Venice Cruise Terminal: Where It Is & How to Get There
· Updated · BootsnAll
Venice is still on plenty of Mediterranean and Adriatic cruise itineraries, but the days of skyscraper-sized ships sliding past St. Mark’s Square are over. Since 1 August 2021, ships over 25,000 gross tonnes, over 180 meters long or over 35 meters tall have been banned from the Giudecca Canal and St. Mark’s basin. So the first thing to find out is which berth your ship is actually using. “Venice” on your cruise ticket can mean several different places, some of them on the mainland.
Where cruise ships dock in Venice in 2026
All of Venice’s cruise berths are run by Venezia Terminal Passeggeri (VTP). Your cruise documents will name one of these:
- Marittima is the main terminal in the historic city, at the western tip next to Piazzale Roma. Only small ships dock here now, but it’s still the check-in hall for bigger ships docked at Marghera (see below).
- San Basilio is a smaller terminal in the city, on the Giudecca Canal side of Dorsoduro. Small ships only.
- Riva dei Sette Martiri is a quay in Castello, a 15-minute walk east of St. Mark’s. Small ships and yachts.
- Marghera (the Lombardia and Liguria quays) is the industrial port on the mainland, where most big ships now berth. If you’re embarking here, you check in at Marittima and a free shuttle takes you to the ship.
- Fusina is a mainland terminal just south of Marghera. Check your documents or ask your cruise line whether you check in at Fusina itself or at Marittima; the port lists both arrangements.
- Chioggia is a fishing town at the southern end of the lagoon, about an hour from Venice by road. Some ships now use it.
If your cruise line’s port name is vague, check the terminal on your boarding documents before you book a hotel or a transfer.
Where Marittima is
Marittima sits right beside Piazzale Roma, the bus station and car park at the end of the road bridge from the mainland. Piazzale Roma is across the Grand Canal from Venezia Santa Lucia train station, and the People Mover, a small elevated shuttle train, links Piazzale Roma, Marittima and the big car parks on Tronchetto island. Piazzale Roma to Marittima takes two minutes on it, and an ordinary ACTV ticket covers the ride.
Getting to the cruise terminal
From Venice Marco Polo Airport
- Bus to Piazzale Roma (what I’d do). The ATVO Venezia Express coach takes about 20 minutes and costs about €12 in 2026, with room for bags underneath. ACTV’s Aerobus line 5 takes about as long for about €10. From Piazzale Roma, walk 10 to 15 minutes to Marittima or take the People Mover.
- Alilaguna water bus. Alilaguna runs boats from the airport into Venice for about €18 one way in 2026, including one large bag and one hand bag. It’s slow, often well over an hour, and you’re about to spend a week on a boat. Take it only if you have time to burn and want to arrive by water.
- Water taxi. Private, door to gangway, and expensive: expect well over €100. Split between four or five people it starts to look reasonable.
>> More on getting from Venice Airport into Venice.
From Santa Lucia train station
Walk over the Constitution Bridge (Ponte della Costituzione), the modern glass-and-steel bridge that opened in 2008, to Piazzale Roma. It has steps, so be ready to carry your suitcase. From there it’s the People Mover or a short walk to Marittima. Allow 20 minutes in total.
From Venezia Mestre station
Mestre is on the mainland, and it is not where you want to end up. Book your train ticket through to Venezia Santa Lucia, the terminus on the island, one stop further. If you’ve already booked to Mestre, regional trains to Santa Lucia run every few minutes and take about 10 minutes, or you can take a city bus to Piazzale Roma.
By car
VTP runs the only car park inside the port itself, which you can book on the VTP site. Otherwise, park at Tronchetto and ride the People Mover.
If your ship is at Marghera, Fusina or Chioggia
Follow your cruise line’s instructions. For Marghera you go to Marittima as above and ride the free shuttle to the ship. For the others, most lines run their own transfers from the airport and the train station, and they’re usually the least stressful option.
Getting from the ship to St. Mark’s Square
If you’re calling at Venice for a day, or boarding early and want a few hours in the city first, here’s how to reach St. Mark’s from Marittima or Piazzale Roma. (From the mainland berths, take your cruise line’s shuttle to Piazzale Roma or Marittima first.)
- Vaporetto line 1 from Piazzale Roma crawls down the whole Grand Canal, past the Rialto Bridge, to San Marco. It takes about 45 minutes and is the best sightseeing ride in Venice for the price of a ticket.
- Vaporetto line 2 covers much of the same route with fewer stops, so it’s quicker.
- Walk. Piazzale Roma to St. Mark’s is about 45 minutes on foot, following the yellow signs for “Per S. Marco” and “Per Rialto”. It’s the best way to see the city, and the most likely way to get happily lost.
A single vaporetto ticket is about €9.50 in 2026 and lasts 75 minutes. If you’ll ride more than twice, a 24-hour pass at about €25 pays for itself. Here’s more on Venice transportation.
The Venice access fee
Cruise passengers count as day-trippers. On set peak days, Venice charges day visitors aged 14 and over an access fee to enter the historic center between 8:30 and 16:00. In 2026 it ran on 60 days between 3 April and 26 July: €5 if you booked at least four days ahead, €10 after that. Your cruise line may handle it for you, so ask. Dates for 2027 had not been announced by September 2026; check the calendar at cda.ve.it before your trip.
Is a few hours enough?
No, and I won’t pretend otherwise. Venice empties out in the evening when the day-trippers leave, and that’s when it’s at its best. If your cruise starts or ends here, add a night or two in the city on the end. If you only have the day, pick St. Mark’s Basilica or the Grand Canal ride, don’t try to do everything, and plan to come back. These will help: