Venice Travel Forum

Hi
We are having a day trip to Venice from Lago di Garda and are going by train. I know that the station is in a great location but as we are short on time how long does it take walking (with a 6 year old!) from the station to a central location (St Marks?) or is a water bus a lot quicker option, and are they near the station anyway?
Thanks

It would be better to take the vaporetto especially with a 6 yr old because St. Mark's is not near the train station and is quite a walk from there.

Immediately outside the train station is a "taxi" stand which has water taxis. You can take these or the water bus. The river curves through the city with two major horseshoe curves. The Cathedral and Doge are near the end of the river, where it ends to the open waters.

Alternatively you could walk the straight line and cross the river twice and see the interesting narrow side streets and interior canals. If I remember correctly, walking would take a bit more than half hour.

It's easy. When you walk outside the train station the Vaporetto just there for the bpublic boat. Take line 52 for faster route and stop at San Zaccaria for St. Mark square.

With a 6 year old and only a day trip, definitely take vaporetti. Get a day(family) ticket if you plan to take more vaporetti. Once you have seen St Marks Square, Rialto Bridge etc, and if you have time, go along the canals behind and to the left of St Marks, they are lovely, and quiet, you will find beautiful quiet squares to sit and have coffee etc. enjoy, Venice is magic!!.
Serena

Take the waterbus (bot the expensive taxi): the walk may be around the hour (easy).

You don't say when you are going. From Gardalake, i guess you have to take the bus to the Verona station first. During summer, there is also a direct bus from the eastern shore of the lake to Venice.
http://www.aptv.it/pdf/Riva-ve.pdf (still referred to 2007, but be sure it will be back)

Ciao
Francesco

There's a selection of vaporetti route maps here:

http://www.venice-rentals.com/info/routes.html

It would probably take about 20 minutes to walk from the station, once you knew the way, but will take longer with a)a six-year-ld and b) the first time (Venice is a beautiful place, but a warren of alleyways, sottoportego etc).

The vaporetti aren't cheap, but it will be worth buying a ticket, I think. Don't use the water-taxis: they are much more expensive. Save your money for eating gelati!

Vaporetti fares (and timetable link)here:

http://www.actv.it/english/navigazione.php?pagina=tariffe_vaporetto

Hi! I caught the train from Lake Garda(Peschiera) to Venice (June 2007), which cost me 7 euros - prices vary, according to type of train etc - I just took pot luck, and turned up, and got a train straight away.

Exiting Santa Lucia station (Ferrovia) either buy your tourist transport ticket from the kiosk in the train station, or at the vaporetto (water bus) station in front of the train station, to the left. The staff are generally quite helpful, and will advise you on the best ticket to buy. (Don't consider a water Taxi, unless money is no object! - They are very expensive)

Lines 1 and 52 take you to Plazza San Marco - (San Zaccaria station)Check you're going in the right direction before you board - Above the boarding stations are maps/ routes listing the destinations - There are often staff at this and other popular/tourist areas to help you/check you have the right ticket etc. Check if it's validated already, or if you have to 'punch it in a machine' first. - There are fines for travelling on an unvalidated ticket (Also check this with your train ticket, when you buy it)

From San Zaccaria, you may come across street entertainers, musicians etc, that might entertain your child. Also near Rialto Bridge there are often buskers.

There are cafes etc in San Marco, but they are expensive - On my restaurant tips, I've listed a few restaurants/ cafes within a few minutes walk from San Marco, that have reasonable priced snacks/ pizzas etc.
I've also written a walk from near San Marco to the Rialto Bridge, that covers the main sights and some 'less well known sights'

If you have time, there is a children's playground in the Giardini Publica (Vaporetto station Giardini - Lines 1,52,and 82) with swings, climbing frames and table tennis. On nearby Via Giuseppe Garibaldi are ice cream shops/ gelaterias, and toyshops, this is where a lot of local children can be seen playing or walking with their families.

The Naval museum - (Vaporetto Arsenale - Line 1), has ships and shells etc on display, which some children find interesting. The Camponile in Plazza San Marco, offers great views over Venice and the lagoon etc, through binoculars.

A cheaper alternative to a Gondola ride is the Gondola traghetti, that crosses the Grand Canal at 8 places - ( 1 is near the train station, I did the San Toma crossing, I enjoyed the crossing near the Rialto Markets too.)- for 50 cents, instead of the 70+ euros per person.

Hope this is of some help.
Please feel free to contact me for more info
Have A Great trip,
Sue x

Thanks for the tips - especially the "kid friendly" ones. Kids still need playgrounds even on holiday!!

When I visited in April there were lots and lots of (supervised) children playing (mid-late afternoon) in the Ghetto campo (Cannaregio) and outside San Gianopolo (Central Castello)....the church frontage made brilliant goalsposts!

A good opportunity to make new friends whilst you have a coffee/wine/more gelato!