On Tuesday, the city of Miami Beach launched a permanent, free water taxi service, a new public transportation alternative in Miami that seeks to reduce traffic congestion on the island’s access roads and improve urban mobility.
The service connects the Sunset Harbour area of Miami Beach with downtown Miami from Monday to Friday, in a journey of approximately 20 minutes, making it a fast and efficient option for residents, workers, and tourists.
Miami water taxi: an alternative to rush hour traffic
Until now, water taxis in Miami Beach only operated temporarily during Miami Art Week, held every December, to accommodate the high influx of visitors to galleries, museums, and exhibitions.
According to the Miami Beach communications office, the decision to make the service permanent was made after its success over the last two years, when tens of thousands of attendees used water transportation as an alternative to road traffic.
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Schedules, capacity, and frequency of water transportation in Miami
Miami water taxis have the following characteristics:
- Capacity: up to 55 passengers
- Length: 12 meters
- Days of operation: Monday through Friday
- Frequency:
– Every 60 minutes from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
– Every 30 minutes from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Journey time: approximately 20 minutes
In addition, the service will allow bicycles and scooters to be transported, subject to space availability and at the captain’s discretion.
Possible expansion of the water taxi service in Miami Beach
Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said the program could be expanded to other areas of the city in the future.
“While we are starting in Sunset Harbour, we continue to explore the possibility of expanding our water transportation service, including connecting South Beach to North Beach”, the mayor said.
Water taxis: tourist attraction and mobility solution
This new free water transportation system in Miami Beach is not only a tourist attraction, but also a sustainable solution to the daily traffic jams at the city’s entrances and exits, especially during rush hour.
With this initiative, Miami Beach reinforces its commitment to innovative mobility models that combine efficiency, sustainability, and urban experience.
