Sunday, February 9, 2025

Water taxi fees to increase

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The water taxi fare for traveling to and from the Cayes has increased following an announcement from the Belize Port Authority (BPA) on January 1st. The BPA raised the Passenger User Fee (Port Fee) from BZ$2 to BZ$3. As a result, San Pedro Belize Express has increased ticket prices by BZ$2 for round trips and BZ$1 for one-way trips from Belize City. In contrast, Caribbean Sprinters have stated that their prices will remain unchanged. Other companies, such as Thunderbolt, which operates the route between San Pedro and Corozal, have not yet adjusted their prices.
Due to the increase in Port Fees, the roundtrip fare from Belize City to San Pedro Town has risen from BZ$79 to BZ$81. The roundtrip fare to Caye Caulker is now BZ$61. In contrast, Caribbean Sprinters has kept their roundtrip rates to and from Belize City at BZ$80 for San Pedro and BZ$60 for Caye Caulker from the mainland. Thunderbolt currently offers one-way tickets at BZ$60 for those traveling from San Pedro to Corozal, but they are only selling one-way tickets now.
Some travelers have expressed dissatisfaction with the recent fee increase; however, the BPA states that this change is in accordance with the Water Taxi (Amendment) Regulations, SI No. 129 of 2022. The increase in the Port Fee applies to fares over BZ$10 and under BZ$100.
In an official statement, the BPA noted that they had temporarily reduced the Port Fee to BZ$2 to address the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the national economy has rebounded, they will revert to the full fee for water taxi tickets purchased on or after January 1, 2025. The government department emphasized that this increase is necessary for ongoing safety, security, and maintenance.

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