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Paris Toolkit Visitors guide to arriving in Venice by coach or bus
Piazzale Roma arrival in Venice - public transport guide and map
After you cross the causeway by road from mainland Italy the road literally ends as soon as you arrive at Piazzale Roma.
Piazzale Roma offers one very large open bus and coach station where all buses, both local, airport and inter-city coaches all terminate.
The bus station is the opposite side of the Grand Canal to Santa Lucia Railway Station, the railway station that serves Venice where all trains also arrive and the cruise ships are all moored close by Piazzale Roma as well.
Piazzale Roma bus & coach station
Piazzale Roma Bus & Coach Station is just a large open square, it is not a purpose built coach station offering cover from the elements.
Around the periphery of the bus station are a few ticket offices and a private left luggage facility.
A larger left luggage facility is inside Santa Lucia Railway Station on the other side of the Grand Canal where there is also a tourist office.
Exploring Venice from Piazzale Roma
From here to explore Venice you have two options:
- Explore by foot - we include notes on the main walking route from the railway station opposite to St Mark's Square via Rialto Bridge. There is a tourist office here where you can grab a map and ask any questions you may have.
- Explore by water - An extensive water bus service has its hub at Piazzale Roma / Santa Lucia Station and is the only way to get to the outer islands, but the main route goes straight down the Grand Canal to its end at St Mark's Square.
Airport bus services
There are express dedicated airport bus services between Venice Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airport and Piazzale Roma operated by ATVO, there is also a cheaper stopping service to/from Venice Marco Polo Airport.
We have separate pages covering all the airport transfer options to/from both Venice Marco Polo Airport and Treviso Airports.
Venice local bus services
There are a wide range of local bus services and a tram service that go across the causeway to Mestre on the Italian mainland and beyond.
For those who have saved money by finding accommodation in Mestre the added bonus is that the Venice water bus travel passes also cover these local bus services.
We have a separate page covering water bus & Venice transport passes.
Venice by InterCity coach
Although rail is by far the most popular way of travelling between Italian cities, there is a scheduled coach alternative.
Flixbus connect all the main cities that visitors want to travel between with a low cost, accessible bus network with easy online purchase of tickets.
Flixbus offer direct services from Venice to Rome, Naples, Florence, Milan and Turin.
InterCity coach travel between Italian cities - full details
Piazzale Roma bus & coach station by foot to Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square
For the first time visitor short on time, the key attractions you will normally head for are the Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square.
Your options are either to walk or to get the Venice water bus down the Grand Canal.
The map below shows the relative positions and the route of a walking route between Piazzale Roma / Santa Lucia Railway Station and St Mark's Square via the Rialto Bridge.
Rialto Bridge and St Mark's Square by foot from Piazzale Roma - walking notes
Venice walking map route between Piazzale Roma / Santa Lucia Railway Station and St Mark's Square via the Rialto Bridge
