The birthplace of adventurer Casanova and the venue for one of the most fascinating carnivals in the world, Venezia (or Venice) attracts in excess of 20 million tourists every year from across the globe. This unique Italian city is split in two, and it boasts an incredibly artistic and cultural heritage. Get ready to marvel at breath-taking bridges, magnificent monuments and classical churches, with a meandering network of local streets and canals, gondolas and vaporettos (the Venetian water buses) which are renowned the world over.
Venice is served by two train stations (Venezia Santa Lucia and Venezia Mestre), with Venezia Santa Lucia standing as the central hub for the city’s rail network.
Trenitalia operate regional and high-speed routes to and from both of the train stations in Venice, and you can also travel to Venice on a high-speed Italo service too. Both operators' speedy services help to make travel times between Italy's biggest destinations much quicker, with trains from Rome (Roma Termini station) to Venice taking 3 hours and 45 minutes, from Milan (Milano Centrale) to Venice taking 2 hours 25 minutes, and from Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella) to Venice taking just 2 hours.
Visiting Venice
Getting the train to Venice is, without doubt, the best way to arrive in this historic corner of Italy. Arriving by railway provides the best first view of Venice, with mesmerising vistas of the city itself and its extensive lagoon. One of the biggest draws of ‘The City of Bridges’ is its unique architecture. Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) near Piazza San Marco is just a 25-minute walk from Venezia’s main train station, and it is surrounded by stylish bars and trendy bistros, which are perfect for travellers looking to recharge their batteries after a long journey. Once in the vicinity, visitors should make sure to leave plenty of time in their schedule to do some sightseeing. The Palazzo Ducale is right on the doorstep, offering an incredible example of Venetian Gothic architecture. Today, this palace stands as an important museum that houses countless exhibits too.
Tourists will also find the Renaissance clock tower in this area, characterised by its two bronze statues. Piazza San Marco also leads to the must-see bell tower. From there, visitors will be able to marvel at the gorgeous views of the city from a heady height of 98 metres! Heading onward (and downward from the top of the tower), tourists can enjoy a pleasant 4-minute stroll towards the Teatro La Fenice, which is a world-famous venue for opera and music. There's also the celebrated Gallerie dell’Accademia a 9-minute walk from here, boasting a rich collection of Venetian art from across the centuries — simply the perfect place to unwind and reflect after a busy day spent exploring the streets and canals of the iconic Venezia.
A journey to Venice is like a travel in time — without the requirement of a time machine. The combination of a good rail network and affordable train tickets makes the arrival in this unique destination easy, fast and comfortable — and it also creates the opportunity to discover and explore the whole Veneto region. Padova, Treviso and Vicenza are ideal day trips, being connected to Venice via frequent daily regional trains taking less than an hour, and tickets starting from less than 10 €.