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Vaporetto Water BusesPage 3
ABOVE: A beagle enjoys the view from a No. 2 vaporetto. Traveling by vaporettoRiding a vaporetto, motoscafo, or motonave in Venice isn't any more complicated than riding a subway or city bus. (Unfortunately, it's quite a bit more expensive, as you'll see when you read our Vaporetto Fares article.) Here's what you need to know before traveling on a public water bus: 1. Look for an ACTV stop.
ACTV waterbus stops are shown on most Venice maps, and you'll often see signs pointing to vaporetto stops when you're walking around the city. The stops are easy to recognize by their yellow-and-white floating platforms. Note: Be sure that you're at a stop for the line that you want to take. At larger stops, which have multiple platforms, look for signs that indicate boat numbers and direction of travel (e.g., No. 1 toward San Marco or Piazzale Roma). 2. Buy a ticket or pass.
Another (and more expensive) option is to buy a VeniceConnected pass, which offers additional services such as city museums and public toilets. If you plan to be in Venice for more than a few weeks during the next three years and expect to use public transportation often, the iMob CartaVenezia stored-value card (which allows you travel at cheap resident fares) may be worth the hefty upfront fee. 3. Validate your ticket.
At every ACTV stop, you'll see a white electronic ticket reader near the entrance to the floating boat platform. Hold your ticket or pass up to the ticket reader and listen for the "beep.
If you don't have a ticket and there's no booth or machine at the ACTV stop, request a ticket from the marinaio (sailor) immediately after boarding the water bus to avoid a large fine. Tip: Look for a boat timetable near the ticket reader. 4. Cross the walkway to the platform.
Be sure to enter the waiting area (not the exit, which is usually marked with a red-and-white "no entry" symbol). Note: ACTV platforms float up and down with the tides, which means the platform and the boat are on the same level. This makes water buses easier to board than water taxis, especially if you're traveling with a wheelchair, stroller, or wheeled suitcase. 5. Wait for the water bus.
When the water bus arrives, stay behind the yellow line until disembarking passengers are off the boat and the sailor indicates that you can board. Note: You won't need to show your validated ticket or pass unless an inspector asks to see it. Next page: More tips and warnings
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You
can buy waterbus tickets or 12-hour to 7-day
(Note:
At larger ACTV stations, you may also see green ticket readers. These are
"read-only" devices that let you check how many trips are left on your ticket.
They won't deduct a fare or validate your ticket for your current trip.)
