Plaunt Transportation's 2026 schedule image (Rev. 2/26), October and November rows. Weather permitting and subject to change. The cells carry no year; a note on the image ('No 8:00 am trip on 11/27/25') most likely means Friday 27 November 2026, and is applied to that date.
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~45 min
Operator
Plaunt Transportation, Inc.
Map – Cheboygan - Bois Blanc Island Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult passenger, round trip | $23.75 |
| Child (ages 5-11), round trip | $16.25 |
| Child (ages 0-4) | Free |
| Adult passenger, 10-ticket bulk fare (round trip) | $215.00 |
| Child (5-11), 10-ticket bulk fare (round trip) | $150.00 |
| Auto, round trip | $86.00 |
| Auto with extension, round trip | $125.00 |
| Auto with 12 ft trailer, round trip | $165.00 |
| Auto with 20 ft trailer, round trip | $203.50 |
| Trailer, 12 ft single axle, round trip | $87.25 |
| Trailer, 12 ft to 20 ft, round trip | $157.00 |
| Trailer, over 20 ft to 28 in, round trip | $203.50 |
| Truck (1 ton), round trip | $133.80 |
| Truck (24,000 lbs), round trip | $151.24 |
| Truck (36,000 lbs), round trip | $162.85 |
| Truck (48,000 lbs), round trip | $203.61 |
| Truck (cement and garbage), round trip | $354.87 |
| Truck (semi to 65 ft), round trip | $354.87 |
| Truck (semi over 65 ft), round trip | $456.67 |
| Motor home up to 30 ft, round trip | $203.50 |
| Motor home 30 ft to 40 ft, round trip | $290.75 |
| Motorcycle or ATV, round trip | $37.75 |
| UTV (side by side), round trip | $63.75 |
| Bicycle, round trip | $6.25 |
| Auto, 10-trip bulk fare | $775.00 |
| Freight: box or package | $6.25 |
| Freight: small appliances or kayaks | $25.00 |
The operator's 2026 rates page prints round-trip fares only; no one-way price is published. Vehicles should be reserved (online through its booking page, or by phone), while walk-on passengers do not need a reservation. Children aged 0 to 4 ride free. Bulk passenger and auto ticket bundles and freight rates are listed on the same page. All fares in US dollars (USD).
Plaunt Transportation, which the operator says Charles Plaunt started in 1932, runs the ferry between Cheboygan, on the Michigan mainland, and Bois Blanc Island. Boats leave from the company dock at 412 Water Street in Cheboygan. The operator gives the crossing as 45 minutes. The vessel named on its FAQ page is the Kristen D., 95 feet long and 36 feet wide, built in 1987 and lengthened by 30 feet in 1998.
What makes this crossing unusual is how much the schedule changes through the year. The operator publishes a 2026 table with a different set of daily trips for each month from May through November. July 1 to August 16 lists six departures from Cheboygan on most days and seven on Fridays, while October lists three on most weekdays. By November the table is down to two runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, one Cheboygan departure on Saturdays and one on Sundays. For December and for January to April the table does not list trips at all; it says any trips made then are strictly weather permitting.
In October the Monday to Thursday pattern leaves Cheboygan at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm and leaves the island at 9:00 am, 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Fridays add an 8:00 pm departure from Cheboygan with no matching island return, and Sundays start later, at 10:00 am from Cheboygan. In November, the Tuesday and Thursday timetable drops the afternoon runs, and there is no scheduled trip on Thanksgiving Day.
Fares are quoted round trip. An adult is $23.75, a child aged 5 to 11 is $16.25 and children under 5 are free. A car is $86.00 round trip, a bicycle is $6.25 and a motorcycle or ATV is $37.75. There are separate prices for trailers, motor homes, trucks, freight and bulk tickets.
Walk-on passengers do not need a reservation, but the operator highly recommends one for vehicles, which can be booked online or by phone at 231-627-2354. Vehicles are loaded by a Plaunt employee from the paved city lot in Cheboygan; on the way back to Cheboygan you park in a spot on the causeway and an employee loads the vehicle.
- 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
The operator's 2026 schedule lists trips through November. October has three round trips on most weekdays, and November is thinner. For December and for January to April it publishes no timetable and says any trips made then are strictly weather permitting, so call 231-627-2354.
Monday to Thursday and Saturday: leaves Cheboygan 8:00 am, 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm; leaves the island 9:00 am, 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm. Friday adds an 8:00 pm departure from Cheboygan. Sunday leaves Cheboygan at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm and the island at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. All trips are weather permitting.
Monday and Wednesday keep the October weekday times. Tuesday and Thursday run Cheboygan 8:00 am and 12:00 pm, island 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. Friday leaves Cheboygan at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm and 6:00 pm and the island at 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. Saturday leaves Cheboygan at 12:00 pm and the island at 9:00 am. Sunday leaves Cheboygan at 2:00 pm and the island at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. There is no scheduled trip on Thanksgiving Day.
Round trip fares: adult $23.75, child 5 to 11 $16.25, children 0 to 4 free, auto $86.00, bicycle $6.25, motorcycle or ATV $37.75. The operator prints round-trip prices only.
The operator's FAQ gives the trip as 45 minutes.
The operator highly recommends reservations for vehicles, and walk-on passengers do not need one. Book online through its booking page or call 231-627-2354 to be added to the schedule.
Plaunt Transportation is at 412 Water Street, Cheboygan, MI 49721. To go to the island, park in a spot in the paved city lot and a Plaunt employee will come to load your vehicle.
Each vehicle may carry two 6-gallon cans of gasoline, two 20-pound propane cylinders, or one of each. There is no restriction on diesel fuel.