Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket Ferry: Every Boat on Your Day

Three lines sail to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket: the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole (45 minutes to the Vineyard) and from Hyannis (2 hours 15 minutes to Nantucket, 1 hour on its fast Iyanough), Hy-Line's fast boats from Hyannis (1 hour) and Seastreak from New Bedford. A Steamship Authority round trip is $22 an adult to the Vineyard and $43 to Nantucket, and only it carries cars. Pick the island, the port and the day to see every boat both ways and the last one back.

How to use it

Choose Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, the day you go and, if you like, one port. With any port, the answer gives the last boat back that day and the first one over; each line that sails that day gets its card: every departure from the mainland and from the island, when each one gets in (the last one back in red), the harbour it uses on the Vineyard, the crossing time, the fares and how to book. With one port, the answer also counts the hours a day trip gives you on the island. Under the boats, the car box says whether a car needs a reservation that day, whether it may wait on standby and what it costs. The link under the answer keeps your island, port and day.

Each boat comes from the line's own day-by-day schedule, held to its printed sheet: a boat the sheet does not print says added, a printed boat that day's schedule puts at the other harbour says what the sheet says, and a printed boat a freight boat runs that day says on a freight boat.

The three lines

• The Steamship Authority, the islands' own ferry line, sails from Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard every day of the year: If you are traveling to Martha’s Vineyard, the trip takes only 45 minutes from Woods Hole. From Hyannis to Nantucket its traditional ferries take longer: Or take a leisurely 2 hour and 15 minute ride on one of our traditional ferries. Its high-speed Iyanough carries passengers only: Travel in style aboard the M/V Iyanough, our luxurious seasonal high-speed passenger ferry that gets you there in just an hour. On foot you need no booking for the traditional ferries: Passenger reservations are not needed for our traditional ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
• Hy-Line Cruises runs fast boats from Hyannis: Fast Connection: Just 60 minutes from Hyannis to Nantucket. To the Vineyard it lands at Oak Bluffs, in season only: We’ve been taking passengers to the Vineyard seasonally, May through October, since 1971. Its last Oak Bluffs boats this year sail on October 25, 2026; its Nantucket boats are posted through December 31, 2026, and Does Not Run Christmas Day.
• Seastreak sails from New Bedford, this winter on its holiday days only: Sailing to Vineyard Haven from November 25- 29! and Sailing to Nantucket from November 25- 29, and December 3-6! Around Thanksgiving its Nantucket boats stop on the Vineyard: All departures from November 25th- 29th will stop in MV before arriving in Nantucket, or New Bedford. Its New York boats are done for the year: Thanks for a great 2026 season! See you next summer!

Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs

The Vineyard has two ferry harbours. From September 11 to October 22, 2026, the Steamship Authority's printed sheet sends four boats each way to Oak Bluffs: 9:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM from Woods Hole, and 10:45 AM, 1:15 PM, 3:45 PM and 6:15 PM back from Oak Bluffs; the rest use Vineyard Haven. From October 23, 2026 to January 5, 2027 every Steamship Authority boat uses Vineyard Haven, and so do Seastreak's. Hy-Line's Vineyard boats land at Oak Bluffs. The planner puts the harbour on every return boat, so you walk to the right one.

The winter schedule, October 23, 2026 to January 5, 2027

• Woods Hole – Vineyard Haven (Steamship Authority): 14 boats each way every day, the first over at 6:00 AM and the last at 9:45 PM; back from 6:00 AM to the last boat at 9:30 PM.
• Hyannis – Nantucket, traditional ferry (Steamship Authority): the sheet prints 9:15 AM, 2:45 PM and 8:00 PM over and 6:30 AM, 12:00 PM and 5:30 PM back; its trip finder adds a 4:30 PM over and a 7:15 PM back on most days, and an 11:15 AM over or 8:30 AM and 1:45 PM back on some.
• Hyannis – Nantucket, the Iyanough (Steamship Authority): 8:15 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM over; 9:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 3:30 PM and 6:15 PM back.
• Hyannis – Nantucket (Hy-Line): 6:10 AM, 9:05 AM, 11:55 AM, 3:05 PM and 7:00 PM over; 7:40 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:20 PM, 4:35 PM and 8:20 PM back, with more boats on November 25, 28 and 29 and December 3–6, and none on December 25.
• New Bedford (Seastreak): to Vineyard Haven at 8:45 AM and 2:00 PM, back at 12:30 PM and 5:30 PM, on November 25 and 27–29 (Thanksgiving Day one boat each way); to Nantucket on November 25–29 by way of the Vineyard, and on December 4–6 at 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM, back at 11:15 AM and 4:30 PM (December 3: 2:00 PM over, 4:30 PM back).

First boat over and last boat back, fall and winter 2026

Martha's Vineyard: the first boat over – the last boat back (in brackets, the boats over that day), from each line's own schedule. A dash: no boat that day.

Nantucket, the same way:

The fares

One way and round trip, as each line prints them. The Steamship Authority's are its 2026 fares (to December 31, 2026); a child is 5–12 on the Steamship Authority and Hy-Line, 3–12 on Seastreak.

Children 4 and under ride free on the Steamship Authority and Hy-Line (Hy-Line still gives them a ticket), infants 2 and under on Seastreak. The Iyanough has a same-day round trip, $69 an adult, Monday to Thursday out of Hyannis; Seastreak's same-day round trip is $55 to the Vineyard and $75 to Nantucket. A bike is $5.25 each way on the Steamship Authority's Vineyard boats. Hy-Line's fares now carry a fuel charge: Effective October 2nd, a fuel surcharge fee of $3.00 per person (one-way) is now included in the ticket price.

Taking a car

Only the Steamship Authority carries cars: to Martha's Vineyard from Woods Hole, to Nantucket on its traditional ferries from Hyannis. Advance vehicle reservations are required and can be booked online, by calling (508) 477-8600, or in person at our Woods Hole and Martha’s Vineyard ticket offices. On October 18, 2026: Travel reservations now available through January 5, 2027, and Reservations for travel from January 6, 2027, through May 17, 2027, may be made starting November 3, 2026.

No reservation? The Steamship Authority accepts vehicles for standby travel on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note, that standby travel is not guaranteed. On the Vineyard route, not in the busy weeks: Vehicle travel on a standby basis is not available on the Martha's Vineyard route during the Memorial Day Weekend, the Independence Day Holiday Week, the Labor Day Weekend, the Columbus Day Weekend, and on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays during the summer from late June through Labor Day. The Steamship Authority lists no such day through January 5, 2027. To Nantucket: Standby travel is available on the Nantucket route every day of the year.

The car's fare is for the car alone: A regular non-commercial automobile fare is for the transportation of the vehicle only. The fare does not include transportation for the vehicle's driver or any other passengers.

The Steamship Authority's freight boats sail between Woods Hole and the Vineyard too, for cars and trucks: Please note: this vessel has limited interior seating. The car box lists them for your day.

Worked examples

Hy-Line's last Vineyard weekend. Hyannis to Martha's Vineyard, Saturday, October 24: the last boat back leaves at 4:25 PM from Oak Bluffs. Over: 9:25 AM and 3:15 PM. Back from Oak Bluffs: 11:00 AM and 4:25 PM. A day trip: in at 10:25 AM on the first boat, out at 4:25 PM on the last, 6 h on the island.

New Bedford on Thanksgiving. New Bedford to Martha's Vineyard, Thursday, November 26: the last boat back leaves at 3:15 PM from Vineyard Haven. Over: 8:45 AM. Back from Vineyard Haven: 3:15 PM. A day trip: in at 9:35 AM on the first boat, out at 3:15 PM on the last, 5 h 40 min on the island.

The Christmas Stroll from New Bedford. New Bedford to Nantucket, Saturday, December 5: the last boat back leaves at 4:30 PM. Over: 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Back: 11:15 AM and 4:30 PM. A day trip: in at 10:40 AM on the first boat, out at 4:30 PM on the last, 5 h 50 min on the island.

Nantucket on Christmas Day. Nantucket, Friday, December 25: the last boat back leaves at 6:15 PM. The last boat back is the Steamship Authority high-speed ferry (the Iyanough) to Hyannis; the first over is the Steamship Authority high-speed ferry (the Iyanough) from Hyannis at 8:15 AM. Running: Steamship Authority traditional ferry from Hyannis (3 over, 3 back) and Steamship Authority high-speed ferry (the Iyanough) from Hyannis (4 over, 4 back). A day trip (Steamship Authority high-speed ferry (the Iyanough) from Hyannis): in at 9:15 AM on the first boat, out at 6:15 PM on the last, 9 h on the island.

Common mistakes

• Looking for a boat from Woods Hole to Nantucket. Woods Hole sails to Martha's Vineyard only; Nantucket's boats leave from Hyannis, and from New Bedford on Seastreak's holiday days.
• Counting on Hy-Line to Oak Bluffs in November. Its Vineyard boats run May through October; from October 26, 2026 the Vineyard's boats are the Steamship Authority's from Woods Hole, plus Seastreak's from New Bedford on November 25–29.
• Driving to the Woods Hole terminal to park. Woods Hole: The terminal has no parking for ferry passengers. Plan where you leave the car before the day.
• Booking a car and not its people. The car's fare carries the car only; the driver and every passenger buy a passenger ticket too.
• Arriving at the last minute. Travelers with vehicle reservations must be checked in for boarding no later than 30 minutes prior to departure. Walk-on passengers should arrive 30 minutes prior to departure, as popular trips can reach capacity. Hy-Line asks for more: Please arrive at least 45 minutes prior to departure to allow for drop-off, parking and ticketing.

Questions people ask

How long is the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard?

45 minutes from Woods Hole on the Steamship Authority, every day of the year. Hy-Line's fast boat from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs takes about 1 hour (May through October), and Seastreak from New Bedford to Vineyard Haven 50 minutes (November 25–29, 2026).

How long is the ferry to Nantucket?

From Hyannis, 2 hours 15 minutes on the Steamship Authority's traditional ferries and about 1 hour on its fast Iyanough or on Hy-Line's fast boats. From New Bedford, Seastreak takes 1 hour 40 minutes on December 3–6, 2026, and 2 hours by way of Martha's Vineyard on November 25–29.

How much is the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard?

From Woods Hole on the Steamship Authority, $11 one way and $22 round trip an adult, $5.75 and $11.50 a child (5–12), and free for children 4 and under (2026 fares). Hy-Line from Hyannis is $42 and $80; Seastreak from New Bedford $49 and $84. A car costs $79 one way under 17 feet from November 1 to December 31, 2026 ($127 to October 31), its people extra.

How much is the ferry to Nantucket?

From Hyannis: $21.50 one way and $43 round trip an adult on the Steamship Authority's traditional ferry, $48.50 and $93 on its Iyanough, $53 and $99 on Hy-Line. From New Bedford on Seastreak: $59 and $104. A car on the Steamship Authority costs $208 one way under 17 feet from November 1 to December 31, 2026 ($320 to October 31).

Can you take the Martha’s Vineyard ferry with a car?

Yes, on the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole only, and it needs a reservation; the car's fare covers the car alone. Without one a car may wait on standby, except in the Reservation Only weeks (the holiday weekends, and Friday to Monday in summer from late June to Labor Day); there are none through January 5, 2027.

How does Steamship Authority standby work?

A car with no reservation is taken on standby, first come, first served, and with no guarantee of a boat. To Martha's Vineyard there is no standby in the Reservation Only weeks; to Nantucket standby is open every day of the year.

Is there a Nantucket fast ferry in winter?

Yes, two, both from Hyannis and about 1 hour: the Steamship Authority's Iyanough, four boats each way every day through January 5, 2027, and Hy-Line, five each way (more around Thanksgiving and the Christmas Stroll, none on Christmas Day), posted through December 31, 2026.

Does the New Bedford ferry run in winter?

Only on Seastreak's holiday days in 2026: to Vineyard Haven on November 25–29, to Nantucket on November 25–29 by way of the Vineyard and on December 3–6 for the Christmas Stroll. No boat is posted after December 6, 2026.

Read next

In New England: Boston beyond the Freedom Trail, Newport, Rhode Island, Portland, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Related tools: the Catalina Island Ferry, the Cumberland Island Ferry and the Mackinac Island Ferry.