ACTV No. 1 Vaporetto

Venice's top tour bargain: a boat trip on the Grand Canal

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ACTV No. 1 vaporetto

The most scenic boat ride in Venice is aboard the Linea Uno (No. 1) vaporetto.

This popular ACTV public water bus runs from the bus and taxi gateway of Piazzale Roma to the Ferrovia or Santa Lucia Railway Station and on up the Grand Canal.

Boats leave the Piazzale Roma every 10-12 minutes during most of the day and early evening, or about three times an hour after 9:30 pm..

Travel time from Piazzale Roma to San Zaccaria (just above the Piazza San Marco) is about 40 minutes.

Along the way, you'll zig-zag across the Canal Grande, pass under the Rialto and Accademia Bridges, call at more than a dozen ACTV vaporetto stops, and enjoy views of (and often into) the historic palaces that face the water.

When and how to ride:

  • To avoid crowds, try to take the No. 1 vaporetto in the evening. Start at the Piazzale Roma. (Late in the day, commuters and daytrippers are mostly coming toward the Piazzale Roma.)

  • On older water buses, sit in the open bow. If you're on a newer water bus without bow seating, or if it's raining, walk back through the enclosed passenger compartment to the covered open-air seats in the stern.

  • To enjoy a longer trip, stay on the boat until you reach Giardini or Sant'Elena (near the tip of the historic center). Then walk back along the waterfront to the Piazza San Marco or to your hotel.
    • Alternatively, stay aboard for the final leg from Sant'Elena to the Lido di Venezia (Venice's beach resort), where you can get off and board the next vaporetto back to the city center. Note: Traveling back from the Lido will require an additional ticket if you aren't using a 24-hour to 7-day pass. (See below.)

  • For the best views and the most atmosphere, ride after dark.

Buying and validating tickets:

  • Buy a single-journey ticket or an ACTV 24-hour to 7-day travel pass from a Venezia Unica/ACTV ticket counter or a self-service ticket machine. (Tickets are also available at many newsstands, tobacco shops, and other authorized ACTV vendors.)

  • After you've bought your ticket or pass, look for the vaporetto platform that is labeled with a circled numeral "1." You can wait on the pontile, or pontoon, until the boat arrives and it's time to board.

  • Important: Validate your ticket or pass with the electronic ticket reader at the boat stop before boarding the water bus. (Simply hold the ticket against the reader and wait for the "beep" and flashing green light.)