If you really want to experience Venice, you can't do without public transportation—the famous Vaporetto Water Buses – hardly at all. Much like in London, Berlin, or Rome, the ACTV transit network is the lifeblood of the city. Given Venice’s unique island location, a ticket for the water buses is not a luxury, but a necessity for exploring the city in all its splendor.
The key advantage: Book online instead of waiting in line
There are two ways to get your ticket: in person at the ticket counter or online in advance. Experience shows that booking online is the stress-free option.
- No lines: Long lines often form at the on-site ticket counters. Language barriers and questions from travelers frequently cause delays.
- Information at your leisure: When you book online, you can find out about lines, routes, and attractions in advance in your native language.
- Quick pickup: The ticket machines for online reservations are always available.
Here's how easy it is to buy a ticket online
Many guests wonder if the ticket will be sent by mail. That’s not the case—and that’s a good thing, because this is how the system works, even for last-minute bookings made one day before departure:
- Book online: You can easily reserve your ticket online.
- Received code: Immediately after payment, you will receive a Reservation Code (PNR) by email.
- Print ticket: In Venice, go to one of the yellow ACTV ticket machines.
- Input: Just enter your code (it takes less than a minute).
- Receipt: The machine will print your physical ticket immediately.
My tip: Take advantage of the time savings. Instead of spending precious vacation time waiting in line at the ticket counter, simply enter a short code at the ticket machine to get your ticket and head straight to the plane.
Ticket Vending Machines for Online Tickets
This photo was taken at Piazzale Roma, the main transportation hub for arriving tourists. The ticket machines for online tickets are always available, while there is almost always a line at the ticket counters.
Major stops: At the major stops in the heart of Venice, which see high passenger volume—such as the stops at St. Mark's Square (San Marco) or the Rialto Bridge—there are several ticket machines for online tickets.
There are no ticket machines at the many smaller stops in Venice, such as the numerous stops along the Grand Canal. There are only the ticket validators where you must validate your ticket before each ride.
Warranty: No matter where tourists arrive in Venice, there are plenty of ticket machines available: Marco Polo Airport, Venice’s Piazzale Roma, Venice’s parking garages, Venice’s train station, Punta Sabbioni, etc.
Queues
We don't want to scare you. But you've probably heard many times that Venice is very crowded. And you never know how busy it will be when you arrive in Venice. The high season runs from mid-March to mid-November. And during the rest of the year, not all ticket counters are staffed.
Here is a typical photo:
- The ticket machine for online tickets is free to use. You'll see this for yourself time and time again at all ACTV ticket offices in Venice.
- Not all counters are staffed.
Even if the line is short, waiting can take a long time because the Need for advice The number of tourists is large:
- What kinds of tickets are available?
- How long are they valid?
- Do they also apply to Murano, Burano, and Torcello?
- Are there discounts for groups, families, and students?
- Can you also visit museums with the ACTV ticket?
- etc.
This photo was taken at the train station during the off-season.
The Regular ACTV Ticket
ACTV (Venice's public transit system) does NOT issue regular tickets. Never.
Regular tickets have a magnetic stripe. And if it gets damaged during mailing, trouble is bound to follow. ACTV would then rightly claim that it sent a valid ticket. Customers would then claim that, while they paid for the ticket, they did not receive it properly. Mail delivery would also no longer be an option for last-minute customers.
To avoid these problems, ALL customers who order online will receive an email with an attachment. This attachment contains a barcode and a reference number. Once you arrive, go to a ticket machine for online tickets and, instead of waiting in line at the ticket counters, use the reference number (or barcode) to retrieve your ticket.
Unlike the ticket counters, the ticket machines for online tickets are always available. You don't have to wait in line. You'll see for yourself. And best of all: The online price is the same as the price at the venue.
Instructions: Step 1
First, select the button for the German language on the large display (touchscreen). Note: Press firmly on the touchscreen.
Instructions: Step 2
In the second step, select the option to exchange the ticket voucher you purchased online for a regular ACTV ticket for the vaporetti in Venice. The „Top Up Card“ button is only for residents of the Venice region who want to add new credit to their 5-year card.
Instructions: Step 3
Now you must decide whether to press the computer keyboard icon on the display (bottom left of the image) to enter the PNR code listed on your voucher, or to hold the barcode in QR code format up to the scanner below the display.
The scanner field is shown in the image to the left of the green arrow. Scanning is, of course, the easier option.
Step 4: The PNR Code
If you do NOT want to use the QR code scanner, please enter the PNR code that you received from us via email on the screen now. Even if it's your first time using the ticket machine, you'll be done in 15 seconds and have your ticket.
In closing: Ticket distribution
If you have purchased multiple tickets online, you will now receive multiple regular tickets. Please remember to hold your ticket up to the small scanner in front of the vaporetto waiting shelters before each trip so that it is validated each time. Multi-day tickets are valid starting from the first validation.
The Online Ticket Voucher
You will receive an online ticket voucher via email; simply hold its QR code up to the scanner on site, and the machine will print out your ticket. Even if you order multiple tickets, you will still receive just a PNR code. The machine will definitely print out as many tickets as you ordered. The email will, of course, also include the combination of letters and numbers known as the PNR code. Both options are equally valid.
Tourists Have a Great Need for Advice
Most tourists visiting Venice are there for the first time. Everything is new and unfamiliar. There is a great need for information and advice. Not everyone researches Venice in advance on Venedig.com
Typically, visitors stand in pairs. The person who speaks English better talks to the ACTV staff at the ticket counters:
- We want to go to Venice. What kinds of tickets are available?.
- How much does it cost? What's the cheapest ticket?.
- Which bus line takes us there and back?.
- What is the route network like, and where are the tickets valid?.
- When is the next boat leaving?.
The answer is discussed with the partner in their native language. This leads to further questions, which also need to be clarified. Even if the line is short, this can take quite a while. By the time all the tourists’ questions have been answered, the vaporetto has already left.
Reserve your ACTV ticket online now
The exact schedules with departure times for all lines:
Line 1 – Line 2 – Line 3 – Line 4 – Line 5 – Line 6 – Line 7 – Line 8 – Line 9 – Line 10 – Line 11 – Line 12 – Line 13 – Line 14 – Line 15 – Line 16 – Line 17 – Line 18 – Line 20 – Line 22 – Night Line N – Night Line NLN – NMU Night Line
Overview of All Vaporetto Lines
Vaporetto Lines 1 through 5 – Vaporetto Lines 6 through 10 – Vaporetto Lines 11 through 15 – Vaporetto Lines 16 through 22 – The Vaporetto Night Lines
Major Vaporetto Destinations in Venice – The following Vaporetto lines stop here:
St. Mark's Square – Piazzale Roma – Train Station (Ferrovia) – Tronchetto Park Island – Rialto Bridge – Lido – Murano – Burano – Punta Sabbioni