Page 288 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

286  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Getting Around the Veneto

The Veneto has many famous and historical cities, most of Remember to stamp your ticket
which are a comfortable day trip from Venice by train or bus. in the yellow machines at the
The smaller towns that surround Lake Garda are accessible by entrance to the platform or
local bus, while the city centres of Verona and Padua can be on the platform before
boarding the train.
explored on foot. The public transport networks are excellent Booking is compulsory when
and reasonably priced, discouraging car travel especially as travelling on all of the fast Freccia,
motorways can be congested and tourist traffic is banned in Euro star and Intercity trains; it is
city centres. Nevertheless, cars are more convenient when also advisable to book in advance
touring the Dolomites. Travelling by taxi is very expensive. on other trains, especially if you
wish to travel at busy times. If you
are travelling less than 200 km
Train Travel centre, which is only a (125 miles) on a regionale (local)
Trenitalia, Italy’s state railway, 10-minute walk away. Padua’s train, ask for a biglietto a fasce
runs an extensive and efficient station houses many facilities chilometriche (short-range ticket).
network throughout the Veneto. including a tourist office, a left- Available from the ticket office,
Trains are regular and mostly luggage office and a bureau de as well as from tobacconists and
punctual, and the cost of travel change. The main bus terminal, news agents at railway stations,
is reasonable. The variety of train with services to Venice and this ticket is stamped with the
services range from the slow other towns in the Veneto, destination you require. Both
regionale, stopping at almost is adjacent. outward and return portions of
every station en route, through Vicenza, 55 minutes from a ticket must be used with in
the various intercity trains to the Venice, is on the main railway three days of purchase. Like all
high-speed Freccia and Eurostar, line between Verona and Padua. other tickets, a biglietto a fasce
which link Venice with Verona The station is a 5-minute chilometriche must be validated
and beyond. Reduced fares are stroll south of the city centre, by inserting it in one of the
available if you book in advance and services here include left yellow machines at the entrance
online; otherwise tickets are luggage, ticket offices, to the platforms.
available at stations. There are tourist information and All tickets can be purchased on
facilities for disabled travellers currency exchange. the Trenitalia website, often with
on intercity services (see p281). good discounts if booked well
ahead of the travel date.
Tickets and Fares
Main Train Stations
Main train stations have both
For information on Venice’s ticket offices and easy-to-use Bus Travel
Santa Lucia Station, see p280. self-service machines, which City buses are cheap and
The nearest mainland station have clear instructions in several regular. Tickets, which must be
to Venice is Mestre, which lies languages and accept both cash bought prior to travel, are
at the end of the cause way and credit cards. Ticket offices at available from news stands,
leading to Venice. It is also many small railway stations have tobacconists and shops that
the junction for lines to been replaced by a simpler display the bus company’s logo.
Conegliano, Treviso, Calalzo machine that accepts cash only. A flat fee is charged for rides
and the Friuli region. Tickets can also be purchased on within the city and the suburbs.
Verona lies at the inter section board all trains, but be aware that The ticket becomes valid only
of the main railway lines from they will then be subject to a when time-stamped in the
Venice to Milan and from considerable surcharge. machine on board the bus.
Bologna to Munich. The main
station, Porta Nuova, lies a short
distance south of the city centre
and is connected to it by
frequent buses. Facilities include
a tourist office, left-luggage
storage and a newsagent that
sells bus tickets. The small Porta
Vescovo station, serving local
stations to the east of Verona, is
used mainly by locals.
Padua (Padova) is only 30
minutes by train from Venice.
The station is in the north of the
town; buses and a tram leave
from outside the station for the An ATV bus in front of the Roman arena in Verona

286-287_EW_Venice.indd 286 8/18/17 11:17 AM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.6)
Date 7th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm