How to reach Venice and Mestre from VCE
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland, facing the Venetian Lagoon, about 10 km or 7 miles north of Mestre and central Venice.
Marco Polo is served by major international airlines and a number of budget carriers such as EasyJet and Airberlin.
Many Ryanair and Wizz Air flights use the more distant Treviso Airport.
Arrivals. Baggage and customs are on the terminal's lower level.
Departures. Take the escalator or elevator to the terminal's upper level.
Departing flights have assigned check-in or baggage-drop counters, which open two hours before departure. (Many airlines now require you to check in at an automated kiosk before getting in line.)
- Warning: Marco Polo Airport can be overcrowded during high season, on weekends, or when several large cruise ships have arrived at ports in or near Venice on the same morning. We recommend allowing at least two hours (preferably more) for check-in and security.
Here's how to reach Venice and Mestre from VCE:
Airport bus
ATVO Venezia Express (Venice)
ATVO Fly Bus (Mestre)
Frequent airport buses depart for Venice's Piazzale Roma or the Mestre Railroad Station from the curb directly in front of the arrivals terminal.
These are comfortable air-conditioned coaches with baggage compartments.
Buy tickets from the ATVO vending machines in the baggage hall or by the buses, or from the ticket office in the arrivals area (open from 8 a.m. to midnight).
ACTV No. 5 AeroBus (Venice)
ACTV No. 4, 15, 45 (Mestre)
These are local city buses with limited space for luggage.
Buy tickets from the Hellovenezia counter in the arrivals terminal or from multilingual ACTV self-service ticket machines, where you also can buy 1- to 7-day ACTV travel passes.
Alilaguna water bus
Unless your hotel is on the mainland or near Venice's Piazzale Roma, an Alilaguna water bus may be the most convenient way to get there.
Alilaguna's boats serve most areas of central Venice, plus Murano and the Lido.
Buy tickets in the arrivals hall or at the booth by the boat pier.
The pier is a 7- to 10-minute walk from the terminal; see our step-by-step directions at Venice for Visitors for details. Free luggage carts are available.
Land taxi
Four-wheeled taxis are available by the curb outside the arrivals area. A cab to Piazzale Roma (the last stop for cars and buses in Venice) will cost €40 or more.
Private water taxi
Speeding through the Venetian Lagoon, then traveling through local canals by water taxi is an unforgettable experience, but it's also expensive at €120 or more (depending on your hotel's location).
To hire a water taxi, go to the Consorzio Motoscafi or Venezia Taxi desk in the arrivals area after customs.
Pay the dispatcher, who'll provide a voucher to give the driver.
Next, grab a free luggage cart and walk to the water-taxi piers, using our step-by-step directions at Venice for Visitors.
Please note:
- Water taxis can be tricky to board and exit if you have mobility issues, especially if the tide is unusually low. Also, you'll need to hand your luggage to the driver and retrieve it when you leave the boat.
- Not all hotels have water entrances or are near water-taxi landings.
- If you'd rather not walk to the boat piers at VCE, you can pay extra for shuttle service between the terminal and your water taxi.
Need a hotel that's convenient to the airport?
- For hotels near Marco Polo Airport, see our Venice airport hotels page.
- For hotels in Venice that are close to the airport bus (which takes only 20 minutes to reach Marco Polo Airport), see our Piazzale Roma hotels page.