Getting Around

The best way to explore the city during your Venice vacation is by foot and the second best way is also by foot. Besides giving you the opportunity to roam the narrow streets and the piazzas, it is the quickest way too: you can walk across the city in one hour. Sometimes it might be quicker to take a shortcut across the water instead of following the bends of the bridges and alleys.

If you feel like doing the canals the touristy way, you can hire a gondola for 50 minutes for the price of €60 ($94US). Prices go up after sunset and make sure you confirm the price before sitting back and watching the gondoliere do all the work for you. A little bargaining might help.

The Vaporetto (water bus) is most amazing method of getting around during your Venice trip; you won’t find too many public transport routes as unforgettable as vaporetto. No 1's trip along the Grand Canal. Get yourself a travel pass to ride the elusive vaporetto - single tickets don't come cheap, and are less economical if you plan to spend days travelling Venice and travelling every nook and cranny. The Vaporetto leaves frequently and cover important parts of the city. The tickets, which can be purchased at the landing stages and at shops which show the ACTV sign, costs about € 5 ($7US)(valid for one hour) . If you plan to use the “vaporetto” more often, it might be an idea to buy a 24-hour ticket € 10,50 ($16US) or a three-day pass € 22 ($34US). www.actv.it 

While the classic gondola ride with the opera-warbling operator is pretty touristy and expensive, the traghetto is a commuter gondola that crosses the Grand Canal at strategic points. It is the cheapest way to get into a gondola (40 cents only!).  It's quite a balance test for newbies, as you have to stand. The tragehetto is marked with a green signpost.  www.actv.it

Water taxis (motorboats) are almost as expensive as gondolas, but their pilots don't wear stripy shirts and bellow out 'O Sole Mio'. www.actv.it

Regular buses (yes, they do exist) run from one place to another, but it's probably the least exciting way to get around the city. Obviously, don't bring the rental car to Venice - you'll just be paying to leave it in a car park for the duration, and in a few car parks you’ll find yourself with a large fine afterwards. www.actv.it

Taxis - the regular four-wheeled variety - do operate from Piazzale Roma. Radio Taxi: +39 041 5237774

Price for public transport tickets has actually risen to 12 euros ($19US) for the 24 hour pass and 25 ($39US) for the 3-days pass. www.actv.it

And reading the text looks like you can get the bus to get around Venice, which is absolutely not true!

As at 21st June 2009 a 72 hour pass was 33 Euros. Don't forget to activate the ticket the first time you get on the ACTV waterbus. Your time starts from then.