5 Best Airports for Venice, Italy (With Transfer Options, Travel Times, and Map)

The nearest airports for Venice, Italy are two – Venice Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airport.

Yet, there are three more airports near Venice that may be more convenient for you depending on plane ticket prices, travel times, your point of departure, and your plans for Venice and Italy.

In this blog post today, I will give you a useful outline of all these five convenient for Venice airports. This way, you can make and tweak your travel plans to best satisfy your travel wishes and budget.

For each one of these airports near Venice, I have included several helpful details. For example, how to get by public and private transport from each airport to both the mainland part and the historic centre of Venice. I have also provided links to the official websites of the different airports so that you can quickly check which airlines fly to them.

5 Best Airports for Venice, Italy (With Transfer Options, Travel Times, and Map)

A Few Clarifications About Venice

Simply put, Venice has two parts:

• The mainland area of Venice – known as Venezia Mestre or simply Mestre. This is the large borough on the mainland. 
• The historic centre of Venice – built on 118 islands in the Venetian Lagoon and surrounded by water on all sides. This was the capital of the historic Republic of Venice and nowadays is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world. 

Both parts of Venice are on the same train line. Their train stations are Venezia Mestre (for the mainland borough of Mestre) and Venezia Santa Lucia (for the historic centre of Venice).

The information below includes travel details from the respective airports to both mainland Venice and historic Venice. This way, no matter which of the two you have booked accommodation in, you will know how to get there from your chosen airport.  

For ease of use, below I refer to mainland Venice (in Italian, Venezia Mestre) simply as Mestre and to historic Venice (in Italian, Venezia) simply as Venice. If you are wondering why I keep placing Mestre before Venice (considering that Venice is the main attraction here), it’s only because Mestre precedes Venice in terms of location and transport. For example, the Venezia Mestre train station precedes the Venezia Santa Lucia train station and trains stop first at Mestre before proceeding to Venice.

This is explained in some detail in this blog post:

• Which Venice Train Station is Best – Venezia Santa Lucia or Venezia Mestre (With Map and Practical Tips)

Please, refer to it for specific details about reaching the City of Water by train.

If you are arriving by road – either by car, private transfer or shuttle bus – bear in mind that historic Venice is a car-free city. As such, hired vehicles and buses will drop you off at Piazzale Roma. If you have rented a car, you will have to leave it at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or on the island of Tronchetto.

In addition, and especially if this will be your first visit to Venice in Italy, have a look at these blog posts:

• 45 Essential Tips for Venice
• 20 Venice Landmarks You Simply Have to See
• 101 Hidden Gems in Venice
• How to Navigate Venice Like a Local

1. Venice Airport

Official Name: Venice Marco Polo Airport
Airport Code: VCE
Official website: Venice Airport

Description: Venice Airport is one of the two best options to travel by plane to Venice, Italy. This is a busy and elegant airport that deals with a large number of flights from all over the world all throughout the day. Easy to navigate, Venice Airport has many facilities, numerous shops, and a number of cafes and eateries.

I love travelling to and from Venice Airport. It’s well-organised, very sleek, and easy to get around. Plus, the views from the plane right before landing and after take-off are out of this world. You get to see Venice and the Venetian Lagoon from a birds-eye point of view.

You get a clear spatial idea of the position of Venice in the lagoon, you see the other islands nearby, it is so very special and beautiful. Once, for whatever reason, our plane had to circle above the lagoon for a few extra minutes before it was allowed to land. It was just at sunset and it was so poetic and inspiring with the pink and purple clouds, the horizon in bright orange flames, the teal water of the lagoon and the islands of Venice dotted with some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. It’s my favourite memory of seeing Venice from above!

Location: Venice Airport is about 10 km away from Mestre and about 12 km away from Venice. This makes it the ideal place of arrival for your Venetian holiday.

How to get from Venice Airport to Mestre and Venice: 

Bus – bus line 15 (operated by ACTV) and the Mestre Express Fly Bus (operated by ATVO) will take you to the Venezia Mestre train station in less than half an hour. Bus line 5 (operated by ACTV) and the Venice Piazzale Roma Express Service (operated by ATVO) will take you to Piazzale Roma in Venice in about 20 mins. 

Water Bus – AliLaguna provides a water bus service from Venice Airport to Venice. A moving walkway connects the 1st floor of the airport terminal to the docks.  

Water Taxi – you can hire a sleek motoscafo to take you from Venice Airport to anywhere you want in Venice. While it is a pricey option, it’s also very convenient and stylish. Again, you will need to make your way from the airport terminal to the docks. There is a moving walkway connecting both.

Shared Boat – much cheaper than a water taxi but more expensive than the water bus, this is a shared boat transfer from Venice airport to a choice of stops all around the City of Water. It can be convenient if the walk from the stop of the regular water bus to your hotel is long and you will be carrying lots of luggage.

Taxi – you can book a taxi to take you from Venice Airport to Mestre or Venice or you can simply take a taxi upon your arrival. At present, a pre-booked taxi charges 35 euros from Venice Airport to Venezia Mestre train station and 40 euros from Venice Airport to Piazzale Roma in Venice. Prices may be higher if you don’t book in advance and/or use a different taxi company. There could be a surcharge on weekends and holidays.

Rented Car – if you rent a car upon your arrival at Venice Airport, you can drive to Mestre in about 15 mins and to Venice in about 20 mins or so.

Italian driving style can be quite assertive. Motorways are paid for and generally in very good condition. Travel times may increase depending on the time of the day and the season. Bear in mind that Venice is a car-free city. So, you will have to leave your car at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or the island of Tronchetto for the duration of your stay in Venice.

Chauffeur Service – have a look here for a long list of options for private car transfers from Venice Airport to different points around mainland Venice, the cruise terminal, and Piazzale Roma in historic Venice.

Train – Venice Airport doesn’t have a train station. The nearest train stations are in Mestre and Venice.

2. Treviso Airport

Official Name: Treviso Airport Antonio Canova
Airport Code: TSF
Official website: Treviso Airport

Description: Treviso Airport is the second of the two best options to travel by plane to Venice, Italy. This is a small yet busy airport with many low-cost airlines using it heavily for its proximity to Venice. Incredibly easy to navigate, Treviso Airport doesn’t have many shopping and eating options. This, in principle, is not a problem as arriving here, often you simply want to make your way to Venice as soon as possible.

In fact, the very first time that I travelled to Venice, I took a plane from London Stanstead to Treviso Airport and then, immediately, the shuttle bus from the airport to Piazzale Roma. Travelling through the lush Italian countryside and then crossing the long bridge which stretches from the mainland to Venice was a great introduction to the magical city of water.

Have a look at this blog post about getting from the city of Treviso and Treviso Airport to Venice. Otherwise, the details below provide a useful outline.

Location: Treviso Airport is on the outskirts of the beautiful city of Treviso in the Northern Italian region of Veneto. Treviso Airport is about 30 km away from Mestre and about 40 km away from Venice. This makes it a great place of arrival for your Venetian holiday.

How to get from Treviso Airport to Mestre and Venice:

Bus – bus line 351 (operated by ATVO) will take you first to the Venezia Mestre train station and then to Piazzale Roma in Venice. 

Train – first you need to catch a bus to the Treviso Centrale train station. There are two options: Treviso AirLink or Bus Line 6. Buses run at regular intervals. The journey to the train station is very swift and takes between 10 and 15 mins.

Once at Treviso Centrale, you can buy a ticket to Venezia Mestre or Venezia Santa Lucia depending on whether you want to travel to Mestre or Venice. Alternatively, you can buy your tickets in advance online at Omio.

The fast regional trains (Regionale Veloce) are quick, comfortable, and inexpensive. Their price remains the same irrespective if you buy your ticket in advance or on the day. On average, they take 23 mins to Mestre and 36 mins to Venice.

The regional trains (Regionale) cost the same as the fast regional ones but are a few minutes slower.

The high-speed trains (Frecciarossa) are very swift (12 mins to Mestre) but can be as much as four times more expensive. Especially, as their price increases the closer it gets to the day of travel.

Taxi – you can book a taxi to take you from Treviso Airport to Treviso Centrale train station, to anywhere in Mestre or directly to Piazzale Roma in Venice.

Rented Car – if you rent a car upon your arrival at Treviso Airport, you can drive to Mestre in about 30 mins and to Venice in about 40 mins or so. Italian driving style can be quite assertive.

Motorways are paid for and generally in very good condition. Travel times may increase depending on the time of the day and the season. Bear in mind that Venice is a car-free city. So, you will have to leave your car at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or the island of Tronchetto for the duration of your stay in Venice.

Chauffeur Service – have a look here for a long list of options for private car transfers from Treviso Airport to different points around mainland Venice, the cruise terminal, and Piazzale Roma in historic Venice.

3. Verona Airport

Official Name: Known both as Valerio Catullo Airport and Verona Villafranca Airport
Airport Code: VRN
Official Website: Verona Airport

Description: Verona Airport is often overlooked as a convenient arrival place for Venice. Yet, this small and easy to navigate airport offers relatively quick and very straightforward access to the city of water. Verona Airport is very streamlined and has a small but good selection of shops and eateries.

I love flying in and out of this airport as it is so close to so many great cities in the Northern Italian regions of Veneto, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna. The shuttle bus takes you quickly from the airport to the Verona Porta Nuova train station – one of the largest and busiest train stations in Italy. Once there, cities like Venice, Milan, and Bologna are a comfortable train ride away.

Flying into Verona Airport also gives you a chance to see Lago di Garda – Italy’s largest lake – from above. It’s very beautiful and should you decide to visit it, you can easily get there from Verona and Venice.

Location:  Verona Airport is next door to fair Verona – an Italian city with a rich Roman heritage that is also the setting of the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet. Verona Airport is about 116 km away from Mestre and about 123 km away from Venice. With quick and easy travel by train or toll roads, this makes it a very convenient place of arrival for your Venetian holiday.  

How to get from Verona Airport to Mestre and Venice: 

Train – first you need to take the shuttle bus – called Aerobus – to the Verona Porta Nuova train station. Click here to see the airport’s map which visually shows you the shuttle bus stop (look for the green rectangle in front of the Arrivals Terminal). The journey to the train station takes around 15 mins. It’s very comfortable and quick.

Once at Verona Porta Nuova train station, you can buy a ticket to Venezia Mestre or Venezia Santa Lucia depending on whether you want to travel to Mestre or Venice. Alternatively, you can buy your tickets in advance online at Omio.

The fast regional trains (Regionale Veloce) are quick, comfortable, and inexpensive. Their price remains the same irrespective if you buy a ticket in advance or on the day. On average, they take 1 h 15 mins to Mestre and 1 h 28 mins to Venice.

The regional trains (Regionale) cost the same as the fast regional ones but are much slower. So, try to avoid taking them.

The high-speed trains (Frecciarossa and ItaloTreno) are very sleek and swift (1 h to Mestre and 1 h 12 mins to Venice) but can be as much as three times more expensive. Especially, as their price increases the closer it gets to the day of travel. So, if you opt to travel by high-speed train, make sure that you buy your ticket online in advance.

Rented Car – if you rent a car upon your arrival at Verona Airport, you can drive to Mestre in about 1 h 15 mins and to Venice in less than 1 h 30 mins or so.

Italian driving style can be quite assertive. Motorways are paid for and generally in very good condition. Travel times may increase depending on the time of the day and the season. Bear in mind that Venice is a car-free city. So, you will have to leave your car at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or the island of Tronchetto for the duration of your stay in Venice.

Chauffeur Service – have a look here for a private car transfer from Verona to Venice Airport, the cruise terminal, and Piazzale Roma in historic Venice.

 4. Trieste Airport

Official Name: Trieste – Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport
Airport Code: TRS
Official website: Trieste Airport

Description: Trieste Airport is rarely mentioned as a convenient arrival place for Venice. Yet, this easy to navigate airport offers relatively quick and very straightforward access to the city of water. Trieste Airport is very sleek and has a small but well-organised retail and food selection.

The best thing about Trieste Airport is that it has its own train station. So, you don’t waste any time getting where you want to be. High-speed and fast regional trains take you straight from Trieste Airport to Mestre and Venice. A 425-meter long raised walkway connects the passenger terminal directly to the Venice-Trieste railway.

Flying into Trieste Airport also gives you a chance to explore the northeasternmost region of Italy – Friuli Venezia Giulia. On the border with Slovenia and Austria, this is a beautiful area dotted with unique landmarks and blessed with delicious food and excellent wines. It’s worth having a look into it, especially if you have an interest in history, nature, and long, sandy beaches.

Location:  Trieste Airport is about 36 km away from the city of Trieste which is the capital of Friuli Venezia Giulia and is also famous for its coffee culture. Trieste Airport is about 121 km away from Mestre and about 128 km away from Venice. With quick and easy travel by train or toll roads, this makes it a very convenient place of arrival for your Venetian holiday.

How to get from Trieste Airport to Mestre and Venice: 

Train – no need to take a shuttle bus here. With Trieste Airport having its own train station, you will be on the train to Venice in a jiffy.

Follow the raised walkway from the passenger terminal to the train station. Once at Trieste Airport train station, you can buy a ticket to Venezia Mestre or Venezia Santa Lucia depending on whether you want to travel to Mestre or Venice.

Alternatively, you can buy your tickets in advance online at Omio. The fast regional trains (Regionale Veloce) are quick, comfortable, and inexpensive. Their price remains the same irrespective if you buy a ticket in advance or on the day. On average, they take 1 h 24 mins to Mestre and 1 h 36 mins to Venice.

The high-speed trains (Frecciarossa) are very sleek and swift (1 h 12 mins to Mestre) but can be as much as two and a half times more expensive. Especially, as their price increases the closer it gets to the day of travel. So, if you opt to travel by high-speed train, make sure that you buy your ticket online in advance.

Rented Car – if you rent a car upon your arrival at Trieste Airport, you can drive to Mestre in about 1 h 20 mins and to Venice in less than 1 h 30 mins or so.

Italian driving style can be quite assertive. Motorways are paid for and generally in very good condition. Travel times may increase depending on the time of the day and the season. Bear in mind that Venice is a car-free city. So, you will have to leave your car at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or the island of Tronchetto for the duration of your stay in Venice.

5. Bologna Airport

Official Name: Airport Guglielmo Marconi Bologna
Airport Code: BLQ
Official website: Bologna Airport

Description: Bologna Airport is another surprisingly convenient airport to fly in for Venice. It’s compact, nicely appointed, and very easy to orient yourself in. While it has a good number of flights landing and taking off at any one time, it lacks the stress factor of larger airports. And from the moment you land to the moment you are ready to leave the airport, time always seems to fly so quick.

Plus, there is a good selection of eateries and some lovely shopping options here, too. 

I like flying into Bologna Airport as there is a fast motorway taking you all the way to Venice. There are also very good train connections between the city of Bologna and the city of water. Plus, Bologna is famous as one of the foodie capitals of Italy. So, in passing, I can grab a few local delicacies.

Location: Bologna Airport is next door to the city of Bologna – the capital of the Northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna and the seventh most populous city in Italy. Bologna Airport is about 147 km away from Mestre and about 154 km away from Venice. With quick and easy travel by train or toll roads, this is an unexpectedly convenient place of arrival for your Venetian holiday.

How to get from Bologna Airport to Mestre and Venice: 

Train – first you need to take a cute monorail train – called Marconi Express – from the airport to the Bologna Centrale train station. Travel time between the two is only seven minutes! It’s all very sleek and quick.

Once at Bologna Centrale train station, you can buy a ticket to Venezia Mestre or Venezia Santa Lucia depending on whether you want to travel to Mestre or Venice. Alternatively, you can buy your tickets in advance online at Omio.

The fast regional trains (Regionale Veloce) are quick, comfortable, and inexpensive. Their price remains the same irrespective if you buy a ticket in advance or on the day. On average, they take 1 h 55 mins to Mestre and 2 h 8 mins to Venice.

The high-speed trains (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, and ItaloTreno) are very sleek and swift (1 h 22 mins to Mestre and 1 h 33 mins to Venice) but can be as much as three times more expensive. Especially, as their price increases the closer it gets to the day of travel. So, if you opt to travel by high-speed train, make sure that you buy your ticket online in advance.

Rented Car – if you rent a car upon your arrival at Bologna Airport, you can drive to Mestre in about 1 h 30 mins and to Venice in about 1 h 45 mins or so.

Italian driving style can be quite assertive. Motorways are paid for and generally in very good condition. Travel times may increase depending on the time of the day and the season. Bear in mind that Venice is a car-free city. So, you will have to leave your car at one of the car parks on Piazzale Roma or the island of Tronchetto for the duration of your stay in Venice.

Bonus – Other Airports Near Venice

Venice Airport, Treviso Airport, Verona Airport, Trieste Airport, and Bologna Airport are the nearest and most convenient airports for Venice. Transfer times vary from half an hour to two and a half hours one way which is very manageable and perfect if you have a city break or a short stay in Venice, Italy in mind.

Yet, there are three other Italian airports that – depending on your point of departure, budget, and specific travel plans – may also be convenient for you. These are Bergamo Airport, Milan Malpensa Airport, and Milan Linate Airport.

Transfer times from them to Venice are longer but if you are planning to spend a long period of time in Italy and if plane tickets are particularly affordable to one of these three airports, then it’s worth it to look into them as well.

Map of the Nearest Airports for Venice, Italy

Here is a map showing you the location of Venice and the best airports for Venice in Northern Italy.

I made it using Google Maps. So, you can use it just like any other Google map. You can zoom in and out, click to open the map in a separate tab, and click on the different pins to see their coordinates.

You can also use this map to calculate distances and directions from any of the featured airports to any point in Venice and vice-versa. You can also zoom in and explore the urban plan of Venice.

If you want, you can share this map of the best airports for Venice, Italy on social media, too.

The destinations pinned to this map are as follows:

Green pin with a star icon: Venice

Red pin with a plane icon: Venice Airport, Treviso Airport, Verona Airport, Trieste Airport, Bologna Airport

Purple pin with a plane icon: Bergamo Airport, Milan Malpensa Airport, Milan Linate Airport

Practical Tips and Links for Travelling from the Nearest Airports to Venice, Italy 

For specific travel times on the days of your arrival and departure, please, refer to navigational tools such as Rome2Rio and Google Maps.

For most up to date details about shuttle buses and airport transfers, always refer to the official websites of the respective airports. Links are provided above.

To check train times and book train tickets in advance, I use Omio. It shows prices and travel times for all available types of trains in Italy irrespective of the company that runs them. This way I can compare costs and times of departure and arrival.

Aim to arrive during the day as travel options in the evening and at night can be significantly fewer. Especially, if you travel to one of the airports that are physically further away from Venice. Otherwise, consider spending the night at the nearest large city like Verona or Bologna and then travel to Venice in the morning of the next day. 

If you travel by car from your chosen airport to Venice, bear in mind that traffic jams can increase significantly the travel times given above. This is especially valid during peak hours and the high season. Consulting your navigational app in advance and during your car journey can make all the difference.

If this is your first time driving in Italy, be prepared for a more single-minded style of driving. At the same time, toll roads in Northern Italy are very well-maintained and quick to travel on. This helpful website will give you an estimate of how much the tolls are going to cost depending on your points of departure and arrival.

If you plan to get a taxi from your chosen airport to either Mestre or Venice, ideally book it in advance. Otherwise, ask the driver before the start of the journey how much approximately it will cost you. There may be a surcharge on weekends and holidays.

In Conclusion

Venice in Italy is one of the world’s most famous destinations. Attracting millions of visitors each year, the Italian city of water offers a wonderful mix of history, art, and hidden corners with the spectacular scenery of the Venetian Lagoon as its backdrop.

‘What is the best airport for Venice?’ is a question that many people ask during the planning stages of their Venetian holiday. The answer is Venice Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airport. Both are very close to the historic city of water.

In addition, there are three more airports in Northern Italy which, while often overlooked, are also very convenient for Venice. They are Verona Airport, Trieste Airport, and Bologna Airport.

In this blog post, I cover in detail both the two closest to Venice airports and the three additional ones. I have also included public and private transport options from each airport to Venice. This way you can get a clear idea of how to travel from it to both the mainland part of Venice and its historic centre in the Venetian Lagoon.

All of this aims to make your travel planning as smooth and easy as possible. Knowing the airport options you have for Venice in Italy can help you organise your travel plans in a more budget-friendly way. It can also save you time and give you ideas for other places to visit near Venice within the span of the same Italian holiday.

I hope that the information I have shared with you herewith will help you make the best travel choices for yourself in terms of which one of the airports nearest to Venice to arrive at and depart from.

Enjoy your time in Venice, Italy!

More Helpful Venice Info for You

Venice: Essential Tips, Major Landmarks, Hidden Gems, How to Navigate Venice, Venice in a Day for Art Lovers, Train Stations, Nearest Airports, Best Tours, Beaches of Venice, Quotes about Venice, Boats in Venice, Haunted Venice, Day Trips from Venice, Venice to Lake Garda, Venice to Padua, Arco del Paradiso
Venice Videos: Grand Canal, St. Mark’s Square at Carnival, St. Mark’s Square, View from Rialto Bridge, View from Accademia Bridge, Venetian gondolas, Historical Regatta, Squero di San Trovaso, Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Palazzo Grimani, Rialto Fish Market, Ca’ Macana, Festa della Madonna della Salute