VenicePrivate Transfers & Water Taxi Service

Since 2021, large cruise ships no longer transit through St. Mark's Basin and the Giudecca Canal. Most vessels now dock at the Marghera industrial port on the mainland or at the Fusina Terminal, connected to the historic center by shuttle boat or private water taxi. Some smaller ships still dock at the historic Stazione Marittima terminal, which is closer to the city. Your Private Shore Trips driver meets you at the pier as you disembark and handles all luggage. For Venice hotel drop-offs, the transfer includes delivery to Piazzale Roma, from where a private water taxi takes you through the Grand Canal to your hotel's nearest landing stage.

Cruise ships dock at Porto Corsini, the commercial port located approximately 15 kilometers east of Ravenna's historic center on the Adriatic coast. The port area is industrial with limited facilities for walk-off passengers. Your Private Shore Trips driver will be waiting at the pier with a name sign and private vehicle. The drive from Porto Corsini to Venice takes approximately 2 hours by private vehicle. An en-route sightseeing stop in Ravenna's mosaic-filled UNESCO old town can be added for passengers who want to see the city before continuing to Venice.

Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland approximately 12 kilometers from Venice - about 25 minutes by private vehicle to Piazzale Roma on the edge of the historic center. From Piazzale Roma, a private water taxi takes you through the Grand Canal directly to the landing stage nearest your hotel - typically 20 to 45 minutes depending on your hotel's location. Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign, handles your luggage through to the water taxi, and sees you to the boat. The water taxi fare is included in the transfer price.

A standard private water taxi in Venice accommodates up to 10 passengers with 10 pieces of checked luggage and 10 personal items - one checked bag and one personal item per person. If your group is travelling with additional luggage beyond this limit - which is common on longer cruises - we can arrange a separate luggage boat to transfer the overflow alongside your water taxi. The luggage boat runs simultaneously so everything arrives at your hotel landing stage at the same time. Let us know your group size and approximate luggage count when booking and we will arrange the right combination of water taxi and luggage transfer for your party.

Our back-to-ship guarantee means that if an unforeseen delay during your private Venice shore excursion or transfer prevents you from returning to the cruise terminal before your ship departs, we will arrange and cover the cost of transportation to your next port of call. This guarantee applies to all private shore excursions and Venice transfers booked through us. Your transfer must be scheduled to depart in sufficient time to arrive at the port 1.5 hours before the ship departs.