Traveling by vaporetto in Venice and the Lagoon
ACTV, Venice's public-transit authority, operates water buses on more than two dozen routes within the historic center and to various islands in the Venetian Lagoon.
The boats include traditional vaporetti (such as the popular No. 1 vaporetto on the Grand Canal), motoscafi (enclosed motorboats), and motonave (small ships that carry up to 1,200 passengers).
For a detailed list of the ACTV's waterbus lines, see the Vaporetto Route Tables at Venice for Visitors.
Things to know:
- Larger ACTV stops, such as San Marco Giardinetti
and San Zaccaria, have modern stations with turnstiles and spacious
waiting areas.
Smaller and older stops have floating white-and-yellow pontili or pontoons where you can wait for the boat after you've validated your ticket or travel pass. (See below.) - To ride an ACTV water bus, you'll need to buy a ticket, such as
a standard single-fare ticket or an
ACTV Travel Pass.
You can buy tickets at ACTV/Venezia Unica booths near the larger vaporetto stops, from newsstands and other authorized vendors, or from ticket vending machines.
For all current fares, see the fare tables at Venice for Visitors. - Before boarding the water bus, validate your ticket by holding it
next to the electronic ticket reader. Wait for a green light and a beep.
In larger stations, ticket readers are usually mounted on turnstiles; at smaller stations, you'll see a ticket reader near the entrance to the floating platform. - If the boat station doesn't have a ticket booth or machine, approach
the boat conductor and buy a ticket as soon as you board.
Warning: Failure to travel without a validated ticket is punishable by a large fine.
