Discover Vicenza, a city that offers beauty, culture, and easy access to the rest of northern Italy. As a military traveler, you can use your earned benefits to travel here with ease. Learn everything you need to know in this article.
Where is Vicenza and Why Visit?
Vicenza sits in northern Italy, less than 50 miles west of Venice and about 135 miles east of Milan. With a population of approximately 110,00 inhabitants, the city is compact and easy to navigate on foot.
Its majestic piazzas (public squares) and architectural masterpieces designed by Andrea Palladio make Vicenza every bit as striking as better-known Italian destinations. Add excellent cuisine, rich cultural opportunities, and a more local feel than Italy’s tourist hubs, and you’ll quickly see why Vicenza is the perfect base for your travels in northern Italy.
Day trips to top destinations like Venice and Verona are simple, but Vicenza also offers quick access to smaller towns known for Italian specialties like Asiago cheese, balsamic vinegar, tiramisu, Prosecco, and wine. Hikers will also appreciate its proximity to the Dolomites (the Italian Alps).
You’ll find links to sightseeing recommendations at the end of this article. The rest of this guide focuses on the logistics you need as a military traveler.
Caserma Ederle Orientation
Vicenza hosts three U.S. Army bases: Caserma Ederle, Caserma Miotto, and Caserma Del Din. Caserma Ederle (“Ederle”) is the main post and the one most visitors will use. It’s less than two miles southeast of the city’s historic center.
Ederle is a small base. You can walk between most locations in less than 20 minutes. (View a map of Caserma Ederle here).
The main gate (Gate 1) is open 24/7 and is only for vehicular traffic. “Chapel Gate” (Gate 2), is the pedestrian entrance, marked on Google Maps as “Camp Ederle Pedestrian Gate.”
Approximate walking times between points of interest on Ederle:
- Chapel Gate to Ederle Inn (the base lodging facility): 15 minutes
- Vicenza Health Clinic to Ederle Inn: 5 minutes
- Ederle Inn to BX/Commissary: 10 minutes
Getting to Vicenza
Military travelers have access to two free shuttle buses that make getting to Vicenza easy.
Medevac Shuttle
This is a great option if you’re flying Space-A to Ramstein or already in southwestern Germany.
The Medevac shuttle, organized by U.S. Army Medical Group, transports patients (the space-required passengers) between Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (with a stop at Ramstein AB) in Germany and the U.S. Army Health Center in Vicenza.
Military ID cardholders can use unoccupied seats on a space-available basis. It’s first come, first served, but there are usually plenty of empty seats.
Germany departures: Wednesdays and Fridays. Pickup at Ramstein Inn/Passenger Terminal (0830–0845) and Landstuhl emergency room entrance (0900–0930).
Vicenza departures: Tuesdays and Thursdays. Pickup at the Health Center at 0645, departure at 0710.
It’s a scenic ride through Germany, Austria, and northern Italy aboard a comfortable tour bus. The bus is equipped with a bathroom and USB ports for charging electronic devices.
The journey takes 12-ish hours, including two rest stops along the way. Passengers are advised to bring snacks, as the stops are usually 4+ hours apart. Note that the travel time varies based on traffic and weather conditions.
Contact: Patient Movement Coordinator in Vicenza
- E-mail: usarmy.usag-italy.medcom-rhic-e.list.vzhc-pad@health.mil
- Phone: +39 044 461 9050 (Monday – Friday 0745 – 1630).
U.S. Army Garrison Italy Shuttle from Venice Marco Polo Airport
Military ID cardholders can hop the free shuttle (a comfortable tour bus) between Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and Caserma Ederle.
- Runs five times daily (six times on Mon/Wed/Fri)
- Ride takes about 50 minutes
- Schedule available at the Ederle Inn or Vicenza Community Airport Liaison desk at VCE (not posted publicly online)
Leisure travelers ride space-available. It’s busiest during PCS season, holiday weekends, and school vacations.
Active duty or personnel with a Common Access Card (CAC): Sign up using the online form towards the bottom of this page on the U.S. Army Garrison Italy site.
Military retirees or personnel without a CAC: You can sign up in advance only when traveling from Ederle to the airport (see below).
Traveling from Venice Airport to Ederle
After you leave the arrivals area, turn right towards the Rustichelli & Mangione restaurant, then right again towards the Ryanair check-in counters. You will see the window for the Vicenza Community Airport Liaison.
They have a bus schedule and will direct you to the bus stop (a 2-minute walk from the Liaison desk). If you’ve taken the bus in the past and already know the location, you can head straight there.
Traveling to Venice Airport from Ederle
There are two ways to sign up for the shuttle.
Active duty members and others with a CAC can use the online form.
Retirees and others without a CAC can visit the Consolidated Services Center Building at 309 Olson Ave. (It’s not labeled on the map, but it’s the grayed-out building below Map #3 and across from #8). Sign in at the kiosk by selecting “Outprocessing” and then choosing the option for “Something else.” Staff will register you for your requested date/time and send an e-mail confirmation.
Business hours for the Outprocesssing office are listed here. If you can’t make it during those hours, you can still take the shuttle, pending availability of seats, by simply showing up. View the schedule at Ederle Inn and then wait at one of the designated stops.
I took the shuttle on a Tuesday in mid-September and was one of only two passengers.
Other (Civilian) Transportation to Vicenza
If you don’t take the Medevac shuttle or fly into Venice Marco Polo Airport, it’s still easy to get to Vicenza.
Other nearby airports are Venice Treviso (TSF), Verona (VRN), and Milan Bergamo (BGY). From any of those cities, you can conveniently take the train to Vicenza.
Vicenza’s train station is only a 10-minute walk from the city center and a 15-minute bus ride to Caserma Ederle.
Local Transportation To and From Ederle
Camp Ederle is a short distance from the city center, and local transportation is straightforward.
Taxi
Local taxis have base access. The phone number for Radio Taxi Veneto is: +39 0444 – 920 – 600.
If you take the Medevac shuttle, you will arrive late at night when the Vicenza Health Center is closed. Walk to the Ederle Inn (5 minutes away) and ask them to call a taxi for you.
You can also download the “appTaxi” app, which works in Vicenza and many other Italian cities. Its functionality and interface are similar to the Uber app. Setup requires either an Italian phone number or a WhatsApp account to receive the two-factor authentication code.
My taxi from downtown Vicenza to the Chapel Gate cost about €14.
City Bus
Bus line 1 stops right outside the Chapel Gate at the stop called “Viale Della Pace 302.” The bus runs to/from the city center and the Vicenza train station.
Tickets cost €1.70 and are good for 90 minutes after validation. You can pay for the bus several ways:
- Buy a ticket at a tabaccheria (tobacco shop). You must validate the ticket in the machine when you board the bus. Some bus stops have machines to purchase tickets, but not the stop outside Chapel Gate.
- This tabaccheria is about a 7 min walk from the gate (going in the direction of the city);
- This one is slightly closer but in the other direction.
- Remember that most tobacco shops close for two or three hours in the afternoon.
- Download the app “SVT Vicenza” to plan your route and purchase tickets. Validate your ticket by scanning the QR code when you board the bus.
- Buy a ticket from the bus driver (slightly more expensive).
During my stay in Vicenza, I bought tickets at tobacco shops and used Google Maps for route planning. It worked seamlessly.
Lodging in Vicenza
Ederle Inn, the base lodging facility, is $237 per night as of October 2025. The rate is not taxed and includes continental breakfast. Leisure travelers can request Space-A lodging up to 7 days in advance. View the Ederle Inn brochure here.
If you’re taking the Medevac shuttle or have an early flight from Venice airport, the Ederle Inn is very convenient. However, you can find local hotels at a much lower cost.
Two hotels near Ederle that are frequently used by base visitors are:
- Hotel Mary (a 5-minute walk from the Chapel Gate).
- Hotel Victoria (short taxi ride from the main gate).
When staying in Vicenza more than one night, I highly recommend getting a hotel or apartment in the city center. Use Booking.com to search and select the map view to compare locations.
I stayed in a 1-bedroom apartment at the south end of the city center. It was clean and well equipped with a perfect location convenient to the Vicenza’s top sites and only a 10-minute walk to the train station.
View details, photos, and prices for that apartment, called “Le Travi,” here.
Other Base Services at Caserma Ederle
Retirees and other ID cardholders can shop at the commissary and Exchange. They can also use the fantastic fitness center.
Don’t forget to check out the Outdoor Recreation office to see what tours and trip are on the schedule. I recommend calling or stopping by in person for the most up-to-date information.
Also, they rent recreational equipment for all seasons, including ski/snowboarding packages, hiking gear, and various bicycles ranging from cruisers to full-suspension mountain bikes.
Start Planning Your Trip to Vicenza
Now that you have the logistical intel you need to use your benefits in Vicenza, you can focus on the fun!
Learn about the incredible things to see and do in Vicenza from an active duty spouse stationed there.
Discover nine recommended day trips from Vicenza (by the same author).
Check out the Vicenza PCS Guide. The “Living in Vicenza” section has several useful links for visitors.
Thanks for the great info! I just wrote to the Ederle Inn on 1 October. The new rate is now $237/night.
Thank you for the heads up! Just called to verify and updated the article accordingly.