It’s free, and you can skip traffic: Miami Beach’s water taxi is catching on
When Grace Dutton saw a sign outside her hotel near the Venetian Marina and Yacht Club in Miami promoting a free water taxi to and from South Beach on Wednesday morning, she knew she had to take a ride.
Dutton, 21, of London, was in Miami for the first time, staying at the DoubleTree Hotel downtown for a conference. Shortly before 9 a.m., she and her coworkers took in the sights of Biscayne Bay, waterfront mansions and the Miami skyline as they returned to their hotel.
“This is the best possible commute that I could have,” Dutton said. “I’m normally on the Tube in London — horrible, packed, disgusting. This is luxury.”
Since the water taxi launched in January, there have been more than 1,000 riders a day, on average, according to data the city of Miami Beach provided to the Miami Herald. The boat makes 32 one-way trips per day.
The early returns stand in stark contrast to the city’s failed water taxi endeavors in the past. A previous attempt on the Poseidon Ferry was plagued by maintenance issues and low ridership — just 43 people per day during one stint in 2024 — and it cost money to board.
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner celebrated the success of the new iteration, operated by Water Taxi of Miami Beach, LLC, in a March 31 email to residents.
“Our Miami Beach Water Taxi continues to gain traction as a reliable transportation option,” Meiner wrote. “Please hop on board our water taxi. It’s FREE, fun, and efficient!”
READ MORE: Miami Beach launches new water taxi across the bay. Will it succeed this time?
Miami Beach officials have tried to market the water taxi as an option for commuters, not just a novelty for tourists. It’s only operating on weekdays, leaving once an hour from Maurice Gibb Memorial Park and the Venetian Marina between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., then every 30 minutes until 7:30 p.m.
But most of the riders are out-of-towners, said Capt. Carlos Dominguez. The number of riders picks up after rush hour around 10 or 11 a.m., he said, and typically reaches its peak on Friday evenings.
On Wednesday, there were only two riders on an 8 a.m. trip from Miami to Miami Beach, and only five on an 8:30 trip to Miami. But by 10:30, there were 26 people waiting to board in South Beach.
Later in the day, the boat was almost entirely full. Forty-seven people rode the water taxi from Miami to Miami Beach at 6 p.m.
“People love it,” Dominguez said. “They can use the water taxi instead of driving and finding parking spaces. And it’s very nice, very comfortable.”
Some locals are making use of it, too.
Abraham Arias, 24, said he rode a Citi Bike from his neighborhood in Wynwood on Wednesday morning to Sunset Harbour, where he did a yoga class. Afterward, he was tired and decided to ride the water taxi across the bay before heading to work.
Previously, Arias said, he had taken the water taxi at sunset when the 55-person vessel was jam-packed.
“It was beautiful,” he said. “It was just really cool to meet people, and just be able to do it for free with some of my friends.”
Miami Beach officials had initially contemplated a seven-days-per-week service but found it would cost $2 million a year. The weekday option will instead cost $1.2 million, split equally between the city and a state grant.
Meiner has emphasized water-based transit as a key to alleviating traffic congestion in the city.
In his March 31 email, he said he is now exploring increasing water taxi service hours and adding pick-up and drop-off locations “throughout Miami Beach with additional access points and connectivity along our waterways in Miami-Dade County.”
Meiner added that the city is evaluating other enhancements, like a permanent disability-compliant ramp at Maurice Gibb Park and the addition of “shade, seating, signage, and restroom options.”
Matthew Gultanoff, who leads the pedestrian and transit advocacy group Better Streets Miami Beach, said he has taken the water taxi several times and brought his bike on board.
It’s a good option when you’re not in a hurry to get somewhere, he said, given that the ride takes about 20 minutes and doesn’t directly connect to other transit options.
Still, Gultanoff said, the water taxi’s strong ridership numbers show there’s a market for public transit across the bay. He suggested that city leaders rethink their opposition to the Metromover extension to South Beach, a project that would truly “move the needle” to address traffic by getting more cars off the road.
“The water taxi is a great start,” Gultanoff said, “but I think we really need to take it to the next level.”
If you go
Where to get on the boat: Meet at Maurice Gibb Memorial Park at 18th Street and Purdy Avenue in Miami Beach or at the Venetian Marina and Yacht Club at 1635 N. Bayshore Drive in mainland Miami.
Hours: The boat runs on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every 60 minutes, and every 30 minutes from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Travel time: Approximately 20 minutes
Cost: Free
Website: https://www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/transportation/water-taxi/
This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 10:35 AM.
