EUPTA regular schedule, May 1-Jan. 16: island side on the hour and half-hour, mainland side at a quarter past and a quarter to the hour, from about 5 a.m. through the night. EUPTA's winter sheet (Jan. 17-Apr. 30, 2027) loads automatically on its start date. · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full schedule
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Operator
Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA)
Map – Sugar Island Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Walk-on passenger, round trip | $2.00 |
| Walk-on passenger, senior (65+) or disabled, round trip | $1.00 |
| Car, pickup or UTV with all passengers, round trip | $20.00 |
| Senior car, pickup or UTV, round trip | $10.00 |
| Truck, single axle or commercial delivery, round trip | $30.00 |
| Truck, tandem axle, round trip | $35.00 |
| Motor home, round trip | $35.00 |
| Pickup with camper, round trip | $30.00 |
| Trailer up to 15', round trip | $20.00 |
| Trailer over 15' to 25', round trip | $25.00 |
| Trailer over 25', round trip | $35.00 |
| Motorcycle, snowmobile or ATV, round trip | $10.00 |
| Regular gas, explosive or concrete truck, round trip | $70.00 |
| Semi gas or explosive truck, round trip | $140.00 |
| Special run (one way), plus the regular fare | $150.00 |
| House (one way, by appointment only) | $500.00 |
| 20-trip commuter punch card, car, pickup or UTV | $105.00 |
| 20-trip commuter punch card, senior car, pickup or UTV | $80.00 |
| 20-trip commuter punch card, single-axle truck or trailer 15' to 25' | $320.00 |
| 20-trip commuter punch card, tandem-axle truck or trailer over 25' (truck and trailer = 2 punches) | $550.00 |
EUPTA's Sugar Island sheet (printed 'Revised 10.01.2024', file dated Sept. 30, 2024) quotes round-trip fares: $20.00 for a car, pickup or UTV with all passengers, $10.00 for a senior car, $2.00 per walk-on and $1.00 for a senior or disabled walk-on. Seniors are 65 and over and must show ID; EUPTA's ticket page says disabled riders must give their information to the deckhand before paying or lose the discount. Special runs and houses are priced one way. Commuter cards are 20-trip punch cards that expire six months after purchase, cannot be transferred, and are valid at all EUPTA ferries; the online store lists the car card at $105.00, the senior card at $80.00, the truck card at $320.00 and the tandem card at $550.00, matching the sheet. EUPTA says the Sugar Island and Drummond Island ferries take credit and debit cards and that cashless is preferred. Mobile tickets are sold in the myEUPTA app; paper tickets bought online are mailed. All fares in US dollars (USD).
The Sugar Island Ferry connects Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, with Sugar Island in the St. Marys River. It is operated by the Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (EUPTA), the same agency that runs the Neebish Island and Drummond Island ferries, and EUPTA's ferry page says the Drummond and Sugar boats operate seven days a week through the full year.
The timetable is a rule rather than a list. EUPTA's May 1 to January 16 sheet says the ferry leaves Sugar Island on the hour and half-hour from 5:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m., then at 3:00 and 4:00 a.m., and leaves Sault Ste. Marie at a quarter past and a quarter to the hour from 5:15 a.m. until 2:15 a.m., then at 3:15 and 4:15 a.m. From January 17 to April 30 a separate winter sheet applies: Sunday-to-Thursday and Friday-and-Saturday tables, with hourly sailings after midnight (plus a 12:30 a.m. run on Friday and Saturday nights). EUPTA also says it may run extra trips to cut waiting when traffic builds.
Fares on EUPTA's rate sheet are round trips: $20.00 for a car, pickup or UTV with every passenger included, $10.00 for a senior car, $2.00 for a walk-on, and $1.00 for a senior or disabled walk-on. A 20-trip commuter card for a car is $105.00 and expires six months after purchase. The sheet carries a revision date of October 1, 2024, and EUPTA's online ticket store lists the same $105.00 card price on the date this page was checked. The sheet also lists a $150.00 special run on top of the regular fare, and $500.00 for a house moved one way by appointment.
The vessel situation matters this year. EUPTA's status page says the Sugar Islander II has been out of service since June 1, 2026, through the fall of 2026, and the Drummond Islander III is covering the Sugar route, so loading, crossing and unloading may take a few minutes longer than usual. The same page says Wednesdays are fuel days, with the truck arriving about 9:30 a.m. and fueling taking about 45 minutes. EUPTA takes credit and debit cards on the Sugar Island ferry, prefers cashless payment, sells mobile tickets in its myEUPTA app, and posts delays on its phone line, 906-632-1516, and on the Sugar Island Ferry Facebook page. In an emergency when the boat is not running, EUPTA says to call 911.
- 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
EUPTA's May 1-January 16 sheet says it leaves Sugar Island on the hour and half-hour and leaves Sault Ste. Marie at a quarter past and a quarter to the hour, from about 5 a.m. through about 2 a.m., with extra sailings at 3 and 4 a.m. That is roughly every 30 minutes from each side.
EUPTA's rate sheet lists round-trip fares: $20.00 for a car, pickup or UTV with all passengers, $10.00 for a senior car, $2.00 for a walk-on passenger and $1.00 for a senior or disabled walk-on. Larger vehicles and trailers cost $20.00 to $140.00 depending on type. The sheet is marked 'Revised 10.01.2024'.
Round trip. EUPTA's sheet says all rates reflect round trips except special runs and houses, so one payment covers the crossing out and back.
Yes. EUPTA posts a winter timetable for January 17 to April 30, with separate Sunday-Thursday and Friday-Saturday tables, including hourly sailings after midnight. EUPTA says delays and cancellations are posted on its phone line and Facebook page.
EUPTA's status page says the Sugar Islander II has been out of service since June 1, 2026, through the fall of 2026, and the Drummond Islander III has taken over regular service on this route. EUPTA warns that loading, crossing and unloading may take a few more minutes.
EUPTA says Wednesdays are fuel days, with the fuel truck arriving at about 9:30 a.m. and fueling taking about 45 minutes, every Wednesday until further notice. Its notice does not say whether sailings are held during fueling.
EUPTA says the Sugar Island and Drummond Island ferries take credit and debit cards and that cashless payment is preferred. It sells mobile tickets in the myEUPTA app for immediate use and mails paper tickets bought on its website; paper tickets cannot be scanned from a phone.
EUPTA's delays and cancellations phone line is 906-632-1516; its current status page says to press 2 for the Sugar Island Ferry, although the older rate sheet says option 1. The Sugar Island Ferry Facebook page is also named for updates, and EUPTA says to dial 911 in an emergency when the ferry is not running.