Alilaguna Airport Service in Venice

[Cruise Junky]

Just looking for advise from someone that has done this. The alilaguna is included in the price of the Venice Card. Do I understand correctly that as long as I'm ok getting my luggage to St. Marks this is a good service to get to the airport? and wayyyyy cheaper than a private water taxi?? We're staying at the Westin Europa and I don't think it's that far.

[md1jw]

this service is very good, although, if you have loads of bags/luggage it may be hassle. They have a shuttle bus from the airport to the waterbus service - this is free. The Waterbus then transports you to St Marks, via a number of other islands (murano, burano), and I found it to be a very nice start to a holiday in Venice, and a LOT cheaper than private water taxi, but very efficient. The bus itself seems to hold thousands!!

[wwinfl91]

When we were there in 2003 the alilaguna service was NOT included in the Venice card or at least the guy taking the money on the waterbus from the airport would not honor it. We had to pay seperately for it. From what I could find out later the ACTV service which is included with the Venice card is a seperate company from the one that runs the airport waterbus service. Because we were in Venice for a total of 6 days we had gotten the 7 day Venice card with the museums and transportation option and I could have sworn that the Venice card web site had said it included transportation to and from the airport but when we tried to present the card to use the service it was rejected. Now the web site does say that transportation to and from the Marco Polo airport is included. It doesn't say the alilaguna water bus service is included as far as I can tell. The ACTV does run buses from the airport to the Piazzo Roma and I wonder if that is what they are talking about.

 

Here is the Venice Card site.

 

http://www.venicecard.com/default_eng.jsp

 

Here is the ACTV site.

 

http://www.actv.it/english/home.php

 

And here is the Alilaguna site.

 

http://www.alilaguna.it/

 

If they don't honor your Venice Card like they did for us you have to come up with euros to pay your passage so make sure you have them just in case.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[Cruise Junky]

This is from the Venice Card site.

 

"Alilaguna" boat service from/to the Airport Marco Polo or S. Giuliano CarPark (seasonal) reservation with boat transfer to the city can be included.

 

I actually don't know if it's included, but on Alilaguna's site it says it's 5 Euro instead of 10 with the card.

 

I was just playing around with the Venice card site, and if you put that you're arriving by plane, you get the opportunity to add the airport transfer. I think I'll just pay the 10 Euro rather than including it because we only want it one way.

[wwinfl91]

If you are arriving in Venice before your cruise and will have all your luggage with you for the cruise and stay in Venice, be aware that most bridges in Venice have steps not ramps so rolling luggage will only help between the bridges. You will end up having to carry your luggage up the steps and then down the other side of the bridge. So it is really important that your hotel be near where the waterbus lets you off. You will also have to plan how you are going to get your luggage from the hotel to the ship. The ACTV waterbuses have very limited room and patience for people with large amounts of luggage especially during their busy periods. Some of the cruise ships provide a waterbus service from the port to St Marks square but most of them restrict the amount of luggage you can bring with you on that trip. If your hotel is close to the Piazzo Roma you can get a land taxi from there to the port with your luggage.

 

On our visit to Venice in 2003 we were arriving on the Golden Princess and we elected to take the Princess transportation to the airport with our luggage. Then we stored our larger bags at the held luggage office and returned to Venice via the airport waterbus service with our smaller carryon bags with what we needed for our stay. Then when we were scheduled to leave we caught the waterbus back to the airport and picked up our other luggage for our flight home.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[Cruise Junky]

We don't have to worry about getting our luggage to the ship, we're boarding in Barcelona. I don't have a problem taking a private water taxi from the ship to the hotel. I'm looking at getting from our hotel to the airport on our last day. Our hotel looks to be about 300 meters from San Marco with one bridge. We're going to check it out our first day to see if it's manageable with luggage.

[cathi]

Cruise Junky, a word of caution. We too had a hotel not far from San Marco that was great because it was so central BUT we also had a very early flight out of Venice (6:15 am!!) and none of the water busses were running that early in the morning. The Alilaguana's 1st trip in the morning leaves at 4:30 am but doesn't arrive at the airport until 5:45 am.Just a little tight for the flight!! We ended up with a water taxi at 90 E!!

If I had to do it again I think I would opt for a hotel near Piazzale Roma so you could get a land taxi easier. And with a ACTV pass the water bus system will take you anywhere you want to go!!

We spent 3 days in Venice after the cruise and saw lots of people rolling their luggage through the streets looking for hotels!! It is not as hard as some make it out to be.

[Cruise Junky]

Cruise Junky, a word of caution. We too had a hotel not far from San Marco that was great because it was so central BUT we also had a very early flight out of Venice (6:15 am!!) and none of the water busses were running that early in the morning. The Alilaguana's 1st trip in the morning leaves at 4:30 am but doesn't arrive at the airport until 5:45 am.Just a little tight for the flight!! We ended up with a water taxi at 90 E!!

If I had to do it again I think I would opt for a hotel near Piazzale Roma so you could get a land taxi easier. And with a ACTV pass the water bus system will take you anywhere you want to go!!

We spent 3 days in Venice after the cruise and saw lots of people rolling their luggage through the streets looking for hotels!! It is not as hard as some make it out to be.

 

Thanks for the info and hello from Vancouver to Gibsons :)

 

Our flight isn't until 10 something so we should be ok.

[harrodsfan]

You are staying at a wonderful hotel. Great location. When you eat by the canal think of me!!!! Don't change it!!!

It is not a too far walk to the airport waterbus. ( If you don't have tons of luggage.) Worst case tip your bellman to help you get there.

[Cruise Junky]

You are staying at a wonderful hotel. Great location. When you eat by the canal think of me!!!! Don't change it!!!

It is not a too far walk to the airport waterbus. ( If you don't have tons of luggage.) Worst case tip your bellman to help you get there.

 

Definitely not changing the hotel....it was free!! Starwood Points :) Did you stay there?

 

I think this might be a good incentive to not overpack ;)

[Mike Andrews]

We used the Alilaguna boat service into St Marks and it is a geat inexpensive way of getting into Venice.There is a free shuttle bus that takes you from the Airport Terminal to the Alilaguna pier.

[girlygirl1]

Is it easy to find the free shuttle once your at the airport? We are arriving at 9pm and my husband is nervous we wont find it.:confused:

[wwinfl91]

The bus to the dock where you catch the Alilaguna boat was right by the side entrance to the airport and was marked by signs in both English and Italian. It is a short, 5 minute or less, drive to the dock where you catch the boat. The water taxi stop is right next to the dock.

 

Have a great next cruise.