When traveling between Lido and Venice proper, you’d normally choose one of many vaporetto options: Line 1 for Sant’Elena, Giardini, the Riva and Grand Canal, Lines 41/2, 51/2 that encircle the city, or even Line 62 to Piazzale Roma via the Giudecca Canal.
There’s another alternative that occurs to too few people, but sometimes is just the ticket, especially to avoid jam-packed boats at the end of an event or day at the beach.
ACTV Line 17 is not a vaporetto, but a traghetto, also known as the Ferryboat. It’s a good deal larger because it’s able to transport motor vehicles between Lido and the main car park at Tronchetto (unlike Venice, Lido has roads, and cars). You don’t have to have a car to board, though; and although its form is not what we might classify as attractive, if Lido or Tronchetto is your destination (or even your transfer point), the Ferry-boat can be a valid, even preferable option.
Come mai? And why might that be?
- First, because it’s non-stop. If returning from Lido, you’ll board at San Nicolò (a few hundred meters north of S.M. Elisabetta, also reachable by bus) and arrive at Tronchetto.
- Second, because there’s a second level, the upper deck offers an immensely gratifying view of the lagoon, the Riva, San Giorgio Maggiore, and the Giudecca Canal, even (or perhaps especially) at sunset or after dark.
- Third, there’s even a bar, so you could enjoy a panino and a caffè, a prosecco, or even a Spritz, should you be so inclined.
- Finally, because passage is included in your ACTV vaporetto transit pass. Of course, if you have a car or bike or kayak or some other mobile thing, you can take it along with you…but it’s not a requisite.
The passage is thirty-five minutes, and from Tronchetto you can pick up Line 2 and continue on your normal vaporetto way (or vice-versa, of course).
It’s the little things…yes?
For more info on Line 17 and every other vaporetto line in town, get your print, fold, and go copy of The Vap Map vaporetto guide. It’s the handiest way to make sure you never miss the boat.
“Indispensible.”
VeniceConnected.com was first introduced to allow visitors to obtain significant discounts on transit passes, museum entrances, and more if they were purchased in advance from their website. In the beginning, travelers had to decide and purchase at least two weeks in advance of their arrival; it wasn’t long after that the advance-purchase time was reduced to seven days in advance.