Water bus from Marco Polo airport and other Venice, Italy Transportation Tips

'Mode': TO
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: The only sensible way to get from Marco Polo airport to Venice is to use the "Alilaguna" water bus service.

Buy a ticket from the kiosk in the arrivals area, then take a free bus across the airport to the landing jetty.

Ignoring the touting water taxis, (that could cost anything up to 100 euros - although when you discover the price of a gondola this will seem like a bargain), wait for either the red or blue Alilaguna boats. These are 2 different routes that stop in different parts of Venice and surrounding islands, so check which is nearest to your over priced hotel.

Boats leave hourly, and cost from 5 to 10 euros depending on your destination.

Yippe ki yeh, as the website has full routes, timetables and price lists.

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Website: www.alilaguna.it

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: If you want to ride a gondola, but don't want to pay 100 euros for the privilege, try one of these instead.

There are only 3 bridges on the Grand Canal so crossing can be problematic, especially if you don't happen to be near one, and have to negotiate the warren of Venetian back streets and alleyways to find the closest.

That's where these things come in.

At about 8 different locations on the Grand Canal, crossing points have been set up using old gondolas that will ferry you from one side to the other.

The real surprise is the price of 0.4 euros each (that's about 25 UK pence), a relative pittance to your Venetian holiday budget.

Obviously seats are pretty limited, so it's a miracle the gondola doesn't tip over when filled with 8 people, most standing, and a speedboat crosses its path.

Anyway, they're called a "Traghetto", and any good tourist map of Venice will show their locations. The best for my money is the one next to the Rialto Bridge, leaving from San Silvestro.

NOTE: If you're in a rush, stick to using the bridges, 'cos they're not always operating - as we found out, when we reached a deserted landing stage, miles from the nearest bridge.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Does the unthinkable and makes an Easy Jet flight into Marco Polo feel like Emirates into Heathrow.

Some people describe this airport as a shed in a field. Unfair to the vast majority of sheds. And fields.

Before you even arrive in Treviso you'll be disappointed that your £4 Ryanair flight quickly turned into a £100 credit card extravaganza after you added on such extravagant luxuries as taking a bag on board.

Back to the airport, and for 'baggage reclaim / passport control' read 'scout hut with 10 checkout conveyor belts'. Dont even think about using the cambio (change) kiosk - we were quoted 15% commission to change 100 euros.

Ryanair must feel guilty about hoodwinking you over the ticket cos they provide a bus to take you from Treviso to Venice. To be fair this is organised pretty smoothly and they have produced little leaflets with timetables for the return bus trip so you don’t miss it (which really would leave you up the canal without a cornetto as I didn’t see many taxis). Pleasant enough journey through semi-rural Italy, but adds another wasted hour to your already short ‘short break away’.

Bus stops at the train station in Mestre first, before dumping you in the main bus terminal in Venice, Piazzale Roma. From here you can easily catch a direct vaporetto to most major stops in Venice and the islands beyond. Cash only, no credit cards for the expensive 25 euro 3 day vaporetta passes.

The Treviso experience was even more magical for the return flight. The airport crumbles under the weight of more than 3 flights in a one hour period and this, coupled with some Italians inability to join a queue at the back, means you'll be in for a long wait for check in / security / flights etc

Unless the budget is tighter than a camel's a*se in a sandstorm, fly Easy Jet into Marco Polo every time. Better airport, view of Venice on landing / take off, and a water bus direct to multi stops in Venice.

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Website: http://www.trevisoairport.it