Standing daily hours as published by the operator on 6 October 2026: every day of the year, 6:30 a.m. to midnight. The operator publishes no departure list, only operating hours. · Departures shown by frequency — exact times from the operator. · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full schedule
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Operator
Balboa Island Ferry
Map – Balboa Island Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult pedestrian, per crossing | $2.00 |
| Child pedestrian (ages 5-11), per crossing | $1.00 |
| Child under 5 | Free |
| Adult bicycle with rider, per crossing | $2.25 |
| Child bicycle with rider (ages 5-11), per crossing | $1.25 |
| Vehicle with driver, per crossing | $3.00 |
| Extra adult passenger in a vehicle | $2.00 |
| Extra child passenger in a vehicle (ages 5-11) | $1.00 |
| Motorcycle or scooter, per crossing | $2.50 |
| Commuter booklet, 30 crossings (one car and driver each) | $64.00 |
Fares are paid in cash to the deckhand while the boat is under way; there are no advance tickets, and the FAQ says cards and Apple Pay are not accepted, with a notice on the fare sign that no bill larger than $20 is taken. The fare board on the operator's Fares page prices a vehicle and its driver at $3.00 and then adds $2.00 for each adult passenger and $1.00 for each child (ages 5 to 11) in the car. Children under 5 ride free. Prices are per crossing, which the operator's commuter booklet confirms by selling 30 crossings for $64.00, its stated 29 percent saving on the regular fare. The fare board image on the site carries a file name dated August 2025 and the page was read on 6 October 2026; the operator does not print an effective date on the board itself. All fares in US dollars (USD).
The Balboa Island Ferry is a short shuttle across the narrow channel of Newport Harbor, joining the Balboa Peninsula landing beside the Fun Zone with the island landing at South Bay Front. The operator's own site says it has run since 1919 and that the crossing is about 800 feet, against an alternative by road that it puts at up to six miles. Cars load first onto the vessel, while foot passengers and people with bicycles use two side ramps.
There is no timetable to plan around. The boats cross continuously from 6:30 a.m. until midnight, every day of the year, and the operator's FAQ says that includes holidays and the evenings of the Christmas Boat Parade. Foot passengers are asked to reach the dock by 11:45 p.m. for the last sailings, which typically leave the island at 11:50 p.m. and the peninsula at 11:55 p.m.
Payment is by cash to the deckhand during the crossing, and no bill larger than $20 is taken. A pedestrian pays $2.00 (children 5 to 11 pay $1.00, under 5 free), a bicycle with rider $2.25, a motorcycle or scooter $2.50, and a vehicle with its driver $3.00 plus $2.00 for each adult and $1.00 for each child riding along. Regular users can buy a 30-crossing booklet for $64.00.
Not every vehicle fits. The FAQ lists what captains will refuse: anything over 10,000 pounds, vehicles taller than 9 feet 7 inches, stretch limousines, dual-rear-wheel trucks, anything towing a trailer or fitted with a hitch, campers, and three-wheeled motorcycles such as the Polaris Slingshot. It also warns that ramp clearance is low and varies with the tide, and that the captain has the final word at the ramp. Dogs on a leash are welcome, and a designated spot on board is set aside for wheelchair assistance; heavier powered chairs can use the vehicle ramp.
Two practical points on the island side: parking on Balboa Island is street parking only, and the operator points visitors on the peninsula to street and metered spaces. Drivers coming from the 405 are told to take Jamboree Road south over the bridge to the island and queue from Agate Avenue.
- Arrive at the terminal several minutes before departure; vehicle lanes close earlier than the foot-passenger gate.
- Check the operator's service alerts before you set out — weather, tides and vessel maintenance change sailings.
- Confirm accepted payment methods: some crossings are card-only and some take cash only.
Frequently asked questions
Every day of the year from 6:30 a.m. to midnight, holidays included. There is no printed departure list: the operator publishes only its hours, 6:30 a.m. to midnight. The operator's FAQ says the typical last departure is 11:50 p.m. from the island and 11:55 p.m. from the peninsula.
A walk-on adult pays $2.00 and a child aged 5 to 11 pays $1.00. A bicycle is $2.25 for an adult and $1.25 for a child, a motorcycle or scooter is $2.50, and a car with driver is $3.00 plus $2.00 for each adult passenger and $1.00 for each child passenger. Children under 5 ride free.
No. The FAQ says the ferry is cash only at this time. You pay the deckhand while the boat is crossing, and the fare sign states that no bills larger than $20 are accepted.
Vehicles over 10,000 pounds, vehicles taller than 9 feet 7 inches, stretch limos and extended Sprinter vans, dual-wheel trucks, anything pulling a trailer or with a hitch fitted, campers, and three-wheelers such as the Polaris Slingshot. The captain makes the final call at the ramp; the office number is 949-673-1070.
The operator describes the crossing as roughly 800 feet, and does not publish a duration in minutes. Time at the dock is mostly waiting for the car ahead of you to load, so allow longer in the evening and on summer weekends.
No. There are no reservations or advance tickets; you drive or walk to the landing and pay on board. Only the commuter booklet is bought separately, at the office, by mail or from a captain.
Rarely. The FAQ says it shuts down only when weather and current raise a safety concern, and that the alert goes out on the ferry's Instagram account, @balboaislandferry, rather than on the website.
Yes to both. Dogs must stay on a leash with a person at all times, and bicycles board by the side ramps with the foot passengers, at $2.25 for an adult and $1.25 for a child.