This is a very specific Venice question. Does the water taxi have a meter or you need to negotiate a price before you get in?<BR><BR>Thank you,<BR><BR>Tom

I asked a question about cost of water taxi in another thread, but there was no reply. Will watch this one too.

tom:<BR><BR>No, no meters. Negotiate the fare before boarding. I suggest you use a water taxi only with a group, as they are terribly expensive.<BR><BR><BR>Enjoy your trip<BR><BR>Phil.

Tom - no, there's no metre. You fix the price first.

Tom....No, the Venice water taxis do not have meters. Make sure you agree with the driver on a price to your destination before you get aboard. As Phil says, they are very expensive. It cost us about $50US for the trip from our hotel on the Grand Canal to the airport....about a fifteen minute ride. We also took a water taxi from the train station to our hotel when we first arrived, and that was about $30US for a five minute ride, but it was better than trying to find our hotel in the confusing maze of canals, bridges and alleyways while dragging our bags behind us. But...I suppose if you've got a good map to your hotel and some instructions on how to use the "waterbus" to get there, you can certainly do it. Both the waterbus and the watertaxis sit right outside the front of train station.<BR><BR>Cheers!<BR><BR>Scott

And you can almost be expected to be hustled for extra -- baggage "expense", tip etc. Just say no. Not a bad idea to pay upon getting on. Then not any more. It's a pretty good racket they have going. Not that they aren't entitled to charge what the rules of supply and demand dictate. But I resist being hustled additionally.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

So why are we not telling Tom to use the waterbus? If anyone pay's $50.00 to take a water taxi you desire to be ripped off.

No, that would not be my point. To go directly from your hotel door right to the airport, a water taxi is a small luxury, especially if you are part of a family or group of 4 to 6 (this is kind of a magic number - - more than that and they will make you take two).<BR><BR>Just a buyer beware luxury - - that's all.<BR>

So why are we not telling Tom to use the waterbus? If anyone pay's $50.00 to take a water taxi you desire to be ripped off.

up<BR>