Venice’s Vaporetto Ferries: prices, routes, and guidebook for using them

Gondolas may be the quintessential symbol of Venice, but they are also expensive. Fortunately, there is a way to see the floating city from the water without paying a fortune, simply by hopping on a vaporetto.

In this post you'll learn how to get around Venice by vaporetto, the routes to take into account, how you can save with the transport card and various tips and useful information that will surely help you on your trip.

The best option

Venice Transport Card

Travel along the Venetian canals with the vaporetto and save with this transport ticket.

The most convenient and flexible way to get around the city of Venice is to buy a transport card that allows you to travel by vaporetto or bus. Select the time of validity and start enjoying yourself.

From £14 at Hellotickets

Using the vaporetto to get around the city of Venice is highly recommended, as it has a real network of practical little boats that take you from one point to another in a very comfortable way. If you also get this transport pass, it will be even easier.

With the Venice transport card, you can use the vaporetto without limits with a single ticket valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours. Or even for 7 days. When you book, it also allows you to buy a bus ticket to take you from the airport to the centre of Venice.

Recommended if... You are stressed by the transfers in the cities you visit, especially considering the peculiarity of Venice. Booking it in advance means you won't have to look for ways to get there once you arrive at the airport, as you can also include the airbus.

Although cheaper than a gondola, public transport in Venice is quite expensive compared to many other major cities. A single vaporetto ticket costs about 7 euros and is valid for 75 minutes, children under six travel free and people with reduced mobility get discounts.

However, if you are going to use the vaporetto all day to get around the city, a day pass is worth it. Also, when you book your Venice public transport card you can add a return transfer from the airport to the city centre for around 13 euros in total.

If you're in Venice for two or three days, buy a 24- or 48-hour card for around 45 euros, which will save you much more than a single ticket, as it's very common to use the vaporetto. Your pass can also save you money if you're in the city for seven days.

The best way to buy vaporetto tickets is to buy your transport card online in advance. You will forget about having to calculate the journeys once you are there. On the Hellotickets website you can book it for as little as 13 euros. Remember: you have many options, choose the one that best suits your trip.

If you prefer to do it on the spot, tickets are also available for purchase in many of the main areas of Venice, not just at the water bus stops. Look out for places displaying the Actv logo including kiosks and supermarkets.

However, be aware that some small shops only accept cash, so make sure you have some coins. You can also buy vaporetto tickets at tourist offices (such as those in Piazzale Roma), online or even through the official AVM Venezia app.

You're in Venice! This means you only have two ways to get around the city: on foot or by boat. Of course, as much as you might like the idea of walking, constantly moving from island to island is bound to wear you out, especially if you're determined to explore the more remote corners of Venice. Not to mention that a trip back to your accommodation can be a great relief for your irreplaceable feet.

Also, if you want to reach the splendid San Giorgio Maggiore or other islands in Venice, you will have no choice but to use the vaporetto services.

The vaporetto is the basis of the city' s water bus network. The word itself means 'little steamer', although nowadays the vaporetti are not steam-powered, but diesel-powered. You'll see them all over the city, cruising the Grand Canal, travelling from island to island and stopping at certain points to allow passengers to hop on and off.

• Vaporetto lines 1 and 2 are very touristy as they stop along the Grand Canal. However, they are very busy during the tourist season. Vaporetto line 1 stops at almost every stop along its route, while 2 is more of an express. Both terminate at the Lido and both pass under the Rialto Bridge, one of Venice's most important bridges.

• Lines 4.1 and 4.2 cover the same terrain as the other lines, but run counter-clockwise and clockwise respectively. These are ideal for touring the main islands of Venice including the interesting island of Murano.

• Lines 5.1 and 5.2 are similar to 4.1 and 4.2 with the exception that the former do not go to Murano. It should also be noted that the (5) lines are faster than the (4) lines, the latter are perfect for a tour of Venice by vaporetto, as they tend to have fewer tourists than line 1.

• Line 7 runs directly from S. Marco S. Zaccaria to the north of Murano. However, it only runs during the tourist season.

• Line 10 is a short ride between the Lido, St Marks and Zattere.

• Lines 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20 and 22 are all local vaporetti used between the eastern area of the lagoon and northeast of the city and are therefore more for residents than tourists.

These two lines run along the Grand Canal for a distance of 4 kilometres, and are the lines you will use the most and which are most used by tourists.

Line 1 of the waterbus stops about 15 times, the journey time on the Grand Canal is about 45 minutes. Line 2 is a sort of direct line and only stops about 7 times on the same route. Travel time is only 30 minutes. If you want to enjoy the ride take line 1 and if you want to get ahead quickly, take the vaporetto line 2.

A vaporetto ride on the Grand Canal is one of the tourist highlights of Venice. The most important stops on these two lines are Ferrovia (the train station) and Piazzale Roma(bus area, trams, car parks). These lines also stop at places of great interest, such as the famousRialto Bridge and St. Mark's Square.

In addition, vaporetto lines 1 and 2 have the advantage of being very frequent, every few minutes.

To avoid confusion on your vaporetto routes, review these tips before boarding:

• Vaporetto routes can go both ways except for the lines that have a point, e.g. 4.1 and 4.2, as they are specific. Therefore, I recommend that you look at the final destination shown on the vaporetto or, if in doubt, ask before boarding.
• Carry your backpack in your arms on the vaporetto, never on your back. Locals hate this and even have signs telling people how to do it.
• Beware of rush hour, especially in summer. Sometimes, especially in the busy tourist season, the vaporetti are full and crowded. Be especially careful if you have a specific train to catch - be calculating.
• At night in Venice, all routes change, with fewer routes than in the morning. Not all stops are included in the nighttime vaporetto routes, so be sure to choose your stops well after 11pm.
• The N night vaporetto service starts around 11pm and runs until around 5.30am.
• You can tell whether your vaporetto will stop at a pier or not by checking the map. If the route line passes over the stop, the vaporetto will not stop there.

Vaporetto timetable

The waterbus system covers numerous routes on a fixed timetable. Most lines start running at 5 a.m. and end at 11 p.m., with an average frequency of approximately 20 minutes between each trip.

Here are some other recommendations and practical tips for using Venice's public boats:

• Single tickets are valid for an hour and a quarter journey and cost 13 € including the airbus transfer. If you are in Venice for one day or are in Venice for two days, buy the 24 or 48 hour card, it will be more cost effective.
• Remember that tickets only start to work once they are validated, so you only need to validate long-stay tickets when it suits you, otherwise you will be losing money.
• It is very important that you validate your vaporetto tickets before boarding, otherwise you will be committing fraud. To validate your tickets, simply wave them near one of the small validation machines.
• Not all vaporetto stops have ticket booths, but they all have validation machines.
• Another thing to note is that you will not be asked to show your ticket every time you board a vaporetto, unless there is an inspector on board.

While tourists are always welcome, Venetians would be much happier if everyone respected their city (hence the recent tourism campaign, #EnjoyRespectVenezia). While the city may seem like a paradise on earth, its residents tend to live a normal, routine life.

Most of the recommendations or rules you'll see on the vaporettos are the same as you might see on other forms of local transport. Among the rules are: Don't push, remove backpacks, be mindful of other people, don't get in the way of the vaporetto and, above all, be courteous and grateful.

My personal recommendation is: Don't lean too far over the railing while trying to take that perfect photo as falling into the canals is not a great way to start your Venice holiday.