The most useful public waterbus routes for visitors
We've already described the No. 1 vaporetto, which offers a slow but scenic ride up (or down) the Grand Canal from the Piazzale Roma and the Santa Lucia Railroad Station to the Piazza San Marco and the Lido di Venezia.
On this page, we'll tell you about a few other ACTV waterbus lines that are of special interest to travelers.
Linea 2
The No. 2 has flat-decked vaporetti like those on the No. 1 (Grand Canal) line. It's an express route between San Zaccaria (just above the Piazza San Marco), the Piazzale Roma, and the railroad station.
Use the No. 2 to reach the island church of San Giorgio Maggiore, the island of Giudecca, and the San Basilio cruise pier.
Note: Some boats continue up the Grand Canal from the train station, ending at Rialto or San Marco.
Linea 4.1, 4.2 (Murano)
Linea 5.1, 5.2 (Lido)
These are clockwise or counterclockwise circolare (circular) routes on enclosed motorboats called motoscafi.
The circolare lines are most useful if you're hauling luggage or going to locations, such as Murano or the Lido, that can't be reached by walking.
Linea 3
No. 3 is a "Diretto Murano" water bus from the Piazzale Roma to all five ACTV stops on Venice's glassmaking island.
Boats run at 30-minute intervals from morning through early evening.
Linea 6
Use this boat for quick service between the Lido di Venezia and the Piazzale Roma, with a handful of stops along the way.
Linea 12
The "Lagoon North" route uses large, widebody, flat-decked vaporetti to connect the Fondamente Nove with Murano, Mazzorbo, Burano, and commuter park-and-ride stations at Treporti and Punta Sabbioni.
Many No. 12 water buses also stop at the ancient cathedral island of Torcello.
(Use this route for the self-guided Venice Islands Tour by public transportation that we describe at Venice for Visitors.)