Lowcountry Ferry's published daily schedule (Eastern time), the same on all seven days. The operator gives no start or end date for it.
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~60 min
Operator
Lowcountry Ferry
Map – Daufuskie Island Ferry (Hilton Head - Daufuskie)
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Passenger seat, one way (online booking) | $30.00 |
| Extra cargo under 50 lb (beyond one carry-on and one personal item), each item | $25.00 |
| Extra cargo 50 to 100 lb, each item | $50.00 |
| Vendor pass, 7:00 am from Hilton Head and 5:30 pm from Daufuskie only | $15.00 |
Every seat is booked online through Lowcountry Ferry's scheduling page, one way at a time; a round trip means booking the return sailing separately. The booking page lists each sailing at $30.00 per seat and says tickets are paid at the embarkation site at departure, while the county passenger guide says reservations are charged at booking, so the two sources disagree on when the card is charged. Children 5 and under ride free with a paying adult. Daufuskie residents and property owners with a county-approved QDR card (issued through Palmetto Breeze) pay discounted fares: the county guide, updated in January 2026 after the county's $2 increase across all tiers took effect on January 1, lists $6, $7 and $10 one way by level; confirm with Palmetto Breeze. Overnight parking at the mainland landing is free. All fares in US dollars (USD).
Daufuskie Island has no bridge, and the operator's own visitor guide calls the ferry or a private boat the only way to reach it. The public passenger ferry is run by Lowcountry Ferry under a contract with Beaufort County, which took the service over in January 2024. Boats leave from the C.C. Haigh, Jr. Public Boat Landing on the Pinckney Island side of Hilton Head and cross to Melrose Landing on Daufuskie.
The schedule is the same every day of the week. From Hilton Head the boats leave at 7:00 am, 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm. From Daufuskie they leave at 8:30 am, 11:30 am, 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm. The operator describes the ride as approximately one hour. That means a day trip works with the 7:00 or 10:00 am boat out and the 2:30 or 5:30 pm boat back; the last boat of the day from the island is 5:30 pm. The county guide notes that boats can be changed by weather or vessel conditions, and the county's February 2026 notice says runs are subject to the captain's discretion.
Seats are sold one way at a time on the operator's booking page, at $30.00 each at the last check, and you book the return sailing as a separate ticket. Children 5 and under ride free with a paying adult. Plan to be at the landing 45 minutes before departure; the gate closes five minutes before. Parking at the mainland landing is free, including overnight, and the county reports 175 spaces. Pets, wagons and anything beyond one carry-on and a personal item carry extra charges, and big loads go on a separate luggage barge.
Daufuskie residents and property owners with a county-approved QDR card from Palmetto Breeze pay lower fares. That card is not for visitors.
Two things to watch. Beaufort County's council voted in April 2026 to let the administrator negotiate moving the embarkation point during the Highway 278 bridge project, and no replacement landing or date has been published that we could find. The operator's pages still name the C.C. Haigh landing. On the island, the operator's visitor guide says you need a rented golf cart or pre-arranged ground transport from the drop-off.
- 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
From Hilton Head (C.C. Haigh, Jr. Landing) the boats leave at 7:00 am, 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm. From Daufuskie (Melrose Landing) they leave at 8:30 am, 11:30 am, 2:30 pm and 5:30 pm. Lowcountry Ferry lists the same times Sunday through Saturday.
The operator's booking page lists each sailing at $30.00 per seat, one way. A round trip is two separate bookings. Children 5 and under ride free with a paying adult. Residents and property owners with a county QDR card pay a lower rate.
Lowcountry Ferry's resident FAQ says the ride takes approximately one hour. The booking page also shows each sailing as a one-hour slot.
Yes. The operator says reservations are made online before travel, and the booking calendar shows how many seats remain on each sailing. Book for everyone in your party, because each rider needs a seat.
At the C.C. Haigh, Jr. Public Boat Landing on Pinckney Island. The operator and the county both say parking is free, overnight included, and the county guide counts 175 spaces. Leave valuables out of the car, as neither the county nor the operator accepts liability for vehicles.
No vehicle service is described by the operator or the county: this is a passenger ferry with a separate luggage barge. Once there, the operator's guide says you need a rented golf cart or arranged ground transport from the landing.
Dogs must stay outside the passenger cabin on a leash. Every ticket covers one carry-on up to 50 lb and one personal item; extra cargo starts at $25 for items under 50 lb and $50 for 50 to 100 lb. The visitor FAQ says $25 per pet while the county guide says $10, so confirm when booking.
The schedule shows no seasonal change. Beaufort County's February 2026 notice says runs are subject to the captain's discretion for safety, so a sailing can be changed for weather. Call 843-422-1597 (phone hours 6:30 am to 5:30 pm) to check.