Venice People Mover to Marittima Cruise Port

We've been covering the Venice People Mover since April, 2010, when we shot videos during the People Mover's first day of operation.

In this article, we're doing something different: We're providing step-by-step illustrated instructions for cruise passengers who want to get from the Piazzale Roma to their check-in terminals at Marittima without hiring taxis, paying for expensive cruise transfers, or relying on shuttle buses (which aren't always available).

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Please note:

• Most cruise ships now depart and arrive at ports on the italian mainland, rather than in Venice itself.  Only the smallest ships (up to 25,000 GRT) continue to use the Marittima cruise basin or the smaller San Basilio and Santa Marta piers. However, cruise lines frequently use Marittima's terminals for check-in and disembarkation in Venice, with shuttle buses providing transportation between Marittima and the pier.

• For a detailed index of our Venice cruising articles, type "Veniceforcruisers.com" into your browser's address bar or click here. (We've supplied links to our most important cruise articles at the bottom of this page.)

How to get from the Piazzale Roma to your cruise ship
with the Venice People Mover:

The entrance to the People Mover station at Piazzale Roma is on the corner of a public parking garage (at right in the photo above, where you can see the People Mover's platforms above the street). It's just a few meters from Ca' Doge, a small hotel where cruise passengers with heavy luggage often stay. (A larger three-star hotel, the Santa Chiara, is also on the square.)

The People Mover runs from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. on weekdays year-round. On Sundays and holidays, hours are 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. during the main cruise season (April through October) and  8:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. from November through March.

Buy a one-way ticket for €1,50 at the multilingual, easy-to-use vending machines inside the station entrance. The machines accept coins. banknotes of €5 to €20, and credit cards. Change is given in coins.

Note: If you have a leftover ACTV land-bus ticket, you can use that instead of buying a People Mover Ticket. (ACTV bus tickets are available from vaporetto ticket booths and machines, tobacco shops, and many newsstands.)

After you've purchased your ticket, scan the barcode at the turnstiles and take the escalator or elevator upstairs to the platforms. (If you're using a bus ticket, you'll need to hold the ticket against the white electronic card reader and wait for the green light to flash.)

The next train should arrive within a few minutes.

Get off at Marittima (the first station) and go downstairs via the escalator or lift.

As you leave the People Mover station, a sign will direct you to the port entrance, which is only a short distance away.

Follow the crowd to the piers. (On busy departure days, port employees usually are on hand to direct passengers.)

As you approach the Marittima basin, you should see signs pointing to your check-in location. (Marittima has a number of terminals, and all are within walking distance of the People Mover station over level ground.)