Getting Around Venice
With canals instead of roads and boats instead of buses, getting around Venice is unlike anywhere else. Whether by vaporetto, water taxi or on foot, exploring this floating city is all part of the charm.
With canals instead of roads and boats instead of buses, getting around Venice is unlike anywhere else. Whether by vaporetto, water taxi or on foot, exploring this floating city is all part of the charm.
Venice's intricate network of canals is famous all over the world, so it should come as no surprise that getting around in Venice involves a lot of boats. You might be surprised then to find out that the best way to explore Venice is actually on foot, which gives you the joy of discovery that comes with aimless wandering. Walking everywhere in Venice takes time, however, and if you're on any kind of schedule you may need to hop in a boat now and then.
The boat equivalent of a public bus is the vaporetto (vaporetti is the plural). These are the largest transportation boats in the canals, and there are more than 20 vaporetto lines that serve Venice and its lagoon (including Murano, Burano, Torcello and Lido) with both day and night service. You may only find a handful of the routes useful during your trip, depending on where you're staying, but you can review a map of the main vaporetto lines here. There's also a helpful interactive map here.
A single journey ticket isn't cheap, so if you think you'll make regular use of the vaporetti it's a good idea to get a pass. Transportation passes are available in 1, 2, 3 and 7-day increments. Both individual tickets and passes can be purchased through the official AVM mobile app, which also has a trip planner. There are self-service Venezia Unica ticket machines located all over the city, including at every vaporetto stop. Don't forget to validate your ticket or pass before you board.
Venezia Unica also has a customizable City Pass that allows you to combine a public transportation pass and entry tickets to all the sights you want to visit in one convenient card. You can review the options here and add only the ones you'll use.
A leisurely vaporetto ride along the Grand Canal can feel like a boat tour of the city, and it can be a lovely trip. Just keep in mind that Venice's residents are using the same boats to simply get around their city, to work or the market or home, and try to be respectful of their need to get on and off efficiently.
Water taxis are plentiful all over Venice, and they can certainly be convenient when you arrive at the train station or airport with luggage that you don't fancy dragging onto a vaporetto. What's more, a vaporetto can only go so far. If your destination is on a smaller side canal, you'll be walking from the nearest vaporetto stop. Water taxis can often offer door-to-door service. This kind of convenience can come with a hefty price tag, though.
Venice does set base fares for water taxi trips in and around the islands, so it's a good idea to look at the latest published fares (Italian only) and confirm the price with the driver before you board. Currently, for instance, a water taxi fare from the train station to San Marco starts at €60 for up to four people, including one piece of luggage each, and there are additional charges for more bags.
Water taxis are often waiting near the train station and main attractions, and they're always outside the airport. You can also book online or call taxi companies directly for a pick-up.
There may be no more iconic symbol of Venice than the gondola. The sleek, black boats aren't a means of transportation, however - they're more like a ride you might take at an amusement park. You get on and off at the same place, and you're paying for the ride and the views.
Gondola fares are set by the city, so check the published fares first (currently, a 30-minute daytime tour is €90 for up to five people, not including gratuity). Gondoliers do a brisk business, especially during the high season when you're likely to see plenty of gondola traffic jams along popular routes.
If you want a little taste of the gondola experience and feel like you're a local, head for a traghetto stand (traghetti is the plural). These boats look like the gondola's more utilitarian cousin, lacking all of the ornamentation, and are piloted by two people instead of the gondola's one. They're primarily designed for locals, so they generally only operate during the day.
Traghetti have only one purpose: to take people back and forth across the Grand Canal in between the four bridges that span the canal. There are seven traghetto crossings, though some are more reliably staffed than others. There are no traghetto tickets. When you see one, you simply hand over €2 and climb aboard. It's a short trip and locals often don't even bother sitting down for the ride, they stand for the duration.
Sign up for our Vacation Perfect newsletter and real estate updates.