Should I take a gondola, a water taxi or the vaporetto in Venice?
Updated October 27, 2026
Quick answer
Use the vaporetto (water bus) to get around Venice: a 75-minute ticket is €9.50 and a 24-hour pass €25. Use a water taxi, a private motorboat, when you want door-to-door speed with luggage and are ready to pay far more. Use a gondola for the experience, not for transport: €90 for a 30-minute ride.
All three are boats, but they do different jobs. The vaporetto is public transport run by ACTV, the city's transport company. A water taxi is a private hire boat, booked like a cab. A gondola ride is a 30-minute tour that usually ends where it started. The traghetto, a €2 gondola ferry across the Grand Canal, is a fourth option for one short crossing.
What is the difference between a water taxi and a vaporetto?
The vaporetto is the water bus. It runs fixed lines with fixed stops, you share it with everyone, and you pay a flat fare. Line 1 is the classic tourist route because it runs the length of the Grand Canal, stopping at every stop on the way. A water taxi is a private motorboat for your group. It goes where you ask rather than along a fixed line, which makes it the direct way to move a group with luggage. You pay for the boat, not by the seat, so it costs far more than a water bus ticket. One large operator, the Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia, sells transfers online and runs a 24-hour phone line.
Venice water bus pass and ticket prices
These are ACTV's prices for visitors, checked on 27 October 2026. The 75-minute ticket covers the water bus network, the mainland buses and the tram, but not the airport routes, which have their own ticket.
- 75-minute ticket — €9.50 (about $11)
- 24-hour pass — €25 (about $28)
- 2-day pass — €35 (about $39)
- 3-day pass — €45 (about $50)
- 7-day pass — €65 (about $72)
How much do water taxis cost in Venice, Italy?
We could not confirm a single official fare table for Venice water taxis, so we do not quote one. Prices depend on the operator, the distance, the number of people and the bags. The safe rules: book through an established operator or your hotel, or ask the driver for the total price before you board, and confirm whether it is per boat. The Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia shows the price of a transfer in its online booking before you pay, and lists card payment. For the airport run, compare it with the water bus and land options in our Marco Polo Airport to Venice guide.
Gondola vs water taxi in Venice: which one when?
Take a water taxi for arrivals and departures with luggage, late transfers, or when speed matters more than cost. Take the vaporetto for everyday travel, the Grand Canal on a budget and trips to the islands such as Murano and Burano. Take a gondola for the slow, quiet ride through the canals: €90 for 30 minutes by day or €110 for 35 minutes from 19:00, per boat for up to five. And take the traghetto at €2 when you just need to cross the Grand Canal between bridges; see what a traghetto is. For the full gondola fares, see how much a gondola ride costs.
What is the name for a water taxi in Venice?
In Italian it is a taxi acqueo, literally a water taxi, and the motorboats are motoscafi, the word in the name of the Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia. Do not confuse it with the vaporetto, the public water bus run by ACTV, or the traghetto, the gondola ferry. If you are unsure which boat you are about to board, ask the price first: a taxi quotes for the boat, a vaporetto needs a ticket, and a traghetto takes €2 for the crossing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to get around Venice?
On foot, then the vaporetto. A 75-minute water bus ticket is €9.50, and passes start at €25 for 24 hours. The €2 traghetto is the cheapest way across the Grand Canal.
How much is a water taxi in Venice?
There is no single fare we could confirm. Prices vary by operator, distance, people and bags, so agree the total before boarding or book online where the price is shown before you pay.
Is a gondola a form of transport in Venice?
Not really. A gondola ride is a 30-minute tour that usually returns to its station. The traghetto is the gondola used as transport, across the Grand Canal.
Is the Venice water bus pass worth it?
Usually, if you take three or more rides in a day: three single tickets cost €28.50, more than the €25 24-hour pass.
Do vaporetto tickets cover the airport?
No. ACTV's 75-minute ticket excludes airport routes, which need a separate ticket.
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