Richard and Sarah Kimball have lived part-time in South Beach for nearly two decades. On a recent Friday afternoon, the Milwaukee natives boarded a bright yellow 40-foot boat at the Venetian Yacht Club to return home. The 20-minute ride to Sunset Harbour went smoothly and cost them nothing.
It was so smooth that the robust, elderly couple immediately began planning their next trip. They’ll bring their bikes.
“It's a good development,” said Sarah of the ride aboard the new Miami Beach Water Taxi. “You don't have to deal with the cluttered-up MacArthur. It all helps alleviate the traffic and the pollution.”
After a successful run during Miami Art Week, the free water taxi began operating on Jan. 20 between Maurice Gibb Memorial Park, 1790 Purdy Ave. and the Venetian Marina Yacht Clu
Passengers inside the new free water taxi as it crosses Biscayne Bay between Miami Beach and downtown Miami, days after the service launched.
b, not far from the end of the Venetian Causeway.
The vessels cast off only on weekdays and carry up to 55 passengers. The service operates Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with departures every hour until 4:30 p.m., when a second vessel begins running every 30 minutes to accommodate commuters.
Captain Sebastian McMillan says momentum built during the Miami Art Week test. He piloted boats running nonstop across Biscayne Bay, often at full capacity.
“We had seven boats, full boats going back and forth every single day,” McMillan said. “We had boats at the stops every five to 10 minutes, and we still couldn’t keep up.”
On the day it opened, Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner addressed a small crowd gathered on the dock at Maurice Gibb Memorial Park.
Officials hope the new, free water taxi service will help alleviate traffic jams.
“It seemed natural to me that we could bring [the water taxi] here and make it a game changer for Miami Beach,” said Meiner. “We saw it during Art Basel, overwhelming demand, overwhelming success, and we heard it from our residents.”
Fort Lauderdale has run water taxis since the 1980s. Miami Beach has also experimented with water taxis in the past, but not all of those efforts succeeded.
In 2017, the city developed a pilot program connecting downtown with the Miami Beach Marina, but it failed shortly due to low ridership. In other attempts in 2020, 2022, and 2024 the city tried again but experienced similar challenges as well as technical difficulties, so the program was suspended.
City leaders acknowledge the past, but argue this version is different. For this new attempt, Water Taxi of Miami Beach, a company run by the same group that operates Fort Lauderdale’s established water taxi, will deliver the service.
More routes are planned for the water taxi service.
The city’s plan is expected to cost roughly $1.2 million per year, which will be funded by the City of Miami Beach and the State of Florida.
One key differentiator is price. Previous water taxi services charged fares that ranged from $5 to $12 per trip. This time, the city is betting that free access will turn occasional riders into regular commuters.
“This is conducive to ridership. We did it the right way,” Meiner said. “We put it out for bid, we took competitive solicitations, and we’re proud to be partnering with Water Taxi of Miami Beach to deliver this service.”
Officials also describe the current route as only the first phase of a much broader vision. Meiner said the city hopes to eventually expand service north and south along Miami Beach, creating multiple pickup and drop-off points throughout the city.
During the 20-minute ride from the Venetian Yacht Club to the Beach, Richard Kimball pulled out binoculars and looked at all sides of the mansions on the Venetian Islands.
“You get a chance to see all of these gorgeous mansions on their best side,” he said.
Added Sarah: “What’s not to like? The people who work on the ferry are great and knowledgeable. It's safe, and kids are on it and enjoying it, as are adults and people of all ages. I think they’ll add more boats as there’s more interest.”
This story is the result of a partnership between the Biscayne Times and FIU’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media.