bdj

Arriving at 1pm on a weekday in April, two adults each with a large suitcase and a carry-on -- will be met by apartment owner at boat stop…what would be the most prudent specific transportation option?

Thanks in advance…bdj

tarquin

Are you possibly staying at the Villa Rossa Hotel near the Zaccharia vaporetto stop?

tarquin

Now I see it, it's the first San Marco stop. Looks like you take vaporetto number 1 or 2 from the front of Santa Lucia train station. If you've got that far with your luggage, you shouldn't have a problem on the boat.

bdj

tarquin, much obliged for the replies. can you assist me with some remedial follow-up questions?

once getting off the train where does one go and what is the process to pay to catch vaporetto 1 or 2? how is seating determined? i assume your luggage stays with you on the vaporetto - is there a preferred place to sit to accommodate space for your luggage during the ride?

thanks...bdj

ellenem

The vaporetto is just like a public bus except that it is a boat.

When you walk out the front of the train station, the Grand Canal will be in front of you with a number of landings for a number of different vaporetto lines. There will also be a ticket booth from which you can purchase tickets. You can purchase a ticket for a single ride or you can purchase a tourist travelcard that is good for unlimited rides during a set number of hours. Depending on how long you will visit you might consider a travelcard. The ticket is the same for all the vaporetti, no matter how far you will travel.

After you purchase the ticket, look for the correct number vaporetto landing and walk onto the dock. You will want a boat headed to the left, toward San Marco. It's good to know the last stop on your boat since it is often used as a direction designation. As you walk onto the vaporetto dock, there should be a yellow box mounted on a post. Stick your ticket into it to time-stamp it. This validates your ticket and sets the start time of your ticket. (You can be heavily fined if you are found riding a vaporetto without a properly validate ticket.) A single-ride ticket is good for 60 minutes. Tourist travelcards vary in length by hours. Prices here:

http://www.actv.it/english/navigazio...iffe_vaporetto

When the vaporetto pulls in to the dock, first riders will get off the vaporetto. Then you will be alowed to board the boat. There are interior and exterior areas and seats in both areas. Some vaporetti will have steps down to the cabin. No one will check your ticket, but keep it handy. An inspector might be onboard doing spot checks, and, I repeat, you will be fined if you don't have a validated ticket. Seats are free for all as available. It may be too crowded and you will have to stand.

There is no special space for luggage--you just have to deal with it yourself the best you can. When I ride with luggage I don't even bother to try to find a seat and usually just stay in the main on/off area and stand against a wall.

You must watch for your stops--no big announcements. If you do sit down, be sure to allow enough time to return to the on/off area when it's time for your stop.

My favorite place to ride is in the back, which is open air and has a ring of seats. You'd have to drag your luggage through two sets of doors to do this, so you might save that for a luggage-less day.

For a short video taken from this back area and showing another vaporetto passing, look at my "Rialto" video here. The "Traghetto" video also gives an idea of canal traffic.

http://ellenem.shutterfly.com/

bdj

ellen, outstanding reply that is greatly appreciated. the idea of standing with the luggage sounds prudent. thus, what will be the ride time from santa lucia to vallaresso?

thanks...bdj

Bert4545

In case you hadn't guessed, ellenem is an expert on Venice. I can scarcely add anything useful to her excellent reply. It sounds as though this must be your first trip to Venice, so I would just ask you to pause for a couple of minutes as you walk out of the station into the open air. You will never have this fantastic experience again. In front of you is the church of San Simeone Piccolo - maybe uncovered from the scaffolding that has enveloped it for years - and the Grand Canal. To your left is the Scalzi Bridge, to your right the Calatrava Bridge [Ponte della Costituzione]. When you buy your vaporetto ticket (quite pricey), ask for a map of the routes. This will show you all the stops. If you speak Italian it will help, but, if you just say "Vallaresso?", the ticket seller will hopefully indicate by a nod of the head which way you need to go. There are many landing stages at the "Ferrovia" [iron-road], which is where you are. Having found the right landing stage, before you get onto the first boat that stops, going in the right direction (to the left), just ask the person on the vaporetto who is controlling the gate "Vallaresso?" - better safe than sorry. Now you are on the right boat, relax. Stand out of the way - you will be on for some time. I don't know how long - you cannot time it and say "27 minutes, we must be there". Make sure you know the name of the stop BEFORE Vallaresso. When you see that, get ready. When the vaporetto leaves that stop, make your way to the gate at the left hand side of the vap. If it's crowded, say "Permesso". If you are really blocked in, make a lot of noise and attract the attention of the person controlling the gate, to make sure he lets you off. I hope the weather is fine for you.

tarquin

Great replies, especially the part about stopping to take it all in when you emerge from the station. And enjoy the ride, it's one of the great pleasures of Venice.

ellenem

According to the schedules, the ride will take about 40 minutes on the #1 vaporetto (makes all stops) or about 20 minutes on the #2 vaporetto (makes limited stops). If I were you, I'd check which of the two was scheduled to leave first and take that one.

ellenem

By the way, the Santa Lucia stop is also called "Ferrovia" (railroad).

J62

IIRC the vaporetto lines run in both directions, so you'll need to make sure you get on the boat going the right way. You'll be headed left on the Grand Canal from the train station.

You can buy the tickets from any ticket booth, so if the line in front of the #1 or #2 dock is busy you can hop on a shorter line.

bdj

Looking at the rates link provided by Ellen, I notice "Water Services Ticket" and "Single Fare Waterborne Services". Other than the price differential what is the distinction between the two? Can the single fare ticket accommodate the trip from Ferrovia to Vallaresso?

Thanks...bdj

tarquin

Yes, Santa Lucia to Vallaresso would be covered by one ticket. This will all be a lot simpler when you are there.

Holly_uncasdewar

The tickets are computerized now. Instead of getting a paper ticket stamped, you'll get a thin credit card sized plastic ticket that you activate at the box. It either gets inserted into a slot, or you hold it to a face to be read and activated - can't remember which.

ellenem

Holly--good to know about the new system. However it now works, don't forget to activate it!

SCFoodie

ellenem - thanks for posting the links to your videos! I was in Venice last month and seeing your Rialto and Traghetto videos brought back great memories. Wish I could go back there today.

Paul1950

There are also webcams on the Grand Canal, though you'd have to search for theme. You can see the waterbus floating docks and the waterbuses using them on some of the cams.

Paul1950

Well, you'd have to search for "them," not "theme"!

annhig

not really much I can add, except that you might like to buy a transport ticket of some description at the ticket office, rather than just a single.

you'll find the ticket options dicussed here:

http://europeforvisitors.com/venice/...etto-fares.htm

there are various opinions about whether the transport passes are worth what they cost, but we found them a very good way to help us explore the bits of venice we wouldn't otherwise have reached. if you do a trip out to the islandsm they wil pay for themselves.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

bdj

Thanks for the patient replies, well wishes and useful links. In gauging which transport ticket option would work best may I solicit advice based upon our following agenda:

One trip from Santa Lucia to Vallaresso
A trip to San Giorgio Maggiore and return
A combination trip to Murano & Burano and return
Vallaresso to Marco Polo Airport

Other than a private gondola ride on the inner canals those are the extent of our water travel in Venice.

Much obliged for any assistance…bdj