The 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, In Minor Keys, runs until Sunday 22 November 2026 at the Giardini, the Arsenale and other venues around the city, with the awards ceremony on the closing day, according to La Biennale di Venezia. The exhibition was conceived by Koyo Kouoh, who died in May 2025; La Biennale decided to carry out her project with the team she had assembled. Next comes the 20th International Architecture Exhibition, curated by Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, from 8 May to 21 November 2027, with pre-opening days on 6 and 7 May.
Venice is the one city on our list where a car cannot take you to the door. Elly8.net books the parts of a Biennale trip that do happen on the road: Venice Marco Polo (VCE) or Treviso (TSF) to Piazzale Roma, the city's road terminus, at a fixed, all-in price; chauffeurs by the hour for the mainland venue at Forte Marghera, for dinners, villas and day trips; and city-to-city transfers to Milan, Lake Como or Florence when the visit ends. The last stretch to Castello is by boat, and we explain how that works below.
How do you get to the Venice Biennale from the airport?
Book a car from Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma, then take the ACTV vaporetto to the Giardini or Arsenale stops, or a water taxi. Elly8.net fares to Piazzale Roma start at US$120 in a business sedan and US$315 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed and all-in. The boat is booked separately.
From Marco Polo, Piazzale Roma is about 15 km (9 mi), roughly 20 minutes on a clear road across the Ponte della Libertà. From Piazzale Roma, La Biennale lists ACTV lines 1 and 4.1 to the Arsenale, and lines 1, 2, 4.1 and 5.1 to the Giardini, plus line 6 from Piazzale Roma only. The Arsenale stop on line 1 sits on Riva Ca' di Dio, next to the Arsenale ticket office.
There is also a direct boat from the airport. The Alilaguna Blue Line runs from Marco Polo Airport via Murano, Fondamente Nove and the Lido to Arsenale, San Zaccaria and San Marco, per Alilaguna. Many visitors with light luggage use it, and it is a good choice. Where a car wins is the group, the heavy bags, the late flight and the guest who wants the arrival handled.
The two exhibitions and their dates
Biennale Arte 2026, closing weeks. In autumn the Giardini, Arsenale and Forte Marghera open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission 5:45 p.m.) until 22 November. The exhibition is closed on Mondays, except Monday 16 November, according to the Biennale Arte 2026 visitor information. Tickets and guided tours are sold online only and need a reservation. A one-access ticket, valid for one entrance to the Giardini and one to the Arsenale on the same or different days, costs €30.
The last fortnight brings collectors, gallery teams and curators back to Venice for a final look, and the closing Sunday adds the awards ceremony. Hotel rooms near San Marco and Castello are in demand on those weekends, and so are the airport cars at the start and end of each stay.
Biennale Architettura 2027. La Biennale has published the dates of the 20th International Architecture Exhibition: 8 May to 21 November 2027, pre-opening on 6 and 7 May, per the Biennale Architettura 2027 page. Pre-opening days are when national pavilion teams, architects, press and invited guests arrive together, and the airport and Piazzale Roma are busiest. If you are travelling for those days, book the airport car as soon as your flights are fixed.
The venues: Giardini, Arsenale and Forte Marghera
The Giardini. The historic home of the national pavilions sits at the eastern end of Castello. La Biennale lists two entrances: Viale Trento 1260 and Sant'Elena (Viale IV Novembre). The infopoint and ticket office is on Viale Trento.
The Arsenale. The former shipyards, a short walk west of the Giardini, hold the main exhibition. The two entrances are Campo della Tana 2169/F and Ponte dei Pensieri (Salizada Streta), and the infopoint is on Riva Ca' di Dio by the Arsenale vaporetto stop.
Forte Marghera. The 2026 exhibition also uses Forte Marghera on the mainland, with the same opening hours as the Giardini and Arsenale. This is the venue a chauffeured car can reach directly, which makes it the natural first or last stop on a day that also includes a hotel on the mainland, Treviso or the Prosecco hills.
Collateral events and pavilions around the city. Many pavilions and collateral events sit in palazzi across Venice. Plan them on foot and by vaporetto within the historic centre; plan the car for everything that starts or ends on the mainland.
The transport problem, and the plan
Venice's historic centre has no roads for cars. Every road trip from the airport, Treviso, Mestre or the mainland ends at Piazzale Roma or, for some coach and car traffic, at Tronchetto. From there you walk, take the vaporetto or hire a water taxi. That changes how a Biennale trip should be booked.
Arrival. Book the car from VCE or TSF to Piazzale Roma with your flight number. The chauffeur tracks the flight and meets you inside arrivals with a name board, with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing. At Piazzale Roma the chauffeur unloads at the drop-off point permitted on the day. Read how meetings work on airport transfers.
The boat. From Piazzale Roma, take the vaporetto lines listed above or a licensed water taxi to your hotel or the Biennale. Elly8.net books the car only; water taxis and vaporetto tickets are arranged separately. A standard 75-minute ACTV ticket on the waterborne network costs €9.50, per AVM, the Venice transport authority.
Mainland days. A chauffeur by the hour suits the days that leave the lagoon: Forte Marghera, a hotel or meeting in Mestre, a collector's dinner in a villa on the mainland, or a run to Treviso. Hourly prices start at US$90 in a business sedan and US$115 in a business SUV, up to US$180 in an Executive Sprinter, with a 3-hour minimum.
Departure. Leave enough time for the boat back to Piazzale Roma, with luggage, before you meet the car. In the busy weeks, allow extra time for the boat at closing time.
Elly8.net prices for the Biennale
These are the published Venice fares, per vehicle and all-in, including the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet. Tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost. Prices do not change for the Biennale.
| Route or package | Business Sedan | Business SUV | First Class Sedan | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VCE to Piazzale Roma | US$120 | US$160 | US$210 | US$315 |
| VCE round trip to Piazzale Roma | US$230 | US$305 | US$400 | US$600 |
| TSF to Piazzale Roma | US$175 | US$230 | US$310 | US$455 |
| By the hour, as directed (3-hour minimum) | US$90 | US$115 | US$145 | US$180 |
| Evening out & event night | US$450 | US$575 | US$725 | US$900 |
| Full-day chauffeur | US$665 | US$850 | US$1,070 | US$1,325 |
| Corporate roadshow day | US$810 | US$1,035 | US$1,305 | US$1,620 |
A First Class SUV is US$195 from Marco Polo and US$280 from Treviso. Treviso Airport is about 30 km (18 mi) from Piazzale Roma, roughly 42 minutes on a clear road, and a round trip from TSF costs from US$335 in a business sedan to US$865 in an Executive Sprinter. The full price list is on the Venice car service page.
Pavilion teams, galleries and delegations
The pre-opening days in May work like a short, intense conference spread over a city of islands. National pavilion teams arrive with installers, curators, press officers and guests; galleries bring collectors; architecture studios fly in partners and clients.
- Groups. An Executive Sprinter with driver carries a team and its luggage from Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma in one vehicle, from US$315. For several arrivals across a day, the desk times each car to its flight; see group transportation.
- Corporate hosts. Brands and studios hosting dinners or receptions on the mainland can book the evening package or a full day, and a corporate account puts every booking on one monthly invoice. See corporate car service.
- Delegations. Ministries and cultural institutes sending officials to their pavilion can book arrivals, departures and mainland days through the desk, with NDAs on request. Elly8.net is not a security company; see government and diplomatic transportation.
- Travel agents and hotels. Agencies organising collector trips and art tours can book on account through travel agent accounts; hotel concierges through hotel accounts.
The corporate roadshow day, from US$810 in a business sedan to US$1,620 in an Executive Sprinter, keeps one chauffeur with you for a long day of meetings between Mestre, Treviso, Padua or the mainland villas, waiting at each stop.
Vaporetto, Alilaguna, bus, taxi or chauffeur: an honest comparison
| Option | Price | What it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alilaguna Blue Line from the airport | €18 one way, €32 round trip | Boat from Marco Polo to Arsenale and San Marco | Light luggage, staying in Castello or San Marco |
| ATVO bus from the airport | Bus fare | Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma | Budget arrivals, one traveller |
| Land taxi from the airport rank | Taxi fare | Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma | Walk-up arrivals |
| ACTV vaporetto | €9.50 for 75 minutes | Piazzale Roma to Giardini or Arsenale | Everyone, after the road ends |
| Elly8.net business sedan | US$120, fixed and all-in | Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma, met in arrivals | Late flights, families, fixed budgets |
| Elly8.net Executive Sprinter | US$315 per vehicle | Same, for a group and its bags | Pavilion teams, gallery groups |
Alilaguna fares are from the Alilaguna fares page; Alilaguna introduces winter timetables for its Blue and Orange lines from 28 October 2026, so check the times for November travel. ATVO runs the Venice airport bus express, with a ticket office at Piazzale Roma.
The fair verdict: if you are one person with a carry-on, staying near the Arsenale, the Alilaguna Blue Line takes you almost to the door and costs less than any car. A pre-booked car makes sense for a family or team that needs one vehicle and room for luggage, for a midnight landing when the boat timetable thins out, for arrivals at Treviso, and for anyone with a mainland stop on the way. For the general case, see chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs airport shuttle.
Evenings, day trips and onward travel
Dinners and openings on the mainland. The evening out and event night package, from US$450 in a business sedan to US$900 in an Executive Sprinter, keeps a car with you for a dinner or reception on the terraferma and the ride back to Piazzale Roma. The chauffeur follows local rules in the vehicle. See event transportation.
The Prosecco hills. The signature Venice day trip is eight hours in the Prosecco hills of Valdobbiadene, from US$665 in a business sedan to US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, all-in. The Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco consortium has information on the wine area; book winery visits before you book the car. See wine tours.
Onward by road. Many Biennale visitors combine Venice with another city. Our Milan car service, Lake Como chauffeur, Florence car service and Munich chauffeur pages have their own fixed prices; for a one-way drive from Piazzale Roma, price it in the web booker or read about city to city car service. In winter, St. Moritz and the Alps are also within reach, and Rome for those continuing south. If you are leaving by rail, Venezia Santa Lucia is next to Piazzale Roma; see train station transfers.
How booking works
Rides in Venice are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer, seven for Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley.
- Pickup and drop-off. Enter Marco Polo or Treviso with your flight number, and Piazzale Roma or your mainland address.
- Vehicle. Choose a Business Sedan, Business SUV, First Class Sedan, First Class SUV or Executive Sprinter; seats and luggage are on the fleet page.
- Reserve. Press Reserve now on the Venice price list, or use the web booker for any other address. Payment is by card in US$ and your confirmation arrives by email.
Biennale weeks book out early, especially the 2027 pre-opening. Reserve now and the price is fixed. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less; 50% at 48 hours or less; 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card. Full terms on the cancellation policy.
Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. We book the car only; for flights and hotels, our travel partner is BookingWorldwide.net.
Frequently asked questions
Can a car take me to the Biennale in Venice?
Not to the Giardini or the Arsenale, which sit in the car-free historic centre. The car takes you from Marco Polo or Treviso to Piazzale Roma, where you continue by vaporetto, water taxi or on foot. The exception is Forte Marghera, the 2026 venue on the mainland, which a chauffeured car reaches directly.
How much is a car from Venice airport to Piazzale Roma?
From Marco Polo (VCE) the fixed Elly8.net fare is US$120 in a business sedan, US$160 in a business SUV, US$195 in a First Class SUV, US$210 in a First Class Sedan and US$315 in an Executive Sprinter. It includes the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet in arrivals. Tolls and parking are billed at cost.
When does Biennale Arte 2026 close, and when is the 2027 Architecture Biennale?
Biennale Arte 2026 closes on Sunday 22 November 2026, with the awards ceremony that day. In autumn it opens 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Mondays except 16 November. Biennale Architettura 2027 runs from 8 May to 21 November 2027, with pre-opening days on 6 and 7 May.
Which vaporetto goes to the Giardini?
La Biennale lists ACTV lines 1, 2, 4.1 and 5.1 from Piazzale Roma and the railway station to the Giardini, plus line 6 from Piazzale Roma only. For the Arsenale, lines 1 and 4.1. A standard 75-minute waterborne ticket costs €9.50. Alilaguna's Blue Line also stops at Arsenale on its route from the airport.
Where does the chauffeur meet me at Marco Polo?
Inside arrivals, holding a name board, after you collect your bags. We track your flight, so a late landing moves the pickup automatically, with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing. The chauffeur then walks you to the car and drives to Piazzale Roma or your mainland address.
Can you move a pavilion team or a gallery group?
Yes. Executive Sprinters carry a team and its luggage in one vehicle, and the desk can time several cars to different flights on the same day. For institutions and companies, a corporate account brings every booking onto one monthly invoice, with NDAs on request. Book the pre-opening days early.
Do you book water taxis?
No. Elly8.net books the car only, to and from Piazzale Roma or any mainland address. Water taxis and vaporetto tickets are arranged separately, and your hotel may be able to arrange one. Allow time for the boat when you plan the pickup for your departure.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free more than 72 hours before pickup. At 72 hours or less the charge is 10%, at 48 hours or less 50%, and at 24 hours or less or for a no-show 100%. Refunds go to the original card used to book.
