Holiday Express Water Taxi
Get ready to embrace the holiday spirit in Chicago with Shoreline Water Taxis! We are thrilled to announce the extension of our services for the winter season, from November 24th thru the end of December (weather permitting).
During this special time, we will exclusively operate our Holiday Express Taxi, shuttling passengers between Navy Pier and Michigan Avenue for a seamless holiday shopping experience on the Magnificent Mile or to enjoy the Light Up the Lake event and other holiday festivities at Navy Pier.
Our water taxis provide a scenic, fast, and fun way to get to your destination, offering a convenient and enjoyable mode of transportation during the holiday season.
Tickets can be purchased at our Shoreline Sightseeing ticket booths on Michigan Avenue and Navy Pier.
Price:
Adults: $5 one-way, $8 round-trip
Children (3-12): $3 one-way, $5 round-trip
Children 2 and under: Free
Schedule will be updated daily, below.
Route & Schedule
Water taxis operate weather and customer traffic permitting. Our schedule is updated daily. Please call us at 312-222-9328 ext. 1 with questions.
From November 24th, 2023 thru December 31, 2023 our Water Taxi service
will be running between Michigan Avenue (Stop 5) and Navy Pier (Stop 4) only.
Schedule will be updated daily below.
| Departure location | Frequency and times |
| Departure location, frequency & times | |
| 1 Navy Pier (Lake Route) | {{ getSchedule(64) }} |
| 2 Buckingham Fountain | {{ getSchedule(92) }} |
| 3 Museum Campus | {{ getSchedule(90) }} |
| 4 Navy Pier (River Route) | {{ getSchedule(65) }} |
| 5 Michigan Avenue (to Navy Pier) | {{ getSchedule(84) }} |
| 5 Michigan Avenue (to Willis Tower) | {{ getSchedule(78) }} |
| 6 Willis Tower / Union Station | {{ getSchedule(91) }} |
| 6 Willis Tower (to Chinatown) | {{ getSchedule(95) }} |
| 7 Chinatown | {{ getSchedule(94) }} |
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Tickets
Water Taxi Prices
Tickets are only sold at the water taxi docks. Ticket prices vary depending on route. Adult tickets range from $10-21 and Children range from $5-10. Please visit our ticket booth for details. All ticket purchases must be made with either a credit or debit card. No cash is exchanged at these locations.
City Hopper Lake & River Combo
Purchase our City Hopper Lake & River Combo Pass at any water taxi dock for the ultimate hop-on hop-off experience. You’ll get access to all of our Lake Michigan and Chicago River docks, taking you throughout Chicago by water taxi. All-Access Passes are valid for 24 hours and are $45 for Adults, $17 for Children.
All aboard
Docks
We have multiple docks conveniently located near major attractions including Navy Pier, the Willis (Sears) Tower, Michigan Avenue, Museum Campus, Union Station and Chinatown.
All the info you need
Water Taxi FAQs
The lake taxis go between Navy Pier and the Museum Campus (Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium and are within walking distance of Soldier Field and Northerly Island).
The river taxis go from Navy Pier to Michigan Avenue and Union Station/the Willis tower.
Water taxis run every 30 minutes during the main season of Memorial Day through Labor Day. Water taxis may also run outside the main season in the spring and fall, weather permitting.
The water taxis operate as public transportation similar to buses, so reservations are not available. All tickets are sold in-person at our Shoreline kiosks or as you board.
In the summer, we usually run water taxis if it rains. We typically do not run them in the rain during spring or fall. The decision to cancel is left solely to the captain who decides whether it’s safe to sail.
Our water taxis have both open and covered areas.
Yes, all of our water taxis have restrooms.
Our water taxis are not accessible to people with disabilities. Please call if you have additional questions.
Yes, because we have the largest boat fleet in Chicago, we can provide unparalleled service!
Shoreline Sightseeing offers 60- to 75-Minute Architecture River Tours on the Chicago River led by professional and entertaining guides. We also offer 40-minute Skyline Lake Tours on Lake Michigan, featuring a professional narration on the city’s history and landmarks along Chicago’s famous skyline. We also offer Fireworks Cruises during the summer.
Our water taxis provide one-way service between each dock location. To transfer to another taxi or to take a return trip requires a new ticket.
