People often ask me if they should buy transport passes for Venice.
The answer, as with so many things, is that it depends on your situation.
Here are a few things to bear in mind if you want to buy a transport pass for Venice.
Venice transport pass: article summary
Why buy a transport pass in Venice?
Venice's public water buses charge exorbitant prices for one-way tickets. The tourist fare for a one-way ticket is €9.50which is six times what local residents pay to take the vaporetto. Buying a transit pass. You'll start saving money after making two or three trips a day.
At the same time, you may not need to take regular boat-buses during your visit. Venice's historic center is very small. Walking is often the fastest way to get from one point to another.
During the high season, from April to October, the boats may simply be too crowded to enjoy. When crowded, vaporetti are also impractical for getting to and from your hotel if you're traveling with more than the minimum luggage.
When to take public transport in Venice
There are times when water buses are necessary. For example, to visit the Lido di Veneziathe island Murano glass roof or if you are staying on the island of Giudecca across the Giudecca Canal from the historic center of Venice.
Finally, no visit to Venice is complete without an evening stroll along the Grand Canal on line 1 of the Vaporettoso you need to to take into account in your projects when you decide to spend money on a transport pass.
If you are staying on the mainland, in Mestre or MargheraYou'll get to the city by train or public bus, depending on the location of your hotel. Train and bus tickets are extremely cheaper than vaporetto tickets.
Which transport pass should I buy for a trip of 7 days or less?
For short stays, ACTV (Venice's public transport agency) sells one-day and multi-day ACTV tickets that allow unlimited travel on public river and land buses. For your tickets, you can choose between one, two, three or seven days with prices ranging from 21 to 60 euros.
The longer the validity period, the lower the cost per day. You can buy these passes at any ACTV ticket machine or ticket office.
If you're on a budget, we suggest you buy an ACTV ticket for the duration of your visit. That way, you can hop on and off the public water buses whenever you like, without worrying about expenses.
If you're keeping a close eye on your euros, consider buying a pass with a shorter duration and combining your boat-bus trips during the validity period.
Choosing the City Pass
You can buy the ACTV ticket for one to seven days as part of a package. City Pass Venezia Unica. It may be worth it if you want to combine your trips and visits on a single pass.
Which pass for longer stays?
If you're staying longer, you can simply buy passes as you need them. For example, if you're in Venice for two weeks, you can buy a seven-day pass for the first week and a two- or three-day pass towards the end of your trip.
For longer stays, I suggest investing €100 in the City Pass Venezia Unica. This ticket particularly suitable for frequent users.
This card allows you to use public transport at special rates for residents. A book of 10 tickets will cost you just €1.40 per journey, compared with €9.50 per journey at the tourist fare.
Another option, for longer stays, is to buy a monthly "Rete Unica" pass. Passes are sold from the twentieth day of the previous month. They are available directly from at ACTV or in many tobacco shops and newsagents.
Depending on your situation, I advise you to opt for different transport passes. You'll be able to enjoy Venice so you don't have to worry about your transport solution!
What to do in Venice in 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days, a week?
Whatever the length of your stay, I invite you to download my special Venice guide.
It's free and in PDF format.
All you have to do is tell me below which e-mail address you'd like to receive it at.
EDIT: you can't enter your email?
Take the quiz at the top of this article and you'll be able to register your email address to receive the special Venice guide!
Leave a Reply