Summer schedule, daily, effective Mar. 9-Oct. 31, 2026; Fall schedule Nov. 1-Dec. 31, 2026; Winter schedule Jan. 1-Mar. 14, 2027 (Sundays have four round trips). Nothing is published after Mar. 14, 2027. Rechecked Oct. 16, 2026.
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~75 min
Operator
Maine State Ferry Service
Map – Rockland – Vinalhaven Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult passenger, round trip (off-peak season, Oct 1 - May 31) | $15.75 |
| Adult passenger, round trip (peak season, Jun 1 - Sep 30) | $23.00 |
| Minor passenger 6-17, round trip (peak season) | $15.00 |
| Minor passenger 6-17, round trip (off-peak season) | $8.00 |
| Child 0-5, round trip (both seasons) | Free |
| Commuter round-trip ticket (peak season) | $92.00 |
| Commuter round-trip ticket (off-peak season) | $63.00 |
| Standard vehicle, round trip (peak season) | $55.00 |
| Standard vehicle, round trip (off-peak season) | $41.50 |
| Motorcycle incl. rider, round trip (peak season) | $42.50 |
| Motorcycle incl. rider, round trip (off-peak season) | $32.00 |
| Truck, per foot of length, round trip (peak season) | $7.00 |
| Truck, per foot of length, round trip (off-peak season) | $6.00 |
| Vehicle reservation fee (per vehicle, non-refundable) | $17.00 |
| Adult bicycle incl. passenger ticket, round trip (peak season) | $29.75 |
| Adult bicycle incl. passenger ticket, round trip (off-peak season) | $22.75 |
| Minor bicycle incl. passenger ticket, round trip (peak season) | $21.75 |
| Minor bicycle incl. passenger ticket, round trip (off-peak season) | $14.75 |
Maine State Ferry Service sells round-trip tickets only; there are no one-way fares and tickets do not expire. Passenger, commuter and bicycle tickets can be bought online through the MaineDOT ferry webstore. Vehicle reservations and truck tickets must be booked by phone or in person at the Rockland or Vinalhaven terminal. Fares are split into a lower Off-Peak season (October 1 - May 31) and a Peak season (June 1 - September 30) under Tariff 11, effective June 1, 2025. MaineDOT's fares page, rechecked Oct. 16, 2026, still lists the same Tariff 11 rates; Off-Peak rates apply from October 1 and Peak rates return on June 1 under the published season windows. All fares in US dollars (USD).
The Maine State Ferry Service, run by the Maine Department of Transportation, operates the Rockland-Vinalhaven route from its Rockland terminal. The crossing covers about 15 miles of Penobscot Bay and takes roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes each way, with six round trips a day on most days of the year.
MaineDOT prints three timetables for the route: a Summer schedule through October 31, 2026; a Fall schedule from November 1 through December 31, 2026, in which the afternoon sailings move to 12:00, 1:30 and 3:15; and a Winter schedule from January 1 through March 14, 2027, which keeps six round trips Monday through Saturday and cuts Sunday to four. Nothing later is published yet. Thanksgiving runs only the 7:00 and 8:45 sailings, there is no service on Christmas Day, and New Year's Day has a reduced holiday timetable.
All tickets are round trip only; there is no one-way fare, and unused tickets do not expire. Passenger, commuter and bicycle tickets can be bought online in advance, but a ticket alone does not guarantee a seat on a specific sailing unless it is tied to a reservation.
Vehicles are the real logistics challenge on this route. Reservations open one month before the travel date and can be made by phone starting at 9:30 am or in person at the Rockland terminal starting at 7:00 am for Vinalhaven sailings; they go off sale two hours before departure and carry a non-refundable $17 reservation fee on top of the vehicle fare. Anyone without a reservation who wants to bring a vehicle back from Vinalhaven must call the island terminal at 5:30 am the day before travel to get a line number; non-reserved vehicles otherwise queue on a strict first-come, first-served basis and boarding order is only confirmed once loading starts.
Fares follow a lower off-peak season (October 1 - May 31) and a peak season (June 1 - September 30). A round-trip adult passenger ticket is $15.75 off-peak and $23.00 in peak season; a standard vehicle round trip is $41.50 off-peak and $55.00 peak. Bicycles, motorcycles and trucks (charged per foot) have their own published rates.
- 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
About 1 hour and 15 minutes each way, covering roughly 15 miles across Penobscot Bay.
An adult passenger round-trip ticket is $15.75 during the off-peak season (October 1 - May 31) and $23.00 during the peak season (June 1 - September 30). Only round-trip tickets are sold, and they don't expire.
Reservations are strongly recommended and open one month before your travel date (by phone at 9:30 am or in person at the Rockland terminal from 7:00 am for Vinalhaven), closing 2 hours before departure. A vehicle reservation costs $17.00 on top of the vehicle fare and is non-refundable.
You can try the first-come, first-served line, but boarding isn't guaranteed until loading starts. If you're bringing a non-reserved vehicle back from Vinalhaven, you must call the island terminal at 207-596-5450 at 5:30 am the day before to get a line number.
A standard vehicle round trip is $41.50 in the off-peak season (October 1 - May 31) and $55.00 in peak season, plus the $17.00 reservation fee if booked ahead. Vehicles over 20 feet and trucks are charged per foot instead of the flat rate ($6.00/ft off-peak, $7.00/ft peak).
Yes. An adult bicycle round trip, which includes the passenger ticket, is $22.75 off-peak (October 1 - May 31) and $29.75 in peak season.
Fall (Nov. 1-Dec. 31, 2026): daily from both Rockland and Vinalhaven at 7:00 am, 8:45 am, 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm and 3:15 pm. Winter (Jan. 1-Mar. 14, 2027): the same six sailings Monday-Saturday, and four on Sunday at 7:00 am, 8:45 am, 1:30 pm and 3:15 pm. The ferry runs year-round, but MaineDOT has not published times after Mar. 14, 2027.
The mainland terminal is at 517A Main Street (Route 1) in Rockland, ME; the island terminal is at 79 Sands Road in Vinalhaven, ME.