What Do We Do w Our Luggage in Venice

[donaldsc]

I think that I know the answer to this question but I want to verify it. We are taking a cruise that starts in Venice and are trying to figure out how we need to handle our luggage in Venice. I know that there are no cars in Venice so we have to rely on watercraft or pulling our luggage ourselves.

 

We are going to fly into Venice and spend several days pre-cruise in Florence. We will then return to Venice a few days before the start of the cruise by train from Florence.

 

My question is how do we deal with getting our luggage from the train station to our hotel in Venice and then from our hotel to the cruise terminal. I know that some people on CC have talked about pulling our luggage but there has to be a way that does not involve hauling our luggage through Venice and over bridges. What other options do we have?

 

DON

[Crusin6]

Take a hotel very close to santa Lucia station like we did

 

Then on the day of the cruise we just walked to the people mover and went to the pier

 

We were on princess so they had a shuttle bus waiting

 

 

 

We pack light also

 

 

Alternately tAke a private water taxi from the train station to your hotel if you are staying further in

 

Take another private water taxi from hotel to as close to ship as possible on day of cruise

 

 

Another option is to stay in mestre which will be cheaper btw and take a land taxi to the ship

This of course means it will be more time consuming and complicated to actually tour Venice on those pre cruise days

 

 

Others will now chime in and say I've got it all wrong lol but what we did by staying in Santa Lucia worked for us but we were able to handle our luggage and having young adult kids with us helped

 

Venice is difficult for cruisers who can't handle their luggage well but that's not to say you shouldn't cruise from their but it will take some planning and/or some $$$$ to cruise from their if you need assistance with luggage

 

Private water taxis are expensive

 

 

 

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[buchhalm]

Second that. Hotel near Santa Lucia train station (That's the name of Venice' train station) is good in your case.

Check any of the booking websites and ask for Venice Santa Croce. That is the area across the canal from the station and towards Piazzale Roma and the cruise terminal. Many, many hotels there for just about every budget.

If you don't want to drag all your stuff with you to Florence, there are also luggage storage facilities at the train station and Piazzale Roma

[euro cruiser]

Luggage on trains, beyond carry-on size, is a major hassle. It's worth a little extra planning time to arrange your things so that you take only what you need for the side trip, while leaving the rest of your things in Venice. There are left-luggage options at the train station (Santa Lucia) or at Piazzale Roma.

[srlafleur]

We selected a hotel relatively close to the terminal, but it was still lots of stairs and pulling the bags over bumpy pavers (As in Rome and other European cities, I don't know how the local women can wear stilettos!) We managed, ultimately, just fine, but it was an adventure.

[Twickenham]

I know that there are no cars in Venice so we have to rely on watercraft or pulling our luggage ourselves.

 

Almost true. Piazzale Roma is the last road access in Venice, which means you can actually take a taxi to the cruise port. There as re also a couple of hotels here, thus minimizing your walking with luggage.

 

That said, if you want to stay elsewhere, you need to be able to handle your luggage on/off vaporettos and across bridges. If there is any place that will inspire you to pack light, it's Venice. Mom and I are born-again backpackers;), and it's amazing how much easier it is to haul it on your back rather than pull it around. And yes, I can pack for 2/3 formal nights in a backpack.

[mapleleaves]

hey Donald ....on the go again, eh?

 

Do you have a hotel lined up in Venice yet? Are you spending your first night there upon arrival from VCE? or are you immediately boarding the train to Florence?

As stated already, Piazzale Roma is the last point of land travel in Venice. You cross a bridge from Mestre on the mainland, drive past the cruise terminal and you're in PRoma; basically a large parking lot for buses, taxis and cars. On the other side of PRoma is the Grand Canal. Cross a LARGE bridge over the canal and you're at the Santa Lucia train station.

 

From the airport you could take an ATVO airport express bus to PRoma .... a Greyhound looking bus with a luggage hold beneath. About 8E for the 20 minute ride. They leave every 30 minutes; more often in peak times.

Or for less expensive lodging you can stay in Mestre , and still use ATVO. There's a train station in Mestre, for your trip to Florence. And if you want to sightsee in Venice you can take the bus or train, in less than 10 minutes and a few E.

http://www.atvo.it/en-home.html

 

You can take a cab to the cruise pier from either Mestre or PRoma.

 

This is my go-to site for Venice:

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/vi-index.htm

 

Good advice to store your excess luggage rather than drag it all to Florence on the train. If you're spending your first night in Venice or Mestre and again pre-cruise, your hotel will probably hold it for you. otherwise there's luggage storage at the airport, train station and PRoma. We used the airport storage.

[mapleleaves]

I wasn't done ! We used the airport storage because that location fit into our plans better, but one of the other locations might work better for you, depending on where you spend your first night. OR, a Venice/ Mestre hotel will provide free storage if you're staying there pre and post Florence.

[Crusin6]

We selected a hotel relatively close to the terminal, but it was still lots of stairs and pulling the bags over bumpy pavers (As in Rome and other European cities, I don't know how the local women can wear stilettos!) We managed, ultimately, just fine, but it was an adventure.

 

 

This is what we did also

 

 

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[VMax1700]

During the day there are freelance porters around who will cart your luggage to your hotel. They are easy to find in the mornings, a little more difficult in the afternoon/evenings and like hen's teeth at night. They charge a fixed rate depending on where your hotel is located. We had to manage our own as we arrived after midnight and when leaving our hotel to go to the cruise ship we took a private water taxi which cost €70. Our hotel was close to the station and was old and interesting. Very small rooms, but ok for a night or two. We stayed in the same hotel a few years ago when we did Milan, Florence and Venice by train. Hotel Principe.