wanderful

I always get my ticket for the vaporetto ride up and down the Grand Canal. I’ve done it dozens of time. No one has ever checked to see if I purchased one. I guess Venetians really believe in the honor system.

Lily

Over 4 days we were never asked aobut our tickets and on our last day our pass had run out so we just jumped on without a ticket but my husband was a little nervous. Never got asked that time either!

Dori

I had mine checked once. I was there for three days. However, I saw one women taking her last trip obviously on the way to the airport. She either had no ticket, or it expired and I'm sure she knew full well what she was doing. They checked, pulled her off and detained her. She was making a huge fuss because she had to catch her flight. I would never think of not paying. I'm too honest, plus the stress isn't worth it whether you get caught or not.

Italiasubito

Hello Wanderful, I was checked once, when I was with my husband and son, going out to dinner. Two ACTV agents boarded; I showed a ticket from a Murano trip, (among many expired receipts) used earlier in the day. One agent was about to write it up, and the other shook his head and said "fa bene" to me, with a little wink. He very nicely did not want to ruin our night, as he saw I had bought many others during our stay.
Will I hop on again without purchasing a ticket? Never!

Neopolitan

During our first two trips to Venice I thought the same thing, never seeing anyone checking tickets. But during our week there two summers ago, I bet our tickets were checked at least five times. I'm not sure if it was a temporary crackdown or just chance. I became aware that just as the boat was about to take off, two plainclothesmen would jump on. Once I even saw a local guy try to jump off at the same time as he obviously spotted who they were. We saw quite a number of tickets being written both to locals and to tourists.

As a sidenote, there is an often ignored rule that large luggage requires a separate ticket. I had forgotten that, but as our tickets were checked on our first ride from the station to our apartment, we were each straddling our "unticketed" large rolling duffles. Nothing was said. We breathed a sigh of relief.

enzian

We were checked (once in six trips), and we saw someone ( a tourist)get caught without a ticket. It was not a pretty sight. I think the checking depends in part on how busy they are, but there is no point in taking a chance. If there is no ticket booth available where you are boarding, you can legally get on without a ticket by saying "senso biglietti" to the attendant as you board---look him right in the eye so he acknowledges you. He will then sell you a ticket on the boat with no penalty.

Woody

Our tickets were checked a couple of times.

Woody

sandi_travelnut

One of the vap employees just looked in the direction of my hand and saw the ticket but didn't check it.

wombat7

Was there a couple of years ago and our tickets were checked a couple fo times over a week period

ellenem

Two weeks ago our tickets were checked twice--on the long, 30-minute ride coming and going between central Venice and Burano.

An interesting conversation developed when the French tourists next to us had 72-hour tickets, but hadn't validated them the first time they used them. They didn't understand what the ticket collector was asking--he kept asking them the time of when they first used it so he could write the time on the ticket. He even showed them my properly validated ticket. He's talking Itlalian, they're talking French, I'm trying a little Italian, a little English, a little French. They finally got the idea and he marked an approximate time.

Woody

<< He's talking Italian, they're talking French, I'm trying a little Italian, a little English, a little French. >>

Too funny! This reminds me of an old "I Love Lucy" skit.

Woody

Rhea58

3 trips to date - never been checked
but I am too chicken to even try.

macanimals

On our first two trips, our tickets were never checked. On our last trip however we purchased a 3 day ticket and about the second day my wife decided to leave her purse in the room for a short trip. Sure enough, the inspectors boarded as the vaporetto cast off and she was without her pass. She managed to adjust on the trip and avoid the inspectors but was very uncomfortable for a while. We saw tickets checked several times that visit.
BTW-we are big advocates of the multi-day passes. They give you so much freedom to go and come as you please.
Paul

crefloors

Well, it's just the luck of the draw. When I was riding the metro in Copenhagen just after Christmas, there didn't seem to be ANY security people anywhere. It's all automated, you just buy your ticket and keep in on you when riding. I was wondering how many people were riding for free. Well, as luck would have it, my neice, who has been in Copenhagen all year, and who should know better, WAS caught on the metro without a ticket not too long ago. The fine was HUGE!!!! Of course her father had the privlege if paying it. So, I guess if you want to try it, ya' just take your chances.

SuQue

Yes, on the Grand Cananl route, once in three days. I recently heard from a local that they are getting tougher.

nessundorma

Venice struggles so much to literally stay afloat and the costs of maintaining services are so high, I wouldn't dream of not paying up in full for a vaporetto ticket. If I inadvertantly used a pass that had expired or wasn't valid, I'd pay the fine without complaint.

ed

The only time that I've been checked the ticket and gotten damp somehow. I gave the inspector this rather pathetic little mass.

He studied it for awhile laughed and gave it back to me and shrugged. :-B

massagediva

I was just there two weeks ago and they checked I'd say three out of five times.

eurogals

Yes, I was checked on the early morning vaporetto to the train station. The ticket window was not open so I had my 3 euros in hand to give to the boat person, but I was fined 35 euro each for not paying IMMEDIATELY upon entering the boat. I was removed from the boat at the next stop, was required to go to a ATM machine and withdraw the money for the fine and sent on my way after being insulted by other Italian people on the boat " I pay the taxi in New York when I visit, I don't expect you to cheat us when you ride our boats, why don't you stay home", etc.

Not a pleasant experience for two old ladies who were not trying to cheat the system, but we just didn't know the system. They expected us to read the printing on the wall with 45 people in front of it.

Any way always have a ticket. Have found out you can buy ticket at tabac shop also. Should have bought the night before. You learn the hard way.

victoria_reynolds

You know, this sounds like an argument for our buying a 3 day ticket, even if we really don't need it often. Too much hassle having to worry about ticket windows being closed and the like, better to validate once and be done with it!