Venice Vaporetto Routes

ABOVE: A motoscafo plows through choppy water near the Madonna dell'Orto station. (The Dolomite mountains are in the background.)

Also see these articles:

• Venice Vaporetto and Bus Fares
• Venice Airport Boat
• Venice Airport Buses

Venice's waterbus routes change from time to time. This means that map and guidebook descriptions of the vaporetto lines are frequently out of date. Although I try to keep the route table in this article up to date, please note that routes are subject to change and seasonal variation. When in doubt, check the timetables at the vaporetto stops.

Things to know:

1. At smaller stops, boats will come from both directions. Pay attention so you'll board the right waterbus!

2. Occasionally, a boat will ignore certain stops or will terminate its run before the end of the line. The placard or electronic signboard on the boat will indicate any such deviations. (Either that, or the conductor will shoo you off.)

3. Some lines are defined as "summer only," but "summer" usually means April through October on the Venice tourist calendar.

4. Routes marked with the icon are easily wheelchair-accessible (e.g, with vaporetti that have flat or single-level decks) Routes marked * have at least some wheelchair-accessible boats (e.g., new motoscafi on the circolare routes that have covered wheelchair positions and belts on the entrance deck).

5. Actv (the Venice public transportation system) has a free printed timetable (orario) that you can request at any ticket booth. Actv also has a Web site with a journey planner that's reasonably convenient if you know your departure and arrival stops.

6. If you board at a stop that doesn't have a ticket office, approach the conductor immediately after boarding and ask for a biglietto. Otherwise, you could be fined heavily for traveling without a ticket.

7. Be sure to validate your ticket before boarding the boat. Simply insert it in the yellow ticket machine near the floating platform, and the ticket will be stamped automatically. If you're using a travel card (see below), validate the card the first time it's used.

8. You can save money on public transportation by purchasing a 12- to 72-hour travel card from any Actv ticket booth. Another (and slightly more expensive) option is the Venice Card, which is available in 1-, 3-, or 7-day versions and includes benefits such as admission to city-owned museums and free use of public toilets.

9. For convenience, "vaporetto" is often used as a generic synonym for "water bus," but technically there are three types of boat: the "vaporetto," a flat-decked boat used on routes such as No. 1 (Grand Canal) and No. 2; the "motoscafo" (used for routes that go into the Lagoon; see photo at top of page); and the "motonave" (a large double-decked vessel that looks like a ship and is used for commuter service to the Lido, Punta Sabioni, and Treporti).

New for 2008:

• The No. 82 express line is now the No. 2, and the old No. 3 summer express is gone, having been replaced by a No. 3 route for Venice residents only.

• The Actv is gradually introducing an "Imob Venezia" electronic ticketing system with contactless "smart cards" that will eventually replace traditional paper tickets. Initially, the system is being used for residents' commuter cards; stay tuned for further information or check the Italian-language Imob.venezia.it Web site.

For more information on specific vaporetto lines, see my route table on page 2.

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