Venice vaporetto line 3 ACTV

Venice’s vaporetto (the name of water-buses in Italian) line 3 ACTV is the most practical and rapid public means of transport to get to Murano island.
Line 3 is one of the “lagoon lines” that travel around the external perimeter of Venice and connect the historic center to the main islands of the Venetian archipelago.

This line is widely used by both tourists and workers who need to reach Murano quickly.

In this article you will find suggestions on how to get to Murano; information on timetables, ferry stops and attractions that you will find near the vaporetto Line 3 ACTV stops.
This way you will be able to organize your next trip to Venice easily and visit carefree.

Vaporetto Line 3 ACTV route and stops

Vaporetto line 3 cruises around Murano and stops at the most important locations of the island.

Please note that the busiest stops (usually those closest to the main attractions) have more than one platform, and all are located close to one another. Each pier is indicated by the name of the stop and then a letter in progression.

Along the route, vaporetto line 3 will stop off at:

• P.LE ROMA “D”
• FERROVIA “D”
• MURANO COLONNA “A”
• MURANO FARO “B”
• MURANO NAVAGERO
• MURANO MUSEO “A”
• MURANO DA MULA
• MURANO VENIER
• FERROVIA “C”
• P.LE ROMA “E”

Bear in mind that the stops to and from Murano are on the same platform, not on the opposite sides of the canal. Be careful which direction the boat you are about to board travels to.

Venice vaporetto line 3 night service

In case you decide to stay in Murano during the evening until after the last daytime trip of Line 3, you can get back to Venice with two other vaporetto lines which are almost equivalent to it.

Line 4.2

Vaporetto line 3 ACTV finishes its service at 6 pm, and after that there are no ferry boats available for this route until 8:45 pm.

From 8:45 you can take line 4.2 which travels from Murano towards Fondamenta Nove and then to the bus station Piazzale Roma.
Line 4.2 is in service between 8:45 and 10:45 pm and runs at intervals of approximately 20 minutes.

Line NMU

If you want to return to Venice from Murano later in the evening or at night, the only available vaporetto is the nighttime Line NMU, whose route is very similar to that of line 3.
Line NMU travels from Fondamenta Nove towards Murano, navigates around the island and then comes back to Fondamenta Nove.

Line NMU is in service from about 11:45 pm to 4:15 am.

From Fondamenta Nove, the bus station (Piazzale Roma) and train station are about 30 minutes away by foot. An alternative to walking is taking a venetian water taxi.

Vaporetto line 3 stops and attractions

Venice vaporetto line 3 is a very popular, touristic line to visit Murano.
The water bus travels around the island and at each stop you can visit a number of attractions all connected to the artistic glasswork, which is typical of Murano.

Here are some suggestions on what to visit in Murano when travelling with vaporetto line 3:

• P.le Roma “D”: it is the bus station where you can take transfers to and from the airport. It is located a few steps away from Giardino di Papadopoli, a little quiet park, usually popular with students. We suggest you take a break there since it is one of the rare shaded areas in Venice.

• Ferrovia “D”: it is the stop across Saint Lucia’s Train Station. It is located on the opposite side of the canal to San Simeon Piccolo’s Church, the main building that you can spot when you first arrive in Venice by train. If you choose to pay a visit, we recommend checking out the crypt.

• Murano Colonna “A”: stopping off here you will find yourself a few steps away from various glasswork shops and laboratories where you can enjoy a demonstration by the venetian artisans, but also look at and purchase glass art pieces that they produce.

• Murano Faro “B”: this stop is located next to the Murano lighthouse, which is still in use today and can be admired from the outside only.

• Murano Navagero: stopping here you may visit the artistic furnaces where glass is produced and enjoy watching and listening to the artisans at work.

• Murano Museo “A”: at the Glass Museum of Murano displays a number of artistic pieces made of glass, which were created on the island over the centuries. our tip is to pay a visit to this museum to enjoy the valuable works preserved here.

• Murano da Mula: this stop is located in front of the historic Palazzo da Mula, which is Murano’s town hall. The exterior of this building is particular. We suggest either stop here or look outside the vaporetto when you pass this stop.

• Murano Venier: stopping off here you will find yourself at a 5 minute walk from Parco degli Angeli, which is a tiny park ideal for picnics if you visit during spring or summer.

The vaporetto then travels back to the train and bus stations (PiazzaleRoma and Ferrovia)

Buy your vaporetto line 3 tickets now

Vaporetto line 3 ACTV tickets and fares

Venice vaporettos are operated by ACTV, the local transit authority. To ride them, you’ll need a single-fare ticket (good for 75 minutes), all-day or multi-day ticket (available up to 7 days)

ACTV vaporetto tickets allow unlimited travel on public water during the validity period of the ticket you purchased.

In the following paragraph we’ll look at fare prices, the difference among the travel passes and where it is more convenient to buy them.

Vaporetto ticket prices

Based on your period of stay in Venice, you can choose among a variety of tickets sold by the public transit agency ACTV.
Since the fares are indicated by ACTV, you will find the same prices both at the ticket office and online.

In order to save some money, we suggest you organize your schedule to make the most efficient use of your vaporetto tickets.

Vaporetto tickets available are valid for 75 minutes, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days or 7 days at the following prices:

• single fare ticket (75′): 9,50€
• 1 day ticket: 25 €
• 2 days ticket: 35 €
• 3 days ticket: 45 €
• 7 days ticket: 65 €

Which ticket is more convenient?

Visiting Murano necessarily includes two trips by vaporetto during the day: one to get to the island and one to get back. Overall the island can be visited thoroughly by foot and all the main attractions are at walking distance.

So, if you plan on taking the public water-bus only to visit the island of Murano during your trip, and discover the old town of Venice by foot, then two single-fare tickets valid for 75 minutes are the most economical option.

However, if you will stay in Venice for more than one day, then you should opt for either a daily or multi-day pass. This option would be the most convenient especially if you plan on visiting more than one island or move around the city by boat.

Vaporetto line 3 ACTV tickets: discounts and reductions

Here are some reductions available for vaporetto Line 3 ACTV:

• Children under the age of 6 ride free
• Young people between 6 and 26 can purchase discounted 3-day tickets
• Passengers in wheelchairs can buy single-fare tickets at a significant discount. If accompanied, the other person does not pay.

After purchase the vaporetto line 3 ACTVtickets are not refundable and cannot be exchanged.
You must validate tickets before boarding. Look for the white electronic card reader near the vaporetto platform.

Buy vaporetto line 3 tickets

Vaporetto line 3 ACTV tickets are available both online and at the box offices located next to the vaporetto platforms in Venice.
The online and in-person prices are the same, however there are some advantages that only purchasing your tickets online can offer.

Buy tickets online

Many websites online allow you to purchase your vaporetto tickets directly on your smartphone, so you can skip the long queues in front of the box offices and go to the vaporetto platforms straight away.
You can buy your tickets ahead of time, because their validity is calculated upon the first validation.

The opportunity to buy tickets online can prove very useful even once in Venice. Tourists often risk missing their water-bus because of the long lines at the box offices or find themselves at stops that do not have a ticket office.

For this reason buying online is practical. Moreover, you’ll have your tickets on your phone, so you won’t risk losing or demagnetizing them by accident.

By purchasing your vaporetto line 3 tickets online you can keep your passes on your mobile or use the PNR code on the voucher to pick up your physical ticket at the machines displaying the Venezia Unica logo.

Buy tickets at physical ticket offices

You can buy vaporetto tickets in person at the ticket offices in Venice (usually located next to the platforms) or in authorized retailers in the old town (recognizable by the ACTV logo)

Buying tickets at the box offices can be useful to ask for directions and information, however some sellers might not speak English.
Many are the instances in which purchasing tickets in person is impractical.

ACTV ticket offices in Venice are small box-offices located outdoors, and of course can have very long queues of tourists waiting in front of them.
The space in front of the ticket offices is not covered, so you might find yourself waiting in line exposed to the elements.
Waiting under the sun or the rain is certainly really uncomfortable, especially when travelling with children, elders or people with disabilities.

Services in the event of fog or high tide

Visiting Venice during fall or winter, you are likely to face the very typical phenomenon of high tide. In order to be fully prepared and equipped, we suggest checking the tidal flow.
If water reaches 95cm services for vaporetto Line 3 will be temporarily suspended.

From October to March, fog covering the canals is also very frequent. Only when visibility is under 70 meters, services for vaporetto line 3 are suspended until visibility improves.

Taking into consideration these highly likely scenarios, our suggestion is to organize a flexible itinerary including a number of alternative destinations in case of bad weather and high tide.

Lastly, please note that the vporetto line 3 is completely accessible to wheelchair users and strollers.