Coach Hire for the Carnival of Venice
Centred on Piazza San Marco, the Carnival of Venice lasts from 23 January until 9 February 2027. The ZTL BUS rules keep applying to coaches the whole time.
Carnival dates and what they mean for the coach
It opens on 23 January and finishes on 9 February 2027, which is Martedì Grasso, or Shrove Tuesday. The action is in the historic centre, around Piazza San Marco. A coach cannot take you there. Its job is to get the group to the lagoon edge and back again, on time.
Nothing about the ZTL BUS rules is relaxed for Carnival. Plan the coach exactly as you would on any other day, with less room for error.
Dates and venue
- 23 January - 9 February 2027
- Venice historic centre, centred on Piazza San Marco
The AVM pass, Tronchetto and the People Mover
Any tourist coach crossing into the ZTL BUS area has to show an AVM pass. The staffed check-in points open 06:00 to 20:15; at other hours the pass is an online purchase. The operator arranges it ahead of your date.
At Tronchetto a coach may park for no more than an hour. Your group rides the People Mover on to Piazzale Roma. Drop the group, let the coach leave, and bring it back for a fixed collection. For a late evening event, agree the return time before you set off.
Staying in Mestre, Padua or Treviso
Many Carnival groups stay on the mainland. Mestre is close, and Padua and Treviso both lie roughly 40 km from Venice. A coach with driver makes a mainland base practical, with daily runs in and out.
Ask the operator whether your hotel is inside the ZTL BUS area. Without a pass, a coach can do no more than pass through, using the airport link road or the Mestre bypass.
Arriving at Marco Polo
From Marco Polo to Piazzale Roma is about 13 km, a 20-30 minute drive. At the airport, commercial coaches use the PBus parking area, north of the terminal building.
Questions
When is Carnival 2027?
It starts on 23 January and ends on Shrove Tuesday, 9 February 2027.
Does the coach need a pass during Carnival?
Yes, the same AVM pass as always to enter the ZTL BUS area.
Can the coach wait at Tronchetto all day?
No. An hour is the maximum stay for coaches there.
Where do we meet the coach at Marco Polo?
At the PBus parking, north of the terminal. Tourist buses are not bound by the 10-minute limit that applies in the airport's controlled traffic zone, which gives the coach time to wait for everyone.
Cities
Airports
Book a Carnival coach
Send your dates, group size and hotel. We send back the operator's figure; the choice is yours.
Request a quote or call ++442046529800