A little Italian, a little Venice
Vaporetto meaning.
Venice, by water.
A vaporetto is a public waterbus in Venice, Italy: a passenger boat that follows a route and calls at stops, much like a city bus.
Meaning, plural
and word origin.
Looking up a word or heading to a boat stop? Start with the distinction that helps you.
In a Venice guide, “take the vaporetto” means use the public waterbus. It does not mean booking a private water taxi or a gondola ride. The plural you will see on signs and maps is vaporetti. English also allows vaporettos.
The Italian dictionary Treccani gives a broader sense: a small steamer, especially one used for public services on canals, in ports or on lakes. In English, the word is closely associated with Venice.
Both Merriam-Webster and Treccani trace it to a diminutive of vapore. The name carries a link to steam boats; the modern English definition describes a motorboat.
Use it in a sentence
“We took a vaporetto across Venice.”
This is an original example of English usage. For more than one boat: “Several vaporetti were waiting at the stop.”
A useful distinction: ACTV is the transport operator. Vaporetto is the type of public boat people are talking about.
Compare the boats you’ll see →Word references: Merriam-Webster and Treccani. Full sources and editorial notes.
From the word to the water.
Choose the guide for the question you have next.
Say “vaporetto”
Find the stressed syllable, the Italian plural and a dictionary recording.
Pronunciation & word notes →02 / THE BOATSWaterbus or gondola?
Make sense of vaporetto, water taxi, gondola and traghetto before choosing a ride.
Compare Venice transport →03 / YOUR JOURNEYWhich ticket makes sense?
Compare ordinary fares and timed passes, then check the operator’s conditions.
Tickets & simple calculator →Before you board
A ticket needs validation.
Follow the instructions for your ticket or app, and validate again when changing services. Check the validator’s confirmation, not just the gate opening.
A route number alone is not enough. Read the direction and stop list, and check current ACTV notices for changes.
Your first-ride checklist →A few quick answers
Still wondering?
Is a vaporetto a ferry?
“Waterbus” is the clearest English translation for Venice’s scheduled public passenger service. “Ferry” is broader and can also describe other crossings. For a booking, check the actual operator and route.
Is vaporetto the same as gondola?
No. A vaporetto runs as public transport. A gondola is the traditional rowing boat used for private rides and, in a separate service, some short Grand Canal crossings.
Does a vaporetto ticket include the airport boat?
Ordinary ACTV urban tickets exclude Alilaguna services. Airport transport needs its own check; a normal city waterbus ticket is not a blanket airport transfer ticket. See ticket exclusions.
Where should I check routes and timetables?
Use ACTV’s current waterbus timetables and the notices on your stop. This site explains the word and helps you prepare; it does not provide live departures.