The Perfect Day Trip from Venice to Verona by Train
Are you considering taking a day trip from Venice to Verona by train?
This is an easy and rewarding day trip and as I have taken this journey a few times, I can help you on your way. With just a little planning, you can hit the highlights of Verona like a travel ninja.
Get the lowdown in my guide to taking a day trip to Verona from Venice, which covers how to get there and what to do.
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Day Trip from Venice to Verona by Train at a Glance
- Distance from Venice to Verona: 66 miles
- Journey time: From 1 hour one-way
- Cost of train ticket: From €9 one-way
Why Do a Venice to Verona Day Trip?
Venice is one of the greatest cities in the world. But fame and beauty go hand-in-hand with crowds, inflated prices and mediocre food and service.
It’s good to escape La Serenissima for a day to experience a different, less touristy Italian city. With its wealth of historical, architectural and artistic treasures, Verona is a fabulous destination.
As the setting for Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, Verona has become a symbol of romance across the globe. Literary connections notwithstanding, Verona is famous for its Roman ruins, including the immense Roman Arena, which is the majestic setting for the renowned annual opera festival.
Is One Day in Verona Enough?
As Verona is a relatively compact city, it is very walkable. This makes it easy to explore its best sites in a day, including the world-famous Roman Arena and Juliet’s Balcony.
Top travel tip!
Avoid taking a day trip to Verona on a Monday. Many of its main attractions are closed on this day of the week.
How to Get from Venice to Verona by Train
For your Venice to Verona day trip, you have the choice of two train operators: Trenitalia and Italo. Trains depart from Venezia Santa Lucia and arrive at Verona’s Porta Nuova station.
Services run by both companies are frequent, and if you travel on a high-speed train you will be in Verona in as little as one hour.
Take a look at prices and timetables for Trenitalia here and for Italo here. However, it may be easier to check fares and times across both operators here.
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High-speed trains from Venice to Verona
High-speed train services between Verona and Venice are provided by Italo and Trenitalia (Frecciarossa trains)
Regardless of which operator you choose, these services are comfortable and fast. The journey time is just over one hour with both operators.
As both of these operators have set allocations of seats in the lower fare classes, you will pay more the closer you get to your travel date.
Regional trains from Venice to Verona
Trenitalia operates frequent regional trains between Venice and Verona. These come in two different flavours: Regionale (R) and Regionale Veloce (RV) trains.
As fare prices are fixed, there is no advantage in booking in advance. The prices of Regionale and Regionale Veloce trains are identical.
Regionale Veloce is an excellent alternative to the high-speed Frecciarossa trains for your day trip to Verona from Venice. Fares can be significantly cheaper and you don’t need to book your ticket in advance.
The Regionale Veloce trains will get you to Verona in 90 minutes, just 16 minutes slower than the Frecciarossa service. Trains are usually new, comfortable and may be “double-decker,” allowing you to enjoy the views from the upper level.
I don’t advise taking a Regionale train. These trains take 2 hours and 22 minutes to get from Venice to Verona, stopping at every stick and gate post along the way.
Don’t forget to stamp your ticket in one of the machines before boarding a regional train service.
Getting to Venice Santa Lucia Train Station
It’s a 30-minute walk from St. Mark’s Square to Venezia Santa Lucia train station. Alternatively, you can take a vaporetto, alighting at Ferrovia.
The train station is closer Cannaregio or Santa Croce districts of the city.
Getting from Verona Porta Nuova Train Station
Verona’s Porta Nuova train station is a 15-minute walk from the Roman Arena.
Getting Around Verona
The best way to get around Verona is on foot. But if you are feeling weary, city buses are also available.
Tickets for the green and blue ATV buses are sold at bus stations and newsagents. You can also buy tickets on board the bus, but these are more expensive. Find out more here.
You can also explore Verona on a bike, including a guided bike tour, and on a hop-on-hop-off bus.
What to See on Your Day Trip from Venice to Verona
As with any city, don’t try to shoehorn too much into your day. Pick a handful of things to see on your Venice to Verona day trip and stick with them.
The Verona Card saved me a ton of money and should be good value for most travellers, even if you are only visiting three sites. This city pass includes a skip-the-line ticket for the Arena di Verona.
You can buy the Verona Card from various places across the city, including the train station and the Tourist Office on Piazza Bra. I bought my card online before my visit.
>>> BUY YOUR VERONA CARD HERE
1. Arena di Verona
Dating from the 1st Century AD, the Roman Arena is the jewel in Verona’s crown. Measuring 466 by 400 feet, this was the eighth-largest amphitheatre in the Roman Empire and the fourth-largest in Italy.
Verona was an important Roman city and this is where up to 30,000 of the city’s residents would cheer gladiator duels. Today’s audiences watch plays and concerts and attend the world-famous Verona Opera Festival.
Climb the steps to the seats at the top of the Arena for fabulous views of Verona and beyond.
To beat the crowds, this is one attraction for which a guided tour with a skip-the-line ticket is worth considering. A fast-track ticket for the Arena is also included in the Verona Card.
2. Juliet’s House
Incurable romantics from across the globe come here to grope Juliet’s bronze breast, said to bring good fortune in love.
But if you want to blow kisses from Juliet’s balcony, you will have to pay a small fee to visit Juliet’s House. Inside, the house is nothing special but it does have costumes and props used in Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet, including a bed.
3. Scaliger Tombs
Verona was ruled by the powerful Scaliger family from 1277 until 1387. The Scaligeri were to Verona what the mighty Medici were to Florence.
They are buried in lacy 14th Century Gothic tombs enclosed by a wrought iron fence.
4 St. Peter’s Bridge (Ponte Pietra)
Ponte Pietra is Verona’s sole surviving Roman bridge. Just.
St. Peter’s Bridge suffered bomb damage in World War II and was rebuilt with slabs of marble fished out of the Adige River.
There are fabulous views of Verona from both ends of the bridge. The fortress of Castello San Pietro, crowns the hillside on the opposite side of the river to the historic core. Beneath this is the Roman Theatre and Archaeological Museum which are well worth a visit if you can squeeze it into your day trip.
5. Castelvecchio
Although squeezing the Castlevecchio art gallery into your Verona day trip may be ambitious, it’s worth taking a look at this medieval castle from the outside. Built by the Scaligeri in the 14th century as both a residence and fortress, it has ramparts with crenellated parapets and an internal moat.
6. Verona Cathedral
Visit Verona Cathedral for the Romanesque carvings on its façade and the baptistery’s font carved with eight biblical scenes. It is also home to Titian’s Assumption.
7. Basilica di Sant’Anastasia
Consecrated in 1497, the light-filled Basilica di Sant’Anastasia is my favourite church in Verona. Its important works of art, include St. George and the Princess (1438) by Pisanello, above the chapel to the right of the main altar.
Don’t leave before touching the hump of the grimacing hunchbacks near the entrance. It’s said to bring good luck.
8 Lamberti Tower
Climb Lamberti Tower for views of Verona you won’t forget. This bell tower was built in the 12th Century and stands 84 metres high.
9. Piazza dei Signori
Piazza dei Signori is one of the loveliest squares in Northern Italy. Linked by arches – try to spot the whale’s rib hanging over one of them – its elegant buildings span five centuries.
Taking centre stage is a statue of a pensive Dante Alighieri (locals call the square Piazza Dante). The Scaliger family granted him asylum in Verona after he was kicked out of Florence by the pope.
10. Piazza del Erbe
Once the site of the Roman Forum, Piazza del Erbe has been the focal point of civic life in Verona for millennia. A basin from the Roman baths was recycled in the square’s Fountain of Madonna Verona, a symbol of the city.
This is also the perfect place to stop for an Aperol Spritz at the end of your day in Verona.
Saluti!
Wine Tasting in Verona
Did you know that in and around Verona is one of the best areas for wine tasting in Italy?
So if you have a bit more time on your hands, why not join one of the great wine-tasting tours in Verona? Better still, choose one that combines a guided tour of the city with trying local food and win.
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