Santa Lucia Station to San Marco: walk, vaporetto, taxi
There are no cars in Venice, so every journey from the station is on foot or by boat. The vaporetto at 9.50 euros is the standard way to San Marco and takes about 40 minutes on line 2. Walking costs nothing but means several bridges with steps, which is hard work with a suitcase. A water taxi is the only door-to-door option.
- Cheapest
- FreeWalk to Rialto and San Marco · 45 min
- Fastest
- 25 minPrivate water taxi · €70–€100
- Taxi
- €70–€100Private water taxi · 25 min
Vaporetto lines 1 and 2 from Ferrovia is the best value: €19 for the group, about 40 min.
Bus
Vaporetto lines 1 and 2 from Ferrovia
40 min
For the group€19
Vaporetto lines 1 and 2 from Ferrovia
ACTV water bus · 9.50 euros · 75-minute ticket
- Per person
- €9.50
- Door to door
- 40 min
- Runs
- 05:23–00:10
- Frequency
- every 12 min on line 2
- Board at
- Ferrovia landing, directly outside the station
- Suitcases
- Awkward
On foot
Walk to Rialto and San Marco
45 min
For the groupFree
Walk to Rialto and San Marco
On foot · free · bridges with steps
- Per person
- Free
- Door to door
- 45 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Any time
- Board at
- Station forecourt, then over the Scalzi bridge
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Taxi
Private water taxi
25 min
For the group€70–€100estimate
Private water taxi
Licensed boats · priced per boat · agree the fare first
- Per person
- €70–€100 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 25 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Taxi pier at the station
- Board at
- Water taxi pier beside the Ferrovia landing
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Every option in detail
On footWalk to Rialto and San Marco
- €0
- 45 min
- 24 hours
- → Rialto in about 25 minutes, Piazza San Marco in about 45
The Scalzi bridge starts right outside the station and has steps on both sides, so you carry the case up and down. The usual route follows Lista di Spagna and the Strada Nova to Rialto, then the Mercerie to San Marco. It is about 2.4 km in all and signposted in yellow for Rialto and San Marco. With two large cases and any rain, the walk is slow. It suits one light bag and a hotel on the way.
BusVaporetto lines 1 and 2 from Ferrovia
- €9.50
- 40 min
- 05:23–00:10
- → Rialto, San Marco Vallaresso or San Zaccaria
The 75-minute ticket costs 9.50 euros and must be validated at the yellow reader on the landing before you board. Line 2 is the quicker boat, about 25 to 30 minutes to San Marco, and line 1 stops at every landing on the Grand Canal and takes around 45 minutes. Boats fill up in the middle of the day, and boarding involves a step, so a large case needs both hands. The line 2 times shown are from the ACTV timetable valid from 14 September 2026 and may differ at Ferrovia, so check the ACTV app. Line 2 does not run late at night.
TaxiPrivate water taxi
- €70–€100 per vehicle (estimate)
- 25 min
- 24 hours
- → Your hotel landing or the nearest canal stop
Guides quote about 70 euros and upward for a trip inside the historic centre, and the figure rises with distance, luggage and night. The city sets the tariff and this figure comes from guides, not from the official table, so treat 70 to 100 euros as an estimate. The boat takes up to four people with bags and stops at hotels with a canal door. Ask for the total, including bags and any supplement, before you step aboard. Do not take an offer from someone who approaches you in the station.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
The last vaporetto on line 2 leaves at 00:10 on the timetable we used, and line 2 stops running between midnight and about 05:00. After that the Line N night boat runs along the Grand Canal at a lower frequency, and water taxis work all night at higher prices. Walking is possible at any hour, but the narrow streets are dark and quiet, and the bridges are harder with a case at night. If you arrive after midnight, agree a water taxi fare before boarding or book the boat in advance.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on the vaporetto pay 38 euros in total. A water taxi at 70 to 100 euros works out at 17.50 to 25 euros each and takes you to the hotel door if it has a canal entrance. That is a fair price for four people with cases, since four people lifting luggage on the vaporetto steps is slow. For one or two people the 9.50 euro boat or the walk wins on price.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- Cars cannot reach Venice proper. The taxi and car queue you may expect does not exist, and the taxi rank here is a water taxi pier.
- Porters work outside the station and carry luggage over the bridges. Agree the price per bag before you hand it over.
- Buy the ACTV ticket at the machines or ticket office at Ferrovia or in the ACTV app, and validate it before boarding. An unvalidated ticket can mean a fine.
- Check which side of the Grand Canal your hotel is on. Line 2 stops at Rialto and San Marco Giardinetti, and line 1 at every landing in between.
- The walk to Rialto is flat apart from the bridges. If your hotel is within about 15 minutes of the station, walking is faster than waiting for a boat.
- Venezia Mestre is a separate station on the mainland. Make sure your train stops at Santa Lucia, not Mestre.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Venice Santa Lucia station to San Marco?
Take vaporetto line 2 from Ferrovia, directly outside the station, for 9.50 euros. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes on the water, around 40 minutes door to door. Walking takes about 45 minutes with luggage.
How much is a vaporetto ticket in Venice?
The standard ACTV 75-minute ticket costs 9.50 euros for adults. It is valid on any vaporetto for 75 minutes from validation, and it must be validated before you board.
Can I take a taxi from Santa Lucia station in Venice?
Only a water taxi. There are no roads in the historic centre, so no car or land taxi can take you to a hotel. Expect about 70 to 100 euros for the boat, with up to four people.
Is it possible to walk from Santa Lucia station to San Marco?
Yes, in about 45 minutes. The route crosses several bridges with steps, so it is slow with a suitcase. Rialto is about 25 minutes on foot.
What time does the last vaporetto leave Santa Lucia?
The last line 2 boat on the timetable valid from 14 September 2026 leaves at 00:10. After that only the night boat runs, so check the ACTV app for your arrival time.
