How to Get to Murano and Burano: Vaporetto Lines, Tickets and Boat Tours

Murano and Burano are the two most visited islands of the Venetian lagoon: Murano for its glass furnaces, Burano for its brightly painted houses and its lace. Both are reached only by water, and getting to them is part of the pleasure — a ride across the open lagoon, with Venice shrinking behind you and the low islands rising out of the water ahead.

There are two ways to go. The public water buses, the vaporetti, are cheap and flexible, and you plan them yourself. The organised boat tours handle everything and usually include a glassblowing demonstration, in exchange for a fixed schedule. This guide covers both in detail: the lines and where they leave from, the tickets and passes and how validation works, the connections from the railway station, the airport and the car parks, and a realistic plan for a day or a half day on the islands.

The islands at a glance

It helps to picture the geography before choosing a route.

Murano is the closest. It lies about 1.5 km north of Venice and is made up of seven islands linked by bridges over eight channels. Its glass furnaces, workshops and the Glass Museum are the main reasons to go.
Burano is much further out, 7 kilometres from Venice. It has about 2,800 residents, the painted houses that fill so many photographs, and the Lace Museum.
Mazzorbo is Burano’s quiet neighbour. Burano is linked to Mazzorbo by a bridge, so the two are really one stop.
Torcello, close to Burano, is the green, almost empty island where the history of the lagoon began. Its cathedral, founded in 639, is the oldest cathedral in the Venetian Lagoon.

Because all of these lie in the same direction from Venice — north, across the lagoon — one line of boats strings them together, and a single outing can take in two, three or all four.

Where the boats leave from

The key departure point is Fondamente Nove, the long waterfront on the northern edge of Venice that faces the lagoon and the cemetery island. From here, line 12 heads out to the islands. The question is how to reach Fondamente Nove from wherever you are staying.

From the railway station or Piazzale Roma

The station (Santa Lucia) and Piazzale Roma, the car and bus terminal next to it, are where many visitors start. Boats board in front of the station entrance roughly every 10 minutes, and you have several options:

Lines 1 and N stop at Ca’ d’Oro, a 5-minute walk from Fondamente Nove and the line 12 pier.
Lines 4.2 and 5.2 stop at Fondamente Nove itself, where line 12 boards beyond the Ponte Donà bridge.
Line 3 (Diretto Murano) runs Piazzale Roma – Ferrovia – Murano. It is the most direct way to reach Murano from the station, and from Murano Faro, line 12 continues to Burano.

Allow time: from the railway station to Fondamente Nove or Murano takes about 25 minutes, plus about 45 minutes on to Burano.

From St Mark’s and San Zaccaria

If you are staying around St Mark’s Square, you have two routes:

Line 4.1 runs Murano – Fondamente Nove – Ferrovia – Piazzale Roma – Giudecca – San Zaccaria – Fondamente Nove, circling Venice. Board it at San Zaccaria for Fondamente Nove or Murano.
Line 14 runs San Zaccaria – Lido – Punta Sabbioni – Burano. It takes the long way round by the Lido and the Cavallino shore, reaching Burano from the east. Burano is about a 45-minute vaporetto trip from St Mark’s.

Same pontoon, both directions

A detail that confuses many first-timers: at the stops, boats in both directions leave from the same pontoon, side by side, not from opposite banks. Read the destination on the boat and on the pontoon sign before you step aboard.

Line 12: the island line

Line 12 runs from Fondamente Nove via Murano, Mazzorbo, Torcello and Burano to Treporti and Punta Sabbioni. It is the backbone of any independent day on the islands, because one boat links them all.

Fondamente Nove is the departure point in Venice.
Murano Faro, by the lighthouse, is the Murano stop, a short ride across the water.
Mazzorbo comes next. Because of the bridge, you can get off here and walk across to Burano.
Torcello is the stop for the cathedral and the quiet island.
Burano is the main stop for the painted houses.
Treporti and Punta Sabbioni are on the mainland shore beyond, useful if you have parked there.

Line 12 completes its route in about 50 minutes. Because the route is long, line 12 boats have toilets on board — a small thing that matters on a lagoon crossing. Note that some line 12 runs end at Treporti and do not serve Punta Sabbioni, so if you are heading back to a car there, check the destination.

Mazzorbo: the back door to Burano

Mazzorbo is worth knowing about. It is quieter than Burano, and two minutes’ walk from the Burano vaporetto stop, just over the bridge to Mazzorbo, is the Venissa estate, a walled vineyard open to the public. Getting off at Mazzorbo and walking over the bridge is a pleasant way to arrive in Burano gently, rather than with the crowd at the main pier.

Other lines to know

Lines 4.1, 4.2 and 3 for Murano

If Murano is your only goal, you do not need line 12 at all. Line 4.1 and line 4.2 circle Venice and call at Murano, linking it with Fondamente Nove, the station and San Zaccaria. Line 3 is the direct link from Piazzale Roma and the station. For a morning of glass, one of these is often the simplest choice.

Line 9: Burano to Torcello

Line 9 shuttles between Burano and Torcello. It is the short hop that lets you add Torcello to a day on Burano without waiting for the next line 12.

The night line

The islands are not cut off after dark. A night line (Notturno Laguna Nord) serves Fondamente Nove – Sant’Erasmo – Burano – Punta Sabbioni. It is useful if you stay on Burano for dinner.

From the airport

Alilaguna boats link Marco Polo airport with Murano; from there walk to the Faro stop for line 12 to Burano. This makes it possible to go straight from a flight to the islands without passing through Venice at all. Remember that single and time tickets do not include the Marco Polo airport connections, so the airport boat is a separate ticket.

By car

Venice is car-free, but the lagoon shore is not. Drivers can park at Treporti or Punta Sabbioni and take the boat to Burano, Torcello, Murano and Fondamente Nove. For visitors staying on the mainland coast, this is often quicker than driving to Piazzale Roma and crossing Venice.

Vaporetto tickets and passes

The fares are set by the operator and are the same everywhere you buy them.

Ticket	Price
Single ticket, valid 75 minutes	€9.50
24-hour pass	€25
48-hour pass	€35
72-hour pass	€45
7-day pass	€65
Rolling Venice card + 72-hour ticket (young visitors)	€27

How the time tickets work

A time ticket gives unlimited journeys within its period, which starts at the first validation. The clock does not start when you buy it.
Time tickets are valid on all land and water services, so the same pass covers buses on the Lido and the mainland as well as the boats.
Children under 6 travel free.

Validation

Validating the ticket is compulsory as soon as you board, by touching it to the validator on board. A green light means you are done.
Every change of boat or bus needs a new validation. If you change from line 4.1 to line 12 at Fondamente Nove, touch the ticket again on the second boat.

Where to buy

ACTV tickets are sold at ticket offices near the stops, at tobacconists and online. Buying online before you set off avoids the queues that form at the ticket offices on busy mornings.

Which ticket makes sense?

A day on the islands usually means at least three journeys: out to Murano, on to Burano, and back to Venice. Add Torcello and it is four. Since each single ticket lasts only 75 minutes, the singles add up quickly, and if you plan to visit all the northern lagoon islands, a day ticket is the cheaper choice.

Murano only, there and back: two single tickets cost less than a 24-hour pass.
Murano and Burano in one day: three singles already cost more than the 24-hour pass at €25.
Murano, Burano and Torcello: the 24-hour pass is clearly the better buy.
Several days in Venice: the 48-hour pass at €35, the 72-hour pass at €45 or the 7-day pass at €65 bring the cost per day down further.
Young visitors: the Rolling Venice card with a 72-hour ticket, at €27, is the best value of all.

By boat tour

If you would rather not plan lines, connections and validation, a half-day boat tour takes you to both islands, usually with a glassblowing demonstration on Murano. There are no changes of boat, a seat is guaranteed, and someone explains what you are seeing.

Murano, Burano and Torcello half-day boat tour. A guided boat from several Venice boarding points, a live glassblowing demonstration on Murano and up to 1.5 hours on each island; Torcello is an option. About 4.5 hours.

Boat tour with a guide and a glass-factory visit. A morning or afternoon boat to Murano and Burano with a guide on board (commentary in five languages), a glass-factory visit and a panoramic terrace for the crossing. About 4.5 hours.

Premium boat with glassblowing. A vaporetto reserved for your group instead of the public ferries, a glassblowing demonstration and lace-making on Burano. About 3 hours, the shortest of the tours.

Guided tour by private boat. A private boat from Venice to a Murano glass workshop, then Burano’s lace-makers and painted houses. About 5 hours, and the most flexible for a family or small group.

If you are going to Murano independently and just want to see the furnace, a 20-minute factory demonstration on Murano, with a EUR 10 shop credit, can be booked on its own. The tours page lists them all with live prices.

Vaporetto or tour?

The vaporetto gives you freedom. You choose when to leave, how long to stay on each island and whether to add Torcello or Mazzorbo. It is the cheapest option, especially with a pass, and it lets you visit the museums properly. The trade-off is that you plan it yourself, change boats, validate each time, and the boats can be crowded at busy times.

A boat tour gives you simplicity. The route, the timing and the glass demonstration are arranged, the seat is yours for the whole trip, and a guide explains the islands. The trade-off is less time on each island — typically up to 1.5 hours — and a fixed schedule that leaves little room for the museums.

A good rule: choose the vaporetto if you want a full, unhurried day with the museums; choose a tour if you have only a morning or an afternoon and want the highlights without planning.

A full day by vaporetto

This plan uses a 24-hour pass and works best on any day except Monday, when the Lace Museum is closed.

Morning: from Fondamente Nove, line 12 to Murano Faro. Watch a glassblowing demonstration, then visit the Glass Museum, which opens every day from 10:00 (€15.00, reduced €7.50). Walk the canals lined with glass shops.
Midday: line 12 on to Mazzorbo and walk over the bridge into Burano, or stay on to the Burano stop. Lunch among the painted houses.
Early afternoon: the Lace Museum on Piazza Galuppi, open 10:00–16:00, last entry 15:30, closed on Mondays (€7.00, reduced €3.50). Then wander the coloured streets away from the main canal.
Mid-afternoon: line 9 to Torcello for the cathedral, which from 1 March to 31 October opens 10:30–18:00 (last entry 17:30). Climb the bell tower for the view over the marshes.
Late afternoon: back to Burano on line 9, then line 12 to Fondamente Nove.

If you plan to see all three island museums, the Island Museums ticket covers the Glass Museum, the Lace Museum and the Torcello Museum for €20 (reduced €10), valid 3 months with one admission to each.

A half day by tour

Board at one of the Venice boarding points and cross the lagoon to Murano with commentary.
On Murano: a live glassblowing demonstration, then free time among the shops.
On to Burano: up to 1.5 hours among the painted houses and lace shops.
Optionally Torcello on the tours that offer it.
Back in Venice about 4.5 hours after setting off.

Practical tips

Buy your pass before you set off, online or at a ticket office, to avoid queuing at the pier.
Check the destination on the boat, not just the line number: boats in both directions share the pontoon.
Validate again at every change of boat.
Go early. The first hours of the morning are the calmest on Burano, before the tour boats arrive.
Watch the Monday closing of the Lace Museum when planning.
Keep the last boat in mind if you stay for dinner; the night line runs, but less often.

With children

The islands make a good family day. Children love the boat rides, the fire and molten glass of a glassblowing demonstration and the colours of Burano. Children under 6 travel free on the vaporetto. At the civic museums, a family offer gives a reduced ticket to every paying member of groups of two adults with at least one young person up to 16, and reduced tickets apply to children aged 6 to 14. At Torcello’s basilica, children up to 10 enter free. Keep the day manageable: Murano in the morning, Burano after lunch, and Torcello only if energy allows.

Accessibility

The vaporetti and tour boats involve stepping on and off at floating pontoons, which move with the water. Murano and Burano themselves are compact and largely flat, though the bridges over the canals have steps. Ask the operators about assistance when you book.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get to Burano from Venice?

Take vaporetto line 12 from Fondamente Nove. It calls at Murano, Mazzorbo and Torcello on the way to Burano. Line 14 from San Zaccaria also reaches Burano, by way of the Lido and Punta Sabbioni.

How long does it take?

From the railway station to Fondamente Nove or Murano takes about 25 minutes, plus about 45 minutes on to Burano.

How much is the vaporetto to Murano and Burano?

A single ticket valid 75 minutes costs €9.50. A 24-hour pass is €25, a 48-hour pass €35, a 72-hour pass €45 and a 7-day pass €65. For a day on several islands, the 24-hour pass is the cheaper choice.

Which vaporetto goes to Murano?

Line 12 from Fondamente Nove, lines 4.1 and 4.2 around Venice, and line 3 direct from Piazzale Roma and the station.

Do I need to validate my ticket?

Yes. Validation is compulsory as soon as you board, and every change of boat needs a new validation.

Is a boat tour better than the vaporetto?

A tour is simpler and includes a glass demonstration, with up to 1.5 hours on each island. The vaporetto gives you more time and freedom, and costs less with a pass.