Getting Around in Venice
A common misconception among those who have never visited Venice is that you have to go every where by boat. In reality, most of your transportation in Venice will be provided by your own two feet. Boats are really handy only for your arrival and departure, and can occasionally be used for long distances along the Grand Canal, visiting distant islands, like Murano or Burano, or for crossing the Grand Canal at traghetto (ferry) points.
Vaporettos (water buses) are big, slow, ungainly things that wallow through the major canals transporting the masses. They work just like any city bus, running a regular, scheduled route with stops at specific locations. These buses just happen to float. You can buy your tickets in advance from a tobacco store, buy them from a kiosk at the dock, or buy them on board the boat. If you get them on board, head over to the wheel house right away and let the guy who handles the ropes know that you need a ticket, otherwise you may be fined for trying to ride the boat without a ticket.
Vaporetto fares:
- Standard ticket valid for 60 minutes: €6.50
- 12-hour card: €16.00
- 24-hour card: €18.00
- 36-hour card: €23.00
- 48-hour card: €28.00
- 72-hour card: €33.00
- 7-day card: €50.00
Luggage costs an additional €6.50 per piece, though they don’t charge for one small bag per person (carry-on size, 22” or smaller).
When the boat pulls up, stand aside and wait for the disembarking passengers to get off before you try to get on. You can go inside and sit down, or stand in the open, center part of the boat. If you use one of the seats in front of the wheel house (which have the best views and the most wind), stay seated so the captain can see where he’s going. He’ll remind you if you forget.
The most common routes you’ll use are No. 1 (slow boat down the Grand Canal, stopping at every stop); No. 2 (fast boat down the Grand Canal, stopping only at Piazzale Roma, the train station, Rialto, Accademia and St Marks; it also runs to and from the Tronchetto parking garage and the Youth Hostel on Giudecca), and No. 52 (circles the island and goes out to the Lido). For Murano, you can take the DM line from Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia. More information on routes and fares in Venice is available from the ACTV web site.
Water Taxis are sleek sharks, prowling the waters for unsuspecting victims. The official rates for water taxis start at around €30. There are legitimate charges that add to your total, like luggage, night time, holidays and transporting more than four people.
While walking in Venice you’ll occasionally need to cross the Grand Canal, which is bridged in only four locations: by the wooden Accademia in the southeast, the elegant Rialto right in the middle, the plain Jane Scalzi Bridge near the train station, and the brand new glass bridge near Piazzale Roma, designed by Antonio Calatrava. People with tired feet use the traghettos (ferries) to cross. These large gondolas, stationed at key points between the bridges, will take you across the Grand Canal for €1.
Walking around in Venice will give you a good idea of what a rat in a maze feels like. Narrow, twisting alleys and multi-story building make it hard to get your bearing or figure out which direction you’re going. Streets change names every block. There are about 6000 addresses within each of the six districts, and the numbers run sequentially up one side and down the other, following the labyrinth of streets in a seemingly incoherent pattern.
After you’ve past the umpteenth store front with carnival masks and cheap glass knickknacks, you’ll swear you’re walking around in circles. And you may be. I’ve been to Venice dozens of times over the past 30 years, and I still get lost at least once every time I visit. Getting lost in Venice is part of the adventure. I highly recommend it.
Wander off in any direction away from Saint Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge, turning down alleys that take you away from the flow of foot traffic and into the quieter sections of the city. As the din of the crowds recede, you’ll hear the lap and splash of the water, stirred by distant boats, unseen and unheard. Catch the sing-song chatter of neighbors conversing in a language incomprehensible to most Italians. You may just stumble upon a noisy group of elementary students, launching colorful balloons in the shadow of a 16th century church. Or find a small courtyard, late afternoon sunlight illuminating one corner and the sound of lone cello streaming from an open window.
When you’re ready to return to civilization, the key to finding yourself is to steer by the major landmarks: Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia, Rialto, San Marco, and Accademia. At most large squares and major crossroads there will be yellow signs pointing to one or more of these landmarks. If you can find your way to your hotel from one of those points, you’ll never be truly lost in Venice.
When walking in Venice, please remember that the streets are narrow and crowded. Be courteous. Walk in a single file, not side by side—no matter how romantic the city may make you feel. Be aware of people behind you who may want to pass. Stopping to window shop could bring an entire line of people behind you to a screeching halt.
Listen for the Attenzione! of delivery guys pushing dolly loads of food, merchandise, laundry and everything else that Venice needs to keep functioning. They have a hard job. Don’t make it any harder.