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Popular Transportation | Other Transportation Tips | All Tips (698) Now I don’t need to explain that Venezia is built “on water” and that there are no busses for transport within the city, but boats. Venezia’s “busses” are the vaporettos; their names derive from the times when they were still running with “steam”. Vaporettos are operated by ACTV; the lines are divided into city-centre routes (travelling along Canal Grance), city-circular routes (travelling around the main islands) and lagoon routes (to the other islands, such as Burano, Lido, etc). The network is marvellous and brings you to any place at the lagoon without much waiting when switching lines.
It definitely pays to buy a travel card, but it depends what your plans are and how long you will be in the city.
ACTV travel cards/passes are issued according to the hour, the maximum one you can get is the 72-hour pass for 30 Euro. Now this is 3 days, and it is only valid for the vaporettos (no other service, such as toilets or museum entries).
Now the Venice Card is another option, if you stay longer than 3 days. It is issued by Venezia tourism board, and available as blue (transport + toilets) and orange (transport + toilets + museums) for 12 or 48 hours or 7 days.
ACTV has recently changed the website, so when looking up timetables, you end up one search button, you’ll end up on Hellovenezia website and can download the full timetable (57 pages, 1,5 MB). Even if it is all in Italian, it is very easy to understand.
One word about the tickets: they need to be stamped just prior to the first vaporetto ride. Ticket machines are yellow (see photo 1) and available at each vaporetto stop.
Oh, and in case, an external Eurodisney tourist comes along and reads this: make sure you understand that vaporettos are not an Eurodisney transport medium but mainly used by locals, so please don’t block the exits and disturb the marinaio from doing his job, when the boat approaches a stop :-) Leave a Comment
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Even if Canal Grande has a lot of vaporetto stops, you might like to take a traghetto to cross it. This is also a reasonable way to use a gondola, as they are gondolas, but won’t take anyone on romantic trips from A to B, just cross the Canal Grande as a kind of shortcut. They hold up to 14 people and it is a rule to stand rather than sit. Oh, and they are rowed by 2 gondoliere – one at the front, one at the rear. In the past, Venezia had nearly 50 traghetto “lines” (no idea how I should better call this), but by now only 6 are left (see website I have added below, minus the one at San Samuele, which no longer exisits).
Price for one crossing was 0,70 Euro (May 2007), to be paid directly at the gondoliere before setting over.In the whole Canal Grande, traghettos have the right of way (other than “normal” gondolas), and I often watched fascinated how the big vaporettos stopped to let them pass (photo 1).
Signs “al traghetto” lead way to the stops at the canal, and the waiting area is usually like a small patio, with plants around (photo 2). A green latern (photo 3) signals the stops from the canal side.
And as for so many other things (like professions, etc) that are no longer present in Venezia, the street sign names “Calle del Traghetto” have remained, even if there is no traghetto line crossing at this point (photo 4).
Update, June 18, 2007:
thanks Christine(j) for reminding me to add that Traghetto schedule is usually conforming the shop and restaurant opening hours and is not available on Sundays. Leave a Comment
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So, how do you get around in a city with no cars ? By boat of course....or vaporetto to be precise.
A vaporetto is Venice's equivalent of a bus. There are different numbered boats going to different places, some stopping at each stop, others offer a more 'express' option.
You need to buy a ticket before you board the vaporetto. Last time we were there (Oct 2004) it cost 3.50euro each (valid for 90minutes), plus there is usually an extra charge for luggage. If there is no ticket office at your boarding point, make sure you speak to the conductor straight away, else they may think you are trying to travel for free - and they are very strict.
Catching a vaporetto is one of those fabulous things that you have to experience in Venice. Jumping on the No 1 vaporetto gives you a tour of the Grand Canal, and is a great way to get a feel for the city! Leave a Comment
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The Gondola. This narrow, black boat is one of the icon's of Venice.
People come here dreaming of a romantic sunset ride on a gondola, being serenaded whist sipping champagne and amazing over this wondrous city....that is until they find out how much it is!!
A gondola ride in Venice is unfortunately a luxury that many tourists can't afford. Although there are supposedly "official rates" for hiring a gondola, it is really up to the individual gondolier how much they try to charge you - you will need to negotiate before getting in the boat. Any it costs more for that serenade too.
If it is in your budget, then there are plenty of places to hire one from - just take a wander and you will see the gondoliers waiting near bridges for your custom.
And if you get lucky, perhaps your sweetheart will propose to you in a gondola, at sunset..... Leave a Comment
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On my latest trip to Venice I flew into Marco Polo airport, which is located 20 - 30 minutes drive from the centre of Venice.
To get into town, or should I say, onto the island, I caught an ATVO bus - the "blue" bus, which departs from outside the airport.
Buses depart around every 30 - 50 minutes, and the trip took only 20 minutes (as there was no traffic delays). You can buy a ticket from the driver when you board. A one-way trip cost 3 euro when I was there in May 2005.
The bus is non stop from the airport to Piazzale Roma, and from here it is only a few minute walk to the the train station. To return to the airport you can catch the bus from the place you were dropped off to in Piazzale Roma.
The best part of the bus trip is deriving across the long spit out to the island - that's when you have to pinch yourself and try not to smile to much - bella Venezia!! Leave a Comment
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I have now been to Italy several times and each time have travelled around this fabulous country by train.
Once you get the hang of it, train travel in Italy is easy. It is also a great way to see the beautiful countryside on the way to your next destination.
I have travelled a couple of times using a rail pass, but the last couple of visits have just purchased tickets for each individual trip as we went.
That said, we often have purchased tickets a day or two in advance - particularly if the particular train requires a seat reservation, or if it is a busy time of year.
Purchasing a little in advance also means that you don't miss the train you want to catch due to a huuuuuge queue for tickets...
Last trip we used the automatic ticket machines at the stations and found them excellent.
Also, I have travelled both first and second class, and didn't really find much difference - travel second class and you can use the extra money to buy more wine/food etc
Just remember with all tickets that you need to validate them in the small yellow ticket machines before you board your train. Leave a Comment
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the water buses (vaporetti) are the least expensive and the best way to get around venice. if you will be in venice more than one day i would highly recommend buying the 2 or 3 day "blue" card. for unlimited use of the water buses. single trip tickets run about 4 to 5 euro so if you plan to visit morano, borano, and the lido the "blue card" is the way to go. also it is a great way to go up and down the grand canal were the single ticket fares are most expensive. you can buy them at the tourist office at the venice train station. Theme: Ship/Boat
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It is almost unbeliveable, there exist cheap gondola ride in Venice. The fact is, it takes only a few minutes across the canale, but it is definetely cheap, costs half of euro only. It is called Traghetto S.M. del Giglio and takes you nearby Santa Maria della Salute and Peggy Gugenhaim Museum. Leave a Comment Theme: Other
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Gondolas are overpriced and tourist traps (IMHO) so to travel like a true venetian local then cross the Canal Gande by "traghetti" - almost as good as a gondola.
There are several routes availbale:
between Ferrovia (station) and Fondamenta S.Simeon Piccolo
between S.Marcuola and Fontego dei Turchi
between S.Sofia (Ca'd'Oro) and Rialto market
between riva del Carbon and riva del Vin a Rialto
between S.Tomà and S.Angelo
between S.Samuele and S.Barnaba
between S.Maria del Giglio and calle del Traghetto in Dorsoduro
tra la punta della Dogana de Mar e S.Marco-calle Vallaresso
The longest and probably most useful is the one between S.Tomà e S.Angelo. Best of all you only have to spend about 1 euro!! These gondolas are slightly different to the others and are called "parada".
Well I confess I only tried this out during our visit in Sept 2005 - and I found it a bit scary and had to sit down, not stand like the locals would. My mistake was getting in first - the traghetto was more unstable and I thought I would end up in the canal! So an extra tip here is to be one of the last to get in when people in already are balancing the traghetto :-S Theme: Ship/Boat
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We took my parents to Venice for their first ever visit in Sep 2007, and we wanted them to have a fabulous first impression of this amazing place. We flew in to Marco Polo airport, and decided to splash out and catch a water taxi directly to our hotel. We had always really loved the look of the gorgeous wooden boats they use, but had never caught one before.
Upon arrival, we followed the signs from the airport terminal to the dock - about a 5 minute walk. Here we found the Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia, who run a water taxi service. We spoke to the man who was taking bookings and told him where we wanted to get the taxi to - our B&B was conveniently located close to a tiny canal.
About 10 minutes later, a taxi arrived for us. We passed the luggage down, and then clambered in, and we were away. Mum and I sat on the back seat in the open air, whilst the boys sat inside. We motored across the water, and couldn't see much initially (it was 9pm and dark), but after a little while the lights of Venice appeared and before we knew it we were on the Grand Canal!!
What an experience - we stood up at the back as we cruised down the canal, enjoying every moment of this fabulous 'taxi' ride. Leave a Comment
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