A proposal to establish water taxis in Limassol has been on the table since 2011; the idea was submitted at that time in a letter to the Limassol City Council.
Speaking on the Alpha Kalimera program, architect and former Limassol City Council member Christian Christou described the private sector’s initiative to launch the first water taxi service as a positive development and revisited her own idea.
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“The idea was to run boats along the beach, from the eastern hotel area, Pareklisia, Amathountas, all the way to the Marina and Lady’s Mile, but on a regular schedule, approximately every 20–30 minutes. The water taxis will dock at various points along the beach, where they will pick up and drop off passengers. In other words, it will be a water bus. The 5–6 hotels along the beach have the necessary infrastructure for the boats to dock. The same applies to the old port and the Marina. However, more docking points are needed for the system to function effectively.”
He argues that the construction of new, additional infrastructure should have full support from the government, as well as from the project contractor, following the model of subsidies for bus companies.
“Maritime transportation won’t solve the traffic problem entirely. However, it will alleviate it, even if only to a certain extent. There are many significant advantages.”
He discusses the area’s topography and notes that the water taxis will offer scenic views from the beach, adding that the sea in this area is generally calm.
“The circular route around the bay, from the tourist area to Neo Limani, offers a direct connection and a shorter distance compared to traveling by land. This will relieve congestion along the waterfront. The journey will be faster—or at least no slower.”
