Venice Alilaguna water bus VS Alilaguna express water taxi

We went with the Alilaguna water bus because of the extreme difference in cost between that and a water taxi. We had to wait quite a long time (on a pitching dock which caused some to feel queasy) and my husband's first sight of Venice was not nearly as magical. If I had it to do over again, I would splurge on a water taxi.

After our recent trip we also decided that a water taxi is the only way to travel. We entered Venice on the Alilaguna water bus and it was terrible. The worst part, like the PP said, was waiting for it to arrive on the moving platform. I was SO sick. We splurged for a water taxi back to the airport and it was wonderful - the only way to travel around Venice!

Actually the worst way to arrive is probably taking the bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma and then dragging your luggage aboard the slow moving vaporetto with 150 other people jam packed onboard...shoulder to shoulder...while you stand with your luggage for the dreadfully long and slow trip all the way down the Grand Canal - sounds magical doesn't it. Actually if you want to take a water taxi it would best if you could hook up with some other travelers to share the cost which is per boat - not per passenger. The taxi will take up to around 7 people including luggage.

There are 3 options for water travel. There are the vaporettos (public water buses), the Alilaguna Line (privately owned water buses), and a water taxi. The vaporettos are slow and have many stops along the way. You can take the Alilaguna directly from the airport to San Marco on the ORO (Gold Line). It only has one stop at San Zaccaria before arriving at the San Marco Giardinetti stop. A water taxi would be fastest, but also the most expensive. It's a matter of choice for you. Personally, I use the Alilaguna Line. It's a compromise between the vaporettos and water taxi. http://www.alilaguna.it/lineaoro.html

It's funny reading these posts at the amount of people (including myself) who have taken the vaporetto from the airport or train station and then opted for a private water taxi for their return trip.

A thousand thanks for each response. These opinions have made the taxi decision much easier. This is our first trip to Italy so we hope to start off well.