A detailed guide to parking in Venice if you’re driving there – prices, where to park for free or cheaply, which car parks are closest, and how to get to the centre.
Where to Park in Venice
The centre of Venice is a maze of narrow lanes and canals, and the only way in is by water bus or gondola. The closest place to leave your car is right by the Piazzale Roma bus station or on the island of Tronchetto. The catch is that this is also the priciest option.
The cheaper alternative is to park on the mainland part of Venice – Mestre, where a large share of the city’s residents actually live. Let’s take a closer look at both.
Parking in Venice: The Edge of the Centre
The edge of the island part of Venice is the closest place to leave your car before you head off to see the sights.
You reach it from the mainland via the 4 km Ponte della Libertà bridge. There are 2 areas to choose from for parking:
- The multi-storey car parks by the bus station at Piazzale Roma – closer to the centre, guarded (you leave your keys on the dashboard – it’s normal in Venice and perfectly safe), pricier, and cars only (no campervans, buses, or larger vehicles).
- The island of Tronchetto – about 1 km from the bus station, secured with cameras, the cheaper option.
Both connect to the water bus lines that take you into the city centre. Just past the bridge, a short walk from Piazzale Roma, stands the main Santa Lucia train station, from where you can reach Padua in half an hour by train or Verona in an hour.
In peak season, we saw the car parks near the centre fill up by around ten in the morning. You can also book your space in advance through Parclick (it works much like Booking.com, just for parking) – you can see the ratings for each car park and how many spaces are free, and the price stays the same as it would on the spot. We use Parclick mostly in Italy and Spain, where the coverage is best.
Parking at Piazzale Roma
Parking at Piazzale Roma is the closest option in Venice. The city centre is within walking distance from here – in under half an hour you can be at Piazza San Marco, the Grand Canal, or the Rialto Bridge.
Getting to Piazzale Roma by car is easy – once you’re over the Ponte della Libertà bridge, carry on straight until you see the huge garages on your right.
You have 3 options for parking at Piazzale Roma:
Autorimessa Comunale Garage
The Autorimessa Comunale garage by the Piazzale Roma bus station is the first one you’ll see (it’ll be on your right). These are municipal garages with more than 2,000 parking spaces. You get to them from the middle lane.
- 24-hour rate: €35
- Overnight rate from 5 pm to 5 am: €15
San Marco Garage
The San Marco garage by the Piazzale Roma bus station is the most popular option for parking near the centre of Venice.
It isn’t cheap, but it’s the most convenient and quickest way to visit Venice for, say, a single day. In peak season you can book a spot online in advance, though the parking times are limited.
As you arrive, you’ll spot staff in red who’ll help you park if you need it. The garage sits behind the Autorimessa Comunale garage – carry on straight, turn right at the end of the garages, and drive around the building until you see the red San Marco signs.
- 5-hour rate for cars: €25 (on-site only, can’t be booked in advance)
- 10-hour rate for cars: €35
- 24-hour rate for cars: €45
- Overnight rate from 5 pm to 5 am: €20
- 24-hour rate for motorcycles: €20
S. Andrea Car Park
The S. Andrea car park is ideal for a short stay – the rate is €7 for every 2 hours (€14 for 4 hrs, €21 for 6 hrs, and so on), so it doesn’t pay off for anything longer. Here you don’t leave your keys on the dashboard. The garage is to the right of the San Marco garage.
Parking on Tronchetto Island
Tronchetto Island is also part of the island section of Venice. Once you cross the bridge linking the mainland and the island, you turn right for Tronchetto (going straight would take you to the Piazzale Roma bus station – see above).
Tronchetto is a man-made island by the port with more than 4,000 covered parking spaces. Unlike the more central car parks, there’s always plenty of room here (no need to book ahead), and you don’t leave your keys on the dashboard.
Buses, campervans, and similarly larger vehicles that wouldn’t stand a chance in the narrow garages closer to the centre can park here too.
- 1-hour rate: €6
- 2-hour rate: €12
- 3-hour rate: €18
- 4-hour rate: €25
- 5-hour rate: €27
- 24-hour rate: €29
Booking: You can reserve a space in advance here. The price is the same as on the spot.
Tronchetto Island is about a 15–20 minute walk from Piazzale Roma. The easier way to reach the centre of Venice is to hop on the vaporetto water bus (tickets can be bought right at the dock from a machine – it’s signposted).
The fare is €9.50 for a 75-minute ride. Both line 2 and the night line N stop here. Both take you past the most beautiful spots in Venice.
A third option is to take the driverless People Mover train, which gets you to Piazzale Roma for €1.50 (it’s a direct line between Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto Island; you get off next to the San Marco garage).
More inspiration: One Day in Venice – itinerary and route map
Parking in Venice: The Suburb of Mestre
Parking in the Venice suburb of Mestre is the cheaper way to reach Venice by car. Mestre is the largest part of Venice, with 200,000 residents. It has nothing in common with the historic centre, but it’s perfectly threaded with public transport (buses, trams).
Parking in Mestre pays off if you don’t mind spending more time getting to Venice. You can leave your car here and then reach Venice in 10 minutes by train (€1.50). Or hop on a bus or tram for €1.50 (by card at the machine at the stop or on the bus, or straight from the driver for €3 in cash).
You get off at Piazzale Roma, the main bus station, where several water bus lines connect. But the island part of Venice starts right here, so you can set off straight away on foot. If you take the train, the station is opposite the bus station, across the canal.
Mestre has plenty of places to park, sometimes even for free (in which case it’s further from the station and the centre of Mestre). As a rule, the further you park from the station, the cheaper it gets. Parking near the station usually runs between €15 and €20 for 24 hours.
But there are a few spots where you can park far more cheaply – here are our tips:
- Venice City Park Srl – €8 for 24 hours; guarded car park
- Parcheggio Terminal Service – €7 for 24 hours
Both car parks are outdoors and uncovered. The bus stop is just a short walk away – bus lines 4L, 7, 6, and 2 run to Piazzale Roma.
Note: The parking fee is often charged from 00:00 to 24:00. You pay when you leave.
In peak season, we saw the car parks near the centre fill up by around ten in the morning. You can also book your space in advance through Parclick (it works much like Booking.com, just for parking) – you can see the ratings for each car park and how many spaces are free, and the price stays the same as it would on the spot. We use Parclick mostly in Italy and Spain, where the coverage is best.
Venice Parking on a Map
Below you’ll find a detailed map of parking in Venice. Click the top-left part of the map to see the separate layers with the marked spots.
You can hide and show the different layers, or click the icons on the map to see the names of the places I mention in this Venice parking guide. For a larger version, click the icon in the top-right corner.
Map of parking options
Click to view the Google Maps map
More About Venice
Get inspired by the most beautiful spots in Venice or plan your day trip to Venice. Planning to spend more time in Venice? Here’s our itinerary and route map for 2 days in Venice.
Since 2024, there’s a new requirement to pay an entry fee to Venice on selected days.
