Two lines, one route in opposite directions: Murano, the cemetery island, the north rim and the Giudecca - about two hours for the full ring, and the most stop-rich sightseeing loop in the lagoon.
Last updated August 6, 2026
Lines 4.1 and 4.2 are the 'city ring' lines: they circle Venice's outer rim and the island of Murano in opposite directions - 4.1 counterclockwise, 4.2 clockwise - taking about two hours for the full loop. They call at San Michele (the cemetery island), Certosa, the Giudecca and the Biennale gardens, and are the most complete lines in the network for the number of sights you can reach from their stops. Neither runs the Grand Canal, and neither serves the Accademia directly. Both are the practical way to Murano from anywhere in the historic centre, with a lagoon sightseeing cruise thrown in.
From the station the two lines go opposite ways: 4.1 heads toward Piazzale Roma, Sacca Fisola and the Giudecca before reaching San Marco; 4.2 heads north first, toward Guglie and Fondamenta Nove, and comes back via the east side - Ospedale, the Arsenale, San Marco - and the Giudecca. Because the route is a ring, the last stops of one line are the first of the other: check a map, pick the direction that reaches your destination first, and if you guess wrong, get off at the next stop and take the other line - the docks are steps apart.
| Stop | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Murano Museo | The glass museum - start of the ring |
| Cimitero | San Michele, the cemetery island |
| Fondamenta Nove | The north waterfront and the cemetery view |
| Guglie | |
| Ferrovia | Santa Lucia station |
| Piazzale Roma | Buses and car parks |
| Sacca Fisola | The Giudecca - change for line 2 to Rialto and the Accademia |
| Giudecca Palanca | The Giudecca |
| Redentore / Zitelle | The Palladian churches |
| San Marco – San Zaccaria | St. Mark's - line 1 leaves from here for the Lido |
| Arsenale | The old shipyard |
| Giardini Biennale | The Biennale gardens |
| Sant'Elena | |
| Certosa / San Pietro di Castello | The quiet east island - Certosa is a request stop |
| Bacini – Arsenale Nord | Change for lines 5.1/5.2 to Zattere |
| Ospedale → Fondamenta Nove → Cimitero → Murano | Back to the start |
The two lines run the same route in opposite directions, with two practical differences. First, the hours: 4.1 is a daytime-only line whose last full loop leaves around 18:50, while 4.2 runs a little later (last full loop around 19:40) and keeps a partial night service between Murano and Fondamenta Nove. Second, the direction - which decides which half of the ring you see first. For the fastest possible Murano run, the dedicated line 3 beats either ring line. Timetables are seasonal: always check the official ACTV navigation schedules before planning around them.