Traghetto Gondole Santa Sofia

The Santa Sofia traghetto is a working gondola ferry across the Grand Canal in Venice, linking Campo Santa Sofia on the Cannaregio bank with the Pescheria, the covered fish market beside the Rialto market. Traghetti have crossed the canal since the mediaeval period, when Venice had far fewer bridges; 48 licences were granted in 1719 and fourteen boats ran a night service by 1774. The boat is not a hired tourist gondola but a plain, undecorated working craft rowed by two gondoliers, and passengers traditionally stand for a crossing that takes a couple of minutes. The fare is 2 euros for visitors and 0.70 euros for Venice residents, paid in cash to the oarsman; a rise in the visitor fare was proposed in 2025 but had not taken effect at the time of writing. Hours are irregular, typically from early morning until early evening with a midday break, and the service stops when no gondolier is available. The nearest vaporetto stop is Rialto Mercato.