I will be in Venice for 3 days. Is it worth getting the 72 hour pass? How much is each ride on the vaporetto? Also, this may be a very stupid question, but I do not remember from last time I visited. Does it only go in one direction and just do a loop, or can you get on each stop going either way?

Buy a three-day pass for 25 Euros. They used to not check for tickets, but now they do. It's lot less expensive to buy the pass. You can hop on and off as much as you like. The go in both directions. You could get off at one station and catch the next one back to where you came from!

Where can you purchase the 72 hour pass?

Are you taking the train to Venice? We took the train into Venice (don't get off at Mestre station...wrong one...), and they had the 72-hour passes for sale right there at the ticket booths at the canal. They are a great deal, makes your transportation very relaxing, nothing to worry about. You can wander around Venice on foot, and when you get lost, just head for the canal and hop on any vaporetto, get off at a familiar stop, and you're all set.

If you want to know the detailed price info (several types of tickets, passes), go to www.actv.it but 72hr pass is the way to go for convenience and for the cost.

There many lines, some are loops and some do one point to the destination and return. At most stops, you can take both ways, but not all. You need to be careful about it.

We bought the 72-hour pass about a week ago while in Venice. The individual rides were 5 Euros, and the pass, as stated above, was 25 Euros. We counted the number of times we used the pass - 14 times each. Well worth it when going long distances, to the outer islands, or just to ride up and down the Grand Canal.

Thanks--I am taking the train to Venice. We will make it a point to purchase the pass when we arrive.

I didn't know these existed; I will be in Venice this year also. I think it will be very useful. I am bookmarking for future reference.
Thanks

I recommend the 72 hour pass. I used it a couple weeks ago. You can hop from one stop to the next, ride it for a while for a scenic break, and use it to go out to the islands (Murano, Burano, Torcello, etc.) I more than recovered the cost of it in my 3 days there.

Yes - I will be taking a train from Padova. I believe the right station is Venezia S. Lucia and assume it is after Mestre. Is it obvious where the vaporetto is? Does the machine take credit cards or are they only booths and in that case do they?