Venice to Pula by private car in about three and a half hours: east to Trieste, across the Slovenian coast and the full length of the Istrian motorway to the southern tip of the peninsula — from Piazzale Roma, a Mestre hotel, Marco Polo Airport or your cruise berth to your Pula address or Pula Airport.
Drive from Venice to Pula in about 3h 30m. Private transfer priced on request per vehicle — tell us where we meet you (Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto, a Mestre address, Marco Polo Airport or the cruise berth), whether you are heading to an address in Pula or to Pula Airport, and whether you would like a stop at Miramare Castle or in Poreč.
No vehicle can reach the historic centre, so the journey starts at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto next to it; from a hotel in the centre, getting to Piazzale Roma is your part of the trip. Hotels in Mestre on the mainland, Marco Polo Airport and the cruise berths we reach directly.
The A4 runs east across the plain towards Trieste. Miramare Castle stands on the shore just before the city, reached by taking the coast road instead of the motorway.
South of Trieste the road enters Slovenia and runs past Koper. This is a Schengen-internal crossing, but police checks or temporary border controls may occur, so every passenger keeps a passport or national ID card at hand.
After the short Slovenian stretch comes the second Schengen-internal crossing, into Croatian Istria. Police checks or temporary border controls may occur here too; allow some flexibility in journey time.
Most of the Istrian part of the drive is motorway. Poreč on the west coast means leaving it for the shore, a good place to break the journey before the last run south.
The Istrian motorway ends at Pula, at the southern tip of the peninsula. Drop-off at your hotel or address in the city, or at Pula Airport, about 8 km away, if you are flying on.
Per vehicle, not per person. Every quote includes tolls, fuel, the cross-border route, assistance with loading and unloading luggage, and child seats available on request.
Picked up and dropped off at your exact address
Cross-border route handled. Passengers remain responsible for their own passports, visas and other travel documents.
Short photo stops may be included where operationally possible
Professional, local, English-speaking driver
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) is on the mainland side of the lagoon, about 15 km from Piazzale Roma, so there is no need to go into Venice first. From the airport straight to Pula is about 273 km and roughly 3h 20m — mention the airport pickup and your flight number in your request. Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free waiting.
Pula Airport is the gateway to southern Istria: we also run Pula Airport to Rovinj and Pula Airport to Poreč transfers, and from Pula we drive north to Trieste.
Heading back to the lagoon? Pula to Venice has its own page, with pickups in Pula or at Pula Airport.
Pula → Venice →Venice to Pula is about 284 km by road, across three countries: Italy and Croatia share no land border, so the route always passes through Slovenia. From Piazzale Roma it takes the A57 round Mestre and the A4 east to Trieste, enters Slovenia south of the city, passes Koper, crosses into Croatia and then follows the Istrian motorway (the A9, part of the Istrian Y) the whole way down to Pula. Allow about 3h 30m without stops. Seasonal fast ferries also run between Venice and Istria; check the season and timetable with the ferry company. This page is about the road transfer.
There is no direct train from Venice to Pula. Coach journeys operate between Venice and Pula bus station; check the current timetable before travelling. A private transfer keeps it to one vehicle and no changes: collected at Piazzale Roma, Marco Polo Airport or your ship, set down at your Pula hotel or at Pula Airport, with a stop at Miramare or in Poreč if you want one.
The route crosses Italy–Slovenia and then Slovenia–Croatia. All three countries are in the Schengen area, so these are internal borders, but police checks or temporary border controls may occur at either one. Every passenger should keep a valid passport or national ID card within reach; journey time can vary with traffic and checks.
Cars cannot enter Venice’s historic centre, so we meet you at Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto (linked to Piazzale Roma by the People Mover), at a hotel or address in Mestre, at Marco Polo Airport (VCE) or at your cruise berth. In Pula we drop off at your hotel or address, or at Pula Airport (PUY), about 8 km from the city.
Everything specific to this route.
About 284 km from Piazzale Roma, roughly 3h 30m of driving via Trieste, the Slovenian coast near Koper and the Istrian motorway, plus any stops and time at the two borders.
Seasonal fast ferries also run between Venice and Istria; check the season and timetable with the ferry company. This page is about the road transfer, door to door by car.
Coach journeys operate between Venice and Pula bus station; check the current timetable before travelling. There is no direct train, so the realistic overland options are the coach or a car.
At Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto, at a hotel or address in Mestre, at Venice Marco Polo Airport or at your cruise berth. Cars cannot enter the historic centre, so from a hotel there, reaching Piazzale Roma is your part of the journey.
Two: Italy–Slovenia and Slovenia–Croatia. Both are Schengen-internal, but police checks or temporary border controls may occur. Every passenger should carry a valid passport or national ID card.
Yes. Poreč adds about 29 minutes of driving and Miramare Castle about 19, plus the time you spend there. Mention the stop in your request.
This route is priced on request. We quote per vehicle, not per passenger, for your date, group and any stops, and you receive the quote in writing before anything is confirmed.
Request this transfer with your date, pickup point in Venice, your Pula address or flight, and group size. We reply during our working hours with a written quote per vehicle. Child seats are free on request.
More from Venice: See all Venice private transfers →