By Air and other Venice, Italy Transportation Tips

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Located just 12km (seven miles) from Venice, Marco Polo airport is the main hub for European and national flights to the Veneto region. It is easily accessible by land or water and when occasionally blighted by fog, planes can land at nearby airports in Treviso or Verona. Despite having only one terminal, Marco Polo is the third busiest airport in Europe and handled 4.4 million passengers in 2000. A new terminal, which will cater for 6.5 million passengers a year, is being constructed.

Approximate flight times to Venice: From London is 2 hours 10 minutes; from New York is 9 hours 20 minutes; from Los Angeles is 13 hours 20 minutes; from Toronto is 10 hours 30 minutes and from Sydney is 20 hours 45 minutes.

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Phone: Tel: (041) 260 6111. Fax: (041)
Website: www.veniceairport.it
Other Contact: Venice Marco Polo (VCE)

'Mode': TO
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: Port of Venice (tel: (041) 533 4111 caters for freight traffic. Passenger ferries operate out of the recently renovated Venice Passenger Terminal to the west of the city centre (tel: (041) 533 4860). Basic facilities are available. The Venice Port Authority can provide further information (tel: (041) 533 4281).

Ferry services: During the summer, Minoan Lines operates daily services to Patras on the Greek mainland, stopping (according to schedule) at the islands of Igoumenitsa and Corfu en route. There are also regular ferries to the Italian port of Ancona. High season prices start at EUR 64.50 one way for a seat on deck, double that for a cabin.

Transport to the city: The port is within walking distance of Piazzale Roma – the city’s main transport hub – and is connected to the city centre by vaporettos (water buses) no 41, 42, 51, 52, 61 and 62. There is a free shuttle bus to the Piazzale Roma on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: All trains to and from Venice are run by the efficient Italian state railway, Ferrovie dello Stato (tel: 1661 05050 for local information or 8488 88088; website: www.fs-on-line.com). Supplements are added to fares according to the type of train boarded (Diretto, Inter-Regionale or InterCity). For the thousands of backpackers that pour into Venice each summer, Santa Lucia station (tel: (041) 715 555) is their first port of call. Situated at the west end of the Grand Canal, it was built by the Austrians in the late 19th century, finally uniting the island community with the mainland. Facilities include left-luggage, a bureau de change, an accommodation booking service and a small tourist office. By law, all train tickets must be validated by stamping them in the yellow machines on the platform before boarding – failure to do so can result in a hefty fine.

Rail services: Venice is directly linked by train to Bologna (1 hour 35 minutes) and passengers can change here for Florence (2 hours 40 minutes) and Rome (4 hours 20 minutes). It is also within easy reach of Milan (2 hours 45 minutes) and the smaller towns of Padua (20 minutes) and Verona (1 hour 45 minutes). There are international departures to neighbouring Germany, Austria, to the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana (5 hours 30 minutes) and the Croatian capital Zagreb (8 hours 10 minutes). There are also regular services to Paris and London on board the legendary Orient Express

Transport to the city: It takes roughly 30 minutes to walk to St Mark’s Square – a route easily discerned by the stream of tourists. It is a well-trodden and interesting introduction to Venice but, for that picture postcard view, visitors should hop on a vaporetto (water bus) and make the first of many watery forays down the Grand Canal – numbers 1, 52 and 82 are among the routes serving the station and St Mark’s Square.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Italy has an excellent network of motorways (autostrada), the main north–south link being the Autostrada del Sole – or A1 – which links Milan with Reggio Calabria in the toe of Italy. Speed limits on motorways are 130kph (81mph) for cars of 1100cc or more, and 110kph (68mph) for smaller cars. All motorways are tolled and driving from Venice to Bologna will cost approximately L20,000/EUR10.50. Those on a budget may prefer the strade statali (SS), which are toll free and are often fast, multi-lane carriageways. The speed limit on these roads is 110kph (68mph) – too slow for the speed-obsessed Italians and therefore a more leisurely drive for the rest of the world. Strade bianchi, small country roads, abound in the countryside around Venice, where visitors often stumble upon Palladian piles and medieval market towns.

Routes to the city: The main thoroughfare is the A4, which slices across the top of Italy from Turin, via Milan and Padua, to Venice. This intersects with the A13 from Bologna, which in turn connects with the A1 – the central road artery of Italy passing through Florence, Rome and Naples. However, travellers who prefer scenery over speed, may enjoy the SS11, which runs from Padua to Venice, along the Brenta Canal. After Mestre, drivers should take the exit marked Venezia and follow signs for the city centre (centro). Once across the bridge (Ponte della Liberta), cars must be left at one of the huge car parks in Piazzale Roma or on the island of Tronchetto. Parking in Venice is expensive at around EUR 20.50 per day. A cheaper alternative is to leave the car at the San Giulano car park in Mestre (only open high season) and catch the train .

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: For a real sense of the city, a wander through the tiny side streets, over hump-backed bridges and into pocket-sized piazzas is a must. But if time is of the essence, visitors to Venice should consider using the extensive network of water buses (vaporetti) operated by Azienda Consorziale Transporti Venezia – ACTV (tel: (041) 528 7886). Tickets cost EUR 3 per journey but there is also a 24-hour pass available for EUR 9.50, a good value three-day ticket at EUR 18, or better still, a weekly ticket for EUR 31. A carnet of ten tickets can be purchased for EUR 26. Tickets can be purchased at most landing stations and selected newsagents and should be punched in the machine prior to boarding. Tickets can also be used on ACTV road buses, which operate to Piazzale Roma from Mestre and the airport. ACTV operates a 24-hour service but not on all routes.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: Traghetti (public ferries) are traditionally used by locals to cross the Grand Canal – there are only three bridges – but sadly are an increasingly rare breed. A poor relation to the gondola, these wooden dinghies nonetheless conjure up some of the romance of old-fashioned Venice. A swift plunge of the oars and the journey is complete but, at around EUR 0.50 per trip, it is worth it for the chance to see Venice just as Marco Polo might have done. For travellers who cannot afford the expense, or do not want to succumb to the clichéd idea of taking a tourist gondola ride, this is a better option. The Venetian equivalent of a limousine is the gondola. For the ultimate travelling experience, there is nothing like gliding under the Bridge of Sighs, leaning back in plush red velvet seats and listening to the gentle slap of water against the crumbling palazzi walls. First mentioned in the city’s annals in 1094, there are now just 400 of these sleek, flat-bottomed vessels negotiating the Venetian waters. The traditional cabins that once shielded lascivious English lords and their courtesans from prying eyes were done away with long ago. Today’s gondoliers must rely on fine weather and long summer days for their business, which may account for the high cost of the ride. For visitors who balk at paying EUR 62 for 50 minutes, the cost can be kept down by doubling up with other sightseers. All gondolas can carry up to six people and fees for additional services (such as a singer) should be negotiated prior to setting off. Gondolas depart from St Mark’s Square, the Rialto, Piazzale Roma and the railway station. Fares are set by a central body called The Ente Gondola (tel: (041) 528 5075) and any complaints should be directed here.

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