Public transport in Venice (2024)

Venice public transport, water taxi, bus and vaporetto tickets

All information and tickets for the vaporetto (water bus), water taxi prices, ferry, traghetto and other public transport in Venice Italy.

Transport in Venice

The best way to explore the city is by walking. You just walk out of your hotel and choose the direction of Venice that you would like to explore that day. You can stay in Venice itself, but you can also visit one of the islands around it and in that case you will need transportation over water. Don't want to walk or want public transport to visit islands? Then these are the different options for public transport in Venice: vaporetto (waterbus), water taxi, gondola or by traghetto.

1. Vaporetto (water bus)

First of all, grab the Vaporetto if you want to go through the channels to an attraction or restaurant. The Vaporetto is also known as the water bus and the ACTV is the company that provides all public transport in Venice. You will recognize the ACTV logo on the waterbus. You pay a fixed price for a Vaporetto day ticket and you can use this ticket all day long. You don't need to stamp Vaporetto tickets until you board, so if you buy multiple tickets for your stay and don't use the waterbus one day, you can use it another day. You can order these Vaporetto tickets in advance and don't even have to print them anymore.

2. Venice Water Taxi

You can also book a Venice Water Taxi. It will be waiting for you near the hotel and will take you to any desired destination. This personal taxi over water is often pricey, but it does provide you with an exclusive experience. With these Venice water taxis you can also book a tour or they can take you to the islands Murano, Burano or Torcello. A trip across the Canal Grande is also an option with Venice's water taxis.

3. To and from Venice airport

Want to read more about transportation options between Venice Marco Polo Airport and your hotel in Venice? In this article we will show the options to and from the airport in detail.

More info Airport transfers

4. Gondolas

The well-known gondola is an important transport mode in Venice, not only for people, but also for goods. With a gondola, unlike the traghetto, a sightseeing tour is possible. It is best to agree a price with the gondolier before you leave, or book a gondola ride in advance. A gondola ride in the evenings is more expensive than during the day. Furthermore, you can board with a maximum of 6 people and since you pay per gondola and not per person, this boat trip with a family can therefore not be too bad in terms of price. You will get a unique experience together.

More about gondola rides

5. Traghetto

The Traghetto was created especially for crossing the Grand Canal. This means that within Venice you not only have the four well-known bridges that connect the parts of the city, but also seven crossings per traghetto. This is an old gondola that has been stripped of all its bells and whistles. After a refurbishment, it will be used as a means of transport at fixed crossing points. So make no mistake, when you board this gondola you will not get a tour of Venice. There is no guide available to tell you about the Venice sightseeing. The gondola only takes you from one point to another at the same height of the canal and will probably cost around 2 euros. Venice residents will stop when they grab the traghetto, but don't be ashamed to sit down if your legs are wobbly.