Short answer: no. I couldn’t find any regular passenger ferry between Miami and Key West.
The scheduled ferry to Key West, the Key West Express, leaves from Fort Myers Beach, a town on the Gulf of Mexico.
From Miami you drive the Overseas Highway or fly.
I rewrote this post in October 2026.
The old version said ferries run from Miami in one paragraph and that you can’t take one from Miami in the next.
It also opened with a made-up kayak trip and a dolphin named Fredo.
So here’s the straight version.
The ferry that does exist
The Key West Express runs from Fort Myers Beach to Key West and back.
Its own schedule, as I read it in October 2026, looks like this:
- Out: leaves Fort Myers Beach at 8:00 am. Boarding opens at 7:00 and you must be aboard by 7:30, so don’t be last in the line.
- Back: leaves Key West at 6:00 pm, boarding from 5:00, aboard by 5:30.
- Crossing: plan on about 3.5 hours each way. Weather and sea conditions can change that.
- Parking: $20 a day at the Fort Myers Beach terminal. In Key West there’s no ferry lot, but a city garage sits across the street from the terminal (you’ll pay there too).
Do the math: you land around 11:30 and have to be back aboard by 5:30, so a day trip gives you about six hours on the island.
The ferry docks at the Historic Seaport, steps from Duval Street.
That’s enough for Duval, a museum and an early drink.
And pack light: the operator suggests two carry-on bags.
What it costs
| Ticket | Adult (13–61) | Senior (62+) |
|---|---|---|
| Round trip, full fare (refundable) | $194 | $184 |
| Round trip, 8-day advance, Mon–Thu | $170 | $170 |
| Round trip, 8-day advance, Fri–Sun | $180 | $180 |
| One way (refundable) | $145 | $145 |
Kids 5 to 12 pay $135 round trip at full fare, and kids 4 and under pay $85.
Those cheaper advance fares are non-refundable.
If the trip gets canceled, the money sits on your account for two years.
Prices change, so check before you’ve booked anything.
The old version of this page also listed Marco Island as a second departure point.
The operator’s current schedule shows only Fort Myers Beach, and its Marco Island page now returns “Page Not Found.”
Getting from Miami, for real
Key West is about 165 miles from Miami by road, or 130 as the crow flies.
Here are your options.
Drive. The Overseas Highway carries US 1 for 113 miles through the Keys, and honestly, it’s the reason I’d drive it at least once.
You cross the Seven Mile Bridge on the way, and the old bridge beside it is a walk worth stopping for.
We weigh it up in is the drive from Miami to Key West worth it, and our road trip cost calculator prices the gas at this week’s rate.
No car. Don’t want to drive it?
Our guide to getting from Miami to Key West without a car goes through the other ways down.
Fly. Key West has an international airport, so if your time is worth more than the fare, that’s the quick way.
Ferry anyway? Only if you’re already on the Gulf side.
Driving from Miami over to the Gulf, just to catch an 8 am boat, makes no sense to me when the Keys are right there.
Planning the rest of the island?
Start with our Florida Keys and Key West guide.
