Venice transportation from airport to hotel, from hotal to train station

There are 3 ways to get from the airport to your hotel. The 1st is a water taxi and it is the most expensive. Probably 125 Euros for the boat. But if you can join up with another couple or two it might be worth the cost. Only you can decide. I understand there is now a shared water taxi service but I'm not familiar with the details of using it.

The 2nd and next least expensive is the Alilaguna boat. It will cost about 20 Euros per person. It takes longer, you do have to "check" you baggage so you don't have control of it the entire time, and you probably will not be able to get a "non stop" line to the area of your hotel.

The 3rd and least expensive is a combination bus and vaporetto (vap.). It takes a bit longer, but that is what we do because we travel very light with just one carry on apiece. There are two bus lines that serve the airport. One is ATVO and is NOT affiliated with the vap. system. The other is ACTV and IS affiliated with the vap. system. At the airport you can get a vap. pass for various periods from 24 to 72 (or more?) hours. You can have a one way or two way bus fare added to the vap. pass. There is a good site maintained by the ACTV system that has current prices and etc.. Don't remember the url so just Google it.

If you decide on option # 3, take the # 5 ACTC bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma. Be sure and validate the vap. pass on the bus. Do not wait until you get on the vap. Also, validate the pass each time you use the vap. Then take the vap. to the stop closest to your hotel. The # 1 vap. is the slow boat as it stops at every stop and the # 2 is faster as it only stops at selected stops. We've done option # 3 many times. Easy Peasy and cheap to boot.

If you post the name of your hotel we'll be able to be more specific about the vap. line and stops near your hotel.

Depending on the location of your hotel, you can take a vap. to the train station or just walk if it's close by.

There is a site called veniceforvisitors.com that has a lot of good info. that you might want to check out

How could anyone reply without knowing the hotel name and/or the address? Are you staying on the mainland district of Mestre? Get a land bus or a land taxi from the airport.

Are you staying On the islands where there are no cars? Take a cheap Alilaguna ferry from the airport docks or an expensive water taxi.

If your friends had read a guide, they would have discovered that in Italy public transit tickets must be purchased before getting on. When you need to use a ticket, you must time-stamp it: From that moment you are allowed to ride the all transit system for the time you paid for. Getting on without a ticket and without telling the staff you want to purchase one (at an higher price) is like trying to ride for free.

The main difference Between Venice and other italian cities is that in Venice you have to scan your ticket each time you enter a boarding area, not only the first time.

First, I highly recommend that you get a good guidebook. Any will do, but Rick's books are excellent in spelling out how to get around in the various cities. Here is a website that gives very good advice, specific to Venice: https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/vi-transport.htm

Basically you have 3 choices coming from the airport- a private or shared water taxi, which will drop you at the dock closest to your hotel. The Allilaguna boat which will drop you at their dock closest to your hotel. Or the bus to Piazzale Roma, and then a vaporetto to the vaporetto stop closest to your hotel. The website above will specify when and where to buy tickets.

Going from your hotel to the train station you have 2 choices- a private water taxi from the dock closest to your hotel, or a vaporetto from the closest vaporetto stop to your hotel.

And do NOT make the same mistake your friends made. Buy your tickets before boarding and (especially with the vaporetto) validate the ticket before boarding EVERY time.

Jim,
There are buses from Venice airport to Piazzale Roma, which is the only place on the Venice islands which can be reached by road. There are also boats from the airport to Venice, these are slower than the bus.
The only transport within Venice is on foot, Vaporetto (water bus) or water taxi; there are no roads on the islands. The same options apply to getting from our hotel to the station (Venezia Santa Lucia), which is near Piazzale Roma. This is why many people choose hotels near the station and Piazzale Roma, to minimise the journey with their luggage at the start and end of their stay.

St Marks square is at the opposite end of Venice, about as far as possible from the station and Piazzale Roma.

Always my first step is to ask the hotel for recommendations. Second, generally, not always, the hotel web site will have specific directions for reaching the hotel. So start there. Without knowing where you hotel is, it is hard to respond in other than very general ways - that has been done.

Your friends drive home the point that everyone needs to spend a few minutes to understand how the local transit systems work whether it is London or Rome. A simple question at the hotel would have prevent your friends problems. Ask --- don't assume !!

You can buy tickets on board if you notify the conductor IMMEDIATELY upon boarding, then standing nearby until everyone is on board then buying directly from them. If you take a seat and wait for the conductor, you will be deemed as someone trying to dodge the fare and be fined.

This is simple. Take the bus to the Venice Mestre train station and buy a ticket into Venice. Once at the Santa Lucia station go out to the actv ticket booth and buy your ticket and take the #5 vaparetto (fewer stops) to the Rialto Bridge stop. Watch the direction it is going. Your hotel is a short walk from there. Now before you consider a single ticket, consider this. You can purchase a multi-day unlimited travel ticket for vaparetto rides throughout the Grand Canal and out to the islands in the lagoon. See the two links below for information about the options from the airport to Santa Lucia and how to get your vaporatto tickets.:

https://www.tiqets.com/en/venice-c71510/actv-24-72-hour-transport-p974916?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=897991356&utm_content=44948780116&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj8r1wMrW3AIVA2QZCh2MoAjiEAAYASAAEgJHZ_D_BwE

http://actv.avmspa.it/en/content/prices

I was just in Venice for three days and bought the 72 hour pass and used the vaparettos more than I would have if I had to buy individual tickets. On my last night at 9 PM on a whim I went for a ride from St. Mark's Square down the canal and back. There were six others on the boat and I had the open bow all to myself. All the buildings were lit up both outside and in and against a black star lit sky it was beautiful. Had I needed to buy the tickets at the time I would have not bothered. Although I used the pass quite a bit over my time there, that ride was worth the 40 euro cost.

As for your train to Florence, I walked from my hotel near St. Mark's Square 15 minutes to the Rialto stop and caught the vaporatto to the train station, about 15 minutes. You are right there, so it will be easier. Make sure you catch the vaporatto heading in the correct direction, or otherwise it might take 30-40 minutes. Catching the train is much simpler than a flight, but you should plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your train is to depart. Your ticket will have a car number on it and on the platform there are numbers where that car will stop. Once you know when your train will arrive and the platform you can go there and wait for it to come in. That will give you plenty of time to board, stow your luggage and find your seat. If you purchase your ticket in Venice you will need to validate it before boarding. If you bought it online, which is preferable, you do NOT have to validate it. Just show it to the conductor when he comes by. Piece of cake. Hope you have a great trip. For a great dinner, go to Trattoria Sabatino, an old family restaurant across the Arno about 15 minutes from the old center. If you need more info send me a PM.

Jim

Take the bus to the Venice Mestre train station and buy a ticket into Venice

Don't know why you wouldn't just take the bus to Piazzale Roma, from where you can catch a vaporetto

buy your ticket and take the #5 vaparetto (fewer stops)

Perhaps you meant the #2?

Also, the trains between Venice and Florence are all Freccia, so any ticket you buy will be for a specific seat on a train leaving at a specific time--no need to validate, ever.

If you purchase your ticket in Venice you will need to validate it before boarding

I doubt the OP is taking a regionale train with no reserved seats from Venice to Florence. Therefore, even if they purchase tickets in Venice they do not need to validate (i.e. time stamp) them.
A ticket with an assigned seat can't be re-used anyway, so stamping day and time on it would be pointless.

People usually get train tickets on line to save money and to avoid queues at the counter.

Have you looked a your hotel's website FAQ section for "how to get here?" or contacted them for advice?

This might help you: https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/directions/rialto.htm and https://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/marco_polo_airport.htm

Regarding the where and when to buy.......I would (do) take the bus and vaporetto. Purchase the combined the 72 hour ticket at the airport where there is a counter near the front exits. You'll validate the pass with the bus driver and then when you get on the boat.
The benefit of the pass is that you have immediate access to the boats without the need to stand in line (or find a place) to purchase tickets. You also have unlimited use of the boats so you can be quite frivolous about using them. Always validate as you enter............the bus and pass are a great deal if you are staying several days and a very easy way to arrive from the airport.

I've used the Alilaguna boat several times between Venice & Marco Polo. It's pleasant ( especially in good weather) & almost as quick as a water taxi, depending on where you are going in Venice. Check their website (https://www.alilaguna.it/en).

You mentioned the Hotel Rialto, & the "Linea Arancio" (orange line) has a stop right near the Rialto bridge. Alilaguna is a private outfit, not connected to the vaporettos, but use nearly the same stops. As mentioned above, it's between a water taxi & the bus/train options both in speed & price. The bus/train is clearly cheaper, but when I get off an 8-9 hour redeye, I'm willing to pay a bit more for a simpler, easier trip, without transfers etc., especially when I'm dragging luggage. The dock @ Marco Polo is easy to find, with good signage, right behind the terminal.