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Half the pleasure of the crossing is the window seat: a coffee, the wake behind, the island growing ahead.
A boat ride on the Steamship Authority ferry to Martha's Vineyard: open water, the island coming into view, and what the crossing is like.
The Steamship Authority ferry from Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard is how most visitors reach the island, a 45-minute crossing through Vineyard Sound that runs 365 days a year. Here's everything you need to know for 2026.
Filmed May 2024The island moves on: shops, signs and prices may differ from what you see here. The text of this guide was checked September 2026.
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Passengers (one-way): Adult $11.00, Child (5–12) $5.75, Under 5 free. Bicycle $5.25. Round-trip is double.
Cars (one-way, car + driver, under 17ft): Off-season $73.50, Shoulder $115.50–$127.00, Peak Fri–Sun $168.00 (May 15–Sep 14). Approximately 5% increase from 2025.
Foot passengers: NO reservation needed. Buy at the terminal or via the eFerry app. Arrive 30 minutes early on busy weekends.
Cars: advance reservation REQUIRED. Summer reservations opened February 3, 2026 and sell out fast. No general standby. A wait list checks for cancellations automatically.
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Year-round: Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven (45 min, up to 14+ daily sailings).
Summer (May 14–Oct 22): Woods Hole to Oak Bluffs (also 45 min). Sailings alternate between VH and OB throughout the day, so check which one before boarding.
M/V Island Home (2007): ~1,200 passengers, 76 vehicles, elevator, snack bar, Wi-Fi. M/V Martha's Vineyard (1993): ~1,274 passengers. Larger vessels have a café with beer, wine, hot food, comfortable indoor seating, and outdoor deck.
No parking at the terminal. Use off-site lots with free shuttle buses: Palmer Avenue Lot (closest), Thomas B. Landers Lot, or Cataumet overflow lot. Daily rate $25 (April through October) or $20 (winter). All shuttles are wheelchair-accessible with bike racks. Parking info: (508) 457-PARK.
Pets ride free: leashed or in carrier, not in food areas. Major vessels are fully ADA accessible with elevators. Accessibility Pass available for discounted fares.
The new $37 million Woods Hole terminal building opened on June 25, 2026: geothermal heating, modern passenger building, elevator access.
For the complete guide to reaching Martha's Vineyard without a car, including bus connections from Boston, see our car-free travel guide. Once on-island, the VTA bus is fare-free through June 30, 2027.
Island tip of the day Food No. 19 of 86 New tip at midnight, island time
Espresso Love (17 Church St, Edgartown) opens at 7 AM daily. Excellent coffee, $5–12 for breakfast. One of the few places open early on the island.
The twelve things that catch first-timers on Martha's Vineyard, from car reservations and the two ferry terminals to resident-only beaches, the last bus from Aquinnah and cash for the Chappy Ferry, each with an easy fix, plus the fall and winter dates.
Parking for the Woods Hole ferry: there is none at the terminal, so here are the three Steamship Authority lots (Palmer Avenue, Thomas B. Landers, Cataumet), the 2026 rates ($25 a day April to October, $20 otherwise), the free shuttle timed to every sailing, when to arrive, the annual and off-season permits, the drop-off rule and the cheaper Island Queen lot in Falmouth Harbor.
How to get a Steamship Authority car reservation to Martha's Vineyard: the February opening and its virtual waiting room, the residents' head start, the five-reservation limit, the wait list that works, the 2026 fares ($127 midweek, $168 summer weekends), the free first change and the 14-day refund rule, no standby, and why most visitors should leave the car in Falmouth.
Providence and Rhode Island to Martha's Vineyard without crossing Cape Cod: the Seastreak from New Bedford (50 minutes, $84 round trip, 30 minutes from Providence) and the Vineyard Fast Ferry from Quonset Point (95 to 105 minutes, from $115, dogs ride free), both with $15 parking at the dock, plus Amtrak's connecting bus for a car-free trip. Which boat, when, and what it costs.
The Hy-Line ferry from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs: about an hour, $42 each way with the fuel surcharge, children and bike fares, the 2026 season, the Ocean Street terminal and its $10 to $30 lots and shuttle, the CapeFLYER and bus connections from Boston, and an honest comparison with the cheaper Island Queen and Steamship boats.
The Island Queen ferry from Falmouth to Oak Bluffs: 35 minutes, $30 round trip, its own $20 lot 200 yards from the dock, seven sailings a day in summer, the 2026 season (May 22 to October 12) and fall timetable, fares for children and bikes, why it beats the Steamship for Cape day trips, and its honest limits (no cars, no dogs).
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