Continuous, unscheduled service, confirmed live on Sept. 18, 2026 -- there is no departure timetable to publish · 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
Crossing time
~10 min
Operator
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Corpus Christi District
Map – Port Aransas Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| All passengers and vehicles, one way | Free |
The Port Aransas ferry is a free crossing on the Texas state highway system -- SH 361 continues directly onto the ferry landing on both sides -- with no toll, fare or ticket of any kind for passengers, drivers or vehicles.
The Port Aransas ferry is a free, state-run crossing that carries SH 361 across the narrow Corpus Christi Ship Channel between the mainland side near Harbor Island and Port Aransas on Mustang Island, on the Texas Gulf Coast. TxDOT's Corpus Christi District runs it as a floating extension of the highway rather than a scheduled boat line: there is no timetable, no ticket and no fare. Drivers simply queue at whichever landing they're leaving from and board the next available boat.
The quarter-mile crossing typically takes under 10 minutes, though TxDOT itself warns that peak summer beach traffic can push waits well beyond that. To keep up with demand, the agency runs a variable fleet -- by its own description, 'between two and six ferries' work the route at once, with more vessels added as traffic builds through the day and fewer running overnight. Each boat holds up to 20 standard passenger vehicles, and combination vehicles (like a truck towing a boat) are capped at 80 feet long, 13 feet wide and 13 feet 6 inches tall, with axle weight limits enforced the same as on any Texas highway.
Because wait time, not departure time, is what actually matters on this route, TxDOT publishes it live rather than as a printed schedule. Electronic highway signs along SH 361 display the current wait in minutes toward each shore, and the same information feeds TxDOT's Corpus Christi traffic-camera and message-sign map online; the agency also runs public ferry webcams and posts updates through the @PortA_Ferry account on X. Together with the Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry further up the coast, the Port Aransas route is one of two ferries TxDOT operates as ordinary highway infrastructure, carrying a combined total of more than eight million passengers a year between them.
Service runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, weather permitting -- there is no winter closure or reduced season, though high winds, fog or rough water can pause crossings without notice, which is another reason to check the live wait-time signs or webcams before heading out rather than relying on a fixed schedule.
- 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
It varies by time of day and TxDOT does not publish a single typical figure. Check the live wait time in minutes on TxDOT's electronic highway signs along SH 361 (also viewable on TxDOT's Corpus Christi ITS traffic map online), the public ferry webcams, or the @PortA_Ferry account on X before you head out.
It's free. There is no fare, toll or ticket for passengers or vehicles -- the ferry is a free continuation of SH 361 across the ship channel, run by TxDOT.
24 hours a day, 365 days a year, weather permitting. There is no published departure schedule because boats run continuously rather than at set times.
TxDOT says the quarter-mile crossing typically takes less than 10 minutes, though peak summer traffic can add significant wait time before boarding.
Each vessel carries up to 20 standard passenger vehicles. Oversize and combination vehicles are capped at 80 feet long, 13 feet wide and 13 feet 6 inches tall, with the same axle weight limits as on any Texas highway.
No. There is no reservation system. Drivers line up at the landing and board the next available boat, in the order they arrive.
One landing sits on SH 361 on the mainland side near Harbor Island, across from the city of Aransas Pass; the other is on SH 361 on Mustang Island in Port Aransas. Both sides are in Nueces County.
Yes. TxDOT operates it 'weather permitting,' meaning high winds, fog or rough water in the ship channel can pause crossings without advance notice. Check the live wait-time signs, webcams or @PortA_Ferry feed for current conditions.