Venice water taxi: what it is and what it costs
A water taxi is a motorboat for hire with a driver. It runs door to door where the canals allow, and it is the fastest way to reach a hotel with luggage. It is not a sightseeing ride. The driver takes the shortest route unless you agree a longer one.
Prices are set per trip, not per person. The basis is a base charge plus a rate per minute, with surcharges for the night, extra people and extra bags. The final amount depends on your route, the time of day and your group, so agree the total before you start.
Our picks: water taxis and private boats
Our take: the guided boat trip suits you if you want a private boat on the canal itself. The shared airport water taxi is the budget way to arrive by boat.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Grand Canal and Giudecca boat trip with a guide
- Live commentary
- Grand Canal and Giudecca
A one-hour motorboat trip with live commentary, priced per person.
Check availability →
Shared water taxi from Marco Polo Airport
- Shared water taxi
- Luggage
A shared boat transfer between the airport and the city, one way or return by option. The route depends on your stop.
Check availability →Boat transfers and Grand Canal trips
Private boat transfers, gondola rides and Grand Canal boat tours, with live prices and availability.
Water taxi fares in Venice
The tariff basis. Treat it as a guide to what builds the price, not as a quote.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| City trip, base charge | €15 plus €2 per minute |
| Airport to historic centre | €110 before surcharges |
| Night surcharge | €10 from 22:00 to 06:00 on the city tariff; €15 from 22:00 to 07:00 with the consortium |
| More than 4 people | €10 per extra person, up to 10 people |
| More than 4 bags | €5 per extra bag, up to 12 |
| Discount | 20 percent for residents and people with a disability |
The water taxi consortium runs a call center on +39 041 522 2303, around the clock, and a counter in the arrivals hall at Marco Polo airport. Ask for the total for your address, your party and your bags. Tides can stop a boat from reaching the landing of a hotel, so ask where you will be dropped.
Taxi at a stand or a boat with a driver
Two services that look alike.
Municipal taxi
For when you need a boat now. Taxi stands are public landing stages, and the city sets the price rules. You walk up, or call, and go.
Boat hired with a driver
For planned trips: a fixed pick-up time, a longer route or a group. You agree the details first. This is the way to add a stretch of the Grand Canal to a transfer.
Driving a boat yourself
Private leisure boats in the inner waters of Venice are limited to certain residents and permit holders. Plan on having a driver.
Airport, Piazzale Roma and your hotel
The common transfers.
From Marco Polo airport
Water taxis from the airport reach the historic centre by the shortest route. A trip through the Grand Canal is possible, but it is an extra, so do not expect it to be included. Boats from the airport run on their own fares. A city vaporetto ticket does not cover them, and Alilaguna is not covered either. More on the airport in our sister guide to getting from Marco Polo to Venice.
From Piazzale Roma
Piazzale Roma is the car terminal, with a vaporetto stop next to it. The municipal garage there charges €35 per 24 hours for vehicles up to 2.20 m high and is open around the clock. You can book online until midnight the day before. From the terminal, a taxi or the vaporetto takes you to the canal side.
From the station
The station stop is called Ferrovia. It is the second stop on Line 1 after Piazzale Roma, so a boat from there runs straight into the Grand Canal.
Water taxi, vaporetto, gondola or traghetto
Four ways to be on the Grand Canal, with 2026 fares.
| Option | What it costs | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Water taxi | Priced per trip, see the fares above | Luggage, groups, a door-to-door transfer |
| Vaporetto | €9.50 for 75 minutes, €25 for 24 hours | Seeing the canal from a regular seat, stop by stop |
| Gondola | €90 for 30 minutes by day, €110 for 35 minutes from 19:00; up to 5 people per boat | A slow ride, price per boat |
| Traghetto | €2 | A single crossing of the canal |
For most visitors, the vaporetto is the better value for seeing the canal, and the water taxi pays off for arrivals with luggage or a group of four or more who share the cost of one boat.
On the water: speed and waves
Short and practical.
On the Grand Canal, most motorboats are limited to 7 km/h and public line boats to 11 km/h. Wakes still rock moored boats and landing stages. Wait until the boat is tied up before you step on or off, and let the driver handle your bags. Swimming and jumping into the canals is not allowed.
Plan the rest of your canal trip
Other ways to be on the water.
Venice water taxi: frequently asked questions
How much is a water taxi in Venice?
The tariff basis is €15 plus €2 per minute for a city trip and €110 from the airport to the historic centre, before surcharges. Night time, more than 4 people and extra bags add to it. Agree the total before you start.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for the boat. On the consortium's terms the base price covers up to 4 people, then €10 per extra person, up to 10.
Does the water taxi go along the whole Grand Canal?
Not by default. The usual route is the shortest one. A longer route through the Grand Canal is possible if you ask for it, and it can change the price.
Can the boat stop at my hotel?
Often, but not always. Low tide can stop a boat from reaching a hotel landing. Ask where you will be dropped when you book.
Is this site an official taxi or booking service?
No. This is an independent guide. It does not run boats or take bookings for taxis. Contact the taxi operators directly for a fare.
Is the vaporetto ticket valid on the airport boat?
No. Airport boats and Alilaguna have their own fares and are not covered by a city vaporetto ticket.