I will be visiting Venice with family who live near there. I understand that the train station by the Grand Canal is "Venezia S. Lucia" of "VE S.L." on the TrenItalia website. Is that the only train station in Venice? I will also be leaving Venice a few days later and travelling by train to Milan. On the "trenitalia" website schedule I also see the word "Mestre" is this another train station in Venice? Can anybody explain the Venice train stations. I think I am missing something. Thanks.
Posted by
DC
209 posts
Well, it sounds like you've pretty much got it all figured out :D There are two stations. If you type Mestre in on a Google Map you'll see where it is in relation to Venice. Mestre is on the mainland and there's another train station there.
This site has some more info too: Venice Railroad Station.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Both stations are in line with SL being at the end of line on the canal and Mestre is on the mainland a couple of miles inland.
Posted by
Ottawa, Ontario,, Canada
521 posts
Depending on the timing of the route you are taking in, some trains only stop in Mestre. Obviously it is preferable to take a train to/from Venezia Santa Lucia as it is right in Venice itself, but if the ideal train arrival/departure for you is in Mestre, don't worry about it. There are commuter trains that run about every thirty minutes between Mestre and Santa Lucia, and it only takes about fifteen minutes to travel between the two stations.
Posted by
OP
Chicago
42 posts
Thanks everybody for the great info and straightening me out about Venice train stations. Hopefully we'll get on all the right trains while we are there. Thanks!
Martha
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
It seems that every train in or out of Venezia S.L. will stop at Mestre. As expained above, some train runs originate from Mestre. You can easily see this on the Trenitalia website. Just put Venezia Santa Lucia in the departure or destination window and you will be fine. Or, visually filter out the runs that originate in Mestre.
Posted by
Vidalia
113 posts
Just don't get off until you've come over water to the islands - it's very tempting to panic and think you should get off at Mestre; wait for the water! :)