Venice Public Transport
If you don’t already know this, there are no roads in Venice therefore there are no cars, buses, motorbikes or other means of transportation that are used on roads. To best way to get around in Venice is on foot as Venice is quite small and distances are short. If however you do need to use transportation to get to another island or cross the Grand Canal or even for recreational purposes there are many forms of transportation.
There are four bridges in the Grand Canal : the oldest and the most famous ones are Ponte di Rialto , Ponte dell’Accademia, Ponte degli Scalzi and the newest addition that opened in 2008 , the Ponte della Costituzione which links the Santa Lucia Railway station with the bus station at Piazzale Roma.
Water Bus – Vaporetto
Water buses or Vaporetto perform specific routes around Venice therefore your trip is confined to specific routes and times. A ticket costs 7 euros and its valid for 60 minutes. Visitors can get down at one stop and then get back on it as long as it is in the same direction that it was originally bought for.
A cheaper solution for those who want to use public transportation is to buy a tourist ticket. These are valid for 12, 24, 36 hours depending on the needs of each tourist and they are valid for unlimited routes.
Vaporetto are available from early in the morning until late at night, however it is best to check a route map at each stop. For more information on times and routes use the ACTV link.
Ticket Prices | |
€18.00 | 12 hour ticket |
€20.00 | 24 hour ticket |
€25.00 | 36 hour ticket |
€30.00 | 48 hour ticket |
€35.00 | 72 hour ticket |
€50.00 | 7 day ticket |
Traghetto
A different way to cross the Grand Canal is with a tragehetto which is a public gondola. Traghetto are old gondolas which are now used to transport people from one side of the Grand Canal to the other. These routes are short and cheap so they are mostly used by the locals. A ride with a traghetto can cost from €0, 50 until 1 euro. There are two rowers on each side and the passengers stand straight in the middle. There are seven boarding point where visitors can hire a traghetto along the canal:
- Campo del Traghetto--- Calle Lanza
- San Samuele---Ca' Rezzónico
- Sant'Angelo--- San Tomà
- Riva del Carbòn--- Fondamente del Vin
- Santa Sofia--- Pescaria
- San Marcuola--- Fondaco dei Turchi
- Fondamente Santa Lucia(Ferrovia)--- Fondamenta San Simeon Piccolo
Water Taxis
For a more direct service towards a particular location, the only solution is to get a water taxi, however this is a more expensive method. If however you are travelling with a group of other people in order to share the cost, a water taxi is a faster and more comfortable way to get to your destination. Water taxis have a black registration number with a yellow background. Water taxis are available at main points such as Piazzale Roma, Rialto, San Marco and Lido.
Gondola
Gondolas are the most expensive means on transportation in Venice. During the day a 40 minute route will cost 80 euros. For every added 20 minutes the price goes up 40 euros. From 7 o’clock in the evening until 8 o’clock in the morning it will cost 100 euros. For every added 20 minutes the cost will go up 50 euros. They are however the most romantic forms of transportation in Venice.
Bus
Buses are not in use in Venice, but visitors may need to use them in order to visit other destinations like Mestre. The Venice bus station is situated at Piazzale Roma.
Cars
As already stated, cars cannot be used in Venice. There are however car rental offices in Piazzale Roma in order to use a can outside of Venice. The minimum age limit for renting a car is 23 years old, and drivers must also have a European Union or international driving licence.
Bikes
Bikes are also not allowed in Venice, however bicycles can be rented on the island of Lido. The company Lido on Bike is open from March to October and is a few metres from the vaporetti central station in Viale Santa Maria Elisabetta 21.
