Vaporetto lines and routes

Line	Route	Frequency and hours	Planning use
Line 1	Piazzale Roma, along the Grand Canal, to the Lido, then back to Piazzale Roma	Every 20 minutes, 5am to 11:30pm	The slow, scenic Grand Canal ride, and the way to reach the Lido
Line 2	Rialto Bridge to St. Mark’s Square, calling at Santa Lucia, Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto and Giudecca	Every 12 minutes, 5am to midnight	A quicker option that calls at fewer, larger stops
Line 4.1	Murano, then Cemetery Island, then Fondamente Nove	Check the ACTV timetable	The link between Murano and the northern edge of Venice
Line N	Night service	Every 20 minutes, 11:30pm to 4:30am	The late-evening fallback once the day lines stop

Route and frequency figures come from the Venice water bus timetable overview, so confirm departures against the operator’s current timetable before you travel.

For most trips, the vaporetto routes venice visitors use come down to a few lines: Line 1 for the Grand Canal and the Lido, Line 2 for a faster run to San Marco, Line 4.1 for Murano, and Line N after dark.

This page walks through each line stop by stop and matches it to a sightseeing goal. For the wider picture of boats, walking and tickets, see our guide on how to get around venice.

Phase 1: Planning before you board

ACTV is the operator behind the water bus network, and its website, www.actv.it, is the place to check timetables and route maps before you set out. The water bus overview at venedig.com points to the same site for timetables.

A paper or screen map is worth reading for the order of stops, because the line numbers alone do not tell you which stop is closest to your destination. Timetables also change the frequency through the day, so a quick check saves a long wait on the pontoon.

An illustrative departure board in yellow lettering: destinations and numbers are the two things to match against a vaporetto timetable. It is an airport display, not a water bus board.

Work through these steps before the first ride:

Pick your goal. Decide whether you want the Grand Canal views, a quick hop to San Marco, an island, or a late return.
Match the goal to a line. The sections below pair each goal with a line.
Weigh the fare. A one-way ticket costs €9.50 per person and is valid for a maximum of 75 minutes, according to venedig.com.

If you expect several rides in a day, compare tickets first: our venice transport pass worth it guide covers when a pass beats single fares. Arriving by plane instead? Start with how to get from venice airport to city, then return here for the in-city lines.

A stylised treasure-map prop with a dashed path and arrows. It is illustrative, not a transit map, but it conveys the habit that helps here: trace your route before boarding.

Phase 2: The Grand Canal lines

Line 1 is the vaporetto line that runs the Grand Canal. Venedig.com recommends a ride on Line 1 through the Grand Canal for visitors, and it is the better pick when the journey itself is the sightseeing.

Line 1 stop by stop

According to the timetable overview, Line 1 starts at Piazzale Roma, goes through the Grand Canal and terminates at the island of Lido, then returns to Piazzale Roma. The run has a boat every 20 minutes from 5am to 11:30pm.

Piazzale Roma. The start of the loop. Piazzale Roma is the only area of the city accessible by car or coach, according to Venicexplorer, so it suits anyone arriving by road.
The Grand Canal. The long middle section of the route, and the reason most visitors choose this line.
San Marco side. The San Zaccaria stop gives immediate access to St. Mark’s Basilica and Square, so look for it on the stop list when planning a visit to the basilica.
Lido. The terminus, and the line to take when the Lido is the goal.

Line 1 is a good choice when time is not tight and you want to watch the canal. When you need to be somewhere by a fixed hour, the next line is the safer option.

Line 2 for a quicker run

Line 2 starts at the Rialto Bridge and terminates at St. Mark’s Square. On the way it calls at Santa Lucia station (the Ferrovia stop), Piazzale Roma, Tronchetto and Giudecca. A boat runs every 12 minutes from 5am to midnight.

A road stop sign, shown only as an illustration of a stop marker: it is not a vaporetto stop, and the real Ferrovia and Piazzale Roma stops carry their own line signage.

Because Line 2 stops only at the larger stops, according to venedig.com, it makes sense for travellers heading from the station area toward San Marco without wanting every intermediate pontoon. Choose it too when Giudecca or Tronchetto is on the list.

Ferrovia and Piazzale Roma as starting points

Ferrovia, the stop at Santa Lucia station, and Piazzale Roma are the two stops where most arrivals begin. Both appear on Line 2, and Piazzale Roma is also the start of Line 1. When you arrive at one and your hotel or sight is at the other, a single stop hop saves a walk with luggage.

Choosing between Line 1 and Line 2

Sightseeing from the water: pick Line 1, which travels the Grand Canal.
Reaching San Marco quickly: pick Line 2, which ends at St. Mark’s Square.
Going to the Lido: only Line 1 is named in the timetable as terminating there.
Boarding at Giudecca or Tronchetto: use Line 2, which lists both.

Phase 3: Murano and the Lido

Line 4.1 serves Murano. From Murano, the vaporetto reaches Cemetery Island, followed by Fondamente Nove, according to the timetable overview. For visitors interested in glassmaking, this is the line that connects the glass island with the northern shore of Venice.

The Lido is reached on Line 1, which finishes its run there. Neither island is on Line 2, so the quicker Line 2 will not serve either goal.

Murano for glass: take Line 4.1 and treat Fondamente Nove as the Venice-side connection point.
Lido for a change of scene: stay on Line 1 to the terminus.

Phase 4: Evening and night service

Vaporetti do run at night. Dedicated night services, Line N and night routes, operate from 11:30pm to 5am, according to the timetable overview. Line N itself runs from 11:30pm to 4:30am, with a boat every 20 minutes.

An illustrative evening scene: a vaporetto with lit cabin windows passes the Rialto Bridge while the lamps reflect on the Grand Canal. It shows the atmosphere, not a specific service.

The handover matters when you plan an evening out. Line 1 stops running at 11:30pm and Line 2 at midnight, so a dinner that ends late means switching to Line N rather than waiting at a day-line stop.

Troubleshooting common problems

The boat is crowded or late in the day. Major lines arrive every 10-15 minutes between 9am and 7pm, so letting one pass is a short delay.
A stop is missing on your line. Line 2 skips smaller stops. Switch to Line 1, which has more calls along the Grand Canal.
The last boat has gone. Use Line N, which runs from 11:30pm to 4:30am.
You are unsure of the current timetable. Check www.actv.it for the operator’s published schedules.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find a Venice water bus map?

ACTV, the operator, lists timetables at www.actv.it, and that is the place to look for official route information.

Which line goes to Murano?

Line 4.1 serves Murano, continuing to Cemetery Island and Fondamente Nove.

Which line goes to the Lido?

Line 1 runs through the Grand Canal and terminates at the Lido.

Do vaporetti run overnight?

Yes. Line N runs from 11:30pm to 4:30am, every 20 minutes, within a wider night-service window of 11:30pm to 5am.

How much is a single vaporetto ride?

Each single journey is charged at €9.50 per person and must be used within 75 minutes.