Tips For Navigating Public Transportation in Venice, Italy

While the beautiful islands of Venice, Italy, are best seen on foot, chances are you’ll need to hop on a vaporetto boat (water bus) to get around. The vaporetti mainly run along the Grand Canal and between islands in the Venetian lagoon, and other lines connect to outlying islands like Lido, Giudecca, Torcello and Murano, the island best known for glass blowing. Here are a few tips for making the most of your mini trips.

Prepare to be going nowhere fast

When traveling via boat in Venice, made sure to put aside plenty of travel time. The boats are slow and make a good number of stops. This is part of the city’s charm and character, and some of the more memorable views will be from one of these boats.

Purchase a tourist travel card to save money

A single vaporetto fare is €7, good for one hour from the time it’s stamped for travel in one direction only. If you plan on using vaporetti as your main source of transport while in Venice, investing in a travel card will save you tons. A 24-hour card is €20, while seven days will cost you a flat rate of €60.

Use a vaporetto map

While you won’t be dealing with a complicated system of lines and twists and turns, having a route map on hand will make all the difference in your journey. You can often find free ones in the city or can see a digital map.

Gondola near the Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy © Sborisov | Dreamstime