The 84th Venice International Film Festival will take place on the Lido di Venezia in 2027, at the Palazzo del Cinema and the festival venues around it. La Biennale di Venezia has not yet announced the 2027 dates. The festival usually runs from late August into early September; the 83rd edition ran from 2 to 12 September 2026. Watch the Biennale Cinema page for the official announcement, and book once the dates are set.
Venice is unlike any other festival city on the Elly8.net network, because the last part of every journey is on water. A chauffeur takes you from Venice Marco Polo or Treviso airport to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, the end of the road at the edge of the historic city, and a boat or the car ferry takes you to the Lido. Elly8.net books the road legs at fixed, all-in prices, and the desk helps you plan the water leg with the official operators.
How do you get to the Venice Film Festival on the Lido?
By water. From Marco Polo airport, the Alilaguna Blue line and private water taxis run to the Lido. From the mainland, ACTV's line 17 car ferry links Tronchetto with Lido San Nicolò and carries cars. A chauffeur covers the road legs: airport to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, mainland hotels and onward journeys.
The Lido is a long, narrow island between the Venetian lagoon and the Adriatic, with roads, cars and buses of its own, which surprises many first-time visitors. What it does not have is a bridge to the mainland. Every guest arrives by boat, and every car on the island has crossed by ferry.
The airport operator lists two water options from Marco Polo to the Lido: the Alilaguna public service and private water taxis. Alilaguna publishes its Blue line from the airport with a Lido S.M.E. stop, and a seasonal Red line that also calls at Lido S.M.E. in summer. On the road side, ACTV's line 17 car ferry connects Tronchetto with Lido San Nicolò, carries cars, and takes reservations from 30 days to 3 hours before departure.
The festival at a glance
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Edition | 84th Venice International Film Festival, 2027 |
| Dates | Not yet announced; usually late August to early September (83rd edition: 2 to 12 September 2026) |
| Main venue | Palazzo del Cinema, Lido di Venezia |
| Other venues | Sala Casinò in the Palazzo del Casinò, among others on the Lido |
| Organiser | La Biennale di Venezia |
| Airports | Venice Marco Polo (VCE), Treviso (TSF) |
The festival brings directors, cast, producers, distributors, sales agents, press and invited guests to the Lido for about eleven days, and their schedules change by the hour: a press conference at noon, a photocall, an interview block, an evening premiere at the Palazzo del Cinema. Ground transport has to follow that rhythm without depending on traffic that does not exist on the water.
Arriving: Marco Polo or Treviso
Most festival guests land at Venice Marco Polo. Treviso is further out and handles a smaller number of flights. An Elly8.net chauffeur tracks your flight and meets you inside arrivals with a name board, with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing.
| Route | Distance | Clear-road drive | Business Sedan | Business SUV | First Class Sedan | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VCE to Piazzale Roma | 15 km (9 mi) | about 20 min | US$120 | US$160 | US$210 | US$315 |
| TSF to Piazzale Roma | 30 km (18 mi) | about 42 min | US$175 | US$230 | US$310 | US$455 |
| By the hour (3-hour minimum) | as directed | as directed | US$90 | US$115 | US$145 | US$180 |
Round trips from Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma start at US$230 and from Treviso at US$335. Prices are fixed and all-in per vehicle. If you want the car to cross to the Lido on the line 17 ferry, or to drop you at Tronchetto for the ferry, enter the Lido address in the web booker and the desk confirms what can be arranged for your dates; ferry fares and parking are billed at cost. For how airport pickups work, see airport transfers. Guests arriving by private aircraft are met at the FBO named in the booking; see private jet and FBO transfers.
The plan: where to stay and how the days work
Staying on the Lido. The closest base for the festival, with walking distance to the Palazzo del Cinema from the hotels around it. The car's job is the arrival and departure: Marco Polo to the water's edge, with the boat for the crossing. Book the departure leg at the same time, because the end of the festival brings everyone back to the airport within a day or two.
Staying in the historic city. Many guests stay in Venice itself and commute by water. A car has no role on the canals, but it matters for the airport, for evenings on the mainland and for day trips.
Staying on the mainland. Mestre, Treviso and the Veneto countryside have hotel capacity when the Lido and the city are full. Here a chauffeur makes the most difference: a car by the hour in the morning to Tronchetto or Piazzale Roma, and a pickup at the same point after the last screening. On the Venice list, the full-day chauffeur (8 hours) is from US$665 in a business sedan to US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, and the 10-hour corporate roadshow day from US$810 to US$1,620.
Evenings. Premieres, dinners and parties fill every night of the festival. For events on the mainland, or a dinner in the hills behind Treviso, the evening out and event night package (5 hours) is from US$450 in a business sedan to US$900 in an Executive Sprinter. The chauffeur follows local rules on drinks in vehicles.
A sample day for a guest staying on the mainland
Morning. The chauffeur collects you at a hotel in Mestre or the Treviso hills and drives to Tronchetto or Piazzale Roma, timed to the boat or water taxi you have booked. Send the desk your first appointment on the Lido and we work back from it, leaving a margin for the crossing and the walk to the venue.
Daytime. On the Lido you move on foot or by the island's own transport between screenings, press rooms and meetings. If your car has crossed on the line 17 ferry, it can wait on the island on an hourly booking.
Evening. After the premiere or the last screening, take the boat back and walk to the car at the agreed point at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto. The chauffeur tracks the time you give, so a late crossing does not mean a missed car; waiting beyond the included time is billed at cost.
Talent, studios, sales teams and press
Film companies move people in clusters: talent with a publicist, a director with a producer, a sales team with luggage and screening materials. On the road legs, an Executive Sprinter keeps a team together from Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma at US$315 per vehicle, and business sedans follow individuals. The desk books several vehicles under one reference. See film and production transportation, event transportation and group transportation.
For talent and executives who need discretion, chauffeurs are briefed only on what the route requires and the desk signs NDAs on request. Elly8.net provides transportation, not security; protective details and red-carpet arrival arrangements are set by the festival and arranged separately. Production companies and agencies can put every journey on one corporate account with monthly invoicing, and travel agents can book for clients through travel-agent accounts.
Water taxi, Alilaguna, car ferry or chauffeur: an honest comparison
In Venice, the honest answer is that you need a boat for part of the trip whatever you book. The question is how to make the road part as smooth as possible.
| Option | What it is | Best for | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private water taxi from Marco Polo | Direct boat from the airport | Talent, executives and anyone with bags who wants door-to-dock speed | Usually the costliest way across; book ahead during the festival |
| Alilaguna Blue line | Public boat from the airport, stops at Lido S.M.E. | Solo travellers with light bags | Fixed timetable, several stops on the way |
| ACTV line 17 car ferry | Car ferry, Tronchetto to Lido San Nicolò | Travellers who want a car on the Lido | Reservations needed; timings fixed |
| Elly8.net chauffeur | Road legs, airport to Piazzale Roma from US$120 | Mainland hotels, Treviso arrivals, evenings, day trips and onward journeys | Stops at the water's edge unless the car crosses on the ferry |
For the public water network, timetables and passes, the city's official Venezia Unica portal is the starting point. A chauffeur makes most sense for mainland hotels, early flights after late nights, families who need child seats on the road leg (provided on request), and groups moving with luggage. For the general comparisons, see chauffeur vs airport shuttle and chauffeur vs taxi.
Before and after the festival
The Veneto rewards a few extra days. The signature day trip from Venice is the Prosecco hills of Valdobbiadene, an 8-hour package from US$665 in a business sedan to US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, and the private city highlights package starts at US$360. Guests heading on can book a city-to-city car service to Milan, Lake Como, Florence, Rome, Munich or St. Moritz; the web booker quotes the trip. Flights and hotels can be arranged through our travel partner BookingWorldwide.net; Elly8.net books the car.
How Elly8.net works in Venice
Rides in Venice are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer, and seven or newer for Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley. Elly8.net is a member of LWD, LAI, HWD and VWD: LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Booking takes three steps:
- Enter the pickup and drop-off, with your flight number for airport legs.
- Choose the vehicle: business sedan or SUV, first class sedan or SUV, or Executive Sprinter.
- Press Reserve now on the Venice price list, or use the web booker for any address not on the list, including the Lido and mainland hotels. Confirmation arrives by email.
Prices include the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet. Tolls, parking, ferry fares and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Venice Film Festival?
La Biennale di Venezia has not yet announced the dates of the 84th edition. The festival usually runs from late August into early September; the 83rd edition ran from 2 to 12 September 2026. Check the Biennale Cinema page for the announcement and book your cars once the dates are confirmed.
Can a car take me all the way to the Palazzo del Cinema?
Only if the car crosses to the Lido on ACTV's line 17 car ferry from Tronchetto, which carries vehicles to Lido San Nicolò and needs a reservation. Most guests take the car to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto and cross by water taxi, Alilaguna or vaporetto. Enter the Lido address in the web booker and the desk confirms the options.
How much is a car from Marco Polo airport?
From Venice Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma, US$120 in a business sedan, US$160 in a business SUV and US$315 in an Executive Sprinter, all-in per vehicle. From Treviso, US$175 to US$455. Hourly cars start at US$90 with a three-hour minimum.
Is a water taxi better than a car?
For the crossing to the Lido, a boat is the only way unless the car takes the ferry, and a private water taxi from the airport is the fastest. A car is better for mainland hotels, Treviso arrivals, evenings on the mainland, day trips and onward journeys to other cities.
Can you handle a film team with luggage and equipment?
Yes, on the road legs. An Executive Sprinter carries a team with bags from Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma at US$315, and sedans can follow individuals. Tell the desk the number of people and cases, and we recommend the vehicles. Corporate accounts are invoiced monthly.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup. At 72 hours or less the fee is 10%, at 48 hours or less 50%, and at 24 hours or less or for a no-show 100%. Refunds go back to the original card, and changes can be made through the 24/7 desk.
Do you provide child seats?
Yes, on the road legs, on request at the time of booking. Give the desk the ages of the children so the right seats are fitted.
