Which train: Venice Mestre or Venice S. Lucia ??

We're going from our cruise disembarkation (RC Splendour) to train to Florence. I originally picked Venice S. Lucia, because its right there, so I thought. Then, I read more on the boards here and someone said it's easier to go from cruise ship to Venice Mestre via taxi or bus than going from cruise terminal to Venice S. Lucia! Won't the people mover take us to Piazzale Roma and then go from there to Venice S. Lucia? How many bridges or is there a better way?

So confusing; I'm trying to book today to get the cheaper train tickets. I could also use some help on TIME. Ships arrival: 6:45 am -- can I make 9:30 train?? Husband doesn't like to be rushed.

I picked a B&B close to the Venice S. Lucia station for the return to Venice; I could cancel it and stay in Mestre, but I really want to be close to the Venice action. Decisions, decisions...:eek:

See my thoughts inbedded in your post:

We're going from our cruise disembarkation (RC Splendour) to train to Florence. Good for you, Florence is great! I originally picked Venice S. Lucia, because its right there, so I thought. It is more or less Then, I read more on the boards here and someone said it's easier to go from cruise ship to Venice Mestre via taxi or bus than going from cruise terminal to Venice S. Lucia! Won't the people mover take us to Piazzale Roma and then go from there to Venice S. Lucia? the people mover will end one side side of Piazzale Roma and you will have to walk to S. Lucia. How many bridges or is there a better way? you will have to go over one bridge. If you are familar with Venice bridges, you know they are stepped so depending on amount and type of luggage the trek from port to S. Lucia can be relatively painless. We were traveling with expanded rollaboard suitcases and a backpack each and had no issues...other than it was hot and we got a little sweaty because we weren't in the best of shape.

 

So confusing; I'm trying to book today to get the cheaper train tickets. I could also use some help on TIME. Ships arrival: 6:45 am -- can I make 9:30 train?? Husband doesn't like to be rushed. Our ship arrived well ahead of scheduled docking time of 6am but it was close to 8:30 before anyone was allowed off so IMHO I would go for a later train.

 

I picked a B&B close to the Venice S. Lucia station for the return to Venice; I could cancel it and stay in Mestre, but I really want to be close to the Venice action. Decisions, decisions...:eek:

Have a great trip!

Can you easily manage your luggage to walk a few blocks and over one large bridge? If so, it's not difficult to get to Santa Lucia station.

First you need to walk from the ship to the People Mover which may a long or short walk depending on which berth the ship uses. The People Mover takes about 3 minutes. When you exit the People Mover you walk about 2 blocks thru the Piazzale Roma to the Calatrava Bridge. It's a large bridge but the steps are shallow so you can drag your luggage up the stairs a little easier than with regular sized steps. The train station is a block from there.

Look at this map to find the pier, Piazzale Roma, bridge and train station.

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/orientation-map.htm

Maybe 15-20 minutes total, depending on how busy it is at the pier and the People Mover.

If you can't manage your luggage, take a taxi to the Mestre station.

Take a look at Tom's port guide Venice:

http://www.tomsportguides.com/Venice-05-06-2011.pdf

On p. 5, he shows the steps you have to pull your luggage up/down between the port and Santa Lucia.

He also has good info on Mestre, cabs, and hotels.

Can you easily manage your luggage to walk a few blocks and over one large bridge? If so, it's not difficult to get to Santa Lucia station.

First you need to walk from the ship to the People Mover which may a long or short walk depending on which berth the ship uses. The People Mover takes about 3 minutes. When you exit the People Mover you walk about 2 blocks thru the Piazzale Roma to the Calatrava Bridge. It's a large bridge but the steps are shallow so you can drag your luggage up the stairs a little easier than with regular sized steps. The train station is a block from there.

Look at this map to find the pier, Piazzale Roma, bridge and train station.

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/orientation-map.htm

 

Maybe 15-20 minutes total, depending on how busy it is at the pier and the People Mover.

 

If you can't manage your luggage, take a taxi to the Mestre station.

Thank you for the info. You make it sound pretty easy. My husband and I are pretty healthy. However, after reading Susan's post below (and Tom's guide), I'm having 2nd thoughts.

I will take these pics home to show my husband. Thanks to all of you!

Take a look at Tom's port guide Venice:

http://www.tomsportguides.com/Venice-05-06-2011.pdf

 

On p. 5, he shows the steps you have to pull your luggage up/down between the port and Santa Lucia.

 

He also has good info on Mestre, cabs, and hotels.

Thank you for this great link. I've been reading lots of info, but hadn't seen Tom's guide...

My mother did it at 80 yrs old; but we travel light so she only had one wheeled suitcase and a shoulder tote.

It really depends on whether you can manage the luggage easily..... if you have doubts, take a cab to Mestre. Not worth the worry just to save $40.

1. I believe you have to drag your luggage up a flight of stairs to get to the platforms at the Mestre train station.

2. Many of the trains during tourist season are so packed that you would not get a seat if got on at Mestre rather than Sta. Lucia. Our Azamara cruise last September disembarked at San Basilio, and we caught the vaporetto there (50 yards from the cruise terminal) directly to the vaporetto stop at Sta. Lucia. Friends from our cruise had not booked their tickets to Florence (we were going to Milan), and although they arrived at the train station at 8 AM, they were siting at the train station for hours waiting for an afternoon train because all the tickets on earlier trains were sold out!

They also have Porters that you can pay to help you with your luggage (not beggars like on the trains). They have hand carts and said it would be €10 from the Peoplemover to the train station or €5 just for the bridge.

If you buy a ticket on the bus boats (can't spell the proper name!), you can use the boat to get from P. Roma to the train station. That way you avoid the bridge. We had bought the 24 hour pass the day before and were able to do this on the way to the ship - but then missed the Peoplemower entrance and ended up walking the whole way to the ship - ugh!

Water buses= vaporetto. Very doable to catch one from Piazzale Roma to Santa Lucia.

If you want to see the walk for yourself, the easiest way is to check out Google Street View - they've pretty much covered all of Venice.

 

See my thoughts inbedded in your post:

I was very happy that we stayed in Venice proper, it was wonderful to stroll about in the evenings and not have to worry about making a specfic train to get back to our hotel. That being said, we paid a little bit more for our hotel than what a Mestre hotel + train tickets would have cost and I have never stayed in Mestre so YMMV.

Also, no need to to worry about making a specfic train since just about any train out of S. Lucia stops in Mestre. The cost of train tickets, at about €2 last October, are not a factor in our decision. There is no charge for bus transportation between Piazzale Roma and Mestre with a vaporetto pass.

Lew

A great way to address a number of different points. May I suggest you format your answers in bold or colored font to make them more reader-friendly?

 

Lew

I thought I had....my bad!

This June we decided to take a taxi/minivan to Mestre. We had booked our train tickets to Florence from S. Lucia station but decided to board in Mestre after using the people mover from the ship to Venice the day before. It was a long walk to the people mover from the ship and with lots of bags decided a taxi was the way to go. We are physically able to do it but the $35 Euro taxi was well worth it for the 3 of us. We exited the terminal gave the bags to the driver and were off.

We left the ship at 7:30 and were at the station before 8:00. Our train tickets were for 9:30. I tried to buy earlier tickets and all of the trains to Florence were sold out until mid-afternoon. Buy your tickets in advance. The train to Florence is the same train that goes to Rome so they sell out. Use the high speed trains rather than the local trains that stop at every station. It will be obvious when you check the travel time to Florence.

Also the trains are listed by their final destination and number. So don't look for Florence on the board. Ours ended in Sorrento so that is how it was listed.

At Mestre there is an elevator going down to the tunnel leading to the tracks but none up. There were porters that would carry your bags up the stairs for a charge if you don't want to.

Enjoy Venice and Florence. Both are great and easy to do on your own.

 

At Mestre there is an elevator going down to the tunnel leading to the tracks but none up. There were porters that would carry your bags up the stairs for a charge if you don't want to.

Lew

We stayed in Venice proper and lugged our bags over the bridge to the St. Lucia station. Cheaper than taxi to Mestre. On returning from a rail trip to Florence, we got off at Mestre and had to lug our bags down and up steps that went under a set of rails. That was a suprise. We then stayed in Mestre one night prior to flying home.

In retrospect, I am glad we stayed in Venice proper. Mestre is not much to brag about. Also, wish we had booked a hotel close to the airport, since the taxi driver took advantage of us and drove all over the area to get the taxi bill up to 45 Euros.

Did you happen to notice whether the porters appeared to be train station employees? I ask because we've seen young adults hanging around offering luggage assistance for a price.

 

Lew

Lew, when we passed through Mestre on our way to Santa Lucia last Monday, I specifically noted signs advertising porters available to take baggage, €3 per bag. While there might be some enterprising youngsters, there are official porters available.

Duplicate.

 

Lew, when we passed through Mestre on our way to Santa Lucia last Monday, I specifically noted signs advertising porters available to take baggage, €3 per bag. While there might be some enterprising youngsters, there are official porters available.

Thanks...

Lew

Lew, when we passed through Mestre on our way to Santa Lucia last Monday, I specifically noted signs advertising porters available to take baggage, €3 per bag. While there might be some enterprising youngsters, there are official porters available.

Our experience also. When we hesitated at that price the porters offered to do it for less. We used the elevator to go down, but there was not one to go up at the track, just stairs.

We stayed in Venice proper and lugged our bags over the bridge to the St. Lucia station. Cheaper than taxi to Mestre. On returning from a rail trip to Florence, we got off at Mestre and had to lug our bags down and up steps that went under a set of rails. That was a suprise. We then stayed in Mestre one night prior to flying home.

 

In retrospect, I am glad we stayed in Venice proper. Mestre is not much to brag about. Also, wish we had booked a hotel close to the airport, since the taxi driver took advantage of us and drove all over the area to get the taxi bill up to 45 Euros.

If staying in Venice definitely use St Lucia station. We usually stay around Piazzale Roma and have done it a couple of times. From the cruise terminal we preferred the taxi to Mestre with lots of large bags.