Venice Marco Polo Airport VCE Transfer & Departures

Flying from/to Venice Marco Polo Airport

When arriving to Venice Marco Polo Airport, it can be unclear how to reach your final destination, or more generally, to the city centre. We, at Omio, have mapped out good things to know, facilities available when flying to Venice Marco Polo Airport and what to do when you get to the city.

Travel from Venice city centre to Venice Marco Polo Airport

Located five miles (eight kilometers) north of Venice, Venice Marco Polo Airport is the fourth coachiest airport in Italy. Because of Venice's tourist appeal, the airport serves not just mainland Europe, but also receives flights from as far afield as South Korea, Canada and the USA. Although the city of Venice floats on swampland, passengers to Venice Marco Polo Airport will be relieved to hear that the airport sits on terra firma, just outside the mainland town of Tessera. Despite floating just off the mainland, it is easy to get from Venice itself to the airport, with multiple public transportation options. This includes water coaches, which depart and arrive at the airport's dock.

What's the best way to get to the airport from the city centre

There are two main forms of public transport connecting Venice city centre to Marco Polo Airport: coach and water coach. There are two coach services that connect the airport to the city centre. One is the ACTV line 5, which departs between every 20 and 30 minutes throughout the day. The other coach option is the ATVO Venezia Express, which runs between every 20 and 40 minutes depending on the time of day. Both coach routes depart from the Piazzale Roma in the city centre. There are three water coach routes, all provided by the company Alilaguna: the red, blue and orange lines, all of which connect the airport to the city.

How far is it from the city centre to the airport?

The airport is around five miles (eight kilometers) away from the city centre. Both coach services are brisk, with the journey between Piazzale Roma and the airport taking between 20 and 30 minutes. Services early in the morning are scheduled to take a little longer. How long the water coach takes depends on which line passengers use. The blue line goes right around the south of the island and stops at the island of Murano before going onto the airport, so if boarded from the cruise terminal (the line's terminus) the journey can take as long as one hour and forty minutes. The red water coach line - which is seasonal - also takes an indirect route, going around the south of the island and through Murano. This takes a similar length of time to get to the airport. The orange line is the fastest, going direct from near San Marco to the airport in just over an hour.

What facilities are there at the airport?

Venice Marco Polo Airport is extremely well served for food and drink. The airport has numerous bars, restaurants and cafes, including Bricco Restaurant, Decanto Wine Bar, Culto Café, Homeburger and Rustichelli & Mangione. There are also plenty of shopping options, including outlets from major labels like Bulgari, Valentino, Hugo Boss and Maxmara. The airport has plentiful car rental facilities as well. Like most modern airports, Marco Polo provides an assistance service for those with limited mobility or other disabilities - passengers do need to notify the airport in advance however, which can be done through the airline they are flying with.

How accessible is the route for those with limited mobility 

All coaches provided by ATVO from the city centre to the airport are wheelchair friendly, with spaces for wheelchairs on the coaches and lifts or ramps for boarding. The same is true for those services provided by ACTV. For the most part, the boat services provided by Alilaguna are also suitable for those with limited mobility. It is worth saying that although Venice is often seen as a city that is not well suited to those with limited mobility, this is not necessarily true anymore. Most major sights have been made accessible, and large parts of the city are bridge-free. For some months of the year, the city actually installs ramps across bridges in the city to make sure they are wheelchair accessible. 

Local tips: how to travel to the airport like a local

Taking the coach is by far the fastest route if one is staying near the ferry terminal or main station, as many tourists will be. However, it is worth exploring the ferry services if you are not. For the most part, they run right around the perimeter of the city and, if staying further to the south or east of Venice, picking up the boat from further along the route may end up being faster than walking across to the center to get the coach.