Motion sickness on Venice water transport?

I've seen the vaporettos roll a little outside of the Grand Canal--on the lagoon. But it was no big deal. Most rides along the Grand Canal are just a couple of minutes until they stop along the way. If one ride is uncomfortable, your husband can hike it easily.

When you come out of the St. Lucia train station, turn left on that "street". As you go along, you just keep bearing right. It'll eventually take you to Rialto Bridge. There are signs up on the buildings pointing you to the popular tourist sights in Venice. Google Maps have a good map of the city "streets."

Motion sickness on a vap. You will get a smoother ride on a vap than on most aircraft. Probably better if you stand in the open area where you board the No 1 or No 2 vap on the Grand Canal.

From Ferrovia to Rialto,
Either walk, look for signs “Per Rialto”, or take a vap.
If your hotel is on the market side of the Grand Canal, get off at Rialto Mercato.
If your hotel is on the San Marco side, get off at Rialto.

Bonine, ginger, wrist bands, etc. if it is that serious, do what you would do for an ocean voyage

I am very prone to motion sickness (once even in a rowboat) but the vaporettos were no problem for me. The rides are very short.

I get terrible motion sickness in cars but am fine on boats for the most part (sometimes really big ferries can be a problem), and have had no issues with vaporettos in Venice.

Another motion sickness sufferer here. I don't remember any issues at all riding around on the canals in Venice, but I was there during calm weather. If it happens to be windy or stormy when you're there (which of course no one can predict), the water may be less tranquil. I'd follow the advice to use whatever works for your husband (Bonine, dramamine, wrist bands, ginger, etc.).

I have terrible motion sickness, and never had issues in the Venice canals, even in bad weather. The trip is short, which saves you! I did also survive the (very large boat) ferry to Capri.

I am also very prone to motion sickness. I get sea sick on large cruise boats, ferry boats, or when in a stationary boat that is rocking side-to-side, but I haven't experiences motion sickness in a Venice vaporetto, mostly because, as others have mentioned, the trips are so short. If you're especially worried about it, I'd have him wear the motion sickness bands, as they can't hurt anything. Once I get motion-sick or dizzy it takes me a long time to recover (even after the motion has stopped), so I totally understand your concern, but I've been to Venice twice before and haven't had any issues.

Have a fun trip!

I'm also a bad traveler since before I can remember (my mother told me I couldn't take long bus rides even as an infant). I've never had a problem on the vaporetto. There is a small caveat - at the wharves, there is a stable part just past where you scan your ticket, and then there's the "waiting room" where you board the boat. It has benches and windows and it FLOATS. Stay off it until you see the boat approaching! Even if it looks tempting to be out of the sun (or cold wind or rain or . . . ), stay on "land" though at some of the stops the "waiting room" is pretty calm.

For me, it's much more difficult to get rid of motion sickness once it starts than it is to prevent it. I tend to take dramamine even if I think I might be ok just so I can avoid wasting a day feeling nauseous.

I read this question before spending 6 days in Venice so I thought about it while we were there. There isn’t an easy answer. If you get seasick immediately, you might want to take a little Dramamine. But I would think that you’d be more likely to get a little queasy from the place you stand to wait for the vaporettos than from riding on the vaporettos themselves. There’s a waiting area that is on the water between land and the vaporetto. Avoid that? Buy a ticket and once the vaporetto docks, then you move forward and get on. The vaporettos occasionally will bounce around a bit if a water taxi comes by and they’re standing still, but mostly they’re moving. And - if you don’t mind getting hopelessly lost, you can walk almost everywhere.

We have just returned from a week in wonderful Venice, we do not and did not suffer from sick sickness at all, however, since returning home, my husband and I seem to be suffering with a bit of motion sickness. It feels like we are still swaying, (husband has a bad headache too). This was our 3rd trip to Venice but the first time we have felt like this on returning home! I would advise that you don’t wait on the Vaporetto jetties/ waiting areas and just get straight on the boat as they move A LOT!
I would agree that it is easier to walk to the Rialto region from the train station. Everywhere is much closer than you think in Venice.

I do not get motion sickness on the vaporetti, but we would still rather walk almost everywhere in Venice rather than ride a crowded vaporetto, especially with luggage.

When we spent a month in Venice in an apartment near Rialto Bridge (Campo San Lio), we often walked to the train station. It took about 30 minutes, if I recall correctly. However, this was from the San Marco side. I would think twice about walking with luggage to a hotel on the San Polo side, because of the bridge.

still swaying, (husband has a bad headache too

sounds more like covid or other serious illness. If it were me I'd be getting in touch with my doctor and run the symptoms past her/him

Was just going to say same as Nigel
Would be wise to get tested