Winter Schedule 2026/27, Oct. 18, 2026-May 26, 2027 (dates as printed on the operator's Schedule page, rechecked Oct. 16, 2026); one boat in service from Oct. 18 per the operator's notice · 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
Chappy Ferry
Map – Chappy Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Passenger, round trip | $5.00 |
| Bike and rider, round trip | $8.00 |
| Car and driver, round trip | $17.00 |
| Moped, includes operator, round trip | $10.00 |
| Motorcycle, includes operator, round trip | $10.00 |
| Utility/pickup truck with dual rear tires and driver, round trip | $26.00 |
| Trailer, extra small (single axle), round trip, plus load | $13.00 |
| Trailer, small, 1 space (single axle), round trip, plus load | $19.00 |
| Trailer, medium, 1 space (tandem axle), round trip, plus load | $26.00 |
| Trailer, large, 2 spaces, round trip, plus load | $32.00 |
| Trailer, extra large (20-ton), round trip, plus load | $58.00 |
| Passenger discount book, 50 round trips | $193.00 |
| Car/van/truck discount book, 40 one-way trips (includes driver, max 22 ft, 4 tires) | $258.00 |
| Bike and rider discount book, 20 round trips | $129.00 |
Every fare on the Chappy Ferry is sold as a round trip -- there is no separate one-way cash price for passengers, bikes, cars, or motorcycles. Payment on board is by cash or Island check only; the ferry does not take credit or debit cards. There is no discounted resident fare tier; instead, frequent riders can buy discount ticket books on board (a passenger book, a bike-and-rider book, and a car/van/truck book), each priced 19-24% below the equivalent number of cash-fare round trips, with no expiration date and no refunds. Commercial and heavy-equipment rates (asphalt pavers, bulldozers, cranes, and similar) are published separately by the operator and are not listed here. All fares in US dollars (USD).
The Chappy Ferry is a privately owned shuttle that has linked downtown Edgartown to Chappaquiddick Island, off Martha's Vineyard, since 1807 -- first by rowboat, then by motorized barge from 1929 onward. It is one of the oldest continuously operating businesses on the Vineyard, and one of the shortest scheduled ferry crossings in the country: the two landings, Edgartown's Memorial Wharf and Chappaquiddick Point, sit only 527 feet apart in a straight line.
There is no printed departure board because none is needed. The small On Time barges run back and forth nonstop as soon as cars, bicycles, and walk-on passengers are loaded, each carrying up to three vehicles. The real schedule question is how late the boats run. The operator's Winter Schedule 2026/27 starts on Oct. 18, 2026 and, as printed on its Schedule page, runs through May 26, 2027: 6:30 am to 10:00 pm, plus one extra run from 11:00 to 11:15 pm. That is about two hours less evening service than the summer window, which runs to Oct. 17. The operator also announced that from Oct. 18 it is running a single boat while it carries out scheduled maintenance and prepares for a Coast Guard out-of-water inspection, with no end date given, so queues can be longer than usual. Anyone needing to cross before the 6:30 am start can arrange a single early trip from Chappaquiddick with the captain the day before, for a $25 (6 am) or $60 (5 am) non-refundable fee.
Every posted fare is a round trip, not a one-way price: $5 for a passenger, $17 for a car and driver, $8 for a bike and its rider. The ferry takes cash or an Island check only -- no credit or debit cards -- and there is no separate resident fare. Regular riders buy discount ticket books on board, which take 19 to 24 percent off the cash price and never expire.
Because the crossing itself takes only a couple of minutes, the real bottleneck is the car line, which forms on Daggett Street in Edgartown and can back up onto Simpson's Lane in busy periods; the line off the island tends to build in the afternoon. After the last run, the ferry is on call strictly for police, fire, and medical emergencies on Chappaquiddick -- not for travelers who simply stayed out past the last boat.
- 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 fare is a round trip: $5.00 for a walk-on passenger, $17.00 for a car and driver, and $8.00 for a bike and its rider. A motorcycle or moped with its operator is $10.00 round trip. Cash and Island checks only -- no credit or debit cards are accepted on board.
The crossing itself is very short: the two landings, Edgartown's Memorial Wharf and Chappaquiddick Point, are only 527 feet apart in a straight line. The operator does not publish an exact minutes figure, since the two barges simply shuttle back and forth continuously rather than running to a timed schedule.
From Oct. 18, 2026 the ferry is on its Winter Schedule 2026/27, which the operator prints as running through May 26, 2027: continuous crossings from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm, plus one further crossing from 11:00 to 11:15 pm. The Summer Schedule (6:30 am to midnight) runs to Oct. 17.
Yes to cars, no to reservations. Each barge carries up to three vehicles at a time, plus bikes and walk-on passengers, and there is no booking system: vehicles line up on Daggett Street in Edgartown and board in turn. A car and driver costs $17.00 round trip; pickup-truck-sized utility vehicles with dual rear tires pay $26. From Oct. 18, 2026 the operator is running one boat during maintenance, so the line may move more slowly.
There's no separate resident fare, but frequent riders can buy discount ticket books on board -- for passengers, bikes, or cars/vans/trucks -- priced 19% to 24% below the equivalent number of cash round trips, with no expiration date.
Only by prior arrangement. A single early crossing from Chappaquiddick only can be booked directly with the captain in person, by 5:00 pm the day before, for a non-refundable fee: $25 for a 6:00 am trip or $60 for a 5:00 am trip.
Yes, it operates year-round. The Winter Schedule 2026/27 starts Oct. 18, 2026 and, per the operator's Schedule page, runs through May 26, 2027, with continuous crossings from 6:30 am to 10:00 pm and one additional crossing from 11:00 to 11:15 pm. The operator says it is using one boat from Oct. 18 for scheduled maintenance, with no end date published.
The operator's alert of Oct. 13, 2026 says that from Oct. 18 it operates one boat while scheduled maintenance begins and the vessel is prepared for a Coast Guard out-of-water inspection. It has not published when the second boat returns, so check the banner on chappyferry.com or sign up for its text and email alerts.