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Venice planning reference

Venice water bus guide

The vaporetto is Venice's public water bus. It is useful, scenic and sometimes crowded, so it helps to understand tickets and routes before boarding.

Updated 2026-07-02. Static HTML guide page.

What the vaporetto is

Public transport on water

ACTV water buses connect the historic center, Lido, Giudecca, Murano, Burano and other areas of the lagoon.

Not the same as Alilaguna

ACTV vaporetti are separate from Alilaguna airport boats. A standard ACTV ticket does not include Alilaguna services.

Tickets and passes

Single ticket

A standard 75-minute ACTV Rete Unica ticket for visitors is EUR 9.50 and is valid from validation on eligible urban services.

Day passes

Common visitor passes include 24 hours at EUR 25, 48 hours at EUR 35, 72 hours at EUR 45 and 7 days at EUR 65.

Validation

Validate at the start of the journey and follow validation rules when changing boats or vehicles.

Airport exclusions

Marco Polo Airport

Standard urban tickets do not normally include airport travel. Airport bus supplements and combined airport tickets are separate products.

Check the ticket type

If your trip starts or ends at Marco Polo Airport, confirm that the ticket explicitly includes airport transfer.

Useful routes

Grand Canal

Line 1 is slower but scenic along the Grand Canal. Line 2 is often faster on parts of the main route.

Northern lagoon

Line 12 from Fondamente Nove is the common route for Murano, Burano and Torcello planning.

FAQ

Do I need a vaporetto pass in Venice?

If you will take several boats or visit islands, a pass can make sense. If you mostly walk, single tickets may be enough.

Does the vaporetto ticket include the airport?

Standard urban ACTV tickets generally exclude travel to or from Marco Polo Airport unless a specific airport product is included.

Can I bring luggage on the vaporetto?

Small visitor luggage is common, but crowded boats and bridges can make large bags difficult.