Almost every guide to the lagoon islands is written from a hotel near St Mark's. If you're staying on the mainland, that advice sends you the long way round — across the whole of Venice on foot or by water bus, past the busiest square in Italy, to reach a boat that leaves from the far side of the island.
There's a better route from Mestre, and it starts with one fact most visitors never learn: the island boats leave from Fondamente Nove, on Venice's northern shore — the side that faces the mainland.
Take the train or tram to Venezia Santa Lucia, walk or take a vaporetto to Fondamente Nove, then line 12 to the islands. Budget a full day, buy a day pass rather than singles, and go to Burano first.
From Mestre you have the usual two options into Venice — see our transport guide for times and tickets. Once you're at Venezia Santa Lucia (the railway station on the island), Fondamente Nove is:
Either way you never go near San Marco or the Rialto. That is the whole advantage of starting from the mainland, and it is worth more in July than it sounds in print.
Line 12 runs from Fondamente Nove out through the northern lagoon, calling at Murano (Faro), Mazzorbo, Burano and on towards Treporti. Journey time from Fondamente Nove to Burano is about 45 minutes, and departures are roughly every 30 minutes through the day — less often early and late, so check the timetable at the stop.
Torcello is a short hop from Burano on line 9, a shuttle that runs back and forth between the two in about five minutes. Some line 12 sailings call at Torcello directly, but not all — the shuttle from Burano is the reliable way.
| Ticket | Price | Worth it when |
|---|---|---|
| Single, 75 minutes | €9.50 | Never, for this trip |
| 24-hour pass | €25 | One island day |
| 48-hour pass | €35 | Island day plus a Venice day |
| 72-hour pass | €45 | Three days on the water |
A single is valid for 75 minutes, and the run to Burano alone is 45. Two singles cost €19 and you'd still be paying again for the return. The 24-hour pass pays for itself on the second boat, and the islands need at least four. Buy it at the station or any ACTV booth before you set off.
Note that the day pass covers water buses and the mainland tram and buses, so it also covers your hop back into Mestre at the end of the day.
Burano first, then Torcello, then Murano on the way back.
Burano is furthest and busiest in the middle of the day, so arriving early buys you the photographs everyone else queues for. Torcello is next door and empties out in the afternoon. Murano is closest to Venice, so it's the natural last stop before heading home — and if you run out of daylight, it's the one that's easiest to return for.
The common mistake is doing Murano first because it's nearest. You arrive at Burano at noon with everyone else.
Our apartments are a few minutes from Mestre station, which is where an island day starts and finishes. Coming back at seven in the evening you're twenty minutes from your own kitchen rather than an hour from a hotel on the island — and you're not paying island prices for the night in between. See our apartments.
How do I get to Murano and Burano from Mestre?
Take the train or tram from Mestre to Venezia Santa Lucia, then walk or take a vaporetto to Fondamente Nove on Venice's northern shore. Line 12 runs from there to Murano and Burano, reaching Burano in about 45 minutes. You never need to cross St Mark's.
How much does the boat to Burano cost?
A single 75-minute ticket is €9.50, but the crossing to Burano takes about 45 minutes, so singles are poor value. A 24-hour ACTV pass is €25 and covers every boat you'll take that day, plus the mainland tram and buses back into Mestre.
Can you visit Murano, Burano and Torcello in one day?
Yes, comfortably, if you start early. Go to Burano first, hop to Torcello on line 9, and stop at Murano on the way back. Allow about two to three hours for Burano, one to two for each of the others.
Is Torcello worth visiting?
If you like quiet and old things, yes — it has a 7th-century cathedral with Byzantine mosaics and almost no one on it. If you're short on time and want colour and photographs, Burano is the one to prioritise.
Do I have to pay the Venice access fee to visit the islands?
No. The access fee applies to Venice's historic centre on published peak days, not to Murano, Burano or Torcello. If your route into the lagoon takes you through the centre on one of those days, check the official calendar first.