The Cheapest Way To Get Around Venice Isn't What You'd Expect

Getting around a city in Italy is usually a pretty standard affair. You've got public transportation, rental cars, your own two feet, and taxis (although there are ways to tell if one is legit or a scam). However, if you're visiting Venice, the city of canals, you often have to use different methods. You've likely seen or heard of the famous gondola rides, which are romantic but can cost up to $108 for 30 minutes. If you're trying to explore Italy on an extremely tight budget, this method of transportation is likely not feasible for the entire time you're there. While water taxis are comfortable and fast, taking one from Venice's Marco Polo airport to the city center will set you back around $120. Instead, you should check out Venice's convenient water buses or the gondola traghetto.

If you're just trying to get across the Grand Canal, the gondola traghetto is a boat that takes you for only around $2. You'll see bright yellow signs near the piers and can pay as you get on board. These ferries can fit 10 passengers and have eight docking points in Venice. Note that they don't run on Christmas or New Year's Day. Outside of the Grand Canal, the water buses are your best bet on a budget. 

Venice's water buses, or vaporetti (vaporetto for singular), are convenient and inexpensive ways to get around the city and the surrounding islands. They can be crowded, especially in the summer, but the experience is still worth it. You can get a vaporetto ticket that lasts 75 minutes from the time you swipe it for around $10. However, if you plan on traveling around the city a bit, you can pick up a day ticket for the Venice vaporetto that will also take you to the islands of Burano, Murano, and Lido for around $27. There are also two-day, three-day, and seven-day options. If you're staying for more than a day, that's a much better deal than paying for other transport.

The vaporetti run throughout the city, but one route that is popular (and likely crowded) is Line 1. It begins at the Piazzale Roma, runs along the Grand Canal, and ends on Lido. If you do choose to take a trip, timing is everything, and you can avoid crowds by exploring Venice in the evening or early morning. One person on TripAdvisor says, "I've done vaporetto trips from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. and been the only tourist amongst a handful of locals going to work." Skip the overpriced transportation in Venice and bob through the canals using these unique methods instead.