First time to visit Venice via train. Checked the map and it seems quite a distance from the station (Ve. Mestre) to our hotel (San Marco Mercerie 760, San Marco). We hope some one can suggest a gentle transportation option for seniors whittling down the bucket list.
Thanks!
Posted by
Green Bay
21394 posts
Don't use Mestre station, use the main station, Venezia Santa Lucia. You can take the vaporetto to the Rialto stop and walk back in to your hotel, about a quarter of a mile. If you want door-to-door service, it looks like a water taxi could get you there for 50-60 euro.
Posted by
Sidney, BC, Canada
1013 posts
Mestre is a town on the mainland and the only way to get into Venice proper from there is by boat, train, or bus. The station in Venice proper is Santa Lucia. Here is how to get to the hotel from their website"From the Santa Lucia Train Station (3 km) take a water bus (Vaporetto) line 2 towards the Rialto Bridge and alight Rialto stop. The hotel is just a few minutes' walk."
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
34350 posts
Sue, it sounds like you have bought tickets to Mestre. Maybe the train stops at Mestre and then continues towards Trieste or somewhere. Or maybe the train stops at Mestre and then continues over the causeway into Venezia Santa Lucia. In either case, making a change to the frequent service into Santa Lucia is pretty easy and very cheap.
Don't try to get to your hotel from Mestre. Find a way into Santa Lucia, then walk through the station and catch the fabulous view of the Grand Canal as you look from the top of the panoramic steps and realize where you are.
Walk down the steps to the left and go into the little white cabin and get your vaporetto pass for the duration of your stay.
Follow the directions provided by your hotel once you get on the number 2 boat. Check that it is heading the right way because the number 2 goes both ways.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
If your train ticket is valid to "Venice" or Venice/All Stations/ or Venezia/Tutti Stazione then you can use it to hop on a connecting train between Mestre and S. Lucia stations. If your ticket is not valid past Mestre station, then buy a separate ticket to S. Lucia station from a ticket machine for about €1.20 per person and don't forget to validate that ticket in the date-stamp machine before entering the track for your next train. If you're using a travel day on a rail pass, then you're covered for all train connections until midnight, but your seat reservation might only be to Mestre.