One of the coolest way to travel from A to B in Rotterdam is with the water taxi, with more than 50 stops within the Rijnmond region. The water taxi is a fun alternative to the decent tram, bus and train connections in the city. But if you are visiting while the sun is shining it’s definitely worth taking a taxi to your destination or just for a bit of fun from the water! Take advantage of this adventurous and efficient transportation in the international city of Rotterdam if you are visiting!
As of May 2018 the Dutch water taxi company celebrated 25 years of service! And wow look how far they have come since 1993. I have most definitely become a fan of their great services since living in Rotterdam for 7 years now.
There are three zones in total based on your taxi route, which are West, Center and East, so check out their website first to see where you can plan your route and the costs you can expect.
In total the company has 13 fast MSTX taxis (up to 55km per hour), 4 original classic taxis, a plug-in Hybrid one and even a fully electric taxi (15km per hour). I have never seen the electric one myself though, with the fast MSTX taxi’s mostly owning the river Maas water space.
The Water taxi is great for tourists and groups of up to 12 people as you can fit in one boat at a time. But if your alone or with a smaller group, they will still take you to your destination.
All water taxi platforms can be spotted easily with the yellow signage, easily recognisable when walking along the water’s edge. They have in total 52 place where you can get on and off the water taxi, with a brand new one for the 25 year celebration at the Fenix Food Factory location in Katendrecht!
Boat Tours
If you don’t feel like using it to get to your destination or towards your home, you can also book a boat ride tour on the Maas. These can be either 15 or 30 mins long and price depends on the amount of people joining. This is so fun as you can choose what you would like to see, such as the historic and modern harbour or just to enjoy the amazing views from the river like from underneath the famous Erasmus Bridge, Willemsbrug and the Hef bridge. If you also request it to your driver at the start of the tour, many drivers will pump up the speed (with safety of course) and make it more adventurous by taking sharper corners, experiencing the water taxi like a rollercoaster. But don’t worry, you don’t get wet!
Your Water Taxi Driver
The drivers of the water taxis are actually part time workers, as they are usually found on tugs, barges and patrol boats as captains or helmsmen. So you are transported to your destination by fully qualified boatmen who have high knowledge to navigate on the busy Maas river.
Recommendations
As an expat living in Rotterdam, I totally recommend that as a tourist (and for the locals too!) you should take the opportunity to enjoy one of these across the river. What I love to do and recommend for in the spring or summer is to take a walk from the centre of the city over the bridges and towards the Fenix Food Factory and Hotel New York for a bite to eat in the sunshine, then take the taxi back to the north side of Rotterdam afterwards. Its short but always sweet!
You can also visit much more by Kop van Zuid than just Hotel New York too, such as the Nederlands Fotomuseum and Nieuwe Luxor Theatre.
You can also take a much longer route to Ridderkerk for a day trip to the famous Kinderdijk windmills! Though keep in mind this is one of the furthest routes so also outside of their zones and likely the most costly.
Read more of our Rotterdam posts!
Discover the prettiest neighborhood Kralingen
Rotterdam Centraal Station Rooftop Tour
‘De Rotterdam’ Tour – Highest Skyscraper In The Netherlands!
Tips:
- You can pay on board, but it’s not part of the Dutch OV RET travel card system so bring your cash money or card (hopefully soon though!)
- Can call in advance to book a tour on busy days, but very easy to call at one of the docks
- Any questions? Don’t hesitate to ask your driver!
- Can get a little bumpy so hold on tight
- Check you have all your belongings before you leave
- Keep in mind it might be a longer wait on weekends and during festivals
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Have you used the Water taxi before? What did you think? Let us know in the comments!