Venice Water Bus Service

Is there a way to determine which direction the water buses travel in? Do the buses travel in opposite directions or all the same way? In looking to catch one by the cruise dock there's a station just after the walk bridge,P.le Roma (S.Andrea) "B" , but Google maps direction to get the Boscolo Venezia Hotel says to catch the water bus at just a little further, P.le Roma (Scomenzera) "C. It appears that both stations have the number 4.1 and 5.1 going to the hotel.

Thanks for the help

Danny

most go both ways. When you get to the water bus station, check to see which line to enter. Just like a subway, they have a poster that shows where you are and what the next stops along that route are. I saw today that the 4.1 and 5.1 went one direction while the 4.2 and 5.2 went the other way. From P. Roma you can catch many of the lines. Look at the map to see what routes will work to your location. Easy to use the waterbusses.

I used this site, which I thought was very helpful, to learn about the transportation in Venice: http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/venice-vaporetto-water-buses.htm. The Rick Steves' Venice book also helped a lot. We bought the 72 hour pass when we were there in 2014 and used the vaporetti a lot. Good luck!

most go both ways. When you get to the water bus station, check to see which line to enter. Just like a subway, they have a poster that shows where you are and what the next stops along that route are. I saw today that the 4.1 and 5.1 went one direction while the 4.2 and 5.2 went the other way. From P. Roma you can catch many of the lines. Look at the map to see what routes will work to your location. Easy to use the waterbusses.

Thanks for the info, appreciate the help.

Danny

I used this site, which I thought was very helpful, to learn about the transportation in Venice: http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/articles/venice-vaporetto-water-buses.htm. The Rick Steves' Venice book also helped a lot. We bought the 72 hour pass when we were there in 2014 and used the vaporetti a lot. Good luck!

Thanks for the info. I've gone to that website, just didn't or couldn't see how the directions worked. I also bought Steve's book on Venice but read though it yet.

Danny

This site might help you: http://actv.avmspa.it/en/content/orari-servizio-di-navigazione-0

You can download schedules, look at the direction each is going, and figure out what line you want, and in which direction. Then once you get to a stop (for example, the one at Piazalle Roma) you can either look at the boards there that give information, or look at the end destination displayed on (usually) an electronic sign on the vaporetto. For example, if you want to go from P. Roma stop to San Marco (St. Marks), there are a number of vaporettos that go there. You would ideally look at the schedules posted on ACTV's website, find which one is fastest, and note the end destination of that waterbus. Be aware that the schedules do change a couple times a year, so you need to be viewing the appropriate schedule. Also, some boats (buses) run farther during the daytime than in the evening. Also, for St. Mark's there is a waterbus that goes to St. Mark's Square area, but I believe it's listed as "Zaccharia" or something like that on the schedule. Once in the St. Mark's vicinity, however, it's easy to get to the square from any of these stops. All you have to do is walk down or up the waterfront in the direction of the basilica, which you'll likely notice as the vaporetto approaches.

Be aware that not all waterbuses are the same. The ACTV ones are run by ACTV; others are run by Alilaguna. Each has its own ticketing system and you can be fined for having the wrong ticket. We saw this a couple times.

I'm rushing now, but if you post where you want to start from, where you want to go (St. Mark's Square?), and generally when (day of week & month, AM or PM), I'll look up what might be the easiest/fastest for you. I also have some info that would help you find the P. Roma boats if that would help.

Enjoy. We loved Venice.

Just to give you an idea of what the area around the P. Roma ACTV waterbus landing is like, here's a picture:

http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/image/166405373

It shows a cruise ship in the port, vaporetto landings and boats for P. Roma and part of the pedestrian bridge named/known in English as Calatrava (architect) or Constitution Bridge). I don't know where your hotel is, but at least this will give you an idea of where you want to be once you find the pedestrian bridge. The actual parking/bus area of P Roma isn't actually shown, but it would be to the far left in the picture, behind that large building. People Mover is around there, too. I guess it's obvious from the picture, but if not, the left hand side of the ped bridge is where the bridge ends up at the area of the vaporetto landings. Letters like "B" and "C" refers to particular landings, which are changed once in a while. From what I remember, there are one or two "lettered" waterbus landings that are a little ways from the others, but I think if you just walk along the waterfront there, you'll find whichever one you need. Buy a ticket before you board or I think you'll pay more on the waterbus. As suggested by someone else, buying a timed pass is best. There are machines to do that. Keep the receipt until your last trip - might be asked for it if there's a question of whether the pass is still good.

When you're almost to the end of the "block" you may see the "Coop" store on the left hand side of the landing area - good in case you forgot to bring something, and I imagine they have wine if you want to purchase some and are allowed to take it on your cruise ship!

The Alilaguna has a stop right at the port. If you want to go back out to Venice once you've checked onto your ship, it may be a nice way to do some sightseeing without having to take the People Mover from the ship to P. Roma and get on a waterbus/vaporetto.

I think if you look at the schedules on the ACTV site I mentioned, you'll be able to figure out the directional question you had. I only took a quick look, but it looks like all you have to do for the 4.1 and 5.1 is get on either of those, as a .1 or .2 is used to distinguish which way each one goes. So if you want to go TO San Marco/Zaccaria you could take the 4.1 and then take the 4.2 back. However, if you take one of the more popular (and crowded) ones like the #2, you'll want to make sure you catch the one going the direction you want - although I think the #2 makes a complete circle. But going from P. Roma to San Marco the wrong direction can take quite a while, so it's not recommended!

Leave plenty of time for the vaporettos. I was surprised at how long they took. I think it's 20-30 minutes from San Marco to P. Roma, which isn't really very far. But they're better than walking and getting lost, and were a lot of fun. I took several different lines and just sat outside and watched the scenery go by - got excited when I saw my cruise ship!

From looking at your hotel's directions, you need to get to the "Orto" or "Madonna Dell'Orto" stop. Both the 4.2 and the 5.2 leave from Piazzale Roma and head to Orto, and according to the schedule, they leave from the "B" station at Piazzale Roma. I'm not sure what the name of the B stop is, but it will have it in big letters over the stop. [The stops look like little floating barges.] According to the schedule, it will take about 20 minutes to get to the Orto stop. From there you walk to the hotel. I pulled the following off of the Venice for Visitors web site--note, these directions mention both the vaporetto and the Alilaguna lines, which are ticketed and paid for separately. The 4.2 and the 5.2 are both vaporetti or ACTV. Hope you enjoy Venice--we sure did!! Best of luck. Mike

The five-star Boscolo Venezia belongs to the Boscolo hotel group's Autograph Collection of boutique luxury hotels. Its 72 rooms occupy an historic palazzo in the Cannaregio district. Amenities include a huge private garden, a water-taxi landing on the Venetian Lagoon, an upmarket restaurant and bar, a spa and wellness center, and a free hotel shuttle boat to the Piazza San Marco.

The Orto (a.k.a. Madonna dell'Orto) waterbus stop is close to the hotel. It's used by several ACTV vaporetto lines and the Alilaguna Orange Line airport boat, and there are no bridges between the pier and the hotel.

How to reach the Boscolo Venezia from Madonna dell'Orto (Alilaguna Linea Arancio):