Venice Mestre Station stands on the mainland part of the city, linking it to intercity service to Milan and other regional lines. It also has a rail link to the Santa Lucia Station on the island of Venice itself. It stands in the suburban area of Mestre amid housing and industrial units to the north of the city, heading towards Marco Polo airport. Visitors who hire a car from Venice Mestre Station find it's very convenient for the road network: the A57 motorway passes close by and the SS11 crossing to the island is easily reached. This less frantic part of the city has spacious parks, normal shops and reasonably priced hotels, unlike the crowded tourist island to the east.
If you hire a car at Venice Mestre Station you are, of course, very close to one of the most acclaimed sights of Europe. It's easy to reach the main San Marco island of Venice from the station via the SS11, crossing the famous lagoon on ‘The Freedom Bridge'. You must stop at Piazzale Roma, although parking here will certainly be more expensive than in Mestre. Other options are to visit Venice's Lido beach island by car ferry or by a leisurely scenic drive around the shore of the lagoon. Further afield, the under-rated historic cities of Padua and Vincenza are within easy reach too.
