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Venice > Transportation > Santa Lucia RR Station

Venice Railroad Station

An illustrated guide to the Venezia Santa Lucia train station, or Ferrovia, in Venice's historic center.

Venice aerial photo

ABOVE: This aerial photo shows the location of Venezia Santa Lucia Railroad Station in relation to two of Venice's most famous tourist landmarks.


First things first: The term "Venice Railroad Station" is a misnomer, because the municipality of Venice has two major stations: Venezia Mestre station on the Italian mainland, and Venezia Santa Lucia station in the city's historic center (which is 6 km or 4 miles offshore in the Venetian Lagoon).

Venezia Mestre railroad stationMestre is a through station where trains stop briefly on their way from Austria and Slovenia to Bologna and Florence. Some trains cross the causeway from Mestre to the Santa Lucia station; others require passengers to disembark in Mestre and catch a local train into the historic center. It's wise to check your train's timetable before departing for Venice, just so you'll know where to get off the train.

Venezia Santa Lucia Station


Venezia Santa Lucia Railroad Station

ABOVE: Venice's Santa Lucia Railway Station is near the foot of the Grand Canal, just behind the Ferrovia vaporetto platforms.


Venice railroad bridgeFrom Mestre, a brick-and-stone causeway named the Ponte della Libertà, or "Bridge of Liberty," crosses the Venetian Lagoon to central Venice.

Venice Railroad Station logoTrains dead-end in the Stazione Ferroviaria Santa Lucia, a stark white building from the 20th Century that looks out of place in a city where most buildings are hundreds of years old. The station's façade is decorated with the logo of the FS, or Ferrovie dello Stato, a.k.a. Italian State Railways.

Inside, you'll find the usual services, including plenty of shops that have been added in the last few years.

Venice Railroad Station lobby

Next page: Arriving by train


In this article:
Venice railroad station
Arriving by train
Departing by train
Local transportation

Frequently asked questions (FAQ):
Where can I store baggage?
Where are the toilets (WCs)?
Does the station have food and shopping?
Does the station have facilities for disabled travelers?
How do I contact the police or the lost-and-found?

Also see:
Wheelchair, stroller, and wheeled-luggage ramp
Venice railroad station hotels
Mestre to Venice by train
Mestre railroad station
Railroad Station to Marco Polo Airport
Marco Polo Airport to Railroad Station
Baggage Porters

About the author:

Durant Imboden photo.Durant Imboden has written about Venice, Italy since 1996. He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching Europe for Visitors (including Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl Imboden in 2001.

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