The most direct path will place you on the S Autobahn, a central motorway that presents you with a wealth of sightseeing options that don’t require too much of a detour. A local driver can tailor your journey to include gems such as Graz, a city in the South of Austria famed for its Renaissance and Baroque architecture and its romantic, narrowly winding streets.

While some opt for one of the train routes connecting these two historical cities, traversing this distance can take over 10 hours and involves at least one transfer. If you use Daytrip to drive from Vienna to Venice instead, you will have a much more convenient door-to-door experience. You’ll be assisted with your luggage, avoid the stress of navigating the train schedules and most excitingly, you’ll have the option of exploring sightseeing stops along the way with an English-speaking driver who can provide unique local insight. Some of the smaller cities and villages along this route are less well connected by public transport options, but are no less worth seeing!

An official UNESCO World Heritage Site, Venice is a beautiful feat of engineering and architecture that defies probability and gravity by rising proudly from a lagoon as if floating atop the water. Because of the resulting interlacing maze of canals, Venice is sometimes aptly called “the city of bridges” or “the floating city.” Driving from Vienna to Venice grants you a unique opportunity to experience one of Italy’s greatest treasures. Naturally, because of its watery base, it is not possible to drive in the heart of Venice itself, but once you’ve come that far with a personal driver, you will be transferred directly to the ferry dock where your exciting navigation of the map of canals can begin.

Venice today: is the city sinking?

The stunning floating city was built atop a series of marshy islands that have been slowly dissolving into the surrounding lagoon over the course of the last two thousand years. The weighty marble structures rest atop wooden piles pushed deep into the mud, a foundation that has become increasingly unstable with time.

This phenomenon is what gives the city its beautiful aquatic appeal, but it has also become a cause for concern. In recent years, many people have become increasingly eager to visit Venice on their trips to Italy, due to the widespread notion that the city is slowly sinking as a result of rising sea levels. The usual flooding that results in Venice is called _aqua alta, _and it now occurs at least 60 days of the year where it once was sporadic.

All is not lost, though! If you are keenly planning your trip to Venice, know that the rate of sinking is still reportedly at only around 1-2 millimeters per year. The damage that this causes certainly isn’t to be overlooked, but it doesn’t mean you should rush to cancel your flight either. Many coastal cities, unfortunately, face the same perils in the age of climate change, and keeping Venice on your list of destinations in Italy is certainly worth it for any traveler hoping to experience the city’s rich artistic and cultural impact on Italian heritage.

Be mindful of mountainous journeys

While it may seem cheaper to rent a car and tackle the drive from Vienna to Venice yourself, note that this area is rich in hills and valleys and that some of the sightseeing stops along the way may involve difficult winding passes, hairpin turns, or unfamiliar traffic patterns.

What’s more, once you get to Venice, you will not be able to use a rented car and will have to either return it outside of the city or pay to park it during your stay - not a cheap option! To save yourself the headache, it can be best to leave these routes to a professional driver who is familiar with the area and can ensure your safe transfer.

Peak season preparations

If you are visiting Venice in the hot summer months, be mindful that there is a significant influx of visitors to the relatively compact city (sometimes, in the peak season, this can look like a 2:1 ratio of visitors to locals). This means that it can be trickier to carry large amounts of luggage along the canals upon first arriving, so consider utilizing the water bus (starting at about €9.50) or private boat taxis to get to your accommodation.

Flight from Vienna to Venice

The fastest possible way to get from Vienna to Venice is by flying between these two city’s airports, which will cut your transfer time to around 3 hours and 45 minutes. However, depending on when you intend to travel as well as when you book your flight, the costs can be widely variable and appear to range from €28 to as much as €170.

Remember that while you will save time with a flight, you will also likely need to pay more for any excessive baggage and will need to account for the time and money spent on the transfer between your accommodation and the airport.

Train from Vienna to Venice

As previously mentioned, there is a train route connecting these two cities that operates with a schedule of about 15 weekly departures. This means you’ll need to be somewhat flexible with your intended departure and arrival times, as you may only have one or two scheduled trains to pick from on any given day. The train costs an average of €70-110 and can take from almost 8 hours to 10 and a half depending on the number of transfers. You’ll usually transfer to a new train once in Salzburg and again in Innsbruck, following a more Northern route through Austria that skips over Slovenia entirely. There is also a night train that tends to have a slightly lower cost, ranging from €50-150 depending on your travel dates - but only some of these trains are direct, so you may face a middle-of-the-night transfer.

Bus from Vienna to Venice

It is possible to take a bus from Vienna to Venice, and it averages around 9 hours in travel time, so it will take about as much time as a train. This option can be more affordable, with tickets ranging from €40-60. The night bus schedule tends to cost less than those departing during the day, but again be sure to check whether your sleep in transit will be interrupted by a transfer. Most routes involve at least one stop in Maribor.

Here’s a breakdown of the cost and time comparison for each option:

• Private car transfer: starting at €142 | 6 and half hours
• Flight: varies widely from €28-170 | 3 hours and 45 minutes
• Train: day ticket €70-110, night ticket €50-150 | 8 to 10 and half hours
• Bus: day or night tickets around €40-60 | just under 9 hours

Visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica

St. Mark’s Square is the centerpiece of Venice, boasting an expanse of 12th-century galleries and central access to some of the most iconic sights in Venice, including the iconic St. Mark’s Basilica.

This spectacular work of architecture with its signature domes and elaborate artistic touches is one of the most opulent churches you could ever hope to see. The interior is just as stupendous as the facade suggests, with ornate mosaics and plenty of gold covering nearly every surface. The square is a must-see for your time in Venice to appreciate the centuries of work put into these intricate displays of Italian history and culture.

Take an excursion to Murano or Burano

These two small islands are a reasonable boat ride away from the center of Venice, with Murano being a little closer for those seeking shorter transfers. This island is renowned for its blown glass, so catch a demonstration of this ancient fiery art in action or spend your time shopping for beautiful hand-crafted souvenirs to bring home.

Burano on the other hand is known for its distinctive rainbow-hued buildings, as well as for its intricate lace making. On both islands, be sure to shop around a bit before purchasing either blown glass or lace products, as some shops here can carry the same items at very different prices.

Go on a gondola ride

A highly recognizable symbol of Venetian culture is the sleek black gondola, piloted by a singing gondolier in a striped shirt and straw hat. It’s important to note that these gondolas are no longer a primary form of transport in Venice, and the water taxis have largely taken over for practical transfers.

The gondoliers now cater more toward scenic tours of the canals, romantic evenings, and historical experiences. Interestingly, the price of gondola rides in Venice is regulated as strictly as the iconic gondoliers’ uniforms, so you’ll want to focus on finding a route you’ll enjoy with a friendly gondolier rather than trying to hunt for a cheaper option.

Indulge in Venetian cuisine

It should be no surprise that the floating city specializes in seafood dishes, but there are a couple of standouts in the world of Venetian cuisine that you should sample during your stay, including Bigoli in salsa (a thick-cut pasta coated in a salty onion and cured anchovies sauce) or the notably jet black Risotto al nero di seppia (squid ink risotto).

One of the best parts of Venice in the warmer weather is enjoying a leisurely Italian meal on a patio overlooking the canals. Just be sure to try and find smaller restaurants off of the main streets and away from the busiest squares—if you want to avoid a highly crowded meal, consider asking a local for their favorite place to eat.

Instead, consider planning your drive from Vienna to Venice for the earlier spring months or in early autumn when the weather will be cooler and the destinations will likely be much less crowded. For the budget conscious, visiting the city in winter can reward travellers with the fewest crowds and the cheapest accommodation, dining, and activities.