Originally Posted by
marlborobell
You're more of the Venice expert than I am, and I'm a little confused. Maybe you can explain this.
These are the choices for Venice <-> airport travel:
(1) Water taxi. Pros: Direct, private and on your schedule. Cons: Takes you to the water dock at the airport, so you have to schlep across to the terminal. Cost: EUR 100.
(2) Alilaguna. Pros: Direct and a lot cheaper than a water taxi. Cons: Only runs once or twice an hour, goes to the water dock. Cost: EUR 12 per person.
(3a) Vaporetto to Piazzale Roma, then ATVO bus. Pros: Cheap, frequent, goes right into the terminal. Cons: You have to get all the way up the Grand Canal and then change. Cost: EUR 6.50 for the vaporetto, EUR 3 for the bus. Discounts available on the vaporetto.
(3b) Vaporetto to Piazzale Roma, then #5 bus. Identical to 3a except that the bus is 5-10 minutes slower but only EUR 1.10.
From the Grand Canal (particularly north of the Rialto Bridge), I'd generally agree that the vaporetto+bus option is more attractive than the Alilaguna option. But from the Lido, where the boat cuts off the corner by heading directly to Fondamente Nove, then Murano, then the airport, it would seem attractive to me. Maybe I'm missing something.
The issue is which vaporetto one takes. Some routes get you from the Lido to Piazzale Roma quite quickly - the same goes for routes leaving PSM. The key is to take those routes that don't go down the Grand Canal.
In addition, most tourists buy the 24 or 72 vaporetto pass which means that the vaporetto portion as well as public bus are included in the price already. At 12EU/person the Alilaguna adds up pretty quickly.
Ultimately, it depends on how you define "best." It might be a few minutes faster from the Lido to the Airport than the vaporetto/blue bus - but once you add in the amount of time to unload the Aliaguna and then trudge w/your luggage to the actual terminal - I don't know if the time savings is enough to count.
Most veneziani avoid the Alilaguna like the plague. It is slow and overprices. We have monthly transit passes so the vaporetto cost is inconsequential. When I have a very early flight, I take a water taxi. Otherwise, vaporetto + blue bus.