Cecilia Masaracchia is Tour-Vicenza's main guide, she has over ten years experience in the field and is an Official Tour Guide for Vicenza and the Veneto Villas, selected and accredited by the provincial authorities. Travel Information - How to reach Vicenza by car or train from nearby cities and airports, and getting around the province by public transport.
The transport infrastructure in the North of Italy is highly developed and efficient, making it very easy to arrive by road or by rail, as well as from all nearby airports, including those that serve the popular european budget airlines such as Ryanair. Venice-Treviso Airport (Ryanair) and Venice Marco Polo Airports are the closest, followed by Verona Airport and Verona-Brescia.
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FROM NEARBY CITIES
Venice (Venezia), Mestre, Padua (Padova),
Verona, Brescia, Milan (Milano)
Vicenza is located directly on the main Milan to Venice national highway (the A4, also known as the E70 European Highway), and the Milan-Venice railway line. These include the neighbouring towns of Verona and Padua, so it is extremely easy to move between all these locations.
By Car
On the national highway there are two exits to Vicenza: East (Vicenza Est) and West (Vicenza Ovest). They are both roughly equidistant from the centre of town, and are clearly signposted. The only area that requires special care is when driving from Venice. Venice is linked to the A4 highway by a few kilometres of multiple connecting roads and junctions. The trick here is, immediately leaving Venice, to go the whole time absolutely as slow as traffic conditions will reasonably permit (ignore any angry drivers pressuring you), keeping your eyes open for the large green signs saying Milano which appear very suddenly. Just don’t miss any.
By Train
From the central train stations of any of the above cities there are regular direct trains. When in Venice, Mestre or Padua the trains you will want are those with destined for Milan. When in Verona, Brescia and Milan you will need to look for those destined for Venice. More train information and pre-booking is available at the Trenitalia site. If you can, use the automatic kiosks at the stations, as they have foreign language explanations, and will calculate the best route for you. The cheapest trains are marked E (espresso), iR or cis (interregionale), or R (Regionale), the faster ones are marked IC (Intercity), EC (Eurocity) or ES (Eurostar – requires reservation).
Florence (Firenze), Bologna, Ferrara
By Car
From Florence town centre follow the green signs for the A1 highway to Bologna, once on the A1, as you approach Bologna, follow the direction of the A13 to Padova, on approaching Padova you will then pick up the A4 Venice to Milan (see above), therefore as you reach Padova, keep an eye out for signs for Milano. Once you are on the A4 Venice to Milan, Vicenza is one of the first exits.
From Bologna or Ferrara, the journey is the same as just above, but without the A1 section. So from Bologna or Ferrara town centre, just follow green signs to the A13 highway to Padova. As you reach Padova you will soon see signs for Milano, follow these and you will then be back on the Venice-Milan highway. Vicenza is one of the first exits.
By Train
Just take any of the trains destined for Padova. At Padova, you will pick up the main Venice to Milan line (see above). Remember to take a train that arrives in Padova well before around 11 PM or you risk missing the last connecting train to Vicenza. This is correct at the time of writing and is unlikely to change, it can be confirmed at the Trenitalia web site.
FROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS
Venice Marco Polo
By Car
You will leave the airport on a short connecting road that ends in a T-junction to the main SS14 state road. As you approach this, get on the right and take a right (yes RIGHT – ignore any signs telling you otherwise) turn on to the SS14, you will then very shortly see the large green highway signs indicating a left turn to Venezia, Milano or the Tangenziale. Take this left turn and follow the road until you see the green signs indicating Milano, this will take you to the main Venice to Milan highway (A4). Take the first Vicenza exit, which is well signposted.
By Train
The airport has a direct shuttle bus (ATVO Fly Bus), to Mestre station that takes about twenty minutes, though can take a little longer at busy periods. At the time of writing, you can buy this on board, otherwise the airport news kiosk / gift shop. Alternatively, there is the standard ACTV number 15 urban bus line, for which you can also buy tickets (about €1) at the news kiosk / gift shop (if you don’t speak Italian, for your first lesson, say “billyettow ahcheeteevee messtray ferrowveea”). You will need to bare in mind, when booking your flight, that you need to complete disembarkation formalities at the airport by around 9.30 PM local time or you will be unlikely to catch the last connecting train at Mestre; in other words, you must not reach Mestre station any later than around 10.30 PM. This is correct at the time of writing and has been so for the last 10 years, but you may wish to verify this at the Trenitalia site. Anytime before that (i.e. most flights) and you will be fine.
Venice Treviso (RYANAIR)
By Car
Take a right (yes RIGHT - ignore any signs to the contrary) turn out of the airport car park getting on to the main road that goes past the airport. Take a left at the very first traffic light/intersection. Follow the road as it winds its way around and at the very first right hand turnoff, there will be a sign to Vicenza, it is effectively the very first right turn you can make. You are now on the main road leading to Vicenza, at any further roundabouts or intersections just be sure to follow signs to Vicenza.
By Train
Provided you arrive and complete formalities at Treviso airport by around 7 PM, both the fastest and cheapest route, is to take the urban bus number 6 to Treviso Centrale train station and take a Regionale (marked R) train to Vicenza, the last one leaves around 8 PM. You can buy the bus ticket (if you don’t speak Italian, for your first lesson, say “billyettow aowtowboos korsa sempleechay”) at the news kiosk in the airport or from the bar opposite the airport car park. The number 6 stop is marked by a big yellow sign and is on the SAME side of the road as the airport car park. The bus (normally yellow) comes every 20 to 30 minutes and the journey to Treviso station takes about 20 minutes. You can verify the Treviso to Vicenza timetables at the Trenitalia site.
An alternative to this, (and one that allows you to arrive on a later flight), is to take the bus that meets all Ryanair flights and takes you to Mestre train station in about half an hour. You will need to bare in mind, when booking your flight, that your flight needs to reach Treviso airport by 9.30 PM local time or you will be unlikely to find a connecting train at Mestre; in other words, you must not reach Mestre station any later than around 10.30 PM. This is correct at the time of writing, has been so for the last 10 years and is unlikely to change, but you may wish to confirm it at the Trenitalia site. Anytime before that (i.e. most flights) and you will be fine. At Mestre station you can take any train headed in the direction of Milano.
Verona Airport (Aeroporto Valerio Catullo)
By Car
On leaving the airport follow the green signs to Venezia (or A4) and you will shortly be on the main Milan-Venice highway (see above)
By Train
Every 20 minutes a bus leaves for Verona Port Nuova (Verona’s main train station), the bus journey itself takes about twenty minutes. From here just take any train headed for Venice and Vicenza will be one of the first stops. You need to be sure that you can reach Verona train station by around 10.30 PM, as the last trains for Venice leave at this time. This is correct at the time of writing and is unlikely to change, you may wish to confirm this at the Trenitalia site.
Verona Brescia Airport (RYANAIR)
By Car
On leaving the airport follow the green signs to Venezia (or A4) and you will shortly be on the main Milan to Venice Highway (see above)
By Train
A connecting bus service will take you to Verona Port Nuova station (Verona’s main train station), the journey takes around 45 minutes. From here, just take any train headed for Venice, and Vicenza will soon appear. You need to be sure that you can reach Verona train station by around 10.30 PM as the last trains leave around this time. This is correct at the time of writing and is unlikely to change, you may confirm this at the Trenitalia site.
Milan Airports: Linate, Malpensa
By Car
Via Traversi is the short road leading out of Linate Airport, at the junction take a left, and at the next junction take another left, following the green (highway) signs to the A51 in the direction of Lecco, Brughiera, Monza or Venezia, Once on the A51, after 15 kilometres, you will reach the main A4 Milan to Venice Highway (see above).
On leaving Malpensa airport follow the signs to Autostrade, Milano or Varese, this will be the state road 336 (SS336), then follow the green (highway) signs to Venezia or Milano (the A8 highway). Once you are on the A8, after 25 kilometres you will see the green signs for Venezia.(or A4), you will now be on the main A4 Milan to Venice Highway (see above).
By Train
Both Airports are served by connecting bus services to Milano Centrale train station. From Linate the journey takes around 15-20 minutes, from Malpensa around 50 minutes. At Milano Centrale take any train in the direction of Venice (see above), at the time of writing, the last train is at around 9 PM, you can verify this at the Trenitalia web site.
EXPLORING VICENZA PROVINCE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
A number of smaller localities are well served by the local train lines from Vicenza train station. These include: ANCONETTA, CAVAZZALE, DUEVILLE, VILLAVERLA, MONTECCHIO, THIENE, MARANO and SCHIO. You can also reach BASSANO by train in about 1 hour, however unless you prefer to use the train because you have a special pass or cumulative ticket, then, generally speaking, it is far better to make use of the excellent provincial bus service. You will also use the provincial bus service when visiting any other locality not served by the train. These include: ASIAGO, ARCUGNANO, ARZIGNANO,BARBARANO, BREGANZE, GAMBELLARA, GRANCONA, GRUMOLO, LONIGO, MALO, MAROSTICA, MONTAGNANA, NOVENTA, POIANA, RECOARO, SARCEDO, SANDRIGO,TAVERNELLE, TONEZZA, VALDAGNO, ZANE'.
The provincial bus service is named FTV and the buses are usually turquoise or blue in colour. The Vicenza central bus station (called autostazione), is located adjacent to the train station. Coming out of the train station, just bare left and you will soon see it. You can buy your tickets there, which are based on the distance of your journey. If you wish to consult timetables and destinations now, you can use the FTV web site, this is in Italian, but is very clearly laid out, so you will be able to make sense of it; just bare in mind, as with all Italian timetables, that feriale means weekday and festivo refers to weekends and holidays.