In an attempt to save money, I am booking Trenitalia tix in advance to get the mini fare. In doing so, I am locking myself in to specific train and want to be sure getting there is do-able in the early morning. Our hotel is a five minute walk from the San Zaccaria stop. I am contemplating booking an 8:30 train on a Tuesday morning. What time do you think I should be heading out the door to the Vaporetto stop? Do the Vaporetto have a set schedule and run frequently in the early morning?
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
Your hotel would probably be in the best position to answer that. The vaporetti do indeed have set schedules and run early in the morning, but there are different boats you could take from SZ to the train station, and they vary in how quickly they get you there. Have a great time. Venice is beautiful. Be sure to wander away from the crowds.
Posted by
Carbondale, IL, USA
1201 posts
from the current schedules, you'll need to take the #1 vaporetto from San Zacccaria to Ferrovia (the train station). The faster #2 boat doesn't run from SZac early enough fro you. It should take about 40 minutes. the boats leave every 10 minutes from 06:11 on. they leave every 20 minutes earlier than that. Here is alink to the ACTV schedule for Linea 1 http://www.actv.it/pdf/navigazione/linea1.pdf page 2 has the correct direction.
Posted by
OP
Washington, D.C., USA
71 posts
The hotel replied to my email and said that it is just as quick to walk to the Rialto Bridge as to San Zaccaria. They said to leave the hotel one hour before my train. I'll go 1-1/2 hours earlier. Just in case I get lost walking to the Rialto Bridge :-)
Posted by
Catadupa Alamere, CA
515 posts
If you've been to Venice before you can stop reading this. The walk from S Zaccaria to Rialto is not too far but there are many small bridges with steps. If you are wheeling heavy luggage, the steps could be bothersome.
Posted by
Carbondale, IL, USA
1201 posts
What hotel are you staying in?
Posted by
OP
Washington, D.C., USA
71 posts
Hotel Al Piave which is pretty much an equal walk to San Zaccaria and to Rialto Bridge. They suggested walking to Rialto and catching the vaporetto to the train station, which would be about a 10-15 minute ride. I am travelling with a single, carry on bag, so I won't be dragging heavy luggage. I am ok with leaving the hotel at 7 a.m. but I wasn't keen on leaving earlier than that just to save a few bucks on the train. The mini fares go up and, in one case, is non-existant on later trains.
Posted by
Carbondale, IL, USA
1201 posts
Ah, nice area... You are in one of our favorite areas in Venice; around Campo Santa Maria Formosa. We stayed in an apartment just down the walkway from them a while back. Some suggestions: It is actually easier and faster to get from the San Zaccaria stop to the hotel. So you will likely go there that way, Consider a practice run to the Rialto to get your bearings. Don't do it for the first time on departure morning. Get up really early one morning and actually go to the Rialto Market as they set up. Get there by at least 07:00 or 06:30 and the vegetable market will mostly be arranged but the fishmongers will still be unloading boats and icing the catch down. Not too far from the campo on Salizada San Lio is La Boutique del Gelato. Possibly the best gelato in Venice. Just north of the campo on Calle Lunga is one of our favorite lunch spots, Osteria al Mascaron. http://www.osteriamascaron.it/eng/storia.html Have fun!