Six categories, around 30 questions. The ones every first-time visitor sends us — answered with primary-source links.
Online before you go (cheaper than the airport rush, free cancellation), at any Venezia Unica machine (TVM) at Marco Polo, Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia, Tronchetto or Lido, or at a Venezia Unica counter. The price is the same on all three. Buying on board is no longer possible since 1 July 2024.
No — the price is identical. GetYourGuide sells the same official ACTV ticket as a voucher. The benefit is the voucher format: you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before use, and you skip the machine queue at peak arrival times.
You can buy directly at any TVM machine at Marco Polo Airport, Piazzale Roma, Santa Lucia, Tronchetto, Lido and at the larger pontoons. Machines accept contactless cards. The risk: long queues during peak arrival hours.
Yes, but it is informational only. You can use your ticket on any day — not necessarily the calendar date you bought it on. The clock only starts when you first tap the ticket on a yellow Tappy reader.
Hold the ticket against the yellow Tappy reader at the pontoon before you board, or inside the bus / tram. A green light and a beep mean you are good to go. You must re-tap on every transfer, even with a multi-day ticket.
Yes, since April 2025. Tap your contactless card on the Tappy reader and the system charges you the best fare over the next 24 hours ("Best Fare"). This is useful if you only ride two or three times — for a planned multi-day trip the 24-hour or 72-hour Vaporetto ticket is still cheaper.
If paid within 5 days: €61. From day 6 to day 30: €114.50. From day 31 to day 60: €119.50. After day 60: €319.50. Always re-tap on transfers, even if you already validated once that day.
No app is required. The voucher converts into a physical ACTV smart-ticket at the machine and that is all you need. The AVM Venezia Official app is useful for live timetables and disruption alerts but is not mandatory.
Children are free until their 6th birthday on every ACTV vaporetto and city bus in Venice. From age 6 the full adult fare applies — there is no reduced child fare. Bring ID for borderline cases.
No. The official Venice tourism site states clearly that there is no special discount for tourists aged 65 and over on ACTV transport. Residents have their own resident fare, which is not available to visitors.
Yes — the Rolling Venice youth fare. Anyone aged 6 to 29 pays €33 instead of €45 for the 72-hour Vaporetto ticket — €18 saved. Book the 72-hour ticket on GetYourGuide and select "Youth (6–29)" at participant selection. ID required at the redemption machine.
From Piazzale Roma or Santa Lucia: Line 1 if you want to see the Grand Canal on your first ride (about 45 minutes to San Marco), Line 2 via Giudecca if you want to get there faster (about 25 minutes).
Line 12 from Fondamente Nove serves all three. Line 3 is the fastest direct route to Murano from Piazzale Roma (Mon–Fri only). Torcello stops only on request — alight at Burano and take the short Line 9 shuttle.
Always look at the electronic sign above each pontoon. It shows the line number, the direction and the next departure time, live. At Piazzale Roma, San Marco-San Zaccaria, Fondamente Nove and Rialto, different pontoons handle different lines.
Each passenger may bring up to three pieces of luggage: two up to 120 cm total dimensions (L+W+H) plus one up to 150 cm. Above that you pay for one extra adult ticket. Folded strollers travel free; opened strollers technically need an extra ticket but are usually tolerated.
One dog per passenger travels free. Muzzle and leash are officially required (rarely enforced in practice). Guide dogs are exempt from the muzzle rule.
Most pontoons and modern vaporetti are wheelchair-accessible — boarding ramps are deployed by staff. The companion travels free. A few small lagoon lines use older boats with steps; ask staff which boat is the next accessible one.
Vaporetti keep a minimum service on main lines, and the night service runs normally. Buses and trams have guaranteed slots 06:00–08:59 and 16:30–19:29. There is no automatic refund — but a goodwill request via GetYourGuide is usually more flexible than going directly to ACTV.
Mostly no. Acqua alta — Venice's seasonal high-tide flooding, common between October and March — rarely shuts down the vaporetti. Above 95 cm Line 3 is suspended, above 105 cm the Zattere stop to San Marco/Lido closes, above 120 cm access to some pontoons is blocked. Check the AVM Venezia app for live updates.
There is no replacement for a lost or stolen physical ACTV ticket. If you have not yet redeemed your voucher, you can still cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before use.
Before validation: yes, up to 24 hours before your booked use date, free of charge via GetYourGuide. After validation: no — ACTV does not refund used or partially used tickets.
Official ACTV ticket via GetYourGuide. Use on any day. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before use.
Check availability · From €9.50 →
