Decide how you want to get to get to Venice. Venice is situated right off the coast of Northern Italy in a lagoon that empties out into the Adriatic Sea. The city is composed of a series of islands connected by bridges and divided into six districts. The district of Cannaregio has a bridge that connects Venice to the Italian mainland. Visitors can drive across the bridge to enter the city. The district also houses a train and bus station with connections to the rest of Italy. Marco Polo airport is the international Venetian airport. The airport is located on the Italian mainland about eight miles away from central Venice. Airplane travelers can disembark from the airport and choose to travel to the city via car, public bus service or water taxi.
If you choose to travel by train, Venetian trains stop at the Santa Lucia station. Travelers can take a train to Venice from other parts of Europe as well as the rest of Italy. Venice has train connections to many major European cities such as Paris, Vienna and Munich. The Venetian rail also has connections to other places of interest in Italy including Rome, Florence and Naples. The train stops in the Cannaregio district. If you are staying in another district in Venice you may need to take a boat to get to your exact location, especially if you have lots of luggage.
If you are traveling by bus, shuttle buses connect the airport and the city directly. Two types of buses stop at the airport. The AVTO buses can get you to Venice in about twenty minutes. The ACTV city buses are public buses run by government authorities. The ACTV buses are cheaper but slower because they may make many local stops.
For travelers by boat, there are two options to get from Marco Polo airport to Venice. A private water taxi can be hired. The private taxi will take you to your exact street. This can be a good option for those with lots of luggage and who are traveling with others to the same destination, but be aware that it can get pricey. The Alilaguna company operates speedboats that travel from the airport to many parts of Venice. Taking a speedboat can be ideal if you have a little spare time to see sections of Venice before arriving at your chosen hotel.
