Quick answer. Venice is the rare airport where the transfer, not the exchange rate, is the expensive decision. Marco Polo (VCE) sits on the mainland at Tessera, and getting to the islands costs anywhere from about €10 by bus to roughly €15 by Alilaguna waterbus to €120-plus for a private water taxi. Sort money first: use a BNL or other bank ATM in arrivals, decline DCC and choose euros. BNL is Italy's Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA debit card withdraws with no operator fee and no BoA non-network surcharge, which is a genuine saving. Then walk past the blue Euronet machines, which are dense in Venice itself, and decide between the ATVO coach to Piazzale Roma and the Alilaguna boat to San Marco.
Where to get euro at VCE
The Venice pattern is that a BNL machine in arrivals is the best withdrawal, especially for Bank of America cardholders who get the Alliance benefit, while the exchange counters and the blue Euronet machines in the city cost far more. Remember the transfer itself is the larger variable expense. The cost math below assumes you withdraw the equivalent of $100 in euros.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| BNL ATM + Bank of America card (Alliance) | VCE arrivals | Interbank rate, no operator fee, no BoA surcharge | ~$100 |
| Bank ATM (BNL / Intesa / UniCredit) | VCE arrivals | Interbank rate, small or no operator fee | ~$99 |
| Bank ATM + Schwab (fee refunded) | VCE arrivals | Interbank rate, ATM fee refunded | ~$100 |
| Exchange counter in VCE arrivals | Arrivals hall | Several % off interbank, plus commission | ~$90-93 |
| Euronet machine near Rialto / San Marco | Venice city | Operator surcharge + poor rate + DCC push | ~$88-92 |
Where to find the BNL ATMs at Venice Marco Polo (VCE), and the water-versus-road decision
Venice Marco Polo (VCE) is on the mainland at Tessera, north of the lagoon, and every arrival faces the same question: water or road. That choice shapes your first hour more than any exchange rate does. Inside the single passenger terminal, the arrivals area has bank ATMs alongside exchange counters and the blue Euronet machines that are notoriously thick on the ground in Venice proper, around the Rialto and San Marco. Use a bank machine: BNL (Banca Nazionale del Lavoro) is Italy's partner in the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance, so a BoA debit card withdraws euros with no operator fee and no BoA non-network surcharge, and Intesa Sanpaolo and UniCredit also dispense at the interbank rate. Decline dynamic currency conversion and choose euros every time. Then head down to the waterfront jetty for Alilaguna, or out to the bus apron for the ATVO coach to Piazzale Roma.
Passenger terminal (arrivals)
All scheduled traffic through a single terminal, including ITA Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Lufthansa group and long-haul services from North America
After baggage reclaim, look for the BNL machine in the arrivals hall and use it in preference to the exchange counters or the blue Euronet ATMs. Insert a foreign Visa or Mastercard, decline DCC and choose euros. For the boat, follow signs for Alilaguna along the covered moving walkway to the waterfront jetty, about a 7-10 minute walk. For the coach, the ATVO and ACTV stands are on the bus apron directly outside arrivals.
Do you actually need cash at Venice (VCE)?
Very little on arrival. Both the ATVO coach and the Alilaguna waterbus sell tickets by card, and the vaporetto machines take contactless. Keep euros for cicchetti bars, market stalls and the traghetto. Here is what a card covers getting from VCE into the city:
ATVO coach to Piazzale Roma (~€10): The fast road option, roughly 20-25 minutes to the only vehicle terminus in Venice; from there it is walking or a vaporetto onward.
Alilaguna waterbus (~€15): Leaves from the airport jetty for Murano, San Marco and the Zattere; slower at over an hour on some lines but drops you near the water without hauling bags over bridges.
ACTV bus number 5 to Piazzale Roma (~€10): The local public alternative to the ATVO coach on the same road route, typically a little less comfortable with luggage.
Private water taxi (~€120-140): A direct motoscafo to your hotel's water door; genuinely convenient and genuinely expensive, and worth splitting between four people if at all.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Venice (VCE) to Venice?
No. Both the ATVO coach to Piazzale Roma and the Alilaguna waterbus sell tickets by card, and the vaporetto machines take contactless.
Can I order euro before flying?
Yes. CEI Currency Exchange ships euros to your US address in 2-5 days. Handy in Venice, where cicchetti bars, market stalls and the traghetto crossings still like cash.
Where are the ATMs at Venice Marco Polo?
In the arrivals hall of the single terminal. Look for the BNL machine in particular: BNL is Italy's Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA card withdraws with no operator fee and no non-network surcharge.
Should I exchange money at VCE?
No. Skip the arrivals counters, and skip the blue Euronet machines that cluster thickly around the Rialto and San Marco once you reach the islands. A BNL, Intesa or UniCredit ATM gives the interbank euro rate.
Should I take the Alilaguna boat or the ATVO bus into Venice?
It depends on where you are sleeping, and the price gap is real. The ATVO coach and the ACTV number 5 bus run to Piazzale Roma, the only place in Venice cars reach, for around €10 and about 20-25 minutes; from there you walk or pick up a vaporetto. The Alilaguna waterbus leaves from the airport jetty, costs roughly €15, and takes over an hour on the slower lines but delivers you to Murano, San Marco or the Zattere without dragging luggage over bridges. If your hotel is near Piazzale Roma or the train station, take the bus. If it is deep in San Marco or Dorsoduro, the boat usually wins despite being slower.
Why is BNL worth seeking out at Venice Airport?
Because Italy is one of the countries where the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance still works. BNL is the Italian partner, so a Bank of America debit card withdrawing at a BNL machine pays no operator fee and no BoA non-network surcharge, leaving only BoA's own international transaction fee where applicable. That is a straightforwardly better deal than any exchange counter and better than using a non-partner Italian bank. If you do not hold a BoA card the advantage disappears, and Intesa Sanpaolo or UniCredit are equally fine at the interbank rate.
How bad are the Euronet machines in Venice?
Venice is one of the worst cities in Europe for them. The blue Euronet ATMs cluster around the Rialto, San Marco and the main tourist walking routes, precisely where visitors need cash and are least likely to compare. They add an operator surcharge, quote a poor rate, and push dynamic currency conversion by offering to bill you in your home currency at a padded rate. Take euros from a bank ATM at the airport or from a BNL, Intesa or UniCredit machine in the city, and treat any blue machine on a bridge approach as the expensive option.
Do I need cash in Venice at all?
Some, though less than you might expect. Vaporetto tickets, museums, restaurants and most shops take cards, and the ACTV and Alilaguna ticket machines accept contactless. Cash is still handy for small bacari serving cicchetti, the produce stalls at the Rialto market, church entry donations and gondola or traghetto crossings. A modest euro float taken at a bank ATM covers all of it. Do not withdraw a large sum expecting cash-only Venice; that has not been true for years.