San Marco, the Giudecca, the station and back down the Grand Canal: a full loop in about 30 minutes - and the answer to the station-to-Accademia problem.
Last updated August 6, 2026
Line 2 is the city-centre express, one of the two 'city lines' that run the Grand Canal itself. It leaves San Marco, crosses to the Giudecca island - serving every one of its stops - then calls at Zattere, San Basilio, Tronchetto and Piazzale Roma, picks you up at the station (Ferrovia), and runs down the Grand Canal to Rialto, San Tomà, San Samuele and the Accademia before returning to San Marco. The complete loop takes about 30 minutes: the closest thing Venice has to a one-ticket city tour, and the fastest way to hop between the big sights.
| Stop | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| San Marco – San Zaccaria | St. Mark's, the Doge's Palace - the Bridge of Sighs is free to admire from the Ponte della Paglia |
| San Giorgio | The Palladian church - and the contemporary chapels among the trees of the island |
| Zitelle | The Giudecca - the Casa dei Tre Oci photo exhibitions are a few steps away |
| Redentore | The vow church - and the boat bridge built for the Festa del Redentore |
| Giudecca Palanca | The island's main stop - the free church of Sant'Eufemia is close by |
| Zattere | The sunny promenade - five-minute walk to the Accademia and the Squero di San Trovaso |
| San Basilio | Cruise terminal |
| Sacca Fisola | The best starting point for walking the Giudecca |
| Tronchetto | Car park and cruise port |
| Piazzale Roma | Buses and car parks |
| Ferrovia | Santa Lucia station |
| San Marcuola – Casinò | The casino |
| Rialto | The bridge - and the Teatro Goldoni, Venice's oldest working theatre, nearby |
| San Tomà | The Frari and San Rocco |
| San Samuele | Palazzo Grassi - and Palazzo Malipiero, where Casanova lived and the Biennale now exhibits |
| Accademia | The gallery and the bridge |
From the station to the Accademia is four stops and about fifteen minutes - the direct answer to the routing-app problem covered in the vaporetto apps chapter. If Rialto is your target instead, line 2/ runs express from the station to Rialto in about ten minutes. Line 2 runs daily with the same seasonal timetables as the rest of the network - check the official ACTV navigation schedules or the dock displays.
No. Between the station and the Accademia, line 2 calls at San Marcuola, Rialto, San Tomà and San Samuele. Riva de Biasio is served by lines 1 and 5.1, not by line 2.