Venice-Lido Car Ferry

Actv No. 17 ferry from Tronchetto to San Nicoḷ

ABOVE: An Actv car ferry is moored by the island of Tronchetto.

The Lido, the resort island that separates the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea, is one of the few places in the Comune di Venezia (other than the mainland) that allows car traffic. If you're touring Italy by car and staying on the Lido for more than a few days, it may be cheaper to take your car with you instead of parking at Tronchetto or one of Venice's other public garages and open-air lots.

Boat 17, officially titled "Servizio trasporto automezzi e passeggeri con nave traghetto Tronchetto-Lido," is a car and passenger ferry that connects Venice's Tronchetto parking island with the Lido.

The boat lands at San Nicoḷ, a few blocks above the Lido's central business district. You'll need to turn right after you leave the ferry and drive through the central area to reach most of the Lido's hotels.

Timetable

The ferry timetable is subject to change, and you may find a hand-lettered list of more frequent departures pasted to the window of the Tronchetto ticket office (as I did when I researched this article).

Rates

The cost of passage varies with the size of the vehicle and the number of passengers. (There are 14 fare categories in all.) The driver's ticket is included in the vehicle fare, except for bicycles and mopeds of less than 50cc engine capacity.

Round-trip (return) rates are double the one-way prices.

Reaching Tronchetto

From the mainland, take the causeway toward Venice. Stay in the right lane. Just before you reach the city, you'll see an exit labeled "Tronchetto."

Follow this exit road to Tronchetto, then watch the signs for the ferry. As you near the end of the island, you'll reach the toll booth where you buy your ticket before lining up for the boat.

For more information, including timetables, visit the official Actv Web site.