After reading unfavorable posts about Venezia afternoon ferry to Rovinj decided find alternate transportation. Brioni pula offers inexpensive bus service from Venice to Rovinj & other Croatian locations. Buses don't run every day but neither does ferry. Bus takes 4-1/2 hours & ferry advertises 3 hours. Bus arrives before sunset & ferry arrives 9pm or later if bad weather. Bus is spacious clean tour type with reclining seats.Tickets available online at www.broioni.hr. Chose to purchase tickets upon arrival at Venizia, not Mestre, train stop when arriving in Venice from Florence. From Venizia train station take a short walk to the right across a bridge with typical stairs to Piazzale Roma. Buy tickets at well marked ATVO office across from the local bus departure area. You'll need a passport for each person getting a ticket. Small senior discount available. Cost per ticket in Sept was 20.80 euros. Purchased 5 days in advance.
BUS TO CROATIA DOES NOT LEAVE FROM PIAZZALE ROMA. 2 ways to get to the international bus stop, take the people mover from Piazzale Roma to the Tronchetta which is a huge parking area for cruise ship passengers & Venice visitors. When leaving the people mover go to the right. You'll see about 6 bus slots there in a semi circle at the end of the street near the water. OR If you are leaving from St. Marks area, take #2 vaporetto from S. Zaccaria Jolanda dock. #2 leaves every 12 minutes & takes about 1 hour to Tronchetta. Cost 7.5 euros. There are several stops along Givdecca Island. It doesn't go thru Grand Canal so don't expect to see Grand Canal sights one last time. There are 2 vaporetto stops at Tronchetta. If you get off at the 1st one, walk entire length of long buildings along water to people mover (about 1/2 mile).There is a pay toilet and some food at 1st stop. If you get off at 2nd vaporetto stop you'll think you made a mistake but walk to the big road & turn left & walk toward long buildings. Before long buildings, take the 1st left which is marked by a tiny yellow Venezia sign. It is at the end of the people mover. You'll see a semicircular dead end with about 6 bus slots & a small international bus stop sign. Its about 2 blocks from the 2nd vaporetto stop to the bus stop. No food, no internet connection & only 2 covered benches at stop. Nearest bathroom is about 15 minute walk back to the 1st Tronchetta vaporetto stop. Its a pay toilet so have change.
DO NOT BE LATE FOR THE SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME. Bus will arrive from Padova. It will be there no longer than 8 minutes which includes stowing luggage below & boarding passengers. It will not wait for you even if you have a reservation. HAVE ONE EURO FOR EACH PIECE OF LUGGAGE. ALL BAGS WILL GO BELOW REGARDLESS OF SIZE. CORRECT CHANGE ONLY. There is no toilet on the bus but there is time to use toilet at Trieste stop. Bus leaves Venezia at 13:45 then stops at Mestre FS at 14:00. Next stop is at 16:15 at Trieste. Then again at Kopar, Slovnia at 16:43. Stopping again at Buje at 17:30. Arriving Rovinj at 18:25 & on to Pula at 19:05. All stops except Trieste are very quick. Scenery on way is breathtaking. Safe & courteous drivers. We took a sandwich & drink. We were very satisfied with the experience and feel that it was better than ferry in many respects.