Venice is amazing city, but the tourists pay more for privilege of seeing it. While other cities have public airport bus, Uber etc, in Venice there are only boats (public and private).
Some thing to consider for Venice
On arrival, we recommend to take pre-booked transfer with private water taxi and assistant. Consider this: you arrive from overseas with jet lag, tired and trust me, you do not want to negotiate public transportation. I travel to Europe every 2 months and I am not a stranger to Venice.
Last trip a month ago, I planned to arrive Venice during the day, and take public transportation. My flight has been re-routed from Frankfurt to Zurich due to Lufthansa strike and I arrived later in the day. So much for planning! My hotel was in Lido.
I used Alialaguna (public boats service) before. They are going every half an hour from airport to Lido and Venice Island. After getting my suitcase, bought the ticket at Alialaguna counter (15 euros) and asked when and where is next boat. The lady told me: the dock and next boat will be in 12 minutes (8:30pm boat, 1 hour ride). I took my suitcase, and ran. I followed the signs and got in 8 minutes instead of 10. I congratulated myself on marathon run and settled in the boat for 1 hour ride to Lido. Then, looking at my purse, to my horror I realized that I do not have a wallet! I left it at Alialaguna counter! I notified the captain of the boat and he already knew about it! The ticket office called him. I needed to get off at 9pm at next stop, Murano and to take next boat back to the airport. Next boat came at 9:40 pm. Murano is commuter island and in the evening there are no people. I was sitting at the dock alone. I thought I should not worry about being robbed since I did not have a wallet! Next boat came and I started to explain that I do not have money to pay for a ticket, but they already knew! It took another 30 min go back to airport and kind Alilaguna employees brought my wallet to the dock. I applaud them! They are my heroes!
So, the boat took me to Lido and what would have been 1 hour trip, turned out to be 3 hours.
So the morale of the story is – take a private transfer! I would not have to deal with ticket, taking out my wallet and if I would need to go back to airport for some reason, I would just tell private boat captain to turn around and go back!
Why assistant? Assistant will meet you at the terminal and will go to the dock and will escort you to you your private boat. Since location of private boat is not fixed, you will need to communicate with captain over the phone. You might find it, but there are possibilities for failure. As your private travel designer, I am responsible for your transfer and I do not want any possibilities for failure. So if you do not want an assistant, I would rather not take a chance and will not book water taxi only.
Pay attention which hotel you book at Venice Island if you have considerate amount of luggage.
Some hotels, if better priced and seem centrally located, but might not have access to the dock. In some cases, you will need to take your luggage from the nearest dock to hotel and it might be crossing some foot bridges. If you cannot handle it, check with us for hotel with an easy access. Also hotels which a located on smaller, side canals, and sometimes they cannot be reached by water taxi depending on tides. Also some hotels even located on Grand Canal, but not with private dock, but they use other landing area. Which brings me to the next subject – if you can travel light to Venice, please do. It will simplify your life.
So here are our list of services for transfers. All transfers include private boat, if needed vehicle (for example from port), and luggage up to 6 suitcases. Please inquire for prices – advise date, time, flight or train or cruise ship info, number of people and we will give you exact price. There is a supplement for late night transfer and holiday supplement.
Meet & Greet from Marco Polo airport to Your Hotel
Meet your personal assistant at the arrival hall and, together with your chauffeur, head towards Venice. First by car and then by boat. Your personal assistant will give you first orientation information. Location of your hotel, main attractions to see during your stay, meeting with the guide and so on. While on the boat, enjoy a panoramic short tour of Venice, riding towards your hotel you’ll get to shoot some pictures of the Grand Canal.
(Includes: a personal assistant, Mercedes car with a private chauffeur, porterage service and a private water boat)
Meet & Greet from Marco Polo airport to Your Cruise Ship
Meet your personal assistant at the arrival hall and, together with your chauffeur, head towards your Cruise Ship in Venice. Your personal assistant will give you first orientation information, main attractions to see during your stay, meeting with the guide and so on.
(Includes: a personal assistant, Mercedes car with a private chauffeur and porterage service)
Airport VIP Meet & Greet – it is a great service and clients love it
You will be met and welcomed at the door of the aircraft by our staff. You’ll be then accompanied straight through passport control and baggage claim, to meet your personal assistant and chauffeur, which will wait for you at the arrival hall. Continue with the Mercedes towards your boat, having a porter service for your luggage and enjoy a short ride by boat towards your hotel. Your personal assistant will give you orientation info with all the interesting things going on in town during these days.
(Includes: a VIP service from the door of the craft, a personal assistant, a chauffeur, porterage service and a private water boat)
From Train Station to your hotel
Meet your personal assistant and your porterage service at your arrival platform and head straight to your private water limo. Together, head towards your hotel passing through the Grand Canal. Your personal assistant will give you
first orientation information.
(Includes: a personal assistant, porterage service and a water boat)
Inquire for transfers.
Please note – we provide transfer services together with hotel and sightseeing, not just one transfer.