Melbourne's river is the only part of the city that never gridlocks. The Yarra runs straight through the middle of everything — Federation Square, Southbank, Crown, South Wharf, Docklands — and on the nights the city is busiest, the water is empty.
A Melbourne water taxi is a private boat that uses that gap. It picks you up at a jetty, runs at your time, and lands you a few metres from the restaurant, the arena or the office instead of a block away in event-night traffic.
What a Melbourne water taxi costs in 2026
Melbourne is priced by the hour, per boat — not per wharf pair and never per person. The all-in rate starts at about $303 per hour.
That figure is finished: operator rate plus our 17% commission, the platform fee and the card surcharge, all included before you see it. Nothing is added at checkout.
| Trip | Typical time on water | Billing | |---|---|---| | Federation Wharf to Southbank | 8-10 min | minimum hire | | Docklands (NewQuay) to South Wharf | 12-15 min | minimum hire | | Southbank to Como Landing, South Yarra | 15-20 min | minimum hire | | Docklands to Williamstown | 35-45 min | hourly | | CBD to St Kilda Marina | 45-60 min | hourly |
For six or eight people, an hour of boat across a night out is cheaper than the round of rideshares it replaces — and considerably better company.
Every Melbourne boarding point
All of these are loaded in the pick-up and drop-off boxes:
On the Yarra - Federation Wharf (under Federation Square) - Southbank Promenade - South Wharf Promenade - Yarra's Edge Marina - Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands - NewQuay, Docklands - Como Landing, South Yarra - Herring Island
On Port Phillip - Station Pier, Port Melbourne - St Kilda Pier and St Kilda Marina - Williamstown Marina and the Strand
Waterfront venues are bookable directly too — Arbory Afloat, Ponyfish Island, Riverland, Boatbuilders Yard, the NewQuay strip, Stokehouse, Republica, Sails on the Bay and Studley Park Boathouse all sit on or beside a landing point.
The trips Melbourne actually books
1. Event nights. Australian Open, Grand Prix, AFL finals, Boxing Day Test, White Night. The roads around Batman Avenue and Alexandra Parade shut or crawl; Federation Wharf is a two-minute walk from Melbourne Park and stays open.
2. Corporate transfers. Collins Street to Docklands, or a client run down the river with drinks aboard, beats a taxi convoy every time and is a far better first impression.
3. Dinner runs. Southbank to South Wharf, Docklands to NewQuay, or a longer Port Phillip crossing to Stokehouse at St Kilda.
4. Weddings and milestone birthdays. Photos on the water between the ceremony and the reception, or a shuttle service between a Docklands venue and the CBD hotels.
5. Williamstown and Station Pier. Cruise-ship arrivals and Williamstown lunches are both far more pleasant across the bay than around it.
Water taxi vs tram, Uber and the Melbourne ferry
Trams are the cheapest thing in the city and the free zone covers the CBD. They are also full, indirect, and stop nowhere near a pontoon.
Rideshare surges hardest on exactly the nights you most want a car — event nights, New Year's Eve, Grand Final weekend. Two Ubers for a group of eight in surge often cost more than an hour of boat.
Scheduled ferries run set routes on set days. A water taxi is private, on your clock, and runs 6am to 10pm every day of the year.
Practical notes before you board
- Weather — the Yarra runs in almost anything. Port Phillip crossings are wind-dependent; if a skipper stands the boat down for safety, you are refunded in full.
- Luggage — one suitcase plus a hand bag per passenger free, $25 per oversized item, declared at booking.
- Waiting time — 15 minutes free, then $5 per minute to the card on file.
- Extra cruise time — add minutes at booking to take the long way past the Bolte Bridge or up past the Botanic Gardens.
- Drinks aboard — BYO policy varies by operator and vessel; it is shown on the boat card before you pay.
Cancellations and refunds
Water taxi bookings cancel free up to 2 days before pickup. Inside that window tiered charges apply because the operator has committed the boat and crew. Refunds default to wallet credit and can be cashed out to your original card from the wallet page whenever you like.
Booking a Melbourne water taxi
Open the booking engine, start typing "Melbourne", "Docklands", "Southbank" or "Williamstown" and the jetties appear. Set your passengers and time, and a live fare with available boats comes back in seconds. Pay online, and your QR boarding pass arrives by email and SMS.
If nothing is free at your exact slot, the job is broadcast to every eligible Melbourne operator instead of dead-ending. One engine, the whole fleet — that is the point of Water Taxis Australia.
Hours: 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days. Same-day bookings close at 9:00 pm.
More reading
Questions we hear a lot
How much is a water taxi in Melbourne?+
Melbourne water taxis are priced by the hour rather than by the wharf pair. Expect from about $303 per hour all-in for the boat, which includes the operator rate, our commission, the platform fee and the card surcharge. Short CBD hops are billed at the minimum hire; longer Port Phillip runs to Williamstown or St Kilda take more time and therefore cost more.
Where do Melbourne water taxis pick up?+
Federation Wharf under Federation Square, Southbank Promenade, South Wharf, Victoria Harbour Promenade and NewQuay in Docklands, Yarra's Edge Marina, Como Landing in South Yarra, Herring Island, plus Station Pier, St Kilda Pier and Marina, and Williamstown on Port Phillip.
Can a water taxi get me to the tennis or the football?+
Yes. Boats land at Federation Wharf and the Birrarung Marr side of the river, which is a short walk to Melbourne Park and the MCG. It is the fastest way through the CBD on an event night and the only one that skips the road closures entirely.
How long does a water taxi take from Docklands to Southbank?+
About 10 to 15 minutes on the water depending on the jetty and the river traffic. The same trip by road at 6pm on a Friday can take three times that.
Do Melbourne water taxis run at night?+
Yes — 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days. Same-day bookings close at 9:00 pm; later trips and next-day bookings go through Book Later.
How many people fit on a Melbourne water taxi?+
Typical Yarra vessels carry 8 to 12 passengers. Bigger groups can be split across boats or moved to a charter vessel; the booking engine only shows boats that can actually take your passenger count.
Is the Yarra water taxi worth it compared to a tram or Uber?+
For one person, the tram wins on price. For a group of six going to dinner at South Wharf, a corporate transfer to Docklands, or anyone travelling on a Grand Prix or Australian Open evening, the water taxi is faster, arrives at the door, and splits cheaper per head than two rideshares.
Ready to lock in your trip on the water?
Live fare, instant confirmation, one clean receipt. If the operator can't cover your slot we issue an automatic full refund — no phone calls, no forms.
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