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Baggage PortersHiring porter service in Venice is like buying a yacht: If you need to ask the price, you can't afford it.
Not too many years ago, luggage porters or portabagagli were almost impossible to find in Venice. Today, they're in generous supply, but with a catch: Rates for hauling your bags are stratospheric, in part because getting from point A to point B in Venice is a slow, painful process for the men who wrestle luggage trolleys down narrow streets and over the steps of Venice's 400+ bridges. Where to find porters:During the main tourist season or on busy weekends, it's easy to find baggage porters in front of the Santa Lucia Railroad Station (near the water) or in Piazzale Roma, where airport buses and land taxis arrive and depart. Porters are also found--though not quite as reliably--in other busy locations around town. For locations with phone numbers, scroll down to "Porters" on this page (Caveat: We can't vouch for the accuracy of the information, since it's undated and written by an anonymous author.) What you'll pay:Porters in Venice's historic center aren't regulated as they once were, and rates for independent baggage porters can be hard to pin down. Depending on distance, you could easily pay 50 euros or more to have several bags hauled from the railroad station or the Piazzale Roma to your hotel. Our advice: Avoid the need for porters.A little advance planning can save you a great deal of money and hassle. Here are some tips: 1. Stay at a hotel near your point of arrival or departure.
2. Travel light, or park unneeded luggage at a deposito bagagli office.
A final warning:If you arrive at the railroad station, please be aware that the porters by the water are not official station porters (a.k.a. "redcaps," as we used to say in the U.S.). And while most are just honest porters looking for work, you may encounter scumbags who take advantage of unwary visitors. We received this e-mail from a reader, and we thought we'd share it with you:
About the author:
Durant Imboden has
written about Venice, Italy since 1996.
He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching
Europe for Visitors (including
Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl
Imboden in 2001. |
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