Seastreak ferry from New Bedford (50 min, $49) and NYC ($250 weekend) to Martha's Vineyard. 2026 fares, schedule, parking, and SSA comparison.
Seastreak is the only ferry sailing directly from the New York City metro area to Martha's Vineyard — skip the 5-hour drive to Cape Cod entirely. Two routes: a fast 50-minute catamaran from New Bedford (April–October), and a seasonal ~5-hour weekend voyage from Manhattan and NJ (8 weekends only). Here's everything for 2026.
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50 minutes through Buzzards Bay's protected waters — one of the smoothest ferry rides in the Northeast. Runs April 16–October 12, 2026. Peak summer: up to 7 departures daily (earliest 7:50 AM, last 6:30 PM). Shoulder season: 2 round-trips at 8:45 AM and 2:00 PM. Terminal: 49 State Pier, New Bedford, MA 02740 — roughly 3 hours from NYC, completely bypassing Cape Cod. Docks at Vineyard Haven in spring, Oak Bluffs from mid-May onward.
~4.5–5 hours from Manhattan. Departs Highlands, NJ at 12:00 PM → picks up at East 35th Street, Manhattan at 1:30 PM → arrives Oak Bluffs ~6:00 PM. Returns leave OB at 3:00 PM. Only 8 select weekends in 2026: May 22, June 26, July 3, July 24, July 31, Aug 7, Aug 14, Sep 4. This is a premium, car-free weekend getaway — not a day trip. Take motion sickness medication for the open-ocean stretch beyond Long Island Sound.
| Ticket | Price |
| Adult one-way | $49 |
| Adult round-trip | $84 |
| Same-day round-trip | $55 |
| Child (3–12) one-way | $29 |
| Bike one-way | $9 |
| 10-Trip Pass | $370 |
Island residents and active military: $37 one-way / $74 RT (must show ID, in-person purchase). Peak summer surcharge: $5 extra on select morning departures Fri–Sun, June 26–Sep 6.
Adult round-trip: $250 ($175 one-way). Holiday weekends: $320. Children: $145 round-trip (holiday: same as adult). Bikes: $20 one-way.
Highlands, NJ: Free daytime parking. Overnight $10/night (main lot) or $5/night (overflow). Best deal of all terminals.
New Bedford: On-site valet $30/day ($40 holidays). Off-site Whale's Tooth Lot ~$15/day + $5 shuttle. Third option at 180 MacArthur Dr with free shuttle.
Manhattan (E. 35th St): No dedicated parking. Take the 4/5/6 subway to 33rd St (2 blocks). Garage rates $30–60+/day.
One free carry-on + one personal item per passenger. Extra bags: $7.50 each way from New Bedford. Surfboards $15/$30, kayaks $25/$50 from New Bedford. E-bikes cost double regular bike rates. Soft coolers and lunch bags fine — hard coolers prohibited (tripping hazard). Beach wagons: $50 one-way surcharge.
High-speed double-hulled catamarans (up to 38 knots / 44 mph), 149–600 passengers across 2–3 decks. First-come seating — second deck recommended for best views and minimal vibration. Larger vessels have a fully outdoor third deck — the place to be on sunny crossings.
The New Bedford crossing is smooth (protected waters). The NYC route can get rough in open ocean — take motion sickness medication 1 hour before departure.
| Seastreak (New Bedford) | SSA (Woods Hole) | |
| Adult RT | $84 | $22 |
| Crossing time | 50 min | 45 min |
| Cars | No | Yes ($127–168) |
| Peak daily trips | 7 | 22 |
| Cape Cod traffic | Bypassed | Must cross |
| Season | Apr–Oct | Year-round |
Bottom line: SSA is cheaper and carries cars. Seastreak bypasses Cape Cod — the smartest choice for anyone coming from south or west of Boston. Family math: Family of 4 pays ~$67 round-trip on SSA vs $278 on Seastreak from New Bedford vs $790 on the NYC route. If you need a car on the island, SSA is your only option — though renting on-island near the ferry dock is popular. For NYC travelers without a car: drive to New Bedford ($49 ferry + ~$15 parking) beats fighting Cape traffic to Woods Hole.
Seastreak runs a New Bedford–Nantucket route (~90 min) and a limited spring Martha's Vineyard–Nantucket service (~1 hour, April 16–May 21, 2026). No through-tickets combining NYC and inter-island routes.
Book at seastreak.com or 1-800-BOATRIDE. Tickets are non-refundable. Optional Trip Protection ($5–10) allows refund if canceled 2+ hours before departure. Without it, exchanges cost $5–10. Digital tickets stored in phone wallet (new 2025 system). Arrive 45–60 minutes early — boarding starts 40 min prior, unclaimed seats released 3–5 min before sailing. NYC/NJ weekends can sell out — book early.
For the complete ferry guide covering all routes including SSA and Island Queen, or planning a day trip itinerary and getting from Boston/NYC.
📅 Island Tip of the Day — Seasonal
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