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How to take a vaporetto ride in Venice
HOW TO TAKE A VAPORETTO RIDE IN VENICE
Venice from the sky.
ph. Luca Ocretti
AN INSIDER GUIDE TO THE CITY'S BOAT-BASED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM
This area of just a few square kilometres, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the entire lagoon, contains one of the highest concentrations of masterpieces in the world, over 40 museums and more than 130 churches!
Unparalleled treasures of art and history to be discovered step by step, walking around the city as true Venetians do. Or by cruising the Serenissima along its waterways, aboard one of the 160 boats (motorboats, motoryachts, ferries and forane boats) of the AVM/Actv fleet, the local public transport company.
FROM 1881 THE VAPORETTI HAVE BEEN SAILING THE GRAND CANAL
To get an idea of how vaporetti work in Venice, one must start at the beginning. It was in the autumn of 1881 when the Regina Margherita plied the waters of the Grand Canal, triggering protests from the gondoliers: it was the first vaporetto, a model inspired by the famous bateaux-mouches, which at the time sailed the Seine, to arrive in the lagoon by water from France.
Vaporetti have been providing public transport in the city ever since. Although today's Venetian vaporetti have diesel engines, the name from when they used to run on steam has remained. Although, to tell the truth, Venetians have always called them batèi, i.e. boats. Five new low-pollution vaporettos have recently been introduced and by 2027 the Grand Canal will be entirely served by hybrid boats.
A new vaporetto.
ph. Comune di Venezia
INSIDER TIPS
One of the things to know, is that the jetties of the waterbus stops, i.e. the landings, are called imbarcadèri; at the main stops, such as Ferrovia or San Marco, there is more than one imbarcadero on the same side of the canal, each marked by a letter (A, B, C and so on), depending on the direction of the vaporetti and the different lines stopping there.
Each waterbus line corresponds to a number and a colour: an interactive map shows the different waterbus lines operated by AVM/Actv; you can also consult the current timetables.
There are the Linee Centro Città (lines 1 and 2), which run along the Grand Canal and Giudecca Canal, starting from Piazzale Roma to San Marco and the Giardini di Castello (in summer they continue to Lido).
There are also the Linee Gira Città, which make a circular route along the outer perimeter of the city and lead to Murano and the Lido (Lines 3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2).
The Linee Lagunari instead connect the islands of Murano, Burano, Torcello, Sant'Erasmo and San Servolo. They reach the mainland, Marco Polo Airport in Tessera, Treporti, Punta Sabbioni, Chioggia, Fusina, San Giuliano (lines 12, 13, 14, 19).
In addition to these lines, there are the Terminal Lines, which quickly connect the mainland terminals with Venice, such as the Alilaguna and Terminal Fusina Venezia lines.
For the best view of the Grand Canal, Venice's watery main street, take vaporetto line 1 and be quick to nab one of the coveted outside seats at the front or back.
The Grand Canal from a vaporetto.
ph. AVM/Actv
WHERE TO BUY TICKETS
Before boarding on a vaporetto you must purchase a ticket and validate it. Tickets can be purchased at the Venezia Unica ticket desks, from authorised retailers such as tobacconists or newsagents, or from ticket machines at the main landing stages.
Tickets can be purchased digitally using the AVM Venezia Official app. There is also the new Chat&Go® system by muoversivenezia via WhatsApp. Or online at www.veneziaunica.it.
And then there are the new validators, which allow the use of contactless payment cards and digitised cards on smartphones or smartwatches for last-minute purchases with the guarantee of paying the best applicable fare (best fare).
Tickets can also be purchased on board, bearing in mind that only digital payments will be accepted from 1 July 2024.
One last tip: the waterbuses run about every ten minutes, but if you are in a hurry, you can take a taxi! Around the city there are about fifteen landing stages where water taxis are stationed. You can book a taxi by calling 199 48 49 50 (single regional taxi number). More information is available on the Consorzio Radio Taxi Veneto website.
A new vaporetto.
ph. Comune di Venezia
