Vaporetto and other Venice, Italy Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: We took a ride on Route 1 all the way to the Lido and back to our hotel which was right by the first stop at Piazzale Roma. This No. 1 local line zigzags between 20 stations all the way to the Lido. It gave us a leisurely tour of the Grand Canal. We got a seat on the bow because we got on right at Piazzale Roma - otherwise open decks tend to be jammed from mid-March through October and on weekends. I got a 12-hour ticket for each of us which cost 16.00 € Actually I think I would not have needed to get a 12 hour ticket because we didn't make another trip.

I understand you are supposed to be sure to validate your ticket before boarding the boat by inserting it in the yellow ticket machine near the floating platform, and the ticket will be stamped automatically. But we didn't do that, and no one ever asked us for our tickets.

You can buy your tickets on-line

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Website: http://www.hellovenezia.com/jsp/en/muoversi/index.jsp
Other Contact: http://www.veniceconnected.com/t

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: Under construction

In Venice even the bus stops float on the water.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: The train tracks come to the island of Venice from the mainland train station Venezia Mestre across a brick-and-stone causeway named the Ponte della Libertá, or "Bridge of Liberty," which crosses the Venetian Lagoon (photo 2). When we left the ship, we walked to our hotel over a bridge that went across the railroad tracks. After the tracks went across the bridge and under the bridge (photo 3), they ended in the station which is right on the Grand Canal. The station stands out because it is a modern structure in a city of ancient buildings. The station's façade is decorated with the logo of the FS, or Ferrovie dello Stato, a.k.a. Italian State Railways. There is a water bus stop (photo 5 Ferrovia which means Railroad Station) next to the station

The buses (after they crossed to the island on a road bridge) ended up by our hotel and the water bus stop for Route #1 at the end of the Grand Canal (photo 4). As we walked to our hotel, we passed a huge parking garage, which is where you have to park your car if you come to Venice with your own wheels.

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Website: http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/venice-railroad-station.htm

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: under construction

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: It was so expensive to do a gondola ride that we didn't do it. It might have been romantic, but I think I would have been thinking about the cost the whole time and that is the first thing to remember if you are thinking about taking a ride. If the price bothers you, don't do it.

The city of Venice sets official rates for gondola rides, which started at something like €80 for 40 minutes but the gondoliers may not stick to that. And after 7 p.m., or special services, such as singing, will make it more expensive.

Of course the gondolier has high expenses - a boat costs €20,000 for a traditional hand-built wooden gondola with a useful life of about 20 years. You get a gondola anywhere throughout the main tourist areas, and busy pedestrian crossings along the secondary canals.

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Website: http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/gondola-serenade-tour.htm

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: under construction

We took off from Marco Polo airport. The pictures are in reverse order - the last one was taken first right after we took off.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: We had the hotel call a taxi (one with wheels) and the taxi driver was there when we got down to the desk. We were at the airport by 5:35 for an 8 am flight. The check-in desk for Iberia (which was the airline we were on) was not open yet, so we waited for her to open.

When we checked in (and we were flying business class this time because there were no other seats available, so this part of the trip was almost more expensive than the cruise), the girl told us that we could go and wait in the Marco Polo lounge.

The Marco Polo lounge proved to be a boon - they had bathrooms, a TV with the news (in Italian of course, although I could see that Charlton Heston had died), and an internet cafe although I did not try to use it as I think you had to pay. They also had food and drink, so we got our beverage of choice and some rolls to eat. I put some coins (I think 1 or 2 €) in the change jar. We ate breakfast and watched the sun come up over the lagoon.

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Website: http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/marco_polo_airport2.htm