Venice to nearby islands- best vapoetto route

7 from Piazza San Marco from the San Zaccaria stop to Murano Colonna Stop is about 30 minutes each way is easiest for me based on where I stay while there. Good luck!

look it up on the official Venice waterbus map.
http://www.actv.it/sites/default/files/ultimamappa.pdf

The lines 1 and 2 go from S Toma to both ends of the Grand Canal and the number 1 continues all the way over to Lido. The number 2 does too, but only at certain times of the day and only in the high season.

The 7 mentioned above is a good direct route to Murano during the highest season because it is a seasonal route, and it isn't as frequent as some.

Going the other way to Ferrovia - the railway station - on the 1 or the 2, you can get a direct to Murano boat, the number 3, which runs all year but also not as frequently as some.

The other choice is to catch the 4.1 from Ferrovia which goes to Fondamente Nove on the north side of Venice where you connect - 2 or 3 docks away, a bit of a walk - to the number 12 to Burano. You can also stay on the 4.1 as far as Murano but you need to wind up at Murano Faro to get on the number 12. The walk from Colonna to Faro takes you past quite a few of Murano's attractions and near to the Glass Museum and the church with the mosaics.

Only the 12 goes to Burano, and in the season it either ends there, turns and loops to Torcello, or goes on to Punta Sabbioni, so you need to be careful of its destination.

If the 12 isn't looping over to Torcello the link is provided by the little shuttle number 9.

It sounds more complicated than it is - look at the map and it should become relatively clear.

At each stop, if the number you are interested in - like number 1 - is shown that means that that line stops there in that direction. If the coloured line goes straight through that means that the number you want doesn't stop there.

There is also a seasonal 14 that leaves hourly from San Zaccaria (:15 after hour, starting at 08:15) that goes the longer way directly to Burano, in case you want to start in Burano/Torcello then hit Murano on the way back.