Your Friend in Venice has always offered to arrange private taxi transfers. Unfortunately, we feel we can no longer support what we consider to be an irresponsible and uncontrolled activity, destructive to the city and the lagoon.
The already exorbitant fares are increasing (they have risen again in 2011), and the lack of the city’s will to control their speed makes their passage extraordinarily damaging to the lagoon and to the smaller side canals where their powerful motors simply do not fit, and where powerful motors cause extensive infrastructure damage expensive to repair. Add to that our inability to truly guarantee service due to tide levels and other factors, and you can understand why it’s simply not feasible for us to offer private water taxi transfer arrangements.
PLEASE NOTE: We are not anti water taxi. We are anti lack-of-water-taxi controls. We still include a taxi in our private tours…where we have control!
The fact is that Venice proper lies smack in the middle of a lagoon, and that it takes a bit of effort to get here (worth it, though). There are a number of means other than the private taxi that are comfortable & convenient, greener, more sustainable, and better for the city of Venice. However, if you have a larger group or need to book a water taxi transfer for any reason, we can suggest the following companies for both shared and private transfers:
(Please — request that your taxi maintain the speed limits and monitor their wake in small canals. Venice thanks you.)
For more information on the layout of the city and all the available means to arrive at your lodging from the airport, train station, or arrival by car, please visit Venice: Coming & Going.
