At 8:30 a.m., the 40-foot, bright-yellow vessel—capable of carrying up to 55 passengers—set sail on its inaugural journey. The launch went off without a hitch, reaching the Venetian Marina and Yacht Club at 1635 N. Bayshore Drive in approximately 20 minutes. The return trip departed at 9 a.m., arriving back at the Maurice Gibb dock around 9:20 a.m.
Under the new schedule, the water taxi will depart once per hour on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and every 30 minutes from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. when a second vessel is deployed. The service will not initially operate on weekends, as officials aim to position it primarily as a commuter option rather than a tourist attraction.
Mayor Meiner, a longtime advocate for using waterways as an alternative transit solution, called Tuesday’s launch “monumental,” saying he expects “incredible ridership.” He added that the current route represents only the beginning.
“This is just the initial wave of what we expect,” Meiner said, noting that future expansion could include not only east-west service across Biscayne Bay to Miami, but also north-south routes within Miami Beach.
City officials emphasized that this iteration of water-based transit differs significantly from previous attempts. In 2024, the now-defunct Poseidon Ferry received a $600,000 no-bid contract—an arrangement later criticized by the Miami Beach Office of Inspector General for lacking formal due diligence into the company’s financial stability, operational capacity, or service history.
This time, the city conducted a competitive bidding process, ultimately selecting Water Taxi of Miami Beach, LLC, an offshoot of a company with a proven track record operating a successful water taxi service in Fort Lauderdale.
Another key distinction: the new service will be free to ride. Under the Poseidon Ferry model, one-way fares were $12 for adults, with discounted $5 fares for city residents and employees.
Water taxis have also gained traction during high-traffic periods, particularly over the past two years of Art Week, when congestion across the region reaches its peak. The Fort Lauderdale operator ran water taxi service during Art Week last month with strong results.
“There’s an excitement in the air about this water taxi,” Meiner said.
Initially, Miami Beach officials considered operating the service seven days a week for 12 hours per day, but the estimated annual cost—approximately $2 million—proved prohibitive. Instead, the city opted for the weekday model, projected to cost $1.2 million annually. Funding will be split evenly between a $600,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation and $600,000 from city funds.
Commissioner Alex Fernandez said the new water taxi has the potential to become a true commuter solution.
“In a competitive process, it was shown that this was the best partner for Miami Beach—not to offer a tourist service, but to offer a free commuter service,” Fernandez said. “We know this partner truly delivers because of their proven success in Fort Lauderdale.”
