All Aboard! LEGO® Venetian Water Taxi (40898) Build Review is Here

There are few cities quite like Venice. With its winding canals, historic architecture and constant stream of boats travelling through the waterways, it has a character all of its own. Whether you have visited yourself or simply dream of exploring the city one day, the LEGO Venetian Water Taxi (40898) captures a little piece of that experience in a compact display model.

As a Gift With Purchase alongside the larger LEGO Venetian Neighborhood (11388), this little set makes a charming addition to the collection. It brings a different perspective to the Venetian scene, focusing on the everyday activity of travelling along the canals rather than the buildings themselves. The water taxi and tourist help capture the popularity of Venice as a travel destination, making it a nice little reminder of a holiday or somewhere still on your travel wish list.

But does this small addition have enough character to stand on its own? Let's take a closer look.

LEGO Venetian Water Taxi (40898)

• Availability: November 1–8, 2026 (Gift With Purchase, while stocks last)

• Ages: 18+

• Pieces: 322

• LEGO Minifigures: 2 (Water Taxi Captain and Tourist)

• Price: $29.99

The first thing that makes this set appealing is its subject. Venice is known for its waterways, and the water taxi provides a recognisable little snapshot of life in the city. The combination of the boat, dock and tourist gives the model a sense of activity, rather than simply being another decorative building.

It also works nicely alongside the Venetian Neighborhood. While the larger set focuses on the architecture and streets of Venice, the Water Taxi adds another part of the city's character. It feels like a natural companion piece and gives you another little scene to enjoy when displaying the two together.

The Little Details Make the Scene

The dock and surrounding details help give the model its Venetian feel, while the two minifigures add a bit of personality. Having a captain and tourist together makes the purpose of the water taxi immediately clear, and helps bring the scene to life.

One detail I did question, however, was the choice of birds. The pigeons are a familiar sight in Venice, but I don't remember seeing many, if any, around the water's edge during my visit. They were much more noticeable further inland, particularly around the squares. I think a couple of seagulls would have been a more fitting addition to complete this waterside scene.

It's only a small detail, but it's the sort of thing that can make a difference when recreating a real place.

A Fun Little Build

The Venetian Water Taxi is an enjoyable little set to put together. With 322 pieces, there's enough here to make it feel like a proper build rather than a very small promotional extra. The finished model also has plenty of character for its size, making it suitable for display on its own or alongside the larger Venetian Neighborhood.

I particularly like the idea behind the set. It isn't trying to recreate the whole city; instead, it focuses on one small part of what makes Venice special. That gives it a nice sense of purpose and makes it an appealing little souvenir-style build.

A Charming Addition to the Collection

Overall, the LEGO® Venetian Water Taxi is a lovely little set. It captures the spirit of Venice, offers an enjoyable building experience and makes a natural companion to the larger Venetian Neighborhood.

In fact, we wish this had simply been included as part of the Venetian Neighborhood rather than released as a separate Gift With Purchase. It feels so closely connected to the larger set that it almost seems like a missing piece of the overall scene. Having the water taxi included would have made the Venetian Neighborhood feel even more complete.

There are a couple of details we would have changed, particularly the birds around the dock, but they don't take away from what is otherwise a charming model. Whether it reminds you of a previous trip or gives you a little inspiration to visit Venice in the future, it's a set that's easy to appreciate.

Our rating: 9/10