vaporetti

Vaporetto is the Italian term for Venice’s public waterbus service. It forms the core of the city’s public transport on the canals and lagoon, linking the historic center with the surrounding islands and with major transport hubs such as Piazzale Roma and Santa Lucia railway station. The service is operated by ACTV (Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano), the regional transport authority.

Vaporetto boats operate on a network that runs along the Grand Canal, across the lagoon, and to islands including Murano, Burano, Torcello, and Lido. They carry residents, workers, and tourists and are used to reach museums, historic sites, and city beaches. The vessels are motorized boats, historically steam-powered and later converted to diesel, hybrid, and electric propulsion as part of modernization.

History and fleet: The service began in the late 19th century with steam ferries; postwar modernization replaced steam with motor vessels. In recent years ACTV has introduced newer, more energy-efficient boats and electric or hybrid models on selected routes.

Tickets and fares: The ACTV fare system is integrated with the Venezia Unica card and regional transport passes. Tickets are sold at ACTV ticket offices, vending machines, and online; some passes allow unlimited travel for a specified period. Fares are time-based and valid on vaporetto lines and other ACTV services within the validity window.