How to go from Venice to Murano and Burano

Among the things to see and do on a trip to Venice, a visit to the islands of Murano and Burano is one of the most popular alternatives. The beautiful architecture of both destinations and their world-renowned craftsmanship will captivate you. Learn how to get to Murano and Burano from Venice and which travel options are the best.

The most popular option for tourists visiting the Venice lagoon for the first time is to book an excursion to Murano and Burano. But there is also the option of opting for a private excursion to Murano and Burano, which is less economical.

Option I: Group excursion to Murano and Burano

Group excursions to Murano and Burano are one of the most requested experiences by travelers and depart daily from Venice. Although the itinerary may change slightly depending on the company you hire, most of them include the same repertoire of activities. Here are some of the different options:

• Excursion to Murano and Burano, from $25
• Excursion to Murano, Burano and Torcello, from 27.
• Half day excursion to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, from $27.
• Boat excursion to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, from $34.

Generally, when booking this type of excursion you will be able to: travel by boat from Venice to both destinations with a professional guide, visit the traditional glass stores of both destinations. In addition, the excursions reserve some time for you to walk around on your own, visit the canals, walk the streets and take pictures.

• Price: around 25-30 € per person per trip.
• Duration of the trip: 4:30 hours approximately (including transport and visit).
• Recommended if... you want to see the best of the famous Venetian islands but don't want to exceed your budget.

Option II: Private excursion to Murano and Burano

If you are looking to discover the islands north of Venice in a more personalized tour with an expert guide to explain all the interesting details, book a private excursion to Murano and Burano.

All include a private motorboat tour, the accompaniment of an expert guide able to communicate in different languages, a guided walking tour of the islands to see the most interesting places and the possibility to visit the glassblowing demonstration workshops in Murano.

• Price: around 198 €.
• Duration of the trip: about 4 hours (including transportation and visit).
• Recommended if... You are traveling to Venice with your family or a small group of friends and you want to visit the islands alone.

Option III: Combined Excursions: Venice, Murano and Burano

Another interesting way to get to know Murano and Burano is to combine the experience of a tour of the islands with the experience of a tour of Venice. This type of excursion begins early in the morning with a visit through the main monuments in Venice, followed by a boat tour on the Grand Canal of Venice and continues in the afternoon with an excursion to the islands located north of the lagoon.

Although the travel itinerary may vary from one company to another, this type of service includes several of the following experiences: a tour of the famous St. Mark's Square; a visit to the luxurious interiors of the Doge's Palace; a visit to the iconic St. Mark's Basilica; a visit to the most important bridges of the Grand Canal, such as the Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs; and a guided visit to the Island of Murano and the Island of Burano.

• Price: from 150 € per person.
• Duration of the tour: 8 hours in total, including transportation and visit.
• Recommended if... You are on a two-day trip in Venice and have little time to see the best of the city and the most famous islands north of the lagoon.

The Vaporetto is the name given to public transport in Venice and it is the cheapest option to visit the islands of Murano and Burano. I recommend you to book a transport pass in Venice and have a map of the public transport lines in Venice before embarking on the adventure.

As you can deduce is the alternative transport used by locals to move around Venice Although it has its positive points, keep in mind that this option requires more planning and take a strict itinerary to meet the times and see everything worth seeing.

How to get from Venice to Murano

• Take line 4.1: from "Ferroviaria C" station on the Grand Canal, disembark at Murano Colonna A port. The company operating this service is ACTV and departs approximately every 20 minutes.
• Take line 3: from the train station "Ferroviaria C" on the Grand Canal and disembark at the port Venier of Murano. The company operating this service is ACTV and departs every 30 minutes approximately.
• Take line A: at the port of Guglie to disembark at the Murano Colonna A port. The company that operates this service is ACTV and departs every 30 minutes approximately.

How to get from Murano to Burano

• Take line 12: from the Port of Murano Lighthouse to the port of Burano C for a journey of about 50 minutes. The company that operates this service is ATCV and departs every 30 minutes approximately.

How to return from Burano to Venice

There is no direct transport between the two points, you will have to take line 12 back to Murano and then embark on one of the Venice-Murano alternatives explored above.

• Price: about €7.50 for each trip. However, you have the option of purchasing a 72-hour ticket for the cost of €50.
• Travel time: at least 1 hour round trip between each island. My recommendation is that you reserve a full day of your travel itinerary so that you can spend some time on each island.
• Recommended if... You have time and want to explore the islands at your own pace and without pressure or if you have visited Venice before and plan a more leisurely trip to get to know in depth interesting corners that perhaps you ignored on your first visit.

The water cab in Venice is a widely used luxury transportation alternative, especially because it reduces much of the waiting time associated with public services such as the vaporetto. It also includes advantages such as the possibility of transporting small groups and the option of pick-up and return to your hotel in any corner of Venice.

Cabs in Venice usually have capacity for up to 10 people, which makes them the ideal option if you are traveling with small children in Venice or if you are in a large group.

Before agreeing on the final fare be sure to inform about the number of passengers, as some companies charge an additional amount when the group exceeds 5 people.

• Price: approximately 115 € per trip.
• Duration of the trip: you will be able to customize the trip as you wish, but I recommend at least a midday excursion to explore the islands at your leisure and make it worth the investment.
• Recommended if... You don't like the idea of sharing transportation with strangers or if you are traveling with a group of several people so that you can offset the expense a bit.