Weekday timetable (Monday-Friday), Sept. 8-Dec. 31, 2026 -- currently in force and checked live on Sept. 18, 2026
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~35 min
Operator
NCDOT Ferry Division
Map – Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Pedestrian, one way | $1.00 |
| Bicycle rider, one way | $2.00 |
| Motorcycle, one way | $3.00 |
| Scooter, one way | $3.00 |
| Golf cart or ATV, one way | $3.00 |
| 3-wheel motorcycle, one way | $3.00 |
| Motorcycle with sidecar or trailer, one way | $7.00 |
| Vehicle or combination under 20 feet, one way | $7.00 |
| Vehicle or combination 20 to 40 feet, one way | $14.00 |
| Vehicle or combination 40 to 65 feet, one way | $28.00 |
Southport-Fort Fisher is one of only a few North Carolina ferry routes that charges a toll; NCDOT's other routes in this research batch (Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach, Bayview-Aurora) are currently free but are due to gain their own tolls on Jan. 1, 2027 under a state legislative mandate, which does not change anything here since this crossing has been tolled for years. All fares below are one way; cash, debit and credit cards are accepted at the terminal tollbooth, and NCDOT also allows purchasing online or by calling 1-800-BY-FERRY. All fares in US dollars (USD).
The Southport-Fort Fisher ferry is a car ferry that NCDOT's Ferry Division runs across the mouth of the Cape Fear River in southeastern North Carolina, connecting the historic port town of Southport in Brunswick County with the Fort Fisher peninsula in New Hanover County, just south of Kure Beach. The 35-minute crossing is one of the state ferry system's most scenic, passing tankers and container ships headed for the Port of Wilmington, and it lands passengers within walking distance of the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher and the Fort Fisher State Historic Site, a Civil War-era earthwork fort, making the route as much a sightseeing trip as a shortcut around the river.
Unlike most of NCDOT's regular ferry routes, which are free, Southport-Fort Fisher charges a toll and has for years. That means it is unaffected by the state legislature's mandate requiring NCDOT to start charging tolls on its remaining free routes -- including Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach, Bayview-Aurora, Currituck-Knotts Island and Hatteras-Ocracoke -- by Jan. 1, 2027. Fares here are charged one way and scale by vehicle type, from $1 for a walk-on passenger up to $28 for the longest vehicle combinations; cash, debit and credit cards are all accepted at the terminal tollbooth.
Boarding is first-come, first-served. NCDOT does not take reservations on this route, unlike the Cedar Island-Ocracoke and Swan Quarter-Ocracoke crossings further up the coast. The weekday timetable shifts across three date ranges through the year -- a winter pattern, a longer spring-and-summer pattern with two extra midday round trips, and the fall/holiday pattern now in force since Sept. 8, 2026 -- while the Saturday-Sunday timetable runs the same 14-round-trip pattern all year regardless of season.
One distinction matters for visitors driving into Southport: this NCDOT car ferry is not the Bald Head Island passenger ferry. That separate service is privately run by Bald Head Island Limited, carries no vehicles, and departs from Deep Point Marina, its own terminal a short distance up the same road, just before the NCDOT landing.
- 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
One-way tolls start at $1 for a pedestrian and $2 for a bicycle rider, and run $3 for a motorcycle, scooter, golf cart or ATV, $7 for a vehicle under 20 feet, $14 for a vehicle 20 to 40 feet, and $28 for a vehicle 40 to 65 feet.
NCDOT lists the crossing of the Cape Fear River at 35 minutes.
No. The Southport-Fort Fisher ferry is a state-run NCDOT car ferry. The Bald Head Island ferry is a separate, privately operated passenger-only service run by Bald Head Island Limited that departs from Deep Point Marina, its own terminal on the same road in Southport, just before the NCDOT landing.
No. NCDOT only takes reservations on the Cedar Island-Ocracoke and Swan Quarter-Ocracoke routes. Southport-Fort Fisher boards first-come, first-served.
Yes, on weekdays. NCDOT runs a Jan.-March timetable, a longer Mar. 31-Sept. 7 spring/summer timetable with two extra midday round trips, and a Sept. 8-Dec. 31 timetable that matches the winter pattern. The Saturday-Sunday timetable is the same 14 round trips year-round.
The Southport terminal is off Ferry Road SE (NC 211) in Southport, Brunswick County. The Fort Fisher terminal is on Fort Fisher Blvd S in Kure Beach, New Hanover County, near the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.
Yes. NCDOT accepts cash, debit and credit cards at the terminal tollbooth, and tickets can also be purchased online or by phone at 1-800-BY-FERRY.
Not for that reason. Southport-Fort Fisher has already charged a toll for years, so the Jan. 1, 2027 mandate -- which brings tolls to currently free NCDOT routes like Cherry Branch-Minnesott Beach -- does not apply here. NCDOT had not announced a separate fare change for this route as of this research date.