Going to Venice for the day?
On our Venice day trips from Rome, Florence and Milan your high-speed train tickets are to Venezia Santa Lucia, and your private licensed guide meets you right at the station.
Venice has two main railway stations, and choosing the wrong one is one of the most common mistakes on a first trip. Venezia Santa Lucia is in the historic centre, on the Grand Canal. Venezia Mestre is on the mainland, on the other side of the lagoon. This guide explains the difference and which one you need.
Quick answer
- For the historic centre and a day trip: Venezia Santa Lucia
- Mestre is on the mainland: from there you need another train or a bus to reach Venice
- Mestre to Santa Lucia: about 10 minutes by train, across the lagoon bridge
- Check your ticket: some trains stop at Mestre and do not continue to Santa Lucia
Venezia Santa Lucia: the station in the historic centre
Santa Lucia is the end of the line, in the old city of Venice. You walk out of the station and the Grand Canal is right in front of you, with the Scalzi Bridge and the green dome of San Simeone Piccolo. The vaporetto (water bus) stop in front of the station is called Ferrovia, and Piazzale Roma, where buses and taxis from the mainland arrive, is a few minutes away on foot.
If you are visiting Venice for the day, this is the station you want: from here you can walk to the Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square without any other transport.
Venezia Mestre: the station on the mainland
Mestre is part of the city of Venice, but it is on the mainland, not in the historic centre. Many trains stop here before crossing the lagoon to Santa Lucia, and trains that continue towards other cities in the north-east stop only at Mestre. Some visitors also choose a hotel in Mestre and travel into Venice every day.
How to get from Mestre to Santa Lucia
Trains between Venezia Mestre and Venezia Santa Lucia run very often and take about 10 minutes, across the long bridge over the lagoon. Buy a regional ticket before boarding. There are also buses from Mestre to Piazzale Roma, next to Santa Lucia station.
Want everything organised?
On our Venice day trips from Rome, Florence and Milan your round-trip high-speed train tickets are to Venezia Santa Lucia, and your private licensed guide meets you at the station.
Which station on a day trip from Rome, Florence or Milan?
High-speed trains from Rome, Florence and Milan stop at Mestre and then arrive at Santa Lucia. When you buy your ticket, check that the arrival station is Venezia S. Lucia. Do not get off at Mestre by mistake: the announcements say “Venezia Mestre”, and many travellers think they have arrived.
Read how the day works from Rome, from Florence and from Milan, and what to see once you arrive in our one-day walking route in Venice.
Santa Lucia and the Venice access fee
On the days when the Venice access fee applies, people who only pass through Santa Lucia station or Piazzale Roma without entering the old city do not pay. If you walk into the historic centre on a fee day, you need a QR code: see our guide to the Venice access fee.
Venice day trip by high-speed train
Round-trip high-speed train tickets with reserved seats, about 6 hours in Venice with a private licensed guide, and the Venice access fee when it applies. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
FAQ
Which station is closer to St Mark’s Square, Santa Lucia or Mestre?
Santa Lucia. It is in the historic centre of Venice, about 40 to 50 minutes on foot from St Mark’s Square. Mestre is on the mainland.
How long is the train from Venezia Mestre to Venezia Santa Lucia?
About 10 minutes. Trains between the two stations run very often.
Is Venezia Mestre in Venice?
Mestre is part of the city of Venice, but it is on the mainland. The historic centre with the canals is across the lagoon, where Santa Lucia station is.
Which station do your Venice day trips arrive at?
Venezia Santa Lucia. Your private licensed guide meets you at the station.