What Are Venice's Passenger Boats Called? Vaporetti

The public passenger boats that serve as Venice's aquatic bus system are called vaporetti (singular: vaporetto).

What They Are

• Motorized waterbuses operating on scheduled routes
• Run by ACTV (Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano)
• Primary public transit for residents and visitors
• Navigate the Grand Canal, smaller canals, and the Venetian Lagoon

Key Routes

• Line 1: Grand Canal (Piazzale Roma → Lido) – scenic, slow, stops everywhere
• Line 2: Grand Canal express (fewer stops)
• Lines 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2: Outer islands (Murano, Burano, Torcello, San Michele cemetery)
• Line 14: Piazzale Roma → Lido (fast)
• Alilaguna (private): Airport (VCE) ↔ city (Marco Polo Airport lines)

Tickets & Passes

• Single ride: €9.50 (75 min)
• Tourist passes: 24h (€25), 48h (€35), 72h (€45), 7d (€65) – unlimited ACTV + Alilaguna (some)
• Validate on boarding (yellow machines)
• Residents: Venezia Unica card, subsidized fares

Other Water Transport

• Gondolas: Tourist/ceremonial; €80–€120/30 min (official rates)
• Water taxis: Private, on-demand; €60–€150+
• Traghetti: Gondola ferries crossing Grand Canal at 7 points; €2.50 locals, €5 tourists

Vaporetti are the workhorses of Venetian mobility—unromantic but essential, connecting the city's islands like buses on water.