Venice cruise port
The Venice Cruise Port (‘port’ on the picture) has several terminals for cruise ships and ferry boats. The main facility is the Marittima harbor nearby the historic centre between Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma. The terminals of San Basilio and Santa Marta are located at the waterfront of the Giudecca Canal nearby the Marittima. Venice cruises are popular vacations. In 2010, the passenger port had more than 2 million passengers: 1.65 million people from cruise ships and 350.000 people from the ferry boats.
Passenger port area’s
Venice passenger port operates from 4 facilities:
– Marittima Basin (main facility with the largest ships)
– San Basilio and Santa Marta (cruiseboats, ferries)
– Riva Sette Martiri (yachts, mega yachts)
Transportation Marco Polo Airport – cruise port Marittima
A land taxi to the cruise terminal is the most easy way and cost €€50. Cheapest transportation from Marco Polo Airport is the shuttle bus to Piazzale Roma. There are two bus companies (ACTV and ATVO). Tickets are sold in the ticket office in the arrival hall and on the bus. The journey takes 30 minutes and cost €8. At Piazzale Roma you look for a free shuttle bus to the cruise port. A walk to the cruise port takes 15-20 minutes. More comfortable is to ride to the cruise port with the People Mover. This a small electric train between Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto (parking terminals) and the Marittima cruise terminal. Fare is €1,50. A private water taxi from Marco Polo Airport to the cruise port is the very convenient if you are a group with suitcases. Fare is €100-€125 (up to 5 people). Cheaper is the public water taxi to the cruise port (Linea Blu). This boat trip cost €15 p.p but takes 80 minutes because it’s going first to the islands Murano and Lido.
From city centre – cruise port
Passengers who are staying in the historic centre and want to go to the Marrittima harbor can travel first to Piazzale Roma. Water bus 2, 42 and 52 sails from Giardini (Castello district) via St. Mark’s Square to Piazzale Roma. At Piazzale Roma one can take a land taxi (3 minutes/up to €20), a free shuttlebus (if available), the land funicular (named ‘venice people mover’) or to walk (15/20 minutes). The land funicular looks like a small electric tram. It brings passengers from Piazzale Roma to the cruise port in less than 3 minutes. It operates every 8 minutes between 7.00 in the morning and 23.00 in the evening. Ticket is 1€. Most expensive is to take a private water taxi from downtown to the cruise port; price would be at least €60.
Marittima Basin
Dozens of cruise lines disembark in Venice. The larger cruise boats stay in the Marittima. A couple of wellknown cruise operators are Carnival Cruise Lines, MCS Cruises, Holland America Line and P& O Princess Cruises. Also two ferry lines (Anek Lines/Minoan Lines) to Greece depart from Marittima. Both ferries sail to Patras, Igoumenitsa and Corfu.
– Isonzo Quay (18-20)
– Tagliamento Quay (107-109-110-112)
– Piave Quay (117-123)
– TM Quay
– Terminal 103/107/108/117
– Terminal 1/ Isonzo
In front of terminal 103 is a shuttle boat to St. Mark’s Square. The free shuttle bus to Piazzale Roma is near the entrance. Marittima has 3 parking places for it’s passengers (€10/day). The taxi stand is before terminal 117.
Santa Marta
The quays (nr 24-25-26-27-28) are situated on the banks of the Giudecca Canal between the Marittima and Molo San Basilio. From Santa Marta operate Hapag Lloyd, Fred Olsen, Windstar cruises and Oceania cruises. A land taxi from Marco Polo Airport to Santa Marta is between €50. Water bus line 61 starts from Piazzale Roma to Santa Marta (first stop). Water bus line 41 and 51 operate between the Lido and have a stop at Santa Lucia train station, Piazzale Roma and next at Santa Marta. It takes 6 minutes by water bus from Piazzale Roma to Santa Marta and 9 minutes from Santa Lucia station. Frequency of departures of the three lines together is every 15/20 minutes. If you want to go the other way – from Santa Marta back to Santa Lucia/Piazzale Roma – take then waterbus 42,52 or 62.
Molo San Basilio
Smaller and medium cruise boats embark at Terminal San Basilio (21/22). The quays (nr 29-31) are located on the banks of the Giudecca Canal.
Venezialines operates ferries to Croatia (Mali Losinj, Porec, Pula, Robac, Rovinj. Water bus line 2 starts from Santa Lucia train station via Tronchetto to San Basilio. Travel time to San Basilio is 25 minutes.
Venice Italy
Mestre hotels, Water bus, Treviso Airport, St Mark’s Square, shopping Venice, Santa Lucia train station, Lido island, cruises, festivals, cruise port, Grand Canal