Venice Transportation 101

Venice is an ideal city to walk in, but even the most dedicated walkers will probably want to use the famous bus-boats at some point during their trip. They’re incredibly easy to use, mainly because there are very few lines to keep track of in Venice proper, and only a couple areas where they run anyway. But here’s a few things to know when you’re trying to use public transportation in Venice, including information about how to get from the Marco Polo Venice Airport into Venice itself.

Vaporetto? Traghetto? Gondola? What’s in a name?
All the terms listed above are floating thingies (yes, that’s a technical term), and they’re all in Venice. But that’s almost where the similarity ends:

Vaporetto - These are the big bus-boats which have regular routes along, for instance, the Grand Canal and from Venice to Murano to Burano, etc. Even if you’re walking around the city most of the time, it’s likely you’ll ride a vaporetto now and then during your stay.

Traghetto - These look for all intents and purposes like gondolas, but they are used only to cross the Grand Canal at various points where there isn’t a canal-spanning bridge nearby. There are traghetto stands along the Grand Canal, and boats that ferry passengers back and forth from one shore to the other regularly. These gondola drivers don’t sing and don’t dress in striped shirts, and passengers generally don’t sit down for the crossing.

Gondola - These are the quintessential images of Venice, and are available for private hire for leisurely cruises around the city’s canals. Yes, they cost a small fortune. Read more about gondola rides in Venice if your trip won’t be complete without one (or you’re trying to impress your date).

What does it cost to ride the vaporetto?
A single ticket buys you one hour of travel time on the vaporetto for €6.50 - so if you’re just looking for a quick trip and won’t make another one within that hour, that’s a high price to pay. At that point, I’d suggest you either get a pass that covers you for your whole visit, or just walk. Once you’ve bought your ticket, don’t forget to validate it in the machines available just before you walk the plank toward the canal.

Are there daily passes?
There are several kinds of passes available for tourists, some of which include both water and road (bus) transportation as well as discounts at various shops and attractions around the city. You can read more about each of them in the Venice Discount Cards and Passes post.

Is there a main tourist line?
Yes, there is - and it’s the #1 vaporetto. It runs the length of the Grand Canal, and stops at every point between the train station and Piazza San Marco. It takes between 45 minutes and an hour to get between those two points, so if you’re in a rush it’s not the vaporetto to take. If you’re looking for a leisurely way to see the sights and the weather is agreeable, however, it’s a great way to spend an hour. Grab a gelato and squeeze your way into a spot where you can watch the city float by and where you won’t be in the way of the people who have to rope the boats up at every stop. Moving every few minutes to let them pass distracts you from your sightseeing.

Where can I find a map of the vaporetto routes in Venice?
Oddly, the company that handles Venice transport doesn’t have a good map of the vaporetto routes on its website. Thankfully, this website does. It’s a PDF file, so you can download or print it out, and you can also click on the different route numbers to find out more about each one, too.

How do I get from the airport to Venice?
You have a few options here, and they range from expensive and fast to cheap and slow. For the expensive route, hop on a private water taxi and be at your destination (or as close as a water taxi can get you) in roughly a half-hour. This level of convenience will cost you, though, upwards of €80-100. If you’re not pressed for time and you’re trying to save money, you have two choices - a water entry or a land entry. By land, you can get a bus to the Piazzale Roma (just across the Grand Canal from the train station) for about €5; by water, you can get a ride on the Alilaguna waterbus for around €12-15.

How do I get from the Venice train station to Piazza San Marco?
If you arrive in Venice by train, the first thing to be aware of is that there are two stations bearing the name “Venice” - one called “Venice Mestre” is still on the mainland, so don’t get off there. You want “Venice Santa Lucia.” And thankfully the train station spits you out right onto the Grand Canal, and there’s a big vaporetto stop right in front of you. You can’t miss it. Seriously.

(Now, I’m using St. Mark’s Square here as the destination just for an example - obviously you’ll need to know the closest vaporetto stop to your hotel or hostel before you arrive. If you’re just doing Venice as a day-trip, then St. Mark’s Square is as good a place as any to start.)

The #1 vaporetto is the tourist line and stops at every single stop along the Grand Canal - including San Marco at the other end. It takes awhile, but if you’re sightseeing that’s fine. The #82 vaporetto is faster, stopping at only a few points between the train station and San Marco, but it’s only a seasonal line, so if you’re visiting out of the high season you may not see any evidence that a #82 line even exists.

By Jessica | Permalink

Related Posts

• Gondola Rides in Venice
• What to Do in Venice
• Visiting Venice on the Cheap
• Weird & Wonderful Venice
• Venice Discount Cards and Passes

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