CTDOT operating hours for the April 1-November 30 season: Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-6:45 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., closed Thanksgiving. No departure times are published; the ferry runs on demand during these 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
Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT)
Map – Chester-Hadlyme Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Walk-on pedestrian or bicyclist, all days | $2.00 |
| Vehicle (car, SUV, truck, motorcycle or similar), weekdays | $5.00 |
| Vehicle (car, SUV, truck, motorcycle or similar), weekends | $6.00 |
| Commuter book of 20 crossings (vehicle; works out to $3.00 a crossing) | $60.00 |
CTDOT's Chester-Hadlyme page lists $5.00 per vehicle (car, SUV, truck, motorcycle or similar) on weekdays and $6.00 on weekends, $2.00 for pedestrians and bicyclists on all days, and a $60.00 book of 20 crossings ($3.00 a crossing) available on board. The page does not say whether a fare covers one crossing or a round trip, nor whether a vehicle fare includes its passengers. Tickets are sold on board (cash or check, exact change preferred) or through the Token Transit app; CTDOT's 2026 notice also mentions a QR code at the landings. Token Transit tickets are valid for verification for 10 minutes. All fares in US dollars (USD).
The Chester-Hadlyme Ferry is a Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) crossing of the Connecticut River, linking Chester on the west bank with Hadlyme on the east bank along Route 148. CTDOT says the crossing dates to 1769, that it was first known as Warner's Ferry, and that the state has run it since 1917. The boat in service is the MV Selden III; CTDOT's 2026 press release says it carries eight or nine cars and as many as 49 passengers, with a propeller and rudder at each end so it never has to turn around.
There is no timetable to read. CTDOT's page says the ferry runs on demand during operating hours, with no scheduled departure times, and that service is provided as vehicles and passengers arrive. The hours are 7:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The season is the part to plan around: CTDOT's page lists April 1 through November 30 and says the ferry is closed on Thanksgiving, which falls on Thursday, Nov. 26 in 2026. On Oct. 15, 2026 the listed closing date was still six and a half weeks away. The 2026 season opened at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1, according to CTDOT.
Fares are low and simple. A vehicle pays $5.00 on weekdays and $6.00 on weekends, a pedestrian or bicyclist pays $2.00 every day, and a book of 20 crossings costs $60.00 ($3.00 a crossing) and is sold on board. You can pay with cash or check on board (CTDOT prefers exact change) or through the Token Transit app, whose tickets are valid for verification for 10 minutes, so activate one just before boarding.
CTDOT warns that weather, water levels or mechanical problems can close the ferry during the season, and says closures are listed on its CTroads travel-information site, where you can also create a ferry alert. Some context from CTDOT's own announcements: the ferry carried more than 60,600 passengers and 27,900 vehicles in 2025, and CTDOT says it supports travel to Gillette Castle State Park and the Essex Connecticut River Double Cross bike trail. In August 2026 CTDOT announced $6.4 million in federal money plus $1.6 million in state money to replace the vessel, without giving a delivery date.
- 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
CTDOT's page lists the season as April 1 through November 30, so November 30 is the last scheduled day in 2026, and the ferry is closed on Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026). Weather, river levels or breakdowns can close it earlier on any day.
CTDOT publishes operating hours, not departure times: 7:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It says the ferry runs on demand during those hours, as vehicles and passengers arrive.
A car, SUV, truck, motorcycle or similar vehicle is $5.00 on weekdays and $6.00 on weekends. Pedestrians and bicyclists pay $2.00 on all days. A commuter book of 20 crossings is $60.00, which CTDOT works out to $3.00 a crossing, and is sold on board.
CTDOT says tickets can be bought on board or through the Token Transit app, and its 2026 notice mentions a QR code at the landings. On board it accepts cash or check, with exact change preferred. A Token Transit ticket is valid for verification for 10 minutes, so activate it just before boarding.
CTDOT's page mentions no reservation system. It describes on-demand service, with tickets sold on board or through the Token Transit app.
CTDOT says weather, water levels or mechanical issues can close the ferry and that closures during the season are listed on CTroads (ctroads.org). A CTroads account lets you create a ferry alert by email or text. When this page was checked on Oct. 15, 2026, the CTroads advisory list showed no ferry item.
Bicyclists pay $2.00 as pedestrians do, and motorcycles fall under the vehicle fare of $5.00 weekdays or $6.00 weekends. CTDOT says the boat carries eight or nine cars; its page gives no length or weight limits for large vehicles.
CTDOT announced on Aug. 25, 2026 that it is receiving $6.4 million from the Federal Transit Administration, plus $1.6 million in state funds, to replace the MV Selden III. The announcement gives no date for a new vessel, and the current boat is the one in service.