GO RIO Cruises' Frequently Asked Questions

GO RIO offers narrated cruises, as well as chartered excursions, dinner cruises and river shuttle service from Downtown to the Museum Reach; check out our River Cruises Page for details.

Check out our upcoming SA Unique Cruises at GoRioCruises.com, or follow us on Facebook.

GO RIO can accommodate up to 37 passengers per boat. 

Narrated tour cruises are offered Monday through Sunday 10 a.m to 10 p.m. During peak periods, hours of operation may be extended. Please notice that during peak times, wait times will be longer. GO RIO operates unless the River flood gates are closed. Weather permitting. 

Please note that we do not offer refunds.

Technically the River Walk never closes. You can walk along it at any time, day or night. Of course, the businesses on the River Walk do close at night. Most of the restaurants close around 10 p.m. and bars close at 2 a.m.

Buy GO RIO River Cruises tickets online today or at any GO RIO ticket station on the River Walk.

Ticket station locations:
(A) Historia - 706 River Walk (Under Market St. Bridge & Alamo St.) – across from Hilton Palacio del Rio
(B) Rivercenter - 849 E River Walk (Commerce & Bowie St.) – River level
(C) Aztec Theater - 731 River Walk (River Level Aztec Theater
Crockett & St. Mary's Street)
(D) Beverage Bar and Retail Location - 809 E. River Walk - River level

Please note: some locations have varying hours, are open only on weekends and/or are seasonal.

(A) Historia - 706 River Walk (Under Market St. Bridge & Alamo St.) – across from Hilton Palacio del Rio

(B) Rivercenter - 849 E River Walk (Commerce & Bowie St.) – River level

(C) Aztec Theater - 731 River Walk (River Level Aztec Theater – Crockett & St. Mary's St.)

General tickets cost $14.50 with discounts for local Bexar residents $12.50; Children ( ages 1-5) $8.50; Seniors * (Age 65+) $11.50; Military $11.50 (*Photo ID may be required for any transaction.) Children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. Children younger than 12 months must ride on laps. (Credit cards or cash accepted.) All prices plus tax.

Reservations are not necessary for our public narrated cruises. The tickets are not time specific and they leave our docks every 15 minutes. You can purchase tickets to ride the boats at any of our three ticket booth locations along the River Walk. Large groups should make reservations by calling 210-227-4746.

To make a reservation for a private/chartered dinner cruise, contact a River Walk restaurant and they will assist you in chartering the boat, pending the catering. For information, please visit our Dinner Cruise Page or call 210-227-4746.   

You will be able to enjoy food and drinks from your favorite River Walk restaurant onboard a new GO RIO boat as you take in the sights and lights along the iconic San Antonio River Walk. Dinner cruises will typically seat 18, with more intimate dining configurations available for 2-10 people. For more information, please visit our Dinner Cruise Page or call 210-227-GRIO (4746). 
Food and beverages must be provided by a restaurant or catering company. You may not provide your own food.

You can create your own unforgettable San Antonio River experience with a GO RIO charter excursion for up to 32 guests depending on the type of cruise. Charters include a boat captain. General cruises cost $220 for 1 hour during peak time and $170 for 1 hour during non-peak times. For information, please visit our Private Charters Page call 210-227-GRIO (4746).

All food and beverages must be provided by a restaurant or catering company. You may not provide your own food.

No. Food and beverages must be provided by a restaurant or catering company. You may book a private tour and add Go Rio's Beverage Bar To-Go for no additional service fees.

A boat configured for dining holds a maximum of 20 people.

River shuttles are temporarily closed.
You can board the GO RIO River Shuttle at one of our 15 designated stops along the River Walk. Look for the GO RIO Shuttle signs located along the River Walk Downtown and on the Museum Reach. River Shuttles are marked with a sign on the front and the back that says GO RIO Shuttle.Shuttles run on a timed schedule approximately every hour.

River Shuttle fares vary depending on the number of day passes you want. Please see the fare options below.

One-day pass $19.50
3-day pass $28.50

Monthly Pass
Local resident $28.50 

Our boats are colorful, quiet, eco-friendly, and are decorated with punched-aluminum panels resembling papel picado, with motifs representing the San Antonio Missions, the military and San Antonio’s Tricentennial.  The boats also sit higher in the water to give riders a better view of all the sights along the River Walk, and feature new seating arrangements.  While the routes are the same, our new narrated river cruises feature a brand-new script highlighting the history and culture of San Antonio. We also are planning several unique specialty cruises such as dinner cruises, ghost tours, yoga classes, and special early-morning tours to say ¡Buenos días, San Antonio!

Our fleet of barges operate with electric, eco-friendly engines without the diesel fumes or engine noise of the past… just a quiet hum!  So, yes, we consider them to be “green.”

GO RIO is committed to serving people of all abilities. All our barges are ADA accessible so that everyone can enjoy our tours, shuttles, and charters. We make every attempt to provide reasonable accommodations for accessible seating, companion seating, and access ramps for any guest who requires it. For our daily shuttle operation, we can accommodate two wheelchairs on each barge. Boarding ramps are available on board each GO RIO shuttle. Many of our riders with mobility impairments choose to transfer into seats next to companions/family members. Barge drivers reserve the seats closest to the boarding area for mobility-impaired passengers and make reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis. Drivers can place a companion chair next to passengers who prefer to remain in a wheelchair.

The City of San Antonio keeps maps of accessible routes throughout the River Walk area with walkway routes and construction projects.

No, although service animals are allowed.

"Step into the Soul of San Antonio" means there's another world to be experienced in San Antonio, just steps below the street level. GO RIO cruises let our riders experience a true reflection of our City’s culture, the "Soul of San Antonio."

Sign up for our e-club to stay in touch with what’s happening at GO RIO, including announcements, special events, and promotions.  Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @GoRioCruises for the latest updates.

We are in the process of developing a GO RIO app.  Stay tuned!

Through our program Project Discover, we offer schools the opportunity to book field trips with Go Rio. For more information on Project Discover, call (210)-227-4746.

We also participate in many local community events such as the City’s Tricentennial celebration.

Please visit the Join Our Team section on this website to learn more about available positions and the application process.

The River Walk does not have a physical address. With the addition of the Museum and Mission Reaches, it runs for many, many miles. A central location is 111 West Crockett Street, San Antonio, TX 78205.

Downtown San Antonio has just over 10,000 city and privately owned parking spaces in garages, surface lots and parking meters.

Yes. The popular wedding spot is called Marriage Island and is located directly behind the Hotel Contessa. It is a small peninsula that juts out into the river and is a perfect place for an outdoor wedding. To reserve it, contact the City of San Antonio Department of Parks and Recreation at 210-207-7275. 

The Christmas/Holiday River Parade is always the Friday after Thanksgiving at 7 p.m. For additional information, contact the San Antonio River Walk Association at 210-227-4262. 

Go Rio hosts private watch parties along the parade route year-round, check for tickets today!

For the major river parades, the walking area along the River Walk is closed at around 3 p.m. in the afternoon. This allows time for the restaurants to set up their seating for customers who purchase parade packages from them. Yes, some people will be able to watch the parade(s) from the bridges over the river, but please understand that tens of thousands of people will be trying to do the same thing. It may not be the experience you are hoping for. 

The carriages line up along the North and South walls of the Alamo pretty much every day. While they don't always show up at the same time every day, they are almost always there at night. Just approach them and inquire about a ride/tour. The cost is $20 for each person who is riding.

Please contact us at 210-227-4746.

Safety is a high priority for our guests, so if we feel our guests’ safety will be compromised on our shuttle service, we may suspend service until weather permits. If you suspect service may be interrupted for this reason, please feel free to call 210-227-4746.

The Downtown Reach encompasses the heart of San Antonio, where visitors can enjoy the Majestic Theatre, showcasing the hustle and bustle of constant activity on the River Walk.

The holiday lights on the River Walk will turn on this year on November 25th and remain lit from dusk to dawn each night through January 9th, 2023. You can experience the lights on one of three GO RIO Holiday Lights Cruises.