How to cross the Grand Canal on Traghetto, the cheap gondolas in Venice

If in your trip to Venice would you like to give a gondola ride through its canals, but your budget does not allow you to pay the price that the gondoliers ask of you, we have another much cheaper option.

So when you return from the trip you can tell your friends that you have riding a gondola in Venice; is about cross the Grand Canal in a ferry.

When you arrive to Venice, and you discover his Great channel, or even make the first Grand Canal vaporetto tour, surely they will catch your attention gondolas.

If you look closely, you will see that there are some very decorated gondolas that have only one gondolier behind them, and others that usually have several people riding, with one gondolier behind and another in front.

What are traghettos?

The latter are the Ferries (in plural).

Throughout history, for cross the Grand Canal of Venice, in addition to using the few available bridges, gondolas became another alternative, which continues to be maintained.

Now there is another alternative, which is to travel in the ferry, specifically, line 1 which, as it navigates, makes stops on both banks of the Great channel.

The Ferries They are old gondolas that have had their seats and all decoration removed, which, driven by two gondoliers, allow you to cross the Grand Canal quickly and cheaply.

And for a price less than one euro! Specifically, the price of riding in traguetto It is 50 cents, an amount that you have to pay directly to the gondolier.

Although only 50 years ago there were up to 30 “lines"Of traghetti, currently they are seven the places of Great channel where you catch a ferry to cross it.

You find the first one next to the Santa Lucia train station, and the last one next to the Basilica of Santa Maria de la Salute.

There are other stations next to the Ca´D´Oro Palace, in the Ca Rezzonico, or in San Toma.

How to cross the Grand Canal by traghetto

The traghetti stations they are easy to identify; They are wooden piers duly marked with a sign of "“Traghetto”.

Likewise, as you walk through the narrow streets of Venice near the Grand Canal, you will find signs that will lead you to these stations.

Normally, the traghetto service available from 9 in the morning until 8 in the afternoon.

It may happen that you arrive at a station and do not see any gondolas, which means that, for whatever reason, the service is not available at that time.

You always have the alternative of vaporetto line 1.

When you arrive at a traghetto station, you have to get directly into the gondola next to the people who are waiting to cross the canal, and then you will pay the price to the gondolier.

You can sit, although it is common among Venetians to stand in the traghetto, like gondoliers do.

In sum, ride a gondola in Venice It is an experience that you should stop enjoying for economic reasons, although yes, the traghetto ride It will be very short for you.