With its intricate maze of canals, bridges, squares and narrow alleyways, Venice is a city like no other in Italy. 

And its unique urban landscape means that the local transport infrastructure is also very different from the standard mix of trams, buses and commuter trains found in most other Italian cities. 

Navigating the Floating City’s dense network of water buses, ferries, taxis and gondolas can be daunting at first for newcomers, but some essential info about available services and tickets can help you adjust to it sooner than you might expect.   

Water buses

The main island of Venice and smaller islands in the lagoon (Murano, Burano, Torcello, Lido, etc.) are serviced by a large network of water buses (vaporetti) operated by public transport operator ACTV. 

According to the operator’s website, the network boasts 26 lines and over 100 floating stops (imbarcaderi). 

Vaporetti are by and large the most popular transport option for both residents and tourists, with services on the main routes (Grand Canal, Santa Lucia and Piazzale Roma stations) running every 10 to 20 minutes.

Most lines run until a little after midnight, and are then replaced by nighttime services (linea N) until around 5am (these services are less frequent and have longer travel times as they tend to cover multiple daytime routes).

Nearly all of the smaller islands (Murano, Burano, Torcello, Lido, Pellestrina) have round-the-clock services.

ACTV’s mobile app AVM and the Che Bateo (‘Which boat’) app can both be very handy if you’re travelling around the city as they show the nearest water bus stop and the first available vaporetto going to your destination. 

Tickets and passes 

ACTV offers a wide range of tickets and passes to customers, so you’ll have no shortage of options to chose between. Here are some of the most popular.

Single ticket: A single ticket is valid for 75 minutes and gives access to the water service network, as well as ACTV buses in Mestre, Lido and Pellestrina. Each ticket costs €9.50.

Daily ticket: A daily ticket will get you unlimited journeys across the water and road network within a 24-hour window, which starts when you first validate the ticket. The cost is €25.

Three-, five- and seven-day passes: Unlimited travel for 48, 72, and 168 hours costs €35, €45 and €65 respectively. Just like for daily tickets, the time window starts when validating the pass for the first time.

Monthly and annual passes: While tickets are the best option for visitors, getting a monthly or yearly pass would be the best option for a resident. 

Monthly passes for all waterborne routes plus buses in Mestre, Lido and Pellestrina cost €37, whereas annual passes of the same kind go for €370. In both cases, a number of discounts are available for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Unlike standard tickets, monthly or yearly passes must be loaded onto a personal Venezia Unica travel card, which must be purchased at one of the city’s Venezia Unica sales points (it’s not available for sale at vending machines and smaller ticket offices around the city).  

Venezia Unica holders also have access to heavily discounted tickets (for instance, €1.50 instead of €9.50 for a single).

That said, the card activation fee is €100 for anyone living outside of the Veneto region. A breakdown of current card activation fees can be found here. 

Where can I buy tickets?

You can purchase tickets and passes from automatic vending machines located next to some of the bigger vaporetto stops. 

They are also on sale at ACTV sales points, and many newsstands and tobacconists (look for the ACTV sign outside) around the city.

You can also buy digital tickets on the AVM app.

Alilaguna

Alilaguna is a private transport company that operates a total of three lines variously connecting Venice and other islands, such as Murano, Burano and Lido, with the Marco Polo Airport.

Though they use the same docks as ACTV vaporetti, Alilaguna boats are not part of the same network, so they aren’t covered by ACTV passes.

READ ALSO: Five ‘secret’ places in Venice you need to visit

The cost of a one-way Alilaguna ticket from the Marco Polo airport to Venice (and vice versa) is €15 

This includes one suitcase and one personal bag. 

Further info can be found here.

Water taxis 

Water taxis are by far the fastest (and most comfortable) way of getting around Venice. 

Unfortunately, they’re also the most expensive option, with the price depending on the distance of your journey, time of day, and whether you’ve hired the taxi at a pier or requested one by telephone.

A water taxi ride from Venice’s Marco Polo Airport to the city centre generally costs over €100, while fares from the Santa Lucia railway station or Piazzale Roma bus station to the city centre are between €65 and €100.

Despite costing a pretty penny, water taxis can usually fit up to 10 people, meaning that if you’re travelling as part of a large group, costs are more accessible. 

You’ll find taxis waiting at piers all over the city, including outside the Santa Lucia railway station and near major attractions, but you can also book a trip by phone. 

It’s worth noting that a number of unlicensed taxis are known to operate across the city, especially during peak holiday season. Licensed water taxis in Venice have a yellow stripe with a licence number on one side. 

Ferries

Traghetti (plural for traghetto) are large, unadorned gondola ferries shuttling people from one side of the Grand Canal to the other in under a minute. 

As there are only four bridges running across the 4-kilometre-long Grand Canal, traghetti can be a handy service for pedestrians and tourists looking to save some time.

There are seven traghetto stations along the Grand Canal, flagged by yellow street signs. The cost of a ride is €0.70 for residents and €2 for tourists.

Gondolas

Gondola rides are the most romantic way to experience Venice’s canals, piers and waterside palaces. 

However, they’re more of a leisurely tourist activity rather than a practical way of travelling around and the prices reflect that.

Tariffs for a 30-minute daytime private ride (not shared with other people) range from €80 to €100.

Moving around on foot

Venice is one of Italy’s most pedestrian-friendly cities, not least because there are no motorised vehicles and bicycles to be found on its narrow streets (calli).  

READ ALSO: Five essential tips to escape the tourist crowds in Venice

Venice is also a surprisingly small island and it ‘only’ takes between 45 and 60 minutes to go from one end to the other. 

That said, the city’s alleyways, squares and bridges can often get very crowded during peak tourist season, which is far from ideal if you’re in a bit of a rush and need to get to your destination as quickly as possible.

Do you have any advice for dealing with Venice’s public transport system? Let us know in the comments section below.