Martha's Vineyard Without a Car: The Complete Guide (2026)

A lot of first-time visitors figure this out in the ferry reservation queue, looking at a car ticket that costs more than their hotel room: you probably don't need your car on Martha's Vineyard, and the trip is often easier without it. If you decide you do want wheels for a day or two, our rental guide covers the agencies, prices and the new moped rules.

New for 2026: our How to Get There by Bus page gives you the exact route, minute and transfer for every big trip, from any town.

Filmed May 2022The island moves on: shops, signs and prices may differ from what you see here. The text of this guide was checked October 2026.

Without a car you pay $22 for a round-trip ferry instead of $150+, walk off the boat in 45 minutes with no wait in a staging lot, and skip the parking hunt in Edgartown on a July Saturday, which can eat a whole afternoon. In 2026 the island buses are also free to ride, so going car-free is easier than it has ever been.

Getting to Martha's Vineyard without a car

The Steamship Authority (Woods Hole)

The main ferry is the Steamship Authority from Woods Hole on Cape Cod to Vineyard Haven, a 45-minute crossing that runs every day, year-round (holiday schedules apply, and weather can cancel; the reservation office, not the boats, closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day). It's the most reliable option and a good default.

In 2026, a passenger-only ticket costs $11 one-way or $22 round-trip for adults. Children ages 5–12 pay $5.75 one-way. Kids under 5 ride free. If you bring a bicycle, that's an additional $5.25 each way.

Walk-on passengers don't need a reservation. Vehicle reservations are required and can sell out months in advance, but foot passengers just buy a ticket online or in the SSA app, scan it at the gate, and board (the ticket office is there for cash and questions). The SSA suggests walk-on passengers arrive 30 minutes before departure, and 45 minutes to an hour in summer, because popular trips can fill up on busy weekends and holidays.

From spring to fall the Steamship Authority also lands in Oak Bluffs. In 2026 the summer schedule began May 14, and the fall schedule keeps four Oak Bluffs round trips a day through October 22. From October 23 every SSA boat runs between Woods Hole and Vineyard Haven, 14 crossings each way a day on the schedule posted through January 5, 2027, and the island buses leave from right outside the Vineyard Haven terminal.

Getting to Woods Hole from Boston without a car is easy: Peter Pan and Plymouth & Brockton both run buses from Boston's South Station and Logan Airport to the Woods Hole ferry terminal. The Steamship Authority lists both under travel connections at steamshipauthority.com and points out that bus-to-boat connections are not guaranteed, so a little slack between the two makes the day calmer. Our Boston to Martha's Vineyard guide compares every route.

Hy-Line Cruises (Hyannis)

If you're coming from the mid-Cape, Hy-Line Cruises runs a passenger-only ferry from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs. Adult fares were $41 one-way, $78 round-trip for most of 2026, and $42 and $80 from October 2, when Hy-Line raised the fuel surcharge built into the fare to $3. The high-speed crossing takes about an hour, and Hyannis is handy if you're already in that part of Cape Cod.

Hy-Line is seasonal (it sails to the Vineyard May through October, in its own words), so check their schedule for your dates at hylinecruises.com.

Vineyard Fast Ferry (Rhode Island)

Coming from Providence, Newport, or anywhere south of Cape Cod? The Vineyard Fast Ferry departs from North Kingstown, Rhode Island and lands in Oak Bluffs. It's the priciest option, $75 one-way ($85 on peak days) plus a fuel surcharge, but it skips the Cape Cod traffic entirely. Its 2026 season ended on September 27, so look for next year's dates at fastferry.com.

SeaStreak (New York/New Jersey)

From the New York area, SeaStreak connects Highlands, New Jersey and East 35th Street in Manhattan to Oak Bluffs on select summer weekends (eight in 2026, all finished for this year). Round-trip adult fares run around $250 ($320 on holiday weekends). That's not cheap, but it spares New Yorkers a 5-hour drive to Cape Cod. SeaStreak also runs a seasonal boat from New Bedford; in 2026 its regular season ran through October 12, landing in Vineyard Haven from September 20, and it sails to Vineyard Haven again for Thanksgiving, November 25 to 29.

Getting around once you're on the island

The VTA bus, free to ride

The VTA’s live map at vta.mytransitride.com shows where every bus on the island is and when it will reach your stop. It is a plain website, so it works on any phone; bookmark it if you will ride more than once, because the printed timetable does not know a boat came in late. Seasonal workers get their own version of all this in our summer staff guide.

The Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) runs bus routes connecting all six island towns, from the Gay Head Lighthouse in Aquinnah to downtown Edgartown. The one place it does not go is Chappaquiddick (more on that below).

The big change of 2025 and 2026 is that every ride is free.

The fare-free program launched in late 2024, funded by Massachusetts' Fair Share Amendment, a millionaire's tax that voters approved to fund education and transportation. It ran through all of summer 2025, when ridership topped 10,000 rides a day in August. The state FY27 budget keeps the buses fare-free through June 30, 2027, so 2026 was the second free summer in a row.

Before your trip, vineyardtransit.com/fares-passes has the current word. If the free program has ended by the time you visit, regular fares come back and the routes stay the same.

The summer 2026 timetable ran April 10 through October 3. The off-season timetable runs October 4, 2026 to April 15, 2027 (the VTA's printed route map, PDF), and fares stay free through June 30, 2027. In summer the main corridor between Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven runs every 15 to 30 minutes; off season, Routes 1 and 13 still come every 30 minutes for most of the day, while the buses to Aquinnah and Menemsha run every two hours. If you're visiting after the summer rush, our after-Labor-Day guide covers what changes. Most VTA buses also carry a front rack for two or three bikes, first come, first served, so you can bring your rental bike on the bus when you've had enough pedaling.

Buses stop at both ferry terminals (Vineyard Haven SSA and Oak Bluffs SSA), so you can step off the boat and onto a bus.

The fleet is mostly electric now: 28 electric buses and three electric minibuses, about three quarters of all its buses, according to the VTA's annual report for fiscal 2025.

Biking, our favorite way to see the island

If the weather is good and you're comfortable on a bike, a rental is worth it. Martha's Vineyard has a well-developed network of bike paths and quiet roads, and the eastern part of the island, the triangle of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven, has a shared-use path along Beach Road and a separate path to Edgartown. Most of the main tourist circuit is on fairly flat, low-traffic roads.

For rides the bus does not cover, our Uber, Lyft and taxi guide explains where the apps work and what the cabs charge, zone by zone.

Several long-running rental shops sit near the ferry terminals, and some deliver island-wide if you're staying farther out:

• Martha's Bike: near the Vineyard Haven SSA terminal, in operation since 1989; hybrids, beach bikes, kids bikes, trailers
• RW Cutler Bike Rentals: at 1 Main Street in Edgartown, established 1947, with island-wide delivery; road bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes; open daily April 1 to November 1
• Vineyard Bike Rental (508-693-0515): locations near all ferries, island-wide delivery, also rents electric bikes

Electric bikes are everywhere now, and the extra cost makes sense if you want to cover more ground (especially Up-Island to Aquinnah, which is hilly). For a standard daily pedal bike, budget around $25–40/day; e-bikes usually run $70–90/day. Rates vary by shop and season, and summer bikes are worth booking ahead.

The SSA also carries bikes as cargo for $5.25 each way if you want to bring your own from the mainland.

Taxis and rideshare

Uber and Lyft operate on Martha's Vineyard, but availability is inconsistent, particularly Up-Island (Chilmark, Aquinnah, West Tisbury) and during busy weekend evenings when drivers are limited. In Down-Island (Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, Edgartown), rideshare works reasonably well during the day, but for the evening it's safer to have a backup than to count on it.

Taxis are more reliable for trips you can plan ahead. Several dispatchers serve the island, and the place you're staying can usually recommend the ones they trust. For airport pickups or late-night returns, booking ahead is the easy plan. At the airport, cabs wait at the curb in front of Gate 4, and off season a booking ahead matters even more, because app drivers get scarce once the summer crowd leaves.

Renting a car on the island

If you need a car for a specific day but don't want to pay the ferry surcharge for the whole trip, Avis, Budget and Hertz rent cars at Martha's Vineyard Airport (71 Airport Road), and the airport suggests reserving in every season. Several local companies rent cars too. For summer it pays to book well ahead, because island rentals sell out early.

Town by town: what you can and can't reach car-free

Vineyard Haven (Tisbury): Very walkable from the SSA ferry terminal. Five Corners is about three minutes on foot and Main Street about five. The Black Dog is right at the harbor.

Oak Bluffs: Very walkable. Ferries land steps from Circuit Avenue, the Campground Gingerbread Houses, Ocean Park, and the Flying Horses Carousel (the oldest operating platform carousel in the US, built in 1876). Everything a first-time visitor wants to see is within a pleasant 15-minute walk of the boat. From October 23, when every Steamship boat lands in Vineyard Haven, Route 13 brings you over in about 15 minutes.

Edgartown: About 20 minutes by bus from the Vineyard Haven ferry (Route 1) and 15 from Oak Bluffs (Route 13), or a 6-mile bike ride along the paved path on Beach Road with ocean on both sides. The town itself is completely walkable: compact historic district, whale captain houses, harbor lighthouse, Main Street shops and restaurants.

West Tisbury: Reached by VTA. The Farmers Market (Saturdays June through October, plus Wednesday mornings in high summer) and Alley's General Store are the reason to go. Not pedestrian-friendly once you're there without a vehicle, but the bus gets you to the main points.

Chilmark and Menemsha: Chilmark rides VTA Route 5 along South Road and Route 4 along North Road; Menemsha is a Route 4 stop (plus the seasonal sunset bus). Both connect through West Tisbury Town Hall. Menemsha village is small enough to walk entirely once you're there: Larsen's Fish Market Temporarily closed Closed for the season until May 2027, per its own site, the harbor, the sunset spot.

Aquinnah: The VTA does reach Aquinnah. It's a hilly route and the bus isn't as frequent as Down-Island, but the cliffs and Moshup Beach are accessible without a car. The Gay Head Lighthouse, moved back from the eroding cliff edge in 2015, is right there. It's worth planning the day around the bus: from October 4 to April 15 there are six buses a day each way, and the last one leaves the lighthouse at 6:05 PM. From late October until the clocks change in mid-March, the sun sets before that bus leaves, so a cliffside sunset works without a car.

Chappaquiddick: This is the one exception. Chappaquiddick is technically part of Edgartown but sits across a narrow channel accessible by the Chappy ferry (the On Time), a small car-and-passenger ferry that shuttles back and forth across the channel from downtown Edgartown. It's $5 per person round-trip on foot; the ferry's own site lists cash fares and says it takes cash or an island check, no cards, so it helps to bring cash. Hours get shorter after the Derby: from October 18 the winter schedule runs 6:30 AM to 10 PM, then once more from 11:00 to 11:15 PM. The VTA does not serve Chappaquiddick. Once you're there, you need a bike or a vehicle to get far. It's doable on bikes (the main roads are manageable), but the distances are real.

Car-free from October to April

Going without a car after mid-October works well; it just runs on a different rhythm, with fewer boats, fewer up-island buses, quiet roads and room to spare on the bike paths.

• The Steamship Authority sails from Woods Hole all year. Its last Oak Bluffs boats of 2026 run on October 22; from October 23 every crossing lands in Vineyard Haven, where the buses leave from right outside the terminal. The seasonal boats wind down: the Island Queen and SeaStreak's New Bedford ferry finished their regular seasons on October 12 (SeaStreak comes back to Vineyard Haven for Thanksgiving, November 25 to 29), the Vineyard Fast Ferry finished on September 27, and Hy-Line runs through October 25.
• The VTA's off-season timetable runs October 4, 2026 to April 15, 2027, fare-free. Routes 1 and 13 link Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown every 30 minutes for most of the day, with the last buses around 10 to 11 PM. Buses to Aquinnah and Menemsha come every two hours: the last one leaves Menemsha at 5:01 PM and the Gay Head Lighthouse at 6:05 PM. On Sundays and holidays from December 27 to March 7 a few early and late trips do not run, and there is no service on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.
• The last ferry of the night reaches Vineyard Haven at 10:30 PM. Route 1 leaves for Edgartown at 10:40 PM, and on Fridays and Saturdays a 10:45 PM Route 13 runs to Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. Sunday to Thursday, the VTA lets Route 13 riders ask the 10:38 PM Park and Ride bus to carry on to Oak Bluffs.
• Several cab companies work year-round. All Island Taxi (508-693-2929) says it runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and Adam Cab (508-627-4462) is year-round too. In our experience Uber and Lyft drivers get scarce once the summer crowd leaves, so for the first boat, the airport or dinner up-island, a cab booked ahead is the easy plan.
• Bike rental shops are seasonal businesses. RW Cutler Bike Rentals in Edgartown posts daily hours from April 1 to November 1, so from November a quick call before you count on a rental saves a walk. Your own bike rides the Steamship for $5.25 each way, and the bus bike racks are there all year.

Our trip planner has a "Without a car" setting that leans toward places the bus and your feet can reach and gives transit directions, the cost calculator prices an off-season walk-on trip, and our winter guide, what's open year-round and the events calendar fill in the rest. It is a different island in the off-season, slower and quieter, and just as easy to enjoy without a car.

Where a car helps

Car-free works best for Down-Island visits focused on Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown. If your primary goal is hitting the Down-Island towns, eating at good restaurants, seeing the beaches within biking distance, and doing some walking, you do not need a car, and the trip is easier without one.

Where it gets harder: if you want to spend serious time Up-Island, particularly making multiple trips between Chilmark, Aquinnah, and West Tisbury at different times of day, the bus schedule can feel limiting. Families with very young children, or anyone planning beach-heavy days that require hauling a lot of gear, may be glad to have one.

Town parking is bad in summer. Even if you bring a car, you may end up parking at the Tisbury park-and-ride lot and taking the free shuttle bus anyway.

The busiest beach on the island, South Beach (Katama), sits 3 miles south of Edgartown. The VTA's Route 8 runs out there from Church Street, in summer and through the off-season too (four loops a day from October to April), and several bike rental shops will deliver bikes to Edgartown so you can ride down. It works, though on a crowded August afternoon the buses fill up and you may not leave exactly when you want.

The short version

In 2026, going car-free on Martha's Vineyard is easier than it has been in years. The ferry costs $22 round-trip for a walk-on passenger (buy it in the SSA app). The buses are free. Bike rental shops are steps from both ferry terminals. The three main Down-Island towns are all walkable once you get there.

On the Steamship Authority alone, leaving the car home saves $147 to $336 round trip in 2026, depending on the season and the day. You also skip the parking, the staging lots and the hour of traffic on a busy Friday afternoon. A lot of people bring the car out of habit.

Ferry schedules and prices can change. Confirm current SSA fares at steamshipauthority.com before booking. VTA buses are confirmed fare-free through June 30, 2027; verify at vineyardtransit.com if you're traveling after that.

Plan the whole trip, one step at a time

Step 1 · WhenMonth PickerTwelve months compared on NOAA numbers, crowds, prices and what is open. Step 2 · DaysDay-by-Day Trip PlannerMorning, afternoon and evening sketched for every day, events dropped in, emailed to you. Step 3 · CostTrip Cost CalculatorFerry, beds with the rooms tax, meals, getting around and activities in one price range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a car on Martha's Vineyard?

For a trip built around Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, no. All three are walkable, the VTA bus links them every 15 to 30 minutes in summer, and bike shops sit next to both ferry terminals. A car helps mainly for repeated up-island trips or beach days with a lot of gear.

How much is the ferry if I walk on?

The Steamship Authority from Woods Hole charges $11 one way or $22 round trip for adults in 2026, with kids 5 to 12 at $5.75 and under 5 free. Walk-on passengers need no reservation; buy online or in the SSA app and scan at the gate. Our ferry guide compares every route.

Is the island bus free?

Yes. Every VTA ride is fare-free through June 30, 2027, and buses stop at both the Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs ferry terminals. Routes and times are on our VTA schedule page; the live map at vta.mytransitride.com shows where each bus is right now.

Can I reach Menemsha and Aquinnah by bus?

Yes, with a change at West Tisbury Town Hall, often without leaving your seat because the same bus carries on under a new route number. Route 4 goes to Menemsha along North Road, and Route 5 runs to the Gay Head Lighthouse; in summer it leaves from the Grange Hall stop next door, and from October 4 to April 15 from Town Hall itself. Up-island buses run far less often than down-island: off season it is every two hours, with the last bus out of Menemsha at 5:01 PM and off the cliffs at 6:05 PM, so it pays to check the last bus back before you stay for sunset.

Can I bring a bike on the ferry and the bus?

The SSA carries bikes for $5.25 each way, no reservation needed. Most VTA buses have a front rack for two or three bikes, first come, first served; if the rack is full, the bike waits for the next bus. Rental shops near the terminals also deliver island-wide.

What about Chappaquiddick without a car?

The VTA does not serve Chappy. Walk onto the On-Time Ferry from Edgartown for $5 round trip, then plan on a bike, because the distances are real. See our Chappaquiddick guide before you go.

Can I visit Martha's Vineyard without a car in the off-season?

Yes. The Steamship Authority sails from Woods Hole all year, and from October 23 every boat lands in Vineyard Haven, right where the buses start. The VTA stays fare-free on its October 4 to April 15 timetable, with Routes 1 and 13 linking Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown every 30 minutes for most of the day. Aquinnah and Menemsha get a bus every two hours, so those days take a little planning.

How late do the buses run in the off-season?

Down-island, the last buses leave around 10 to 11 PM: Route 13 at 10:00 PM from Vineyard Haven and 10:25 PM from Edgartown, with later runs on Fridays and Saturdays, and Route 1 at 10:40 PM from Vineyard Haven. Up-island the day ends earlier, at 5:01 PM from Menemsha and 6:05 PM from the Gay Head Lighthouse. From December 27 to March 7 a few early and late trips skip Sundays and holidays, and there is no service on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.

Which ferries still run after mid-October?

The Steamship Authority from Woods Hole runs all year. In 2026 the Island Queen from Falmouth and SeaStreak's New Bedford boat finished their regular seasons on October 12, though SeaStreak sails New Bedford to Vineyard Haven again for Thanksgiving, November 25 to 29, the Vineyard Fast Ferry from Rhode Island ended its season on September 27, and Hy-Line runs its Hyannis boat May through October, with the last 2026 run on October 25. Our ferry guide has the details for each line.

Can I get a taxi or an Uber in the off-season?

Taxis, yes. Several island cab companies work year-round; All Island Taxi (508-693-2929) says it runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and at the airport cabs wait at the curb by Gate 4. In our experience Uber and Lyft get scarce once the summer crowd leaves, especially up-island and at night, so a cab booked ahead is the easy plan for an early boat or a late dinner. Our taxi guide lists the companies and their zone fares.

How do I get from the airport to town without a car?

The VTA stops at the airport. Routes 7 and 9 between them run hourly to Oak Bluffs (17 to 26 minutes), and Route 6 reaches Edgartown's Church Street in about 11 minutes, roughly every 90 minutes. There is no direct bus to Vineyard Haven; the airport suggests changing to Route 1 at the Roundabout, or you can ride on through Oak Bluffs and take Route 13. Taxis wait at Gate 4, and Avis, Budget and Hertz rent cars at the airport.

Are the buses and ferries wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The VTA says every fixed-route bus has a ramp or lift, a kneeler that lowers the bus, a securement area for wheelchairs and priority seating, and its door-to-door paratransit service, The Lift, is fare-free too. All five of the Steamship Authority's big ferries have elevators to every passenger deck; the SSA asks you to arrive 30 minutes early and let the terminal agent know. More in our accessibility guide.