Plan your Venice trip here

Venice and the Dolomites are close enough (about 120 km) that flying makes no sense — most travellers either drive or take a direct coach into the mountains. There's no railway into the high Dolomites, so the train option requires a change to a bus partway through.

• car · about 2 hours Self-drive from Venice via the A27 motorway toward Belluno, then mountain roads into the Dolomites (e.g. Cortina d'Ampezzo); the most flexible option given the lack of direct rail access.
• bus · about 2 to 3 hours Direct coach services (such as Cortina Express) run from Venice (city and/or Marco Polo airport) straight to Cortina d'Ampezzo and other Dolomites towns, no transfer needed.
• train + bus · about 2.5 to 3.5 hours total Regional train from Venezia Santa Lucia to Calalzo-Pieve di Cadore, then a connecting local bus onward into the Dolomites resorts, since the rail line stops short of the mountains.

The high-speed train between Venezia Santa Lucia and Firenze Santa Maria Novella is the clear default, running frequently and taking about 2 hours city-center to city-center. Driving is a practical alternative for those with a car, while long-distance buses serve budget travelers at the cost of extra time. There is no practical direct flight between these two cities given the short distance.

• train · about 2 hours High-speed Frecciarossa or Italo services connect Venezia Santa Lucia station directly to Firenze Santa Maria Novella station, right in both city centers.
• car · about 2.5 to 3 hours Drive via the A13 autostrada; convenient for flexibility or side trips, but factor in city parking in both Venice and Florence.
• bus · about 3 to 4 hours Long-distance coach operators (e.g. Flixbus) connect the two cities as a cheaper but slower alternative to the train.

Almost everyone travels between Venice and Milan by high-speed train, which is the clear default given how short and well-served this route is on Italy's rail network. Driving is a solid alternative for those with a car or connecting elsewhere en route, and long-distance buses exist as a budget option. Flying is not practical here since there's little to no direct air service and it wouldn't beat the train door-to-door.

• train · about 2.5 hours High-speed Frecciarossa or Italo services run between Venezia Santa Lucia and Milano Centrale, city center to city center.
• car · about 2.5 to 3 hours Via the A4 motorway; time varies with traffic around Milan and Venice's mainland approach (Mestre).
• bus · about 3.5 to 4.5 hours Long-distance coach operators (e.g. FlixBus) connect the two cities, usually slower than the train but cheaper.

The high-speed train between Roma Termini and Venezia Santa Lucia is the default choice for most travellers, running frequently with no need to deal with airport transfers. Flying is only marginally faster door-to-door once airport time is factored in, so it mainly appeals to those connecting through FCO anyway. Driving or taking a long-distance bus are options but take considerably longer given the road distance is well over the straight-line figure.

• train · about 3.5 to 4 hours High-speed Frecciarossa or Italo services run direct from Roma Termini to Venezia Santa Lucia, city center to city center.
• flight · about 2.5 to 3 hours door-to-door Flights from FCO (or occasionally Ciampino) to Venice Marco Polo take around 1 hour 15 minutes in the air, but airport check-in, security, and the transfer into Venice from the airport add significant
• car · about 4.5 to 5 hours Mostly via the A1 and A13 motorways; Venice's historic center is car-free, so drivers park at Tronchetto or Piazzale Roma and continue by foot, vaporetto, or water taxi.
• bus · about 7 to 8 hours Long-distance coach operators (e.g. FlixBus) connect the two cities but are slower than the train and mainly used as a budget option.

Venice and Naples are far apart by Italian standards (roughly 700 km by road or rail, even though the straight-line distance is 534 km), so most travellers fly since it's clearly the fastest option. The high-speed train is a strong alternative that runs direct without changing trains, going city center to city center, which many prefer to avoid airport transfers. Driving or taking a long-distance bus are the slow options, generally chosen only if a road trip with stops along the way is part of the plan.

• flight · about 1 hour 15 minutes in the air Direct flights connect Venice Marco Polo (VCE) and Naples Capodichino (NAP); total door-to-door time is longer once airport check-in and transfers are added.
• train · about 5 to 6 hours High-speed Frecciarossa (and some Italo) services run direct from Venezia Santa Lucia to Napoli Centrale via Bologna, Florence and Rome, with no change of train needed.
• car · about 7 hours driving The route follows the A1 motorway south through Bologna, Florence and Rome; realistic for travellers who want to stop en route rather than as a direct commute.
• bus · about 10 to 12 hours Long-distance coach services exist between the two cities but are a minority choice given the much faster train and flight options.