Thomsonfly: London to Venice

The carrier: Thomsonfly

Upside Route map is broad and strong. Downside Many destinations are seasonal. Narrow seats (especially for long-hauls). About Owned by the massive TUI holiday group, UK budget carrier Thomsonfly flies from 11 hubs in the United Kingdom (most of these within England) to almost 80 destinations beyond the British Isles. Thomsonfly straddles the line between city and beach destinations, having it both ways. The airline is particularly strong to Spain, Greece, Italy, and Bulgaria—in that order. Thomsonfly also flies long haul to a range of destinations in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Baggage * Carry-on: One item of hand luggage not to exceed 5 kg. Note: Laptops count as your one item. * Checked: You may pre-book up to 5 bags at a rate of €10 per item or bag. Prices double at the airport. Total weight must not exceed 20 kg. Excess charges will apply in this case. Seating Seats are assigned on a first-come first-serve basis at check-in. Contact the call center to choose a seat ahead of time (€6) or to book an extra seat (€15). Tip Be very careful when booking for extra legroom, as it is not guaranteed that you will get what you pay for. more...

Departure: London, United Kingdom - Gatwick (LGW)

Gatwick is London's (and the UK's) second-busiest airport and Europe's sixth-busiest. Gatwick is a major hub that sits roughly between London and Brighton, about 50 miles (30 km) south of London. Low-cost leader easyJet rules Gatwick along with British Airways. Many other budget and charter airlines fly into Gatwick, including Monarch and Thomsonfly. Location: Gatwick Airport is located 45 km (28 miles) south of London. Transport: - Rail: A free transit train connects Gatwick’s North and South terminals to the main rail station nearby. In the arrivals hall of both terminals there's a rail info desk where you can purchase tickets and obtain rail schedules. The Gatwick Express offers high-speed train shuttle service between Gatwick Airport and downtown London. The journey only takes half an hour. For more information, including time tables and cost, check out the Gatwick Express's Official Website. Express trains between Gatwick and Heathrow as well as Gatwick and Stansted are also available every 15 minutes. - Bus: The local bus service runs to and from both Gatwick terminals to various destinations including Crawley, Horley, Redhill and Horsham, as well as other local stops. The bus lines include: 'Fastway 10' every eight minutes with 24-hour service, 'Fastway 20' every 20 minutes, Route 100 every 20 minutes, and Gatwick Direct 200 every 30 minutes. There is also an express coach available between the airport and the London Victoria Coach station. For more information on the express coach consult the Official Website. Every 30 minutes, bus lines run between Gatwick and Heathrow and Gatwick and Stansted airports as well. - Taxi: Checker Cars is the taxi company that serves Gatwick Airport. They operate on a quoted fare system but cars may also be pre-booked with fares paid either in advance or after the journey. The Checker Cars booking office is located in the North Terminal Arrivals Hall. A taxi into the city will take approximately 65 minutes. Service:There are information desks in each airport terminal that are open 24-hours with multi-lingual staff available. Both terminals have a currency exchange as well as ATMs. In the South Terminal there is a 24-hour internet cafe and a post office. The airport also has wireless internet available, numerous bars, restaurants, and cafes as well as shops and duty-free outlets. Other facilities include baby changing rooms and showers, a children's play area, and a medical center that offers vaccinations.

Arrival: Venice, Italy - Marco Polo (VCE)

Venice Marco Polo Airport is an airport named after the Venetian traveler Marco Polo.

Location: Venice Marco Polo Airport is located 12 kilometers north of Venice by land, and 10 kilometer by water. The airport is situated in Tessera, a "frazione" of the commune of Venice.

Transport:

- Rail: Venice-Mestre railway station is connected to the airport by the ATVO Fly Bus.

- Bus: Two bus options are available to get you between the airport and central Venice. The ATVO airport shuttle bus travels to and from the Piazzale Roma, near the Santa Lucia train station. Buses leave from the airport every hour. The trip takes about 20 minutes and costs €3. For more information, visit the ATVO website. The ACTV bus no. 5 is a local public bus. It costs €1 (plus an additional €1 for every piece of luggage) and takes 30 to 45 minutes. Buses depart every half hour. Tickets can be purchased at the newsstand inside the terminal from the bus stop.

- Boat: You can always arrive directly at Piazza San Marco in nautical style via the Cooperative San Marco/Alilaguna. For €12 you can get to town by sea courtesy of a large shuttle boat called the "motoscafo." The hour-long boat journey between the airport and Piazza San Marco makes intermediate stops at Murano and the Lido a dozen times each day. Boats zoom to and fro from 6 a.m. until 12 a.m.

If your hotel is not within a stone's throw of San Marco, make a vaporetto connection here. For more information, visit the website.

- Water taxi: We can't in good Cheapo conscience recommend that you get taken for a ride on one of the prohibitively expensive water taxis. This 20 to 30-minute option from the airport will set you back €90 for between one and six passengers and €105 for seven to 10 passengers. The taxi will go as close to your hotel as it can.

- Taxi: Radiotaxi are available at the airport, as well as shared taxis. A land taxi from the airport to Piazzale Roma will run about €30 plus €.55 per piece of luggage. From there, you can pick up a local vaporetto.

Service: There is a Tourist Information Office is located in the Arrivals area, and an Airport Information Desk in the Departures ares. There are bars, cafes, and restaurants as well as various retail shops and duty free. Banks, Bureaux de Change, and a post office are all located at the airport, as well as 24 hour ATM's. Additional facilities include a prayer room, first aid service, and a spa.