The Water Bus Network

Vaporetto

There are no streets in Venice, which means that instead of regular road buses, the city has a network of water buses called vaporetti.

Twenty numbered, color-coded routes operated by ACTV connect Venice and the other islands. The stops are floating piers, some equipped with gates or turnstiles, situated mainly along the waterfront perimeter and Grand Canal.

Main routes

1 is the backbone of the city, runing along Grand Canal, and taking around 45 minutes to travel from Venice Train Station to St. Mark's Square.
4 and 5 travel around the perimeter of Venice with 4.1 & 5.1 running counterclockwise and 4.2 & 5.2 running clockwise.
To Murano: 3, 4 and 7 (seasonal).
To Burano: 12 and continue on 9 for Torcello.
To Venice Lido: 1, 5, 6 and 14.

View entire network map

Timetable

Because ACTV provides each route's timetable separately (see for yourself), the best mobile app for up-to-date travel information between any two stops, based on ACTV open data, is Chebateo.

Visit Chebateo website and download app

Tickets

A single ticket costs €9.50 and allows up to 75 minutes of travel across the entire network from the time of validation.

Single-day and multi-day passes

A multi-day pass provides cost-effective, unlimited travel for one or more days.

Its validity begins from the moment of first use and lasts for the specified time interval. For example, if you start using a 1-day pass at 11:00, it will remain valid until 10:59 the following day.

1-day pass: €25
2-day pass: €35
3-day pass: €45
7-day pass: €65

Purchase tickets on the go

You can use your bank card or mobile device to buy tickets with the tap-to-pay (EMV) system. Simply hold your card or device near the validator for a few seconds until you hear a beep and the screen turns green.

You can pay for up to five passengers with the same card or device, but each person must be tapped in within 60 seconds of the previous one.

For buses and trams, tapping out is mandatory when you get off, but this does not apply to vaporettos.

Purchase tickets online

Online purchased tickets need to be exchanged at a ticket machine for a physical ticket, which you will use from then onward.

Vaporetto : Be sure to exchange your online tickets for a physical ticket before your first ride

The procedure is quite straightforward: you scan the received QR code at the machine and your ticket will be immediately issued.

Good to know

Children under 6 travel for free.
Up to 3 pieces of baggage are included free of charge, provided one piece's combined length, width, and height does not exceed 150 cm (60 inches) and the other two do not exceed 120 cm (47 inches). Extra luggage incurs an additional charge of one ticket per piece.
View complete baggage policies
All tickets must be validated before boarding. Hold the ticket close to the stop's card reader until you see a green light and hear a beep.
All tickets also provide access to the road bus network and trams traveling to and from Mestre and Marghera.
Alilaguna lines to the airport (A,B and R) are not part of the water bus network and require different tickets.
View airport transfers

Your questions, answered

Below, you'll find answers to the most frequently asked questions about the vaporetto.

What should I do if there's no working validator when I board?

If you have a regular paper ticket, manually write the date and time of boarding on the ticket. If you're using a day pass, no action is needed. Tap-to-pay won't be available in this case, so you'll need to rely on a previously validated ticket or a valid day pass.

Does tap-to-pay automatically calculate the best fare?

Yes. Since April 2025, the system will automatically calculate the best fare, charging you the most advantageous ticket or day pass based on the rides you take. For now, only one passenger per card or device is supported, although support for up to five passengers with regular tap-to-go is expected soon. Charges may appear on your card a couple of days later, or you may see a temporary authorization first.

Do the water buses stop running at night?

Yes, most lines stop at night, but there are a few nocturnal options. The "N" (Notturno) line runs all night along a route similar to Line 1, every 30 minutes. Additionally, the NMU line (Fondamente Nove - Murano) runs hourly, and the NLN line (Fondamente Nove - Burano - Punta Sabbioni) runs on a sparser schedule.

Q: Can I use my vaporetto day pass to get to the airport?

A: No. The Alilaguna boats to Marco Polo Airport are operated by a private company, so your ACTV vaporetto day pass doesn't cover them. If you want to use your pass partially, take Line 5 "AeroBus" (a land bus) and pay an additional airport surcharge of €7.