Water Taxi Rotterdam

Complete Water Taxi Rotterdam guide

You may have seen them once when you have been in Rotterdam, or when you are looking for information about transport possibilities in this metropolis: the black-and-yellow boats of the Rotterdam Watertaxi. The taxi boats will take you from A to B within the Rotterdam harbour area at about 50 kilometres per hour and are part of a unique transport network in Europe. The watertaxi area goes from Spijkenisse to the windmills of Kinderdijk. Travelling by water taxi is faster than by road.

Along the Maas in Rotterdam and outside the port city, the Watertaxi has around fifty mooring places. Most of them are at tourist attractions like Hotel New York, steamship SS Rotterdam, the Maritime Museum, the Euromast, the Veerhaven, the Oude Haven, Stadium Feyenoord or Delfshaven. You can also visit Schiedam with the Watertaxi. In addition to taxi transport, Watertaxi Rotterdam also offers round trips. Enthusiastic? In this guide, you will find all the information you need to experience this unique way of transportation for yourself.

Children up to 12 years get 50% discount

The Water taxi fleet

Watertaxi Rotterdam owns about twenty boats. Several classic water taxis sail mainly around and near Hotel New York, a Plug-In Hybrid water taxi and an electric HNY 6e. In the fleet, you will also find about fifteen fast MSTX taxis. On the fast boats, a maximum of twelve passengers can be transported, on the other taxis a maximum of eight. In summer you can sit outside in good weather and winter the water taxis are heated.

Skippers of the Schippers Centrale Rotterdam operate the water taxis. Since the Nieuwe Maas is one of the busiest rivers in the world, all skippers are fully qualified to sail on the Nieuwe Maas. The skippers usually work part-time at Watertaxi Rotterdam and also work on barges, patrol vessels or harbour tugs.

The possibilities of choice

If you decide to travel by water taxi in Rotterdam and surroundings, you have many possibilities. You can choose for a ride from a quarter of an hour to a part of the day, on a route you like or let the skipper surprise you. You can also sail between the fifty fixed jetties. And in which boat, a classic or a fast Watertaxi? Choices abound, we tell you here how to make the best choice.

There are the fifty fixed moorings in Rotterdam, which the Watertaxi has divided into three zones: west, centre and east. A fare within a zone starts from €4,50 per person. Besides, there is a fixed schedule of transportation with the classic water taxi around Hotel New York.

Rides with the water taxi can be booked up to one day in advance via the website or by telephone. On the day itself, this can only be done by phone up to four hours before departure. The signs at the jetties indicate the telephone number. If you make an online reservation for a specific ride with the number of passengers, you will see the fare appear directly on the screen. You can pay on board in cash or by debit or credit card.

Sailing with fast water taxis

The fast water taxis can take you to over fifty different moorings in Rotterdam and Schiedam. It is also possible to use the water taxi outside these zones, subject to availability. The price is calculated through three zones: west, centre and east. The number of passengers also determines the cost of the ride. Within the centre, it is possible to travel from €4.50 per person. In zones, west or east, the price starts at €5.50 per person. If you want to go between two zones, this is possible from €7,00 per person and between three zones, from €10,00. The ride is, for children up to and including 12 years, half price. Transportation with the fast water taxi can be booked by phone for a trip on the same day or the following day. All other reservations are made via the website.

Watertaxi Rotterdam uses vouchers with discounts for business customers and special rates for, for example, shuttle transport of staff. The prices for a ride, depending on the number of passengers. Given the size of the fleet, it is possible to book taxis for a large group, with a maximum of three taxis per booking. If the group is over 36 people, there will be several sailings.

Sailing with classic water taxis

Part of the fleet consists of classic boats. These slower water taxi’s sail on a fixed schedule between the Leuvehaven near the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, the Veerhaven in the Scheepvaartkwartier and Hotel New York. This classic water taxis cruise every fifteen minutes.

Booking canal cruises

Watertaxi Rotterdam also offers the possibility to book a canal cruise. Again, there are numerous possibilities. You can book a cruise with a fast or a classic water taxi, for a short or long duration. It is also possible to book wedding reports or photo and film reports. Watertaxi Rotterdam also offers tours along the skyline of Rotterdam.

A tour with the fast water taxi can sail throughout the entire cruising area. Prices start at €45,00 for 15 minutes and can go up to 90 minutes. The size of the group can go to eight or even twelve passengers.

For a tour with the classic water taxi, the boarding places are fixed, and there is a maximum of eight passengers. The jetties can are in the Leuvehaven, the Veerhaven and Hotel New York. Prices start at €30,00 for 15 minutes and can be extended to 90 minutes.