How to Get to Murano: Ferry and Steamship Schedules and Prices from Venice

Are you thinking of visiting Murano and wondering how to do it? This guide is for you! As you continue reading you will find all the information you need to best plan your visit.

Murano is a must-see in the lagoon: between its canals, lighthouse and the wonderful art of glassmaking, there is something for everyone!

This island enters the hearts of its visitors because it is a magical place where the past with its traditions meets the future with its tastes and innovations producing unique glass artifacts!

Read on and I will provide you with directions on the vaporetto and other methods of getting to your destination, as well as valuable advice on how best to organize yourself.

Halt! Let me give you a tip first: Murano is very popular, which is why booking an organized tour can be a winning move. You won’t have to think about transportation and how to get around the island, but an experienced escort will help you, not to mention the discounts you’ll get and other additional benefits!

How to get there by waterbus

Getting to Murano is quite simple: the departure is from Venice and the route is well served. The fastest line is the 3 ACTV , which takes you to your destination in about 25 minutes and makes several stops around the island.

If you opt for this option, you will have to leave from Piazzale Roma or Venice Santa Lucia station.

Lines 4.1 and 4.2, on the other hand, take a slightly more scenic tour that offers very picturesque viewsin exchange for a slightly longer sailing time. The starting point in this case is Fondamenta Nove right from the center of Venice.

Alternatives: water cab, organized boat tour

Water cab in a Murano canal | ID 100457396 © Yasonya | Dreamstime.com

Want to avoid the crowded vaporetto? Here are some alternatives for you! First, you can opt for the Alilaguna: it’s a winning choice if you’re traveling to or from the airport and plan to stop in Murano.

The Alilaguna is a private service connecting different locations in the lagoon through its two lines, red and blue, and although it has a similar travel time to the vaporetto it will allow you a slightly more comfortable trip characterized by fewer passengers.

Alternatively, if you wish to get around without depending on public transportation schedules and enjoying every comfort, you can consider choosing the opportunity offered by the privatewater cab.

Of course, this comfort corresponds to a much higher price, but also the travel time is significantly reduced considering that it will only take 10 minutes to reach your destination.

To this you can also add the opportunity to be able to move freely around the island so that you can admire from the water every glimpse you desire.

Tickets and costs: which one is convenient?

Decorative mosaic in Murano | ID 39151208 © Mdfotori | Dreamstime.com

The vaporetto ticket costs €9.50 and is valid for 75 minutes. Considering the queues, stay on the island and the length of the journey, one ticket is often not enough.

That’s why it pays to buy a pass that can allow you to take advantage of both the vaporetto lines and the buses: there are various packages ranging from 24 hours up to a week.

As for the Alilaguna, prices are obviously a bit higher: the direct single route from the airport or from Venice to Murano costs 10 euros.

If you purchase round-trip at the same time, the price is 18 euros, and this service also has daily packages of various durations.

The private water cab, on the other hand, obviously has the highest price, which varies depending on duration, route, and company.

Indicatively, the journey from Venice to Murano costs approximately 100€-a price justified by the experience of a decidedly different caliber.

However, let me give you some advice: the choice that is often most popular with visitors is to purchase an organized tour.

This way you can take advantage of significant benefits: priority tickets, no worries about transportation, expert guides to enrich your experience, and sometimes admissions to attractions on the island are included.

All this while getting advantageous discounts. The diverse range of packages means that you can find the one that best suits your needs, whether it’s a low-cost trip or a relaxing day out: for example, how would you like a tour of the lagoon totally on a private boat?

take a look at the dedicated resource on the site to get an idea and possibly book in comfort!

Practical tips for visiting Murano

Arrival is not everything: how to get around once you arrive on the island? Here’s a section devoted to all the questions you might have.

First of all, the island has no access fee, and exploring it there are many experiences and attractions waiting for you.

Murano is famous for its glass-related handicrafts: techniques handed down through the centuries to offer a production that is unique in the world!

That’s why the main subject of this day will be glass: I recommend visiting its museum, where you will learn about the techniques and history of this material inside the beautiful Palazzo Giustinian.

After that, it is a must to attend a glassblowing demonstration, and to do so you can choose one of the many furnaces on the island: there are more than 100 active ones !

To find the one that inspires you, first take a walk on Fondamenta dei Vetrai, the canal-side street where many glassworks are concentrated.

A special experience might be to see the demonstration taking place inside the former Cathedral of St. Clare: once the home of Franciscan nuns, now known as The Glass Cathedral!

But Murano is not only appreciable for its master glassmakers and centuries-old craftsmanship: you cannot reach the island without admiring the lagoon’s symbol, the lighthouse.

A beautiful building erected in the 1930s with stones from Istria. Another essential stop is the basilica of Saints Mary and Donatus, dating back to the 7th century and containing a splendid Byzantine mosaic floor.

Murano Cathedral | ID 1480908 © Harald Bolten | Dreamstime.com

Art and the sacred come together in Murano: the Renaissance Church of San Pietro Martire features works by Tintoretto, Veronesi and Bellini inside, while you can admire a stunning altarpiece by Pordenone inside Santa Maria degli Angeli.

Finally, being known as Venice in miniature, you can’t miss a tour of Murano’s Grand Canaland take a look at the 12th-century Palazzo da Mula, which features a beautiful Gothic style.

All this touring works up an appetite doesn’t it? Here’s a selection of popular places for you:

• Ristorante La Fornace, offering Italian cuisine especially based on Fish and located right in the center of Murano.
• Osteria la Perla Ai Bisatei, known for its healthy cuisine
• Osteria Al Duomo, where in addition to typical dishes and fish, you can also taste a very good pizza
• Trattoria Al Corallo, a slightly cheaper option than the previous ones, right on the canal, which also offers the opportunity of aperipranzo
• Vetrata, a cafeteria right on Fondamenta dei Vetrai for a quicker snack, a coffee or a snack

Bar gelateria Al Ponte, nothing better than a good Italian ice cream during a hot afternoon

Frequently asked questions

Conclusions

You now have all the information you need to better plan your Murano visit!

We’ve found out together what to see in Murano and where you can make a gastronomic stop, but most importantly, I’ve explained how to get to the island.

You could read that there are three solutions: the vaporetto, the Alilaguna and the water cab.

The first two are similar in terms of cost and duration, while the third option offers a trip in comfortand saves a lot of time, but at a higher expense.

Finally, I have answered all the most common questions that are asked about how to get to Murano, but should you have any other doubts, please feel free to contact us by leaving a comment below!

Have you visited Murano yet? Which glassworks did you choose to attend the demonstration? Tell us yours!