Nowhere in Europe do water taxis run quite like they do in Rotterdam. The yellow-black speedboats have become an indispensable part of the Maas. With 50 stops along the river and in the harbours, they carry 700,000 passengers across the water every year. For visitors and Rotterdammers alike, the water taxis are a beloved attraction.
A ride with Watertaxi Rotterdam is more than just getting from A to B, it’s an experience.<br />
A unique way to see the city
A ride with Watertaxi Rotterdam is more than just getting from A to B, it’s an experience. From the water, you get a perspective on the city like no other, with unbeatable views of the historic harbour and the skyline.
As well as the yellow-black speedboats you can hail for a quick crossing, there are also classic wooden ferries. These run on a fixed schedule, making a leisurely crossing of the Maas. And for those who want even more: the water taxis can also be booked for sightseeing tours and special occasions.
Hotel New York
What began as a modest initiative by Hans Loos, Daan van der Have, and Dorine de Vos, the founders of Hotel New York, grew into an icon of Rotterdam public transport. When the hotel opened in 1993, the first ferry service launched too, running between the Veerhaven and the Wilhelminapier.
This is the same quay from which Holland-America Line passenger ships once departed, full of emigrants setting off for a new life. The water taxis still have their floating headquarters here on the Kop van Zuid, the Schippers Centrale Rotterdam.
At the helm are skippers who know a great deal about the buildings and vessels you pass along the way.<br />
An attraction in its own right
Today, twenty water taxis and ferries are in service, with 50 stopping points across Rotterdam and Schiedam. A trip on the classic ferries has become a genuine Rotterdam experience all by itself.
The water taxis reach corners of the waterways in the inner city that other tour boats simply can’t get to. At the helm are skippers who know a great deal about the history of the buildings and the vessels you pass along the way.
An emission-free fleet
Watertaxi Rotterdam isn’t standing still. With an ambitious sustainability policy, the company is working towards a fully emission-free fleet by 2030. This aligns with Rotterdam’s ambition to cut CO₂ emissions in half by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
Watertaxi Rotterdam is on course: by 2026, seven of the twenty boats will run on (green) electricity. And a partnership with Flying Fish, specialists in maritime innovation, is driving further digitalisation.
That digitalisation includes smart algorithms that optimise trips, a dedicated water taxi app for easy booking, and a sensor module that gives real-time insight into the location and capacity of each boat. The result is not only more efficient transport, but also minimised fuel consumption.
With an ambitious sustainability policy, the company is working towards a fully emission-free fleet by 2030.<br />
A hydrogen water taxi
And then there’s the world first: the very first hydrogen-powered water taxi, developed on the RDM campus by zepp.solutions from Delft. This groundbreaking vessel, recognisable by its blue stern, emits nothing harmful at all, only water. It’s also quiet, compact, and quick to refuel, a major advantage over electric alternatives.
Hydrogen hub
The hydrogen water taxi fits neatly into the ambitions of the Port of Rotterdam Authority and the City of Rotterdam. Together, they want to make Rotterdam the hydrogen hub of Europe.
With a 32-kilometre hydrogen network and plans for a commercial hydrogen aircraft by 2028, the city is showing that sustainability and progress go hand in hand.
You can ride the hydrogen taxi every Saturday, running between Hotel New York and the Leuvehaven. Once a permanent hydrogen bunkering facility has been established in the Rotterdam port, the hydrogen water taxi will become a permanent fixture in the timetable.
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