The water taxi shuttle service is the ideal option for travelers who value comfort but want to share the cost of a private boat. Here are the key points to help you plan your trip:
- Convenient Water Transfer: The fastest way to get to Venice is directly across the lagoon.
- Cost advantage: With 36.00 € per person And for the price, this service is much more affordable than an exclusive water taxi, yet offers the same experience.
- Exclusive Offer: This special rate is available in this form „only here“ on Venedig.com.
- Go straight to the destination: The transfer will take you directly to your hotel or—if it is difficult to reach—to the nearest dock.
- Family-friendly: Children under 3 years of age travel for free when seated on their parents' laps.
- Reservations are only available for groups of 2 or more people; both the outbound and return trips can be booked in advance.
- Airport Procedures: Please allow for a short wait at the counter after you land until the next shared taxi departs.
Time Savings and Convenience: A Direct Comparison of Shuttle Services
The shared water taxi transfer is a fast and convenient way to get from Marco Polo Airport directly to your hotel. With other transfer options, you often have to change vehicles or it takes significantly longer. The water taxi takes you directly to your destination in just about 25 to 30 minutes.
Here is a direct comparison with alternative modes of transportation:
The Shuttle Service (Water Taxi) – Venice.com's Recommendation
- Travel time: About 25–30 minutes directly to the hotel (or the nearest dock).
- Price: Only €36.00 per person (exclusive to Venedig.com; the regular price is €39.00).
- Advantage: No transfers, direct water route, high level of comfort.
Comparison: The Alilaguna (Blue Line)
- Trip duration: Just under 90 minutes to St. Mark's Square.
- Waiting time: Up to 30 minutes at the airport.
- Price: 18.00 € per person.
- Disadvantage: The trip takes significantly longer. After arriving at St. Mark's Square, there is often still a long walk to the hotel.
Comparison with Bus Routes (ACTV / ATVO)
- Waiting time: About 15–20 minutes at the airport.
- Travel time within the country: About 25–30 minutes to Piazzale Roma (on the outskirts of the city).
- Transfer required: At Piazzale Roma, you'll need to transfer to a public vaporetto (waiting time up to 12 minutes + travel time approx. 43 minutes to the city center).
- Price: 10.00 € (bus) + vaporetto ticket.
- Disadvantage: Transferring from the bus to the ship with luggage is time-consuming and often difficult for seniors.
Procedure and Details About the Shuttle Service
If you make a reservation online, you’ll be met at Marco Polo Airport. The tour operator will direct you on-site to the short, convenient path leading to the water taxis at the pier. The shuttle boat will then take you directly from the airport across the lagoon to your destination in Venice.
Safety Through Experience
As the only provider of shuttle taxis in Venice, with hundreds of trips per day, the operator guarantees a smooth experience. This high frequency ensures that wait times at the airport remain short and justifies the attractive price for this fast transfer.
The Transfer in Detail
- Number of passengers: Depending on the number of passengers, the shuttle water taxi carries between 2 and a maximum of 10 people.
- Arrival in Venice: The boat stops as close as possible to the passengers' accommodations for strategic reasons. It often stops between two hotels, so that guests only have to walk a few steps to reach their destination.
- Flexibility: The exact drop-off point depends on the composition of the group for each trip and therefore cannot be determined in advance down to the meter.
Comparison: Shuttle Service vs. Private Water Taxi
Although the experience on the water is the same, there are differences in price and personalization:
| Characteristic | Shuttle Service (Venice.com) | Private Water Taxi |
| Price | 36.00 € per person | Approx. 175.00 € per boat |
| Waiting time | A short layover at the airport | Departure immediately after landing |
| Passengers | Shared with other guests | Exclusively for your group (max. 4–6 people) |
| Travel time to Venice | about 25–30 minutes | about 25–30 minutes |
Conclusion: The travel time and boat are the same as for the private water taxi. The shuttle service is the economical choice for anyone who wants to enjoy the same fast water route as the private taxi but is willing to share the boat with other travelers for significant savings.
Departure Times and How to Get to Your Hotel
Shuttle taxi departures are flexible and are scheduled directly based on flight arrival times at Marco Polo Airport. This ensures that you can begin your transfer to the water shortly after landing.
Important Note Regarding Your Arrival in Venice
Venice is famous for its winding alleys and very narrow canals. Since some of these waterways are too narrow or too shallow even for the agile water taxis, the following rule applies: The boat will generally take you to the dock closest to your hotel. From there, it’s usually just a few minutes’ walk to check-in.
Hours of Service and Night Surcharge
- Standard Service: This transfer can be booked daily between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
- Night Driving: For arrivals or departures outside these times (at night), the tour operator will charge an additional fee.
Departure Times and Accessibility from Marco Polo Airport
The shuttle service is perfectly coordinated with the flight schedule: The boats’ departure times are flexibly adjusted based on the actual arrival times of the flights. This ensures that, after picking up your luggage, you can go directly to the dock at the airport without any long detours.
Arrival in Venice: As Close as Possible
Venice is a historic labyrinth. Since many canals and waterways are extremely narrow or difficult to navigate when the water level is low, even the agile water taxis cannot reach every hotel right at its doorstep.
- The principle: The shuttle service will generally take you to the nearest accessible dock for your hotel.
- The advantage: You'll save yourself the long walk from major public transit stops and be dropped off as close to the center as possible.
- Orientation: From the dock, you can usually reach your lodging after a short, easy walk.
Individual Stops and Baggage Regulations
The shuttle service offers you a level of flexibility that public transportation cannot match. The taxi dispatch center guarantees: „All guests will be taken to the nearest dock to their hotel.“ (nearest mooring point).
Here's How to Exit
The boat coordinates the route as efficiently as possible. The water taxi often stops at a point between two accommodations so that passengers can conveniently disembark near their respective accommodations. The exact drop-off point is determined individually by the captain and depends on which hotels the passengers wish to reach.
- Luggage: The fare includes one suitcase and one carry-on bag per passenger.
- Our tip: Think of the ride as your first, free city tour. If you’re the last to get off, you’ll enjoy an exclusive view of Venice’s palaces right from the water—a perspective that many tourists never get to see during their entire stay.
Comfort Advantage Over Alilaguna and Vaporetti
The key difference between the shuttle service and public transportation lies in the convenience of the „last mile“:
- Directions for individual travelers: The shuttle service will take you as close to your destination as technically possible.
- No barriers: The Alilaguna and the public water buses (vaporetti) stop only at designated stops.
- Get there effortlessly: From public transit stops, travelers often have to lug their luggage all the way to the hotel over cobblestone streets and across numerous bridges. With the shuttle service, you can avoid most of this effort and start your vacation feeling relaxed.
The exclusive fixed price on Venedig.com
For this first-class service, we are offering you a special rate that is significantly below the market average.
- Daily rate: Only €36.00 per person per trip (7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.).
- Night rate: For arrivals or departures during off-peak hours (8:00 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. to 6:55 a.m.), the organizer charges a modest surcharge totaling €42.00 per person per trip.
Price Comparison: Your Advantage with Venedig.com
Thanks to our long-standing partnerships, we can offer you the shuttle service at a lower price than many of our competitors.
The shuttle service provider in Venice has a monopoly
According to its own information, the Venetian incoming travel agency Bucintoro is currently (2026) the only tour operator here in Venice that offers this shuttle service. This means that all online providers who offer and sell this service to their customers are offering exactly the same product.
As a customer or prospective customer of the shuttle service, all you have to decide is who you trust and how much you’re willing to pay for this service. The service here in Venice is the same across all providers: same terms, same water taxi, same driver, same route, etc.
Directions to the Shuttle Service at Marco Polo Airport
To make your arrival as stress-free as possible, we've put together a brief guide to getting to the meeting point:
- After baggage claim: Please exit the security area. You will then be in the arrivals hall.
- Orientation: Take the escalator to the first floor. Once you reach the top, turn left.
- Meeting place: The organizer's booth is clearly visible along the path to the boat docks.
- Details: You will receive the exact location of the ticket counter and your booking confirmation via email after making your reservation.
Waiting Times and Departure at the Airport
A key advantage of the market leader is the high frequency of trips. However, this is a shared shuttle service in which the logistics are tailored to passenger volume.
What You Should Keep in Mind Regarding the Wait Time:
- Maximum wait time: The organizer states that the maximum wait time is approximately 20 to 45 minutes. However, this is a conservative estimate.
- Immediate departure: With a little luck, your water taxi will already be waiting at the pier when you arrive, so you can set off right away without any delay.
- Factors that influence: The actual wait time depends heavily on your travel date and time of day. During peak season or around noon, when many flights land at the same time, the boats fill up faster than during the quieter early and late seasons or in the early morning and late evening hours.
Conclusion: The short wait at the airport is the reason for the extremely low price of €36—compared to an immediate ride in a private taxi for €150.
Reliable Return Trip to Marco Polo Airport
The tour operator will arrange your return trip to the airport. The shuttle service has many years of experience and will organize your pickup so that you arrive at the airport on time.
Information for Your Return Trip
- Email: One day before your departure, you will receive an email from the tour operator around 3:00 p.m.
- Meeting place and time: In this email, you'll find out when and where you'll be picked up near your hotel.
- 24 hours before departure: The organizer will determine the exact time and meeting place within the last 24 hours before your departure. Therefore, this information cannot be provided any earlier.
Important Information to Ensure Everything Runs Smoothly
- Punctuality: Please arrive at the agreed-upon meeting point at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time. The water taxis must adhere to a strict schedule so that all passengers arrive at the airport on time.
- Organization: Depending on the number of reservations, the tour operator assigns passengers to different boats. This allows for efficient route planning and ensures that passengers are transported to the airport on time.
Important Note: Online reservations are strongly recommended
To ensure that your transfer goes smoothly, the taxi dispatch center strongly recommends that you book your seat on the shuttle water taxi online in advance.
Why advance booking is important for you:
- Seat Guarantee: Space on the shuttle boats is limited. By making a reservation, you can secure your spot for the transfer.
- Avoiding long wait times: If you decide to register on the spot at the airport counter, it’s possible that all seats will already be taken. In that case, you should expect significant wait times for the next available boat or—if the boat is full—have to opt for more expensive alternatives.
- Planning Certainty: Making a reservation online allows the tour operator to plan the routes in advance to ensure you are taken to your hotel as quickly as possible.
Our advice: For your convenience, it doesn't matter which platform you use to make your reservation—the only important thing is that you do so in advance. However, if you'd like to take advantage of the exclusive special price of €36.00 and our additional travel guides, we recommend booking directly here on Venedig.com.
Not served by the shuttle boat
Unfortunately, this popular shuttle service does not apply to:
Mestre, Torcello, Burano, San Clemente, JW Marriott, Punta Sabbioni, Cavallino.
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- Price per person: The price is €36.00 per person.
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