Transportation option to hotel from train station in Venice

Vaporetto down the Grand Canal and then walk.

Whitley - Best is sort of up to you.

You have three choices.

Walk. Not my first choice but it can be done. It's bit of a hike and there are a few bridges to wrestle luggage over.

Take a private water taxi. This would in my opinion be the "best" option. You'll get on a sleek mahogany speed boat and a they will whisk you to your hotel. To it's door if they are on a navigable canal. Or close if not. You'll feel like James Bond. Unfortunately you'll also need have Bond's winnings from the casino to pay for it. Kind of pricy.

Or catch a vaporetto (waterbus) in front of the station and then walk the final distance to the hotel. You'll need to check the hotel's website to get directions. The Grand Canal does a few bends and you may need to get off at a stop that doesn't seem too close. Most places have very explicit directions posted from the train station, the airport and Piazzale Roma.

Thank you both! I definitely want to save money on this if possible. It appears that my hotel is 2 kilometers from the station, so a water bus would be helpful.

Is there a "rough" estimate of the cost of a vaparetto to the St. Mark's area?

A rough estimate? Current rate is 6.50 euro per person including reasonable luggage. The ticket is good for travel for an hour in the same direction.

www.actv.it

Click on the english option unless your Italian is good and then waterbus.

Once again, your hotel's website will have directions on what vaporetto to take and which stop to get off. If the website says to get on the #82 vaporetto, you'll need to use the #2 vaporetto instead. ACTV changed the number of the vaporetto and not everybody has updated their directions yet.

There are vaporetto passes that you can buy that are worth it if you're going to be taking the waterbus more than two times a day. You can buy them for various periods of time, e.g. 12 hours, 24, 36, etc. (I'm not sure of the exact periods available.)

The vaporetto system is an "honor" system; you just hop on and are supposed to be holding a valid ticket.

It can be tempting to just hop on, thinking "how can they really check everyone jammed on the boat?" Don't do it. They check!! I always had a ticket or pass, but about every 3rd trip I saw fare inspectors making their way thru the boat. It's a hefty fine, and payable in cash on the spot.