Venice vaporetto guide: routes, fares, passes and how to use it
How much does the vaporetto cost in Venice?
A single ticket is €9.50 and valid for 75 minutes (allowing connections). A 24h pass is €25, 48h pass €35, 72h pass €45. Buy at ACTV booths, ticket machines at major stops, or on the ACTV app. Validate every time you board or risk a €60+ fine.
What the vaporetto is and how it works
The vaporetto (plural: vaporetti, from vapore — steam, when the first vessels were steam-powered) is the public water bus of Venice, operated by ACTV. It is the standard transport for locals and tourists alike, running on a network of routes that cover the Grand Canal, the perimeter of the main island, and connections to the lagoon islands.
A vaporetto looks like a wide, flat motorboat — typically 20–25 metres long, with an open deck and an enclosed cabin — and carries around 200 passengers at its maximum. Boarding is at marked floating pontoons (fermata) at each stop; a crew member assists with the gangplank.
The service runs from around 5am to midnight on main routes, with the night line N operating through the small hours. Frequency varies: Line 1 on the Grand Canal runs every 10–12 minutes during the day. Outer island services are less frequent — check the timetable for Line 12 (Fondamenta Nove to islands).
Fares and passes
All fares are current as of 2026. Fares are set by ACTV and reviewed annually.
| Ticket type | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Single (75 min) | €9.50 | Occasional use, single crossings |
| 24h rolling pass | €25 | 1 full day of heavy use |
| 48h rolling pass | €35 | 2 days of island and Grand Canal travel |
| 72h rolling pass | €45 | 3-day passes for active explorers |
| 7-day pass | €65 | Week-long stays |
| Traghetto crossing | €2 | Grand Canal ferry crossings only |
The maths: A single ticket at €9.50 means the 24h pass (€25) pays off after 3 rides in any 24-hour window. Most visitors doing any island day-trip (Murano/Burano round trip = 4 ticket equivalents) will break even on the pass easily.
Rolling clock: The pass clock starts from first validation and runs for the period purchased. If you validate a 24h pass at 10am, it runs until 10am the following day — not midnight.
Validation: Touch your ticket or pass card to the orange reader at the dock entry gate before boarding. This is required at every boarding, not just the first. Inspectors check regularly. Unvalidated ticket fine: €60 minimum.
Where to buy: ACTV booths at major stops (Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia/train station, Rialto, San Marco, Fondamenta Nove), yellow ticket machines at stops, or the ACTV/AVM Venezia app. The Venezia Unica tourist card (veneziaunica.it) can be loaded with a pass and other municipal services.
Key routes explained
Line 1 — Grand Canal all stops
Line 1 is the essential Venice vaporetto. It runs the full length of the Grand Canal from Piazzale Roma (or, extended, from the Tronchetto car park) to Lido, stopping at every landing — around 20 stops. The journey end to end takes 55–70 minutes depending on traffic.
This is the route for canal views: the Ca’ d’Oro facade, the Rialto Bridge, Ca’ Rezzonico, the Accademia Bridge, and the Santa Maria della Salute basilica all visible from the boat. Sitting on the right side going from Piazzale Roma toward San Marco gives the best unobstructed views of the major palazzi on the south bank. For daytime views, any open seat at the bow gives the famous perspective.
Line 1 is almost always the most crowded route. In July–August, expect standing room on the main daytime services. Going early (before 9am) or in the evening (after 6pm) is considerably more comfortable.
Stops in order (simplified, Piazzale Roma → San Marco direction):
Piazzale Roma → Ferrovia → Riva di Biasio → San Marcuola → San Stae → Ca’ d’Oro → Rialto → Sant’Angolo → San Tomà → Ca’ Rezzonico → Accademia → Santa Maria del Giglio → Salute → San Marco (Vallaresso) → [continues to Lido]
Line 2 — Grand Canal express
Line 2 runs the same Grand Canal axis but with fewer stops — mainly Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia, Rialto, San Marco, San Zaccaria, and Lido. It is faster than Line 1 (about 35–40 min Piazzale Roma to San Marco) and usually less crowded.
Useful if you need to move quickly between the station or Piazzale Roma and San Marco. Less useful for canal sightseeing.
Lines 4.1 and 4.2 — circular island perimeter
Lines 4.1 and 4.2 run in opposite directions around the perimeter of Venice’s main island, plus a stop at Murano. Useful for reaching:
- Fondamenta Nove (connection to Murano/Burano/Torcello on Line 12)
- Arsenale and eastern Castello
- Giudecca (via 4.2 south side)
- San Giorgio Maggiore (branch from 2 line)
Line 12 — Murano, Burano, Torcello
Line 12 departs from Fondamenta Nove on the northern edge of the Cannaregio area. Key journey times from Fondamenta Nove:
- Murano (Colonna stop): approximately 10–15 minutes
- Murano (Museo stop, central): approximately 20 minutes
- Burano: approximately 45–50 minutes
- Torcello: approximately 60 minutes (or change at Burano for Line 9, a shorter ferry)
Frequency: roughly every 30–60 minutes. Check the ACTV timetable online or at the Fondamenta Nove booth — timings are more variable on island routes than on the Grand Canal.
Planning island days: Murano and Burano can comfortably be combined in a day trip (3–4 hours total on the boats plus time at each island). Adding Torcello makes a full day. See the vaporetto to islands guide for schedules and island content.
Alilaguna (airport connections)
Alilaguna is an independent operator running boat services between Marco Polo Airport and various points in Venice. It is not part of the standard ACTV network and requires a separate ticket (€18 one way, not covered by ACTV passes).
Blue Line (Linea Blu): Airport to Murano, Fondamenta Nove, Lido, San Zaccaria (near San Marco). About 80–90 minutes.
Orange Line (Linea Arancio): Airport to Guglie/Ferrovia (train station area), Rialto, San Marco (Vallaresso). About 60–75 minutes. Most useful for central Venice.
Red Line (Linea Rossa): Airport to Murano, Ferrovia, Tronchetto. Seasonal.
See the Marco Polo airport transfer guide for the full comparison of options (Alilaguna vs water taxi vs bus).
Alilaguna airport boat transfer bookingUsing the vaporetto: practical tips
Board from the front or back: Most vaporetti have two sets of doors — forward and aft. The crew will tell you which side to use. Stand clear when disembarking passengers leave before you board.
Get off at the right stop: Stops are announced by the crew and by recorded announcement (in Italian). The stop name is usually on a sign at the pontoon. On Line 1, it is worth counting stops if you are not yet familiar with the route.
San Marco has multiple stops: San Marco Vallaresso (end of the Grand Canal, close to San Marco square), San Marco Giardinetti (slightly further east), and San Zaccaria (the main hub on the far side of San Marco, served by many routes). Know which one you need.
Salute and the Accademia: The Salute stop is for the Santa Maria della Salute basilica in Dorsoduro. The Accademia stop is for the Accademia Gallery and the Accademia Bridge. Both are on Line 1.
Night service: Line N (night) runs from around midnight to 5am. Check stops carefully — not all daytime stops are served at night. The ACTV website (actv.avmspa.it) has the full timetable.
Alternatives to the vaporetto
Walking: For anything within the main island, walking is often faster than waiting for and riding the vaporetto, especially across sestieri that are close together. The Grand Canal is the main barrier — walking around it (rather than crossing it) adds 20–30 minutes.
Water taxi: Private and fast, but expensive. €120+ for a private boat from the airport, €35–50 per person shared. Worth it for airport transfers with luggage; generally not worth it for sightseeing. See the water taxi vs vaporetto comparison.
Traghetto: The Grand Canal ferry crosses at seven points for €2. Not covered by ACTV passes — cash only at most crossings.
Gondola: For sightseeing only. Official rate €90 for 30 minutes. Not a transport option for getting between places.
The People Mover and the Tronchetto connection
The People Mover is an automated funicular that runs between Piazzale Roma and the Tronchetto island (the large car park and cruise terminal west of the main island). It is not a Venice transport option in the usual sense — it serves passengers arriving by car or cruise ship rather than those already on the island.
When it is useful: If you park at Tronchetto (slightly cheaper than Piazzale Roma’s car parks), you take the People Mover to Piazzale Roma for the vaporetto connection to Venice. Cost: €1.50 one way. Journey: 3 minutes.
The People Mover does not accept ACTV passes. It uses a separate ticket purchased at the terminal.
Understanding acqua alta and its effect on vaporetto service
Acqua alta (high water) occurs when tides combine with southerly winds to push lagoon water above normal levels, flooding the lower fondamenta and the Piazza di San Marco. The MOSE flood barrier system (completed 2020) has significantly reduced the frequency and severity of flooding since its activation, but notable acqua alta events still occur October through March.
When acqua alta reaches certain levels:
- Some landing pontoons become partially submerged or unsafe
- The ACTV may suspend service at low-lying stops (typically those closest to the lagoon edge)
- The Night line N is more likely to be affected
The ACTV posts service alerts via its app and website. The city’s SMS alert system (subscribe at comune.venezia.it) sends notifications 3 hours before predicted high water. Most disruptions are short (2–4 hours at the peak of the tide).
Practically: high water events do not typically stop all vaporetto service. The Grand Canal Line 1 and Line 2 continue operating through most events. Island connections can be suspended temporarily.
The Murano connection in detail
Murano is the most visited island from Venice and the easiest to reach by vaporetto. Line 4.1 (departing Fondamenta Nove) reaches Murano Colonna in about 10 minutes; the slightly longer route reaches Murano Museo, closer to the glass museums and main canal. Line 3 and various direct services also operate from Piazzale Roma.
The island has its own internal vaporetto service (also ACTV, same tickets valid) running between its various landing stages — Colonna, Faro, Museo, Navagero, Serenella. For exploring Murano in detail, this internal service is useful.
See the how to visit Murano and Burano guide for a full day-trip structure.
The Lido connection
The Lido di Venezia is the elongated sandbar island that separates the Venice lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. It is reachable by vaporetto Line 1 from San Marco (about 25 minutes) and Line 5.1/5.2 from other departure points.
Unlike the historic island, the Lido has roads, cars, and bicycles. It is primarily residential and beach-oriented — the main beach resort area, the Venice Film Festival venue (Palazzo del Cinema, September), and a quieter alternative base for visitors who want sea access.
The Lido’s main use in the transport network: it is the stop that extends Line 1 beyond San Marco Vallaresso, and returning from the Lido to San Marco gives you the same Grand Canal view from the boat in the opposite direction.
Frequently asked questions about the vaporetto
Do ACTV passes cover Alilaguna boats to the airport?
No. ACTV passes cover only ACTV-operated boats. Alilaguna is a separate company with its own fares (€18 per journey). The two networks do not share ticketing.
Can I buy a vaporetto pass on the boat?
No. Tickets must be purchased before boarding at booths, machines, or the app. You cannot pay onboard.
Are children free on the vaporetto?
Children under 6 travel free. Children 6 and above require a ticket or pass.
Is there a Venice water bus that goes to the Lido?
Yes — Line 1 extends to the Lido from San Marco. Journey time about 25 minutes from San Marco Vallaresso. The Lido has roads and buses (it is a long sandbar island, not a pedestrian zone like the historic centre).