finding a hotel on the fly as you arrive in Venice, a lot may depend on when you are traveling. During the busy months, you are running a high risk of not finding one. You might find something off of the main islands such as the airport, Mestre, Giudecca or Lido. Plus, many hotels in Venice require a 2-night stay during the most busy months.