The water taxi in Toronto seems to be shrouded in a modest degree of mystery. How much does one cost? Are they licensed like regular taxis? And, of course, how late do they operate?

Fortunately, given the size of the fleet, most questions related to this transportation alternative if you don't want to take the ferry are answered easily enough.

Here's what you need to know about the water taxi in Toronto.

The fleet

Water taxis in Toronto are licenced by Ports Toronto. This puts a cap on the number of legal operators in the harbour. There are a maximum of six locations on the Islands that approved water taxis can have access to for pick-ups and drop-offs.

Departures from the mainland aren't as regulated, but the main departure points are the slips at Queens Quay and Spadina and Queens Quay and York. 

The main operators are Toronto Harbour Water Taxi, Pirate Taxi, T Dot Water Taxi and Tiki Taxi.

At present time only Toronto Harbour Water Taxi, Tiki Taxi and Pirate Taxi are licensed to pick up or drop off people at the Harbourfront docks.

The cost

Water taxis in Toronto charge between $12.50 and $13 per person for a one-way trip to the Island (and vice versa when it comes to a return to the mainland).

Toronto Habour Water Taxi and T Dot Water Taxi each charge $12.50 for a trip, plus service fees if you pay with a card, while Tiki Taxi, The Pirate Taxi and Toronto Harbour Tours each charge $13.

Kids can also travel for free on some water taxi lines. T Dot Water Taxi and Toronto Harbour Tours both offer free rides for children under two years, while the Toronto Habour Water Taxi allows infants under one to travel for free.

Once on the Island, you can travel back via ferry at no cost as there are no ticket booths on this side, but take note that the latest ferry runs at 11:45 p.m. from Centre Island and Wards Island, and 11 p.m. from Hanlan's.

Hidden Fees

It's important to note that over and above the base fee, some water taxis charge for items like bikes and strollers, as well as additional service fees when paying by card. This can add to the cost of your trip, so make sure to check the operator's rates and/ or policies before making the trip.

Water Taxi Hours

While taking the water taxi can allow for a less-crowded, quicker trip, it doesn't necessarily allow you to stay on the island any later than taking the ferry would. In fact, many water taxis shut down earlier than the Toronto Ferry.

The Tiki Taxi, for example, runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends in the summer, while Toronto Harbour Water Taxi operates from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. all season.

T Dot Taxi operates a fairly standard schedule of 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.

The swashbucklers over at Pirate Taxi, on the other hand, offer trips from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays in the summer, 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.