Venice - how to get from Santa Lucia train station to Mestre station and cost?

Posted by kangaroo1 (Toronto, Canada) on 08/12/16 07:47 PM

This is an absolutely awesome forum and I have learned so much to help me plan our trip to Italy in September.

My dilemma - I have booked train tickets from Venice to Florence. I didn't pay close enough attention at the time and realize now that we are departing from Mestre instead of Santa Lucia (which is what I really wanted).
Short of changing the ticket, paying more for it and extra fees, and before I attempt that, does anyone have another solution, that could also save me some Euros?

I would appreciate any advice, thanks.

Posted by lnbsig 🌍

North Carolina

08/12/16 08:17 PM

2467 posts

Not to worry - there's a train from the Santa Lucia station to the Mestre station every 10 minutes. It's a Regionale train, so very inexpensive and reservations not needed.

Posted by Nigel

Northamptonshire, England

08/12/16 08:19 PM

32929 posts

It can easily be taken care of.

First, is your train coming in from Trieste, so that you are sure that it doesn't start in Venezia Santa Lucia? Most trains which originate at Santa Lucia also stop at Mestre, so perhaps it was just a ticketing oopsie.

Can you share which train it is?

If, indeed, you can't get your train from Santa Lucia, buy a Regionale ticket (very cheap) to Mestre (careful, there are a couple of stops between that the most milk run trains stop at - I've got off the wrong station once) and just add enough time that you will have a comfortable time to change platforms and trains in Mestre. No escalators or lifts at Mestre, at least none that I have ever found, so be ready for the stairs.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

08/12/16 08:34 PM

20261 posts

The cost? 1.25 EUR. Equivalent to 1/6 of a vaporetto ride.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

08/13/16 04:38 AM

20261 posts

The OP says that the actual train originates in Trieste and does not go through Venezia Santa Lucia. Rick Steves Travel Forum guide lines prevent us from advising people to break the law, i.e. riding without a ticket. Being as the ticket from Venezia Santa Lucia to Venezia Mestre is only 1.25 EUR, there is no reason not to buy a ticket. In the remote occasion that they will check tickets on the train, the fine would be way more than the ticket price.

Posted by lnbsig 🌍

North Carolina

08/13/16 12:10 PM

2467 posts

In case it would be more convenient for you, you could alternatively get to the Mestre train station on a bus from the Piazzale Roma - just inquire at the ticket booth.

Posted by Tom_MN

08/13/16 01:00 PM

4559 posts

Trieste is not served by freccia trains and that was Nigel's suggestion not the OP. Just reinforcing Nigel's advice that if possible just board at Santa Lucia, no one will care. Tickets are not sold for freccia trains between Santa Lucia and Mestre so the seat reserved at Mestre will be vacant for this short leg. If it's an Italo train, then all trains start at Santa Lucia so same advice.

There must be tourists who make this mistake for virtually every train.

If the train starts elsewhere like Udine then there's no choice but to buy an additional ticket and transfer trains in Mestre.