Venice St Lucia train station

[kdspark]

How far of a walk is it from the St. Lucia Train station to the docks? I see in past posts it is smarter to get off in Mestre and take a taxi? But can you just walk IE: save money?

Thanks

[barante]

I would say the walk would be about 45 minutes if you do it all the way. What that qualifier means is that there is a people mover (a monorail or some such) that takes you part of the way, if you know where it is, how it operates and you have local money.

 

Which is the crux of the problem: In order to walk from the train station, you need to know how to reach the docks. There is no signage. Also, the locals won't speak English and even if they did would probably not know.

 

I have now answered strictly the question you asked: How long? If you had asked the implied question of how long it takes with luggage, I would have recommended you to see a shrink. The problem is complicated by the fact that once you decide on a certain course of action, there is now turning back. You won't see any taxis. And your determination to be a skinflint excluces the possibility of a water taxi, if such a possibility even exists on the route you would be taking.

[barante]

In general, I would choose a simple way of transfer. In November, we took a bus from the airport to Piazza di Roma, which is the Venice bus station, perhaps half-way between the train station and the port. We then hoped to take a cab from there -- and did -- but got robbed by the criminal cartel that calls itself taxi drivers.

 

There is a people mover running part way from Piazza di Roma to the docks, but again you have to know where it is and how to use it. And you still have to walk 10 minutes or longer.

 

On our previous visits we have seen hapless tourists dragging suitcases from the port to Piazza di Roma. They look most unhappy.

[AmoMondo]

I've never contemplated attempting walking to the port. Venice is just not walking friendly with heavy luggage and I speak a bit of Italian. Unless there is a back way out of the station which I didn't spot, all the steps down out of the station is more than a put off for me.

 

Can't remember exactly what my taxi from Mestre cost but it wasn't more than €30 and I was dropped right beside the ramp where you handed your luggage over. So simple and I arrived at the ship nice and calm instead of flustered and exhausted. When you take the cost of the cruise in to account, the cost of the taxi is neither here or there, in my opinion. Also bear in mind the heat. Last time I had a holiday in Venice at the beginning of July it was around 35C.

 

If you go to the European ports of call section on these boards and then Italy, you'll be able to find threads of people telling you exactly how to do it all by public transport/ on foot. Guess it depends how fit you all are, how light your luggage is and how important it is to sve money versus convenience.

[The_Big_M]

I've never contemplated attempting walking to the port. Venice is just not walking friendly with heavy luggage and I speak a bit of Italian. Unless there is a back way out of the station which I didn't spot, all the steps down out of the station is more than a put off for me.

 

Yes, there is a ramp out of the railway station. I actually saw it first in the station, but it was at night and I wasn't sure where it went so took the safer front way. There aren't that many steps that it's too bad. And then I looked around and saw where that ramp was leading to! :-)

 

I was only going from the station to a nearby hotel though, so can't answer the question about getting to the port from there. Agree with the above that Venice isn't tourist/luggage friendly.

[kdspark]

Thanks Amo Mondo and Big M. I actually live here in Italy and go to Venice every couple months and see the port close by and figured you could walk to it. I will look at the boards you recommended. We arent on a time restraint and are use to the Italian way of life and language. Figured if we could walk it we would from the train station. Maybe we will just drive down and park at the port. Again thanks.

[The_Big_M]

Have you looked at the aerial map? It will give you an idea of route and distance, and can compare it to other journeys you've taken in Venice.

 

http://binged.it/M02qVl

[kdspark]

Thanks Big M. My husband found an online map and have since found a friend that had to walk over to the ship from the train to meet some guests. He said 20min. Good enough for me :)

Thanks again to everyones assitance on this.

[hamrag]

How far of a walk is it from the St. Lucia Train station to the docks? I see in past posts it is smarter to get off in Mestre and take a taxi? But can you just walk IE: save money?

Thanks

 

When exiting the station turn right along the Grand Canal, you will very quickly see a bridge over the canal leading to Piazzale Roma, the bus station. The people mover is on the far right corner as you enter this area. The walk from train station to people mover will take approximately 5 minutes.....cost is 1 europp. When you exit the people mover at dock entrance it may be anything from 5-15 minute walk, dependant upon ship location....but there is a free shuttle available at peak times! None of this is difficult, if fitness is good.

[kdspark]

Great Thanks so much!

[jjb415]

When exiting the station turn right along the Grand Canal, you will very quickly see a bridge over the canal leading to Piazzale Roma, the bus station. The people mover is on the far right corner as you enter this area. The walk from train station to people mover will take approximately 5 minutes.....cost is 1 europp. When you exit the people mover at dock entrance it may be anything from 5-15 minute walk, dependant upon ship location....but there is a free shuttle available at peak times! None of this is difficult, if fitness is good.

 

Thanks for this very helpful answer for a fit person. I've arrived by air and taken the airport bus to Piazzale Roma in the past, but, this is the first time that I'll be arriving by train at S. Lucia station. Is the bridge over the canal very obvious?

[The_Big_M]

Thanks for this very helpful answer for a fit person. I've arrived by air and taken the airport bus to Piazzale Roma in the past, but, this is the first time that I'll be arriving by train at S. Lucia station. Is the bridge over the canal very obvious?

 

Yes, it's not far and the canal is a natural boundary. You just go follow the canal boundary along to the bridge. It's also a large/modern bridge so is readily visible.

 

You can readily see it in the map view I linked above.

[RD64]

It is not necessary to take the people mover - that was our intention this past August, but we met a Spanish couple who had been here before, and they showed us the way to Piazzale Roma. If you are in town for the day, it is a nice walk - maybe 10-15 minutes, and then another five or so to the train station.

 

However, I would not advise this with baggage, as the route is not luggage friendly - and there is one massive bridge that you have to walk up and back down - and there are no ramps at all. In addition there are the steps going up to the train station.

 

So in a nutshell, do not attempt this with luggage.

[ROCruiser]

Yes, we did this with our luggage, under the hot sun. Not easy, to say the least. Til this day I am still wondering why they built a bridge that is used by hundreds and thousands of travelers with no ramps. Dragging the luggage up and down those steps was the toughest part.

[Chelseadub]

A few minutes walk to the bus station as suggested by Hamrag and a €15 cab ride is an option if you prefer not to walk from people mover which could be a 15 minute drag.