Page 286 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

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Getting Around Venice by Vaporetto

For visitors to Venice, the vaporetti, or water buses, provide an
entertaining form of public transport, although most journeys
within the city can usually be covered just as quickly on foot.
These water buses also supply a useful service connecting
outlying points on the periphery of Venice and a link with the
islands in the lagoon. The main route through the city is the
Grand Canal, and the most useful service from a visitor’s point
of view is the No. 1. This line operates from one end of the Grand
Canal to the other and travels sufficiently slowly for passengers
to admire the parade of palaces at the waterside (see pp60–75).

The Boats If you only want to cross Sightseeing from a vaporetto on the
Grand Canal
The original vaporetti were the Grand Canal, you can Timetables
steam-powered motorboats buy a traghetto ticket for
(vaporetto means “little €2 (see p283). A 75-minute The vaporetti are renowned
steamer”); today they run on vaporetto ticket costs €7.50 for their punctuality, and the
diesel. Although all the boats and allows travel for 1 hour Venetians boast they can set
tend to be called vaporetti, from the time of validation. their watches by them. There
strictly speaking this word There are also 24-hour (€20), is just one timetable, covering
applies only to the large, wide 48-hour (€30) and 72-hour both weekdays and public
boats used on the slow routes, (€40) tickets that entitle holidays. The only restrictions
such as the No. 1. These boats the holder to unlimited travel concern rowing events such
provide the best views. The on most lines and offer better as the Vogalonga (see p37)
motoscafi are the slimmer, value. A one-week pass and the Regata Storica (see p39),
smaller and faster boats, such as costs €60. when services are partially
the No. 5.2. Some of them might IMOB (electronic smart-card) suspended, and the acqua alta
look old and rusty, but they go passes are available from all high-tide flooding, when
at quite a pace. The two-tier ticket offices, such as the ones some lines are limited due
motonavi, which look huge in at Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia, Rialto to low bridges.
comparison to the vaporetti or and San Marco, as well as from The main routes run from
motoscafi, are used on routes to tobacconists and news agents around 5am to midnight every
outlying islands and the Lido. displaying the ACTV logo. 10 to 20 minutes. There are also
Reduced-price tickets can three nighttime routes starting
be purchased online through from 11:30pm and running till
Tickets and Fares
Venezia Unica. Holders of the about 5am. The N runs every
Tickets for the vapor etti are the Rolling Venice card (see p270) 30 minutes down the Grand
same price irrespective of can buy a Tre Giorni Giovane, Canal from Piazzale Roma to
the length of journey, making or 3-day youth pass, for €22 the Lido. From Fondament
the service very straightforward (see City Map). Nuove there are half-hourly
to use. Moreover, a range of Note that the Alilaguna boats to Murano and hourly
timed tickets and passes (to and from Marco Polo Airport; boats to Burano, Torcello
provides decent savings over see p279), No. 19 (from Chioggia and Punta Sabbioni.
the standard single ticket price, to San Zaccaria) and No. 16 Details of all the vaporetto
especially if purchased in (from Le Zattere to Fusina) lines lines are in the ACTV timetable,
advance online. need separate tickets. available at most boarding
points or online.

DIRECTORY
Tickets and Fares
ACTV
A vaporetto or water bus
Piazzale Roma.
Map 5 B1.
Tel 041 24 24.
∑ actv.it or
∑ veneziaunica.it
The smaller, sleeker motoscafo

284-285_EW_Venice.indd 284 8/18/17 11:16 AM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.6)
Date 7th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm