Venice Carnival 2027: Getting There, Parking, Coaches and Late Returns

Last checked: 2 November 2026

Venice Carnival 2027 runs from Saturday 23 Jan to Tuesday 9 Feb 2027. Cars park at Piazzale Roma (the bus and car terminal), Tronchetto (the parking island) or on the mainland in Mestre; the historic centre is reached on foot or by boat. So before you choose a car, train, coach or transfer, decide where you get off and how you get back after dark.

What’s confirmed for 2027, and what isn’t yet

Confirmed for 2027	Not yet published (as of 2 Nov 2026)
Dates: 23 Jan – 9 Feb 2027, announced by the organiser	Day-by-day programme and theme; watch carnevale.venezia.it
By the calendar, Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso) falls on 9 Feb 2027, the last day, and the window includes three weekends	Official 2027 access-fee calendar
	Whether Italy’s checks at the Slovenian border continue after 18 Dec 2026
	Any Carnival-specific coach, traffic or crowd measures
	Carnival-night timetables for waterbuses, night buses and trains
	Official Dinner Show dates and prices

Facts from earlier years appear below with their year. They show what to expect, not the 2027 rules.

Before you go: dates, access fee and borders

Plan around the weekends and Shrove Tuesday. By the calendar, the weekends are 23–24 Jan, 30–31 Jan and 6–7 Feb 2027, and Giovedì Grasso (the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday) falls on 4 Feb. Which events fall on which day won’t be known until the programme is out.

Access fee. In 2025 and 2026 Carnival days were not charged. Reports in October 2026 put the 2027 paid days from 26 March, after Carnival, but check the official calendar (cda.veneziaunica.it) before you go.

Borders. Driving from Slovenia into Italy, carry a valid passport or ID card and check the border status before you travel. Italy notified temporary checks at its land border with Slovenia from 19 Jun to 18 Dec 2026; as of 2 Nov 2026, nothing had been announced for January and February 2027. In September 2026, Italy’s foreign minister said replacing the checks with joint security arrangements was under consideration. Coming from Croatia, note that Slovenia lifted its own checks on the Croatian border on 11 Jun 2026. Check the entry rules for your nationality; the EBT guide to Balkan border crossings covers the documents.

Where cars, vans and coaches stop

Road trips into Venice end at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, or earlier on the mainland; from there you walk or take a boat. Under the 2026 rules, Piazzale Roma, Venezia Santa Lucia (the station in the historic centre) and Tronchetto were outside the access-fee area.

• Piazzale Roma. The Autorimessa Comunale, run by AVM, has more than 2,000 car spaces and is open 24 hours. A day costs €35 per 24-hour block, which cannot be split; book online by midnight the day before. An evening rate of €15 covers 17:00–05:00 and cannot be booked. (AVM rates, checked 2 Nov 2026.)
• Tronchetto. The parking island has a large multi-storey car park; its rates were not confirmed for this guide. The People Mover shuttle links Tronchetto with Piazzale Roma in about three minutes.

From Piazzale Roma, walk or take a vaporetto (waterbus); a 75-minute ACTV ticket costs from €9.50 on Venezia Unica. Water taxis can also be booked; ask the operator for a fare.

With a pre-booked transfer, your driver confirms the drop-off and pick-up point with your quote.

Arriving from Slovenia, Croatia, Istria and Trieste

By road, Venice is a day trip from Trieste or Ljubljana and a long day from Bled, Istria or Zagreb. The times below are free-flow: no traffic, border checks, breaks or parking. On a Carnival weekend, add time for all four.

Table A: Road arrival to Piazzale Roma (free-flow drive times)

From	Distance	Drive time (free-flow)	By public transport	Private transfer
Trieste	161 km	1 h 55	Hourly regional trains, about 2 h 05; check Trenitalia	Trieste to Venice private transfer
Ljubljana	244 km	2 h 41	No direct train; via Trieste, two departures a day; long-distance buses (check the operator)	Ljubljana to Venice private transfer
Lake Bled	293 km	3 h 09	Via Ljubljana	Lake Bled to Venice private transfer
Rijeka	231 km	2 h 56	Check operators	—
Istria (Poreč, Rovinj, Pula)	243–284 km	3 h 07 – 3 h 31	Check operators	Poreč to Venice private transfer
Zagreb	378 km	4 h 12	Long-distance buses (check the operator)	Zagreb to Venice private transfer
Split	644 km	7 h 28	Check operators	Split to Venice private transfer (overnight or multi-stop trip)

Each route page takes a quote request for your date, party size and return time, and the price is agreed before you travel.

By train. From Trieste, the hourly regional to Venice is the easy option, about 2 h 05 according to Seat61. From Ljubljana there is no direct train to Venice. Going via Trieste, Seat61 lists two departures a day from Ljubljana, at 05:23 and 18:30, so a same-day trip by rail means the 05:23. Check SŽ and Trenitalia for the winter timetable before relying on these times.

By bus. Long-distance buses run from Ljubljana and Zagreb; check the operator’s winter timetable.

Arriving from Venice Marco Polo (VCE) or Treviso (TSF)

From Marco Polo, the quickest public options are the ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma and the Alilaguna boat into the lagoon. ATVO buses for Venice leave from Exit D, second lane, stop 3. From Treviso, ATVO bus 351 runs to Mestre and Venice; its winter timetable for 25 Oct 2026 – 27 Mar 2027 is published.

Table B: Airport options

Option	From → to	Fare	Time	Best for
ATVO Venice Express	VCE → Piazzale Roma	€12 one way, €20 return, luggage included (ATVO timetable in force from 1 Feb 2026; check ATVO)	About 20 min	Light luggage, staying near Piazzale Roma
ACTV bus line 5	VCE → Piazzale Roma	See ACTV	See ACTV	Budget
Alilaguna Blue or Orange line	VCE → San Marco, Rialto and other stops	€18 one way, €32 return; one large bag and one hand bag included (Alilaguna, checked 2 Nov 2026)	See the Alilaguna timetable	Hotels near a boat stop
Water taxi	VCE → near your hotel	Ask the operator	—	Groups sharing one boat
ATVO bus 351	TSF → Mestre / Venice	See ATVO	About 30 / 40 min	Treviso arrivals
Pre-booked private transfer	VCE (15 km, 20 min free-flow) or TSF (30 km, 42 min free-flow) → Piazzale Roma area or a Mestre hotel	Quote on request	—	Families, luggage or costumes, Mestre hotels, late flights

Alilaguna’s Red line runs only in summer, so it is not an option at Carnival. If your flight might land late, see what happens when your flight is late.

Coming as a group or on a coach

A coach needs a paid AVM pass and may stop only in authorised areas. Under AVM’s current rules, tourist coaches entering the ZTL BUS (the coach restricted zone) must hold the pass: check in at PETROLI in Marghera between 06:00 and 20:15, or between 20:15 and 06:00 buy it online or with the QR code at check-in 4.

Table C: Coach and car rules (AVM rules in force on 2 Nov 2026)

Topic	Rule
Coach pass	Paid AVM ZTL BUS pass; check-in at PETROLI (Marghera) 06:00–20:15; 20:15–06:00 online or QR at check-in 4
Coach pass cost	From about €190 to €520 a day to Tronchetto, depending on emission class; check AVM
Validity	Until 23:59 (or 02:00 the next day); up to 4 entries a day over the Ponte della Libertà
Where a coach may stop	Authorised loading and unloading areas only
Tronchetto (Isola Nova) coach stop, standing rule	Maximum 1 hour; first 30 minutes free; €15 for minutes 31–60
Long stay	Private paid car parks at Tronchetto or on the mainland; Fusina terminal, 500 spaces
Carnival-specific coach rules	None published as of 2 Nov 2026; check AVM in January
Cars, for comparison	Autorimessa Comunale €35 per 24 h; evening €15, 17:00–05:00

A temporary two-hour arrangement at the same Tronchetto stop ran from 1 Jun to 31 Oct 2026 only, so plan on the one-hour rule in winter unless AVM announces otherwise. Plan for the coach to drop the group, move to long-stay parking and come back at an agreed time.

For a group, agree one meeting point near the drop-off, fix a return time and allow extra walking time at weekends. If one coach doesn’t suit your plan, two or three smaller vehicles may. Send your numbers, luggage and preferred return time for group transfers; tour organisers can also see the page for agencies.

Getting back late

Plan your return before the evening starts. At the 2025 opening, local press estimated around 150,000 people in Venice, so on busy days allow extra time to walk back to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto.

Table D: Late-return options

Need	Option	What’s known	How firm
Car parked for the evening only	Autorimessa Comunale evening rate	€15, 17:00–05:00, cannot be booked	Current rate
Waterbus back to Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto after midnight	ACTV night line N	Runs at night via Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto	Check ACTV for times
To Mestre after midnight	ACTV night buses N1 and N2 from Piazzale Roma; trains from Santa Lucia to Venezia Mestre (mainland station)	Night buses run; train times vary	Check ACTV and Trenitalia for Carnival nights
Coach coming back in the evening	Pass valid until 23:59 or 02:00, 4 entries a day; after 20:15 buy online	Current AVM rules	Check AVM
Home to Slovenia or Croatia the same night	Drive 1 h 55 (Trieste) to 4 h 12 (Zagreb) free-flow; rail from Ljubljana is limited	Free-flow times only	Plan ahead
To the airport	Treviso: the last ATVO bus leaves Piazzale Roma between 16:30 and 19:00, depending on the day (winter timetable). Marco Polo: bus or boat. Or a pre-booked transfer: Venice to Marco Polo Airport · Venice to Treviso Airport	Treviso times published to 27 Mar 2027	Check the ATVO and ACTV timetables

Tell your driver early if your return time may change, and agree the pick-up point before your group splits up for the evening.

When a private transfer is worth it (and when it isn’t)

It isn’t for one or two people coming from Trieste: the hourly regional train does the job. Nor is it for a couple landing at Marco Polo with light bags; the ATVO bus or the Alilaguna boat will do.

It is when four to eight people share one vehicle from Ljubljana, Bled, Istria or Zagreb; with prams and children; with costumes and luggage; when you stay for the evening and the last train has gone; when you combine Bled and Venice in one trip; or when you land at an airport and stay in Mestre.

Before you request a quote, have these ready

1. Date and day of the week. Carnival runs 23 Jan – 9 Feb 2027; the weekends and 9 Feb are the obvious busy days.
2. Where you are staying: the historic centre, Mestre, or back home the same night.
3. Departure and return times, including when you need to leave Venice.
4. Party size, luggage, costumes and prams.
5. Passport or ID for every traveller crossing the border.

The price is agreed before you travel, and drop-off and pickup details are confirmed with your booking. Request a quote for a return from Venice to Ljubljana.

FAQ

When is Venice Carnival 2027? From Saturday 23 Jan to Tuesday 9 Feb 2027, according to the official Carnival site. By the calendar, Shrove Tuesday falls on 9 Feb, and the window includes three weekends: 23–24 Jan, 30–31 Jan and 6–7 Feb.

Do I have to pay the Venice access fee during Carnival 2027? In 2025 and 2026 Carnival days were not charged. Reports in October 2026 put the 2027 paid days from 26 March, after Carnival, but check the official calendar (cda.veneziaunica.it) before you go.

Can I drive to Venice for the Carnival, and where do I park? Yes. Cars park at Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto or on the mainland in Mestre, and the historic centre is reached on foot or by boat. At Piazzale Roma, the Autorimessa Comunale charges €35 per 24 hours or €15 for the evening (17:00–05:00); book the day rate online by midnight the day before.

Can a coach drop us in the centre? Only in authorised areas. Under AVM’s current rules a coach needs a paid ZTL BUS pass and may stop only in authorised loading and unloading areas. At the Tronchetto coach stop the maximum is one hour, with the first 30 minutes free. No Carnival-specific coach rules had been published as of 2 Nov 2026.

How do I get from Ljubljana to Venice Carnival? By road it is 244 km, about 2 h 41 free-flow (no traffic, border or stops). There is no direct train: via Trieste, Seat61 lists departures from Ljubljana at 05:23 and 18:30, then hourly regionals to Venice. Long-distance buses also run; check the operator.

Are there border checks between Slovenia and Italy? Italy notified temporary checks at its border with Slovenia from 19 Jun to 18 Dec 2026. As of 2 Nov 2026, nothing had been announced for January and February 2027. Carry a valid passport or ID card and check the status before you travel.

How do I get from Marco Polo Airport to the Carnival? Take the ATVO bus to Piazzale Roma from Exit D, stop 3: about 20 minutes, €12 one way with luggage included (check ATVO). Or take the Alilaguna Blue or Orange line boat for €18 one way, with one large bag and one hand bag included.

Is the 2027 programme out yet? Not as of 2 Nov 2026. The organiser opened its call for artists and performers on 19 Oct 2026. Check carnevale.venezia.it; this guide will be updated when the programme appears.

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Going to Venice for Carnival? Send your dates, party size and where you are staying. You’ll get a price agreed before you travel, with drop-off and pickup details confirmed when you book. Request a quote for a Venice transfer.