The VENICE Waterway System
Unlike the other metro systems featured in this website which are either train or tram systems, the Italian city of Venice has it’s metro system situated along it’s vast canal system. The city is served by five types of water transportation –
The vaporetto or water bus.
The alilaguna traghetti or public ferry
The taxi acquei or Motoscafi, which is a private water taxi.
The traghetto, which is a standing room only, two manned skiff, known as the poor man’s gondola.
The gondola, which is a traditional flat bottomed rowing boat similar to a punt.
The city also operates a small people mover which serves the Port of Venice.
ARRIVING IN VENICE
BY AIR
Venice is served by two airports, the Venice Marco Polo International and the Treviso Canova Airport.
From Marco Polo Airport one can take the Linea M alilaguna traghetti, public ferry to San Marco, which is just a few metres walk from Piazalle Roma, or the local ACTV bus # 5 operates from Venice Marco Polo International Airport and will drop you at Piazzale Roma in around thirty minutes.
Also from from Marco Polo Airport one can take private water taxis, which will take you to the doorstep of anywhere you wish to go in Venice, but this service is extremely expensive.
From Treviso Canova Airport one can take either a bus or train into Venice.
Bus # 6 will take you to the railway station at Treviso where you can board a train to Venice Santa Lucia Railway Station. Remember to buy a ticket for Venezia Stazione Santa Lucia and NOT Venezia Mestre, which is an industrial suburb of Venice.
The service is called the Servizio Trenitalia Regionale and it travels between Udine and Venice via Sacile, Conegliano and Treviso.
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There are also coaches laid on to meet some European incoming flights which you may already be booked on by your airline. The journey time by coach takes around seventy minutes to Venice's Piazzale Roma.
BY SEA
Venice is also served by two ferry ports and a cruise terminal. The Stazione San Basilio, located at Dorsoduro, the Stazione Marittima situated on the Fondamente Zattere / Quayside Promenade and the San Marco Giardinetti Docks or cruise terminal, situated near Piazzale Roma.
From the cruise terminal at San Marco Giadinetti Docks, the Piazalle Roma is just a 900 metre or ten to fifteen minute walk away, a
two minute land taxi ride away, a five minute public bus ride away by way of bus numbers 6 or 6B or a five minute ride by way of the port shuttle bus service which operates throughout the duration of a cruise ship’s stay.
From the Stazione San Basilico you can take vaporetti lines 2, N, 8, 61 or 62 from the San Basilico vaporetto fermate / water bus stop to Piazzale Roma.
From the Stazione Marittima you can take either the new People Mover or Linea M of the alilaguna traghetti public ferry service which will take you to the San Marco Giadinetti Cruise Terminal, where you can then make your way to Piazzalle Roma in the same way as above.
BY RAIL
Venice is served by the Santa Lucia Railway Station / Venezia Stazione Santa Lucia. On exiting the station you will see the Grand Canal immediately in front of you where you will see two floating docks known as vaporetti fermate / water bus stops. To get to Piazzale Roma a vaporetto ride will take around thirty minutes. For more information see railway section below.
BY CAR
Venice is accessed by way of the A4 Autostrada. Exit this highway at Venezio Mestre and follow the signs to Venezio Centro Storico. You will be joining the Via della Liberta which will take you from Mestre over the causeway that spans the Venetian Lagoon, by way of the Ponte della Liberta – Liberty Bridge. After leaving the bridge you will find yourself at the city’s main transportation hub at Piazzale Roma, a large square where there are several car parks, including the garages of the A.S.M Venezia situated right next to the square or the Tronchetto, an artificial island situated behind the square with yet more car parking. If these lots are full, you will need to travel back to Mestre where there are several parking lots there, including ones at the Stazione Giuliano, the Parcheggio Porta Rossa, Parcheggio Porta Blu and the Parcheggio Porta Gallia, which also allows camper vans and towed caravans. You can then make your way back into Venice by taking local ACTV bus numbers 12, 19 or 24 or the local train, both of which will take between ten to twenty minutes. Please be aware that parking ticket machines in both Venice and Mestre do not give change, so please have the correct money or pay by credit card.
THE VENICE SANTA LUCIA RAILWAY STATION
The Venice Santa Lucia Railway Station is located in the city's Cannaregio district, situated at the western end of the Grand Canal. The station's concourse is linked to the city's Piazzale Roma by way of the Ponte della Costituzione / Constitution Bridge and to the city's Santa Croce district by the Ponte degli Scalzi / Bridge of the Barefoot.
The station is also linked to the area's other railway station, the Venice Mestre Railway Station, by way of the Ponte della Libertà / Liberty Bridge. This station is located along the city's Piazzale Pietro Favretti and is an important junction station not only for the city of Venice but for the whole of the Veneto region. To access Venice Mestre Railway Station is easy as every train out of Venice Santa Lucia passes through it. It can also be accessed by several local bus services.
SOME OF THE SANTA LUCIA RAILWAY SERVICES
Although the Santa Lucia Railway Station was built at the terminus of the 267 kilometer long Milan - Venice Railway it also provides many local, regional, national and international rail services. Shown below are some of the more interesting routes which travel in and out of the station;
NATIONAL
Trenitalia Frecciargento (HSR) service to Rome Fiumicino Airport - Venice - Padua - Bologna - Florence - Rome Tiburtina - Rome Termini - Rome Fiumicino Airport.
Trenitalia Frecciabianca (HSR) service to Turin - Venice - Padua - Vicenza - Verona - Brescia - Milan - Novara - Turin.
Italo (HSR) service to Naples - Venice - Padua - Bologna - Florence - Rome (Tiburtina) - Naples.
Venice Simplon Orient Express service to Rome - London Victoria - Folkestone West (Channel Tunnel) - Paris Gare de l'Est - Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof - Venice Santa Lucia - Florence Santa Maria Novella - Rome Ostiense.
Trenitalia (HSR) Frecciabianca to Lecce - Venice - Padua - Rovigo - Ferrara - Bologna - Rimini - Pesaro - Ancona - Pescara - Termoli - Foggia - Bari - Brindisi - Lecce.
INTERNATIONAL
Thello EuroNight service to Paris - Venice - Venice Mestre - Padua - Verona - Brescia - Milan Centrale - Dijon, France - Paris Gare de Lyon.
ÖBB EuroNight service to Vienna - Venice (Santa Lucia) - Venice (Mestre) - Treviso - Udine - Villach - Salzburg - Wels - Linz - St. Pölten - Vienna.
ÖBB EuroCity service to Munich - Venice - Padua - Verona - Rovereto/Rofreit - Trento/Trient - Bolzano/Bozen - Brennero/Brenner - Innsbruck - Jenbach - Wörgl - Kufstein - Rosenheim - Munich.
VAPPORETTO LINES WHICH CALL AT SANTA LUCIA RAILWAY STATION
Found below are the vaporetto lines which serve Santa Lucia Railway Station;
1) - P.le Roma - Ferrovia - Rialto - San Marco - Lido
2) - San Zaccaria - Giudecca - Tronchetto - P.le Roma - Ferrovia - Rialto - San Marco.
4.1) - Murano - F.te Nove - Ferrovia - P.le Roma - Giudecca - San Zaccaria - F.te Nove - Murano
4.2) - Murano - F.te Nove - San Zaccaria - Giudecca - P.le Roma - Ferrovia - F.te Nove - Murano
5.1) - Lido - F.te Nove - Ferrovia - P.le Roma - San Zaccaria - Lido
5.2) - Lido - San Zaccaria - P.le Roma - Ferrovia - F.te Nove - Lido
DM) - Murano - Ferrovia - P.le Roma - Tronchetto
N) - (Night Service) San Zaccaria - Giudecca - Tronchetto - P.le Roma - Ferrovia - Rialto - San Marco - Lido
TYPES OF TRANSPORT IN VENICE
THE TRAGHETTO
The Traghetto are two manned skiffs which travel from one side of Venice's Grand Canal over to the other side.The Traghetto routes are situated at fourteen locations along the canal, seven on either side, at various points along it's course. The traghetto docks, which are locally signposted as Calle de Traghetto, are located at these fourteen points;
1) Fondamente San Lucia ( Venice Railway Station) TO Fondamente San Simeon Piccolo
2) San Marcuola - Fandaco de Turchi
3) Santa Sofia - La Pescaria (Fish Market)
4) Riva del Carban - Fondamente del Vin
5) Sant Angelo - San Toma
6) San Samuele - Calle Rezzonico
7) Campo del Traghetto - Calle Lanza
THE ALILAGUNA TRAGHETTI
The Alilaguna Traghetti, not to be confused with the traghetto above, are Venice's larger public ferries. They have four routes which are known as linea, these linea are;
LINEA BLU (BLUE LINE) - Travels from Marco Polo Airport,calling at Colonna, Fundamente Nove, Ospedale (Hospital), Bacini, Lido, Arsenale, San Zacharia Jolanda, San Marco Giardinetti (Cruise liner dock), Zattere, Molino Stuchy, Stazione Marittima (Ferry port).
LINEA ARANCIA (ORANGE LINE) - Travels from Marco Polo Airport, calling at Fondamente Nove, Madonna Dell'Orto, Guglie, San Stae, Rialto, Sant Angelo, San Marco.
LINEA ROSSO (RED LINE) - Travels from Marco Polo Airport, calling at Murano Island, Museo, Lido Island and Lido Casino.
LINEA M (LINE M) - Is only in use during the Summer months and covers Marco Polo Airport, San Marco and Stazione Marittima.
THE VAPORETTO
The Vaporetto (plural vaporetti) is the Venetian Water Bus. The name vaporetto means steam, which was how they were fueled when they were first introduced onto the canals in the 1880's. Each vaporetto is numbered, like a regular street bus.
Below are listed the routes of the vaporetto services most used by visitors to the city.
NOTE - Ferrovia Santa Lucia is Venice Railway Station.
1) Calling at - Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia Santa Lucia, Rialto, San Marco, and Lido Island.
2) Calling at - San Zacharia, Giudecca Island, Tronchetto Island, Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia Santa Lucia, Rialto, San Marco and Lido Island.
9) Half hourly service between Murano Island and Torcello Island, operating daily between 08.00 hours and 20.30 hours.
13) Calling at - Fundamente Nove, Murano Island, Vignole Island, Lazzaretto Island and Sant Erasmus Island.
41) Calling at - Murano Island, Fundamente Nove, Ferovia Santa Lucia, Piazzale Roma and Giudecca Island.
42) Makes the same stops as service 41, but travels in the opposite direction.
51) Calling at - Lido Island, Fundamente Nove, Ferrovia Santa Lucia, Piazzale Roma and San Zacharia.
52) Calling at – Lido Island, San Zacharia, Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia Santa Lucia and Fundamente Nove.
DM) Calling at - Murano Island, Ferrovia Santa Lucia, Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto Island.
N) - Night Service - Calling at - San Zacharia, Giudecca Island, Tronchetto Island, Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia Santa Lucia, Rialto, San Marco and Lido Island.
THE MOTOSCAFI
The Motoscafi is a Venetian water taxi. The water taxis are covered petrol driven, speed boats which operate a twenty four hour service. The taxis hold up to ten people at any one time and charge fixed tarrifs.
The taxis can be found at various taxi stands around the city or they can be pre-booked by telephone or online.
For more information visit - motoscafivenezia.it.
THE GONDOLA
The Gondola is a traditional, hand made, flat-bottomed, rowing boat which is propelled by using an oar, or remo, much like punting. For centuries gondolas were the main form of transportation in and around the city of Venice, although today they are strictly a tourist attraction, and a very expensive one at that, so please remember to come to an agreement with the gondolier on price before you set off on your journey.
The gondolas can only be found in one place, the Bacino San Orseolo, right in front of the Best Western Hotel Cavaletto.
For more information visit - www.gondolavenezia.it.
THE PEOPLE MOVER
Venice is served by a small, cable operated people mover with a track of just 857 metres. The system began operation in 2010 and has three stations situated at Piazalle Roma, Marittima and Isola del Tronchetto.
Piazalle Roma is the location of Venice's main bus station, Marittima is the location of the Port of Venice's cruise liner terminal and Tronchetto Island is a man made island which is the location of Venice's only car park.
Tickets for the people mover are obtained from ticket vending machines situated at the three stations along it's route. Tickets cost one Euro and fifty cents and instructions for using the payment system is available in four languages. The system is easily accessible for wheelchair users and young children.
The people mover operates seven days a week every day of the year and it's timetable is;
Monday to Saturday 07.00 hours - 23.00 hours.
Sundays during April to October 08.00 hours - 22.00 hours
Sundays during November to March 08.30 hours - 21.00 hours.
FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND VENICE
MURANO ISLAND / ISOLA MURANO
The island of Murano, famed for it's hand made lace and glass making, can be accessed by way of vaporetto route 9 from Torcello Island, route 13 from Fundamente Nove and services 41, 42 and DM from Piazzale Roma. Linea Rossa of the Alilaguna service can also be used from the airport.
SAINT MARK'S SQUARE / PIAZZA SAN MARCO
Saint Mark's Square, famed for it's eleventh century campanile and basilica, can be accessed by way of vaporetto routes 1,2 and N from Piazzalle Roma or Linea Arancia, Linea Rossa and Linea M of the Alilaguna services.
THE DOGE'S PALACE / PALAZZO DUCALE
The fifteenth century Doge's Palace, which is now one of eleven museums situated around Venice, is located next to Saint Mark's Square facing the Grand Canal. The palace is accessed by way of vaporetto routes 1, 51, 52 or N and disembarking at the San Zaccaria stop or vaporetto route 2 and disembarking at the Giardinetti stop.
BRIDGE OF SIGHS / PONTE DEI SOSPIRI
Venice's world famous Bridge of Sighs is an enclosed, limestone bridge which links the Doge's Palace with the New Prison across the Rio di Palazzo o Canonica. The bridge can only be seen from either the Canonica Bridge or the Ponte della Paglia.
RIALTO BRIDGE / PONTE DE RIALTO
The Rialto Bridge is Venice's oldest bridge having been completed in 1588. Today it is a pedestrian bridge which houses several high end fashion and jewelry shops. The bridge links San Marco with San Polo across the Grand Canal and is accessed by way of vaporetto routes 1,2 and N or Alilaguna route Arancia / Orange.
LA FENICE THEATRE / TEATRO LA FENICE
The Teatro La Fenice is a world renowned opera house and theatre which is located near Saint Mark's Square. To acess the theatre use Tronchetto Line 2 and disembark at Rialto Bridge or use Alilaguna route Arancia /orange and disembark at Rialto Bridge or Alilaguna Blu /blue route and disembark at St Mark's Square.
FILM FESTIVAL
Venice's world famous film festival has taken place every August or September on the Island of Lido since 1932, where the films can be seen on and around the island's Palazzo del Cinema.
The island can be accessed by vaporetto routes #1, #2, #51, #52 and N or by alilaguna traghetti Linea Blu or Linea Rosso.
In 2016 the 73rd Venice Film Festival will be held between August 31st and September 10th.
For more information please visit - www.labiennale.org.
CARNIVAL
Venice's annual carnival (Il Carnevale) is famed for the wearing of elaborate costumes and, in particular, of very ornate masks. The carnival is held every year in January and February and lasts for about three weeks. The carnival provides various events and attractions which are held all over the city.
During 2017 the carnival will be held between January 23rd and February 8th.
For more information please visit - http://event-carnival.com.
ZATTERE / DORSODORO PROMENADE
The Zattere is a promenade situated in the Dorsodro district of Venice, located between Marittima and the Punta della Dogana, Venice's former custom building which is now a museum. The promenade, which is also located where the Grand Canal and Guidecca Canals meet, demands superb views out across to La Guidecca Island with it's sixteenth century Il Redentore Church. The promenade can be accessed by way of the people mover, vaporetto routes 2, 41, 42 and N or alilaguna linea Blu / blue or linea M.
VENICE FOOTBALL STADIUM / STADIO PIERLUIGI PENZO
Venice is home to FBC Unione Venezia football club which play their home games at the Stadio Pierluigi Penzo located on Isola di Sant’Elena island. To access the football ground one can walk from Piazza San Marco in just under 30 minutes or one can take ACTV boat numbers 1, 51, 52, 41, 42, 61, and 62, all of which take around ten minutes from Piazza San Marco.
VENICE TRANSPORTATION LINKS
For Vaporetti routes please visit the ACTV website at - www.actv.it.
For Motoscafi services (private water taxi) visit - motoscafivenezia.it.
For Gondola tours visit - www.gondolavenezia.it.
To find other Italian city Metro Systems visit our page - Metro Systems In Italy.
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