I just read the Slow Travel notes on the Venice card but they are from 2005. Can anyone please explain the difference between the blue card and the orange card and they're prices, and is it worth it to purchase a pass for a 10 day stay.

Ginger

You can read de detailed description of both here: Venice Blue Card and Venice Orange Card.

Ginger,

The short answer is that the Blue card gives you umlimited use of transport and public toilets plus a few discounts. The Orange card gives you that plus free entry to a number of museums and churches. You can see the prices on the links that Clodia provided.

As you've probably already seen from earlier threads, there are those of us who think these cards are a good deal and those who don't. It depends on how much you think you'll want to use the transportation and how many of the included museums and churches you plan to visit. The discounts are not that much of a consideration. I think the consensus has been that the Orange cards are a good value only if you plan to see practically every included sight, which would make for a very busy week. If you plan to walk a lot and only use the vaporetti once in a while, then most likely the Blue card isn't a very good value either.

When we were there last year, though, we really enjoyed the freeedom to jump on a vaporetto whenever we liked, even for short trips. We still did a lot of walking, but especially at the end of the day when our feet were tired, it was nice to be able to ride! We used the 7-day Blue card and definitely got our money's worth. We decided that we wouldn't break even on the Orange card since we didn't plan to visit all of the sights, though we did buy the Chorus Pass for the churches, which you can get separately (highly recommended if you like to visit churches).

Hi Ginger

You might want to look at the 'New Venice Card rates as of Feb 21' topic posted by Venexiananan on 28 Feb'07. (sorry don't know how to put a link to it here )

It includes the link to the 2 cards and a discussion about their pros and cons.

I'm trying to decide if the extragance of the a water taxi, which will drop us off right at our B&B, is worth it on arrival when were dead on our feet. Or if I should just get the blue card and use the Alilaguna to and from the airport. Our B&B said the Alilaguna is about an hour and then it appears there's at least another 15 minutes of schelping from the Arsenale. Where is the Arsenale anyway? St. Marks?

Ginger

You will find the Arsenale going from St Marks eastwards along the Riva Degli Schiavoni (and past San Zaccaria). Personally I would do the water taxi thing rather than the Alilaguna as I think it's much easier and quicker although your hotel is not too far from the Arsenale stop and the walk only involves 1 (big) bridge (I think) along the way. The water taxi route might not get to your hotel through a very scenic route though - depends what's most direct, although the trip across the lagoon with the crooked spires coming into view is always fantastic (I remember the first time I made this trip in a water taxi it brought tears to my eyes it was so beautiful - nothing to do with the cost at all!)

I suppose you could ask the water taxi driver to take you to your hotel via a scenic route as suggested by Venexiananan but the extra cost might be hideous - Nan would have a much better idea of this than me. Whatever, I would say if going by water taxi always agree the price with the driver before getting into the boat.

Our B&B said they could arrange for the water taxi and it was 100 euros for up to 5 people, so I emailed them to ask if any other guests were arriving at the same time as us and could share the cost. Thank you for your help.


Ginger

Here's a discussion from September Venice Blue Card and in it, Colleen points to other discussions from 2006 and 2005.

Hope that helps.

Hi Ginger

I don't know how many are in your party but if you can split the 100 euro taxi ride between 5 then it does start to look a pretty reasonable price for the convenience.

Okay I totally spaced and forgot to order my Blue Card online. Can I pick it up at the airport?

Ginger

The normal procedure is to buy it online and pick it up at the airport.

quote:

Originally posted by suncoast:
Okay I totally spaced and forgot to order my Blue Card online. Can I pick it up at the airport?

There's a online discount. You can order it now.

You can pick it up at a variety of venues throughout the city if you don't want to take the time to stand in line at the airport.

Don't forget about the HelloVenezia information service, 041 2424, where you can call to get any sort of ACTV info you need during your stay (along with other event info, etc.)

The Venicecard does not save you money for Alilaguna. These can be purchased separately, and even onboard from Venice to the airport.

Where shall I pick one up? I'm in Castello, I did think about getting one at the airport because its open from 9 a.m. until 19.00. The one I saw did include, I think, round trip from and to Marco Polo on the Agilaguna.

Ginger