In great river cities around the world, one simple idea has helped unlock the full potential of urban waterways – the water taxi.
From the canals of Venice to the rivers of London and New York, water taxis have become a seamless part of the tourism and transport mix, offering flexible, on-demand movement across waterfront destinations.
Unlike traditional ferries, water taxis operate more like their land-based equivalents by moving passengers directly between locations, whether it’s from a hotel to a restaurant, a cruise terminal to the city, or a private event to the airport.
In cities like New York, water taxi services have evolved into a hybrid offering, combining commuter transport, sightseeing and private charter experiences across major waterways.
Across Europe and Asia, water taxis play an even more central role. In Venice, they are essential to daily life, while in cities like Amsterdam, Bangkok and Istanbul, they help move large volumes of people while offering visitors a unique perspective of the city.
The appeal to travellers is obvious. Water taxis offer direct, point-to-point travel without road congestion, a premium, memorable experience for visitors, the ultimate flexibility for operators to tailor routes and services, and the ability to connect otherwise disconnected waterfront destinations
As cities grow and traffic congestion increases, water-based transport is experiencing a resurgence, supported by advances in vessel design, electrification and a global push toward more sustainable transport solutions.
An established concept underutilised in Australia
Water taxis are not new to Australia, but their role has remained relatively limited compared with international cities.
In Sydney, private operators run water taxi services across the harbour, offering everything from point-to-point transfers to luxury tourism experiences and event transport.
These services are typically used for transfers between waterfront destinations, corporate and private events, tourism experiences, and airport and cruise connections.
Elsewhere, smaller-scale water taxi operations have existed in locations like the Whitsundays and other coastal tourism regions, servicing islands, resorts and anchorages.
However, in Brisbane – despite our extensive river and proximity to Moreton Bay – water taxi services have never taken off.
Why Brisbane hasn’t seen a water taxi boom
With a river winding through the CBD, growing waterfront precincts and the international cruise terminal, the fundamentals are all here in Brisbane.
What has been missing is not demand, but the infrastructure needed to support it.
Water taxis, like any commercial vessel operation, require more than just places to pick up passengers. They also need secure overnight berthing and servicing facilities close to key routes and not competing with private recreational vessels for precious marina berths.
Without this back-end infrastructure, operators are limited in how they can scale, invest and operate.
A new opportunity for Brisbane
With Brisbane City Council opening up river hubs, pontoons and jetties for activation, the city is creating the front-end network needed for water taxi services to operate.
These sites provide ideal locations for pick-up and drop-off, connecting key precincts and unlocking new tourism experiences along the river.
At the same time, Colmslie Wharves is delivering the missing piece, namely a dedicated commercial marina providing long-term berthing and servicing infrastructure for vessels operating across the river and bay.
Together, these two elements form the foundation of a viable water taxi network.
The next evolution of the River City
As Brisbane prepares for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the role of the river is set to expand significantly.
Water taxis represent a natural next step – linking key locations, connecting visitors from the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal to the city, and opening up new ways to experience the river and Moreton Bay.
For visitors, the experience would be compelling. And for Brisbane, it would be another step toward becoming a truly connected River City.
If you have a new marine tourism or travel idea, get in touch with us.
