Price for a water taxi from train station to Rialto Bridge

[NCteacherlovescruising]

We have reservations at the Hotel Rialto. I understand there is a dock near the hotel. How much would a water taxi for 5 adults cost?  Would we book in advance or would they just be near the train station?  How much more would it be to get a private transfer (for 5) from Trieste?

[mapleleaves]

use the water taxi coop web site to get an estimate.

The cost is the same whether there's 1 pax or 5. 

Explore Venice Water Taxi Rates - Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia

[NCteacherlovescruising]

26 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

use the water taxi coop web site to get an estimate.

The cost is the same whether there's 1 pax or 5. 

Explore Venice Water Taxi Rates - Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia

I just tried it but it didn’t give a price. Nevermind, working now. 70 euro doesn’t sound bad at all. Much better than fighting luggage there. Any suggestion for a private transfer from Trieste?

Edited February 15 by NCteacherlovescruising

[mapleleaves]

nope, I used the train and Flixbus.   A few vendors have been mentioned here. Just do a search on Trieste, using THIS FORUM and look thru those posts.

[Hlitner]

The OPs question is a good one.  My first thought is that the distance is too short to hire a water taxi, which would likely charge around 100 Euros to take you 10 feet.  From the train station we would just use the vaporetto (#1 or #2) for the very short ride to Rialto Bridge.  That being said, the vaporetto stop is not the same as getting a water taxi to a hotel dock.  It comes down to whether the OP is able to handle their own luggage for relatively short journeys.  

 

There is a hard reality to staying in Venice.  One can spend their children's inheritance or find more reasonable options.  Water taxis are always expensive and a real luxury.  And they are not always easy to find without a reservation.

 

Hank

[kohanfam]

The hotel website 

https://www.rialtohotel.com/hotels-venice-grand-canal/

says 

By train or by car

From Santa Lucia train station and from car/bus terminal 'Piazzale Roma' or 'Tronchetto

By private taxi boat direct to the hotel (expensive)
By public boat-bus, line 2, leaving every 10 minutes, to the Rialto - Bridge Stop at 20 meters from the hotel.

 

[cruisemom42]

11 hours ago, kohanfam said:

The hotel website 

https://www.rialtohotel.com/hotels-venice-grand-canal/

says 

By train or by car

From Santa Lucia train station and from car/bus terminal 'Piazzale Roma' or 'Tronchetto

By private taxi boat direct to the hotel (expensive)
By public boat-bus, line 2, leaving every 10 minutes, to the Rialto - Bridge Stop at 20 meters from the hotel.

 

 

....and for Venice virgins, the "public boat-bus" refers to the vaporetti.

 

[mapleleaves]

13 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The OPs question is a good one.  My first thought is that the distance is too short to hire a water taxi, which would likely charge around 100 Euros to take you 10 feet.  From the train station we would just use the vaporetto (#1 or #2) for the very short ride to Rialto Bridge.  That being said, the vaporetto stop is not the same as getting a water taxi to a hotel dock.  It comes down to whether the OP is able to handle their own luggage for relatively short journeys.  

 

 

but 100e for 5 pax is only 20E pp.   Compared to 10E for the vaporetto? No contest!

I'd happily pay 20E to ride in style down the Grand Canal, rather than be squished with my luggage on a crowded water bus.  

 

[Hlitner]

10 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

but 100e for 5 pax is only 20E pp.   Compared to 10E for the vaporetto? No contest!

I'd happily pay 20E to ride in style down the Grand Canal, rather than be squished with my luggage on a crowded water bus.  

 

Good point.  But water taxis are not always easy to find, on the spur of the moment.  One can certainly book them, online, if they have a good idea of the time of a pick-up.  For us, the cost of vaporettos is not an issue since, when in Venice, we always buy a multi-day vaporetto ticket (I think they sell 2,3 or 7 day tickets).

 

Hank

[princeton123211]

13 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Water taxis are always expensive and a real luxury.  And they are not always easy to find without a reservation.

From Santa Lucia they are pretty easy to find. Otherwise any hotel with a dock will be happy to call you one and it's usually just a few minute wait. 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

18 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The OPs question is a good one.  My first thought is that the distance is too short to hire a water taxi, which would likely charge around 100 Euros to take you 10 feet.  From the train station we would just use the vaporetto (#1 or #2) for the very short ride to Rialto Bridge.  That being said, the vaporetto stop is not the same as getting a water taxi to a hotel dock.  It comes down to whether the OP is able to handle their own luggage for relatively short journeys.  

 

There is a hard reality to staying in Venice.  One can spend their children's inheritance or find more reasonable options.  Water taxis are always expensive and a real luxury.  And they are not always easy to find without a reservation.

 

Hank

Someone from our “other” group has hired a private car to pick them up at the port and take them to the water taxi. They are looking for a couple to split the cost. If they don’t increase the price much to accommodate the 4 of us it will be well worth it to not have to fight with our luggage. 

17 hours ago, kohanfam said:

The hotel website 

https://www.rialtohotel.com/hotels-venice-grand-canal/

says 

By train or by car

From Santa Lucia train station and from car/bus terminal 'Piazzale Roma' or 'Tronchetto

By private taxi boat direct to the hotel (expensive)
By public boat-bus, line 2, leaving every 10 minutes, to the Rialto - Bridge Stop at 20 meters from the hotel.

5 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

but 100e for 5 pax is only 20E pp.   Compared to 10E for the vaporetto? No contest!

I'd happily pay 20E to ride in style down the Grand Canal, rather than be squished with my luggage on a crowded water bus.  

 

This!!

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Good point.  But water taxis are not always easy to find, on the spur of the moment.  One can certainly book them, online, if they have a good idea of the time of a pick-up.  For us, the cost of vaporettos is not an issue since, when in Venice, we always buy a multi-day vaporetto ticket (I think they sell 2,3 or 7 day tickets).

 

Hank

Another couple has already booked a private car and a water taxi. We don’t know them but are thinking about joining them. However, the friends we’re traveling with are packing lighter and plan to take the train and vaporetto. My husband and I don’t want to hassle with that. 

[Hlitner]

14 minutes ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Someone from our “other” group has hired a private car to pick them up at the port and take them to the water taxi. They are looking for a couple to split the cost. If they don’t increase the price much to accommodate the 4 of us it will be well worth it to not have to fight with our luggage. 

This!!

Another couple has already booked a private car and a water taxi. We don’t know them but are thinking about joining them. However, the friends we’re traveling with are packing lighter and plan to take the train and vaporetto. My husband and I don’t want to hassle with that. 

LOL can appreciate the hassles.  DW and I have wrestled with luggage in Venice and once walked from the Piazale Roma all the way to the old cruise port (prior to the People Mover) dragging luggage over the bridge.  We love to be in Venice, but no question the city involves more than its share of hassles.

 

We are soon to be on a cruise that ends in Trieste and decided to completely skip Venice.  Perhaps at the back of our minds was dealing with luggage logistics.

 

Hank

[new_cruiser]

In case you haven't taken a Venice water taxi before, note that hotel docks are usually fixed docks, not floating. That means that the ease of getting from boat to dock or vice versa varies with the tide. We managed it (over 70 but reasonably mobile) but it was a challenge, especially the time when the tide was high. One woman on our Venice to Rome cruise last fall started the cruise in a wheelchair because she wounded her leg disembarking a water taxi.

 

The boatman did help with getting the luggage in and out of the water taxi.

 

The ride from the airport to our hotel was lovely. Our hotel was multiple bridges away from the Grand Canal so it was great to be brought right to the door of the hotel by the water taxi. I would do it again as long as I stay agile enough. But it's something to be aware of.

[megr1125]

I took a water taxi to that hotel from Tronchetto for around 140 Euro.  Not cheap but YOLO, part of the experience and TBH I had too much crap to haul on public transit.

The walk from the dock to the door of the Hotel Rialto was MAYBE 20 paces.  No stress or stairs to climb (well one into the building I think).  Nice hotel, but the area is SUPER crowded and my room was very hot so I stayed one night and left.  But they were very nice and sent me to a great restaurant a 5 minute walk away.  Great food and better prices than the places right on the canal!

 

My water taxi operator did assist me with luggage, and they're also masters of getting people into and out of boats.  One time, it was easier for me to sit on the edge of the boat and swing my feet over to the dock.  Pretty sure this was at the JW Marriott (hotel I moved to after 1 night)

[Beamafar]

On 2/15/2024 at 9:59 PM, Hlitner said:

LOL can appreciate the hassles.  DW and I have wrestled with luggage in Venice and once walked from the Piazale Roma all the way to the old cruise port (prior to the People Mover) dragging luggage over the bridge.  We love to be in Venice, but no question the city involves more than its share of hassles.

 

We are soon to be on a cruise that ends in Trieste and decided to completely skip Venice.  Perhaps at the back of our minds was dealing with luggage logistics.

 

Hank

Would you care to share your plans for Trieste?   We will be spending a couple of days there post-cruise and would be very interested in hearing about them. 

[Hlitner]

Just now, Beamafar said:

Would you care to share your plans for Trieste?   We will be spending a couple of days there post-cruise and would be very interested in hearing about them. 

Sure.  We plan on getting to the Trieste Airport to pick up our rental car.  We are than going to do some driving into Croatia and then up to Austria, where we will spend most of the next 10 days.  At least 4 days will be spent staying in Innsbruck where we can enjoy the region and perhaps do a day trip up to Southern Germany.  Finally we plan on driving back Dow to Italy, around the Lake Garda area before dropping the car at Malpensa for our flight home.

 

Being independent travelers, all this is subject to change except for our return flight.  A car gives us lots of flexibility and we tend to adapt to the weather and change our plans on a moments notice.

 

Some might be curious why we are not going to Venice, and the simple answer we have spent more then our share to time in that city (on both cruise and driving trips).  Since we have never explored the Austrian Alps, we thought it might be fun.

 

Hank

[Beamafar]

On 2/21/2024 at 4:35 PM, Hlitner said:

Sure.  We plan on getting to the Trieste Airport to pick up our rental car.  We are than going to do some driving into Croatia and then up to Austria, where we will spend most of the next 10 days.  At least 4 days will be spent staying in Innsbruck where we can enjoy the region and perhaps do a day trip up to Southern Germany.  Finally we plan on driving back Dow to Italy, around the Lake Garda area before dropping the car at Malpensa for our flight home.

 

Being independent travelers, all this is subject to change except for our return flight.  A car gives us lots of flexibility and we tend to adapt to the weather and change our plans on a moments notice.

 

Some might be curious why we are not going to Venice, and the simple answer we have spent more then our share to time in that city (on both cruise and driving trips).  Since we have never explored the Austrian Alps, we thought it might be fun.

 

Hank

Sounds amazing.  Thanks for sharing. 
 

We, too, have been to Venice several times, so we’ll just enjoy our couple of days in Trieste as it’s a new city for us.