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ACTV bus 15 to MestreorWater taxi?

The short answer

These do not go to the same place, so price is not the comparison. The Water taxi reaches the historic city — San Marco and the islands within it; the ACTV bus 15 to Mestre does not. Mestre is the mainland half of Venice, not the historic city — this bus does not cross to the islands. Change here for a mainline train or stay on the mainland.

The ACTV bus 15 to Mestre is quicker: 25 min against 30 min.

ACTV bus 15 to Mestre: 05:45–20:15. Water taxi: Runs all night.

Priced against each other

Whole-party totals · adult fares
What each costs for the whole party, in EUR. The cheaper of the two is marked on every row.
TravelersACTV bus 15 to MestreWater taxiDifference
1€10€110€100
2€20€110€90
3€30€110€80
4€40€110€70
5€50€120€70
6€60€130€70
7€70€140€70
8€80€150€70

Side by side

Where each one leaves you
15 · ACTV / AVMACTV bus 15 to Mestre
From
The bus stands outside arrivals
To
Mestre FS, the mainland station
Luggage
Three pieces, none over 150 cm in total dimensions; beyond that a whole extra passenger fare per three bags.
Runs
05:45–20:15
Journey
25 min

It runs only until early evening — 20:15 on weekdays, 20:25 on Sundays and holidays. ATVO's coach and the taxi are the way in later.

A local bus with about a dozen stops, not an express: budget the full 25 minutes.

ACTV bus 15 to Mestre: price for every party size

Check AVM fares
taxi · Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia, on the Comune's tariffWater taxi
From
The waterfront dock
To
Anywhere in the historic city, to the door where a canal allows
Luggage
One bag per person included.
Runs
All night
Journey
30 min

It may legally carry up to twenty people — the municipal regulation caps a licence at twenty, and operators run boats seating about ten. That is far more than the four almost every other airport taxi allows.

It still does not beat the boat service for a group, because the fare stops being flat above four people: eight travelers pay EUR 150.00 against EUR 144.00 on Alilaguna. It only pulls ahead at nine.

Between 00:00 and 07:00, check you are buying a boat. The operators' own consortium warns that at those hours an airport booking may mean a car to Piazzale Roma and a boat onward.

A flat EUR 10.00 is added to the whole fare between 22:00 and 06:00.

This is the only option that can reach a hotel door, where a canal allows it — which for some addresses with luggage is the whole argument.

Water taxi: price for every party size

This compares two of 12 options. See all of them ranked for your party size

The other comparisons at Marco Polo