Tackling Public Transport

Almost anywhere you go you'll be able to find some type of public transport. Most public transports are very similar, if not identical. The Underground in London is pretty much the same as the Metro in France or the subway in New York, etc.

Venice is practically the same, but there are some things you should know before you start your trip.

1. Types of transport

• In Venice there are several types of transport. There are water buses (boats), water taxis, and regular buses. The types of transport run the same way as on-land transport, the only difference is the water.

• I would recommend taking the water buses around Venice rather than the taxis. Bus tickets are much cheaper and there are packages where you can buy day tickets to save time and money.

1. Fares

• Ground bus tickets are €1.50 one way and water bus tickets are €7.50 one way. These tickets are valid for 75 minutes after the first validation. You can use more than one stop to get to your destination, but you cannot use the same ticket to return to your starting point. There are several different options for tickets with all ranges of prices.

• My recommendation is to purchase a “travel card.” Travel cards are time-limited tickets for ground buses and water buses and includes one piece of luggage (if you have it). A travel card valid for one day (24 hours from the first validation) is €20, which might seem like a lot to pay for a public transport ticket. However, I bought this ticket and it paid for itself in 3 rides on the water bus.

• Here is the breakdown of the value of this ticket.

• Now, I did a lot of exploring the city that required taking the water bus. The travel ticket really forces you to use the public transportation, so if you aren’t planning on doing a ton of sightseeing it may not be the best option.

• I paid €20 initially. I took the water bus 6 times and the ground bus once back to where I was staying and then again, the next morning. If I hadn’t bought the travel pass I would have spent €48 getting around the city. I was able to take as many buses as I liked and was even able to get one more bus ride back to the train station the next morning due to when I validated the ticket.

1. Routes

• The different routes the buses take can be confusing. There are signs posted at each bus stop with the stops of the different routes. So, I thought I could logically piece together the stop I needed to get to and the attraction I wanted to see – that was not the case. What I ended up doing is asking the people at the ticket stands which route got me to (insert destination here), and they always knew which one.

• The buses run all night as well, so there is no cut off of when you need to be back into the city by the ground bus stop. The routes may change slightly and there are less of them to choose from, but you will still get where you need to go.

Now that you're equipped with all the information you need about public transport, set off and see the city! Arrivederci!