Longest ferry rides in the USA (2024)

April 4, 2023April 3, 2023

Ferry travel is an often underrated way of seeing the natural beauty of the United States. From the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast, there are ferry rides that offer unique and stunning views of the country’s landscapes.

Some are short, like the J-Mack cable ferry, which only travels about 400 feet and takes 3 minutes to cross. Other routes are longer, like Vallejo ferry, which takes 60 minutes, or 75 minutes if departing from Mare Island. Finally, there are some routes which take a day or more to complete the journey.

In this article, we’ll cover some of the longest ferry rides in the United States of America. Whether you’re traveling up the Inside Passage or down the Atlantic Coast, these ferry rides have one thing in common – they are long.

What is the longest ferry ride in the USA?

The Bellingham-Ketchikan ferry route is the longest ferry ride in the USA. It is over 2,200 miles long and takes 38 hours to complete. It is operated by the Alaskan Marine Highway System and connects the cities of Bellingham, WA and Ketchikan, a city located on the Inside Passage in Alaska.

Longest ferry rides in USA

The following table lists the longest ferry rides in the United States of Americas. It is based on data from the National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO).^[1]

Route	Average Trip Duration	Terminals		Operator
Bellingham-Ketchikan	38 hours	Bellingham, WA	Ketchikan, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Yakutat-Whittier	22 hours	Yakutat, AK	Whittier, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Ketchikan-Juneau	20 hours	Ketchikan, AK	Juneau, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Kodiak-Chignik	18 hours and 45 minutes	Kodiak, AK	Chignik, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Juneau-Yakutat	17 hours	Juneau, AK	Yakutat, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Chenega Bay-Kodiak	14 hours	Chenega Bay, AK	Kodiak, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
False Pass-Akutan	10 hours and 30 minutes	False Pass, AK	Akutan, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Juneau-Sitka	9 hours and 30 minutes	Juneau, AK	Sitka, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Chignik-Sand Point	9 hours and 25 minutes	Chignik, AK	Sand Point, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Homer-Kodiak	9 hours	Homer, AK	Kodiak, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Petersburg-Juneau	8 hours	Petersburg, AK	Juneau, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Prince Rupert-Ketchikan	7 hours	Prince Rupert, AK	Ketchikan, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Grand Portage-Isle Royale	7 hours	Grand Portage, MN	Rock Harbor, MI	Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transportation Line, Inc.
Sand Point-King Cove	6 hours and 45 minutes	Sand Point, AK	King Cove, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Whittier-Cordova	6 hours and 45 minutes	Whittier, AK	Cordova, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Ketchikan-Wrangell	6 hours	Ketchikan, AK	Wrangell, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Whittier-Valdez	5 hours and 45 minutes	Whittier, AK	Valdez, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Martha’s Vineyard Ferry	5 hours	Highlands, NJ and New York, NY	Oak Bluffs, MA	SeaStreak, LLC
Whittier-Chinega Bay	4 hours and 30 minutes	Whittier, AK	Chinega Bay, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Juneau-Haines	4 hours and 30 minutes	Juneau, AK	Haines, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Cold Bay-False Pass	4 hours and 25 minutes	Cold Bay, AK	False Pass, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Lake Michigan Car Ferry	4 hours	Ludington, MI	Manitowoc, WI	Interlake Maritime Services
Akutan-Dutch Harbor	3 hours and 30 minutes	Akutan, AK	Dutch Harbor, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Wrangell-Petersburg	3 hours and 30 minutes	Wrangell, AK	Petersburg, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Juneau-Hoonah	3 hours and 30 minutes	Juneau, AK	Hoonah, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
CAT Ferry	3 hours and 30 minutes	Bar Harbor, ME	Yarmouth, NS	Bay Ferries Limited and Northumberland Ferries Limited
Ventura Harbor-San Miguel Island	3 hours	Ventura, CA	San Miguel Island in Channel Islands National Park	Island Packers Corp.
Seattle-Victoria, B.C.	2 hours and 45 minutes	Pier 69, Seattle, WA	Victoria, B.C.	Clipper Vacations
Ocraco*ke-Swan Quarter	2 hours and 40 minutes	Ocraco*ke, NC	Swan Quarter, NC	NCDOT
Lake Express Ferry	2 hours and 30 minutes	Milwaukee, WI	Muskegon, MI	Lake Express, LLC
Key West-Dry Tortugas	2 hours and 30 minutes	Key West, FL	Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park	Yankee Freedom III, LLC
Ocraco*ke-Cedar Island	2 hours and 15 minutes	Ocraco*ke, NC	Cedar Island, NC	NCDOT
Rockland-Matinicus Island	2 hours and 15 minutes	Rockland, ME	Matinicus Island, ME	MaineDOT
Hyannis-Nantucket	2 hours and 15 minutes	Hyannis, MA	Nantucket, MA	The Steamship Authority
Ventura Harbor-Santa Rosa Island	2 hours	Ventura, CA	Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park	Island Packers Corp.
King Cove-Cold Bay	2 hours	King Cove, AK	Cold Bay, AK	Alaska Marine Highway System
Beaver Island Ferry	2 hours	Charlevoix, MI	Beaver Island, MI	Beaver Island Boat Company
Tangier Island Ferry	2 hours	Reedville, VA	Tangier, VA	Tangier Island Cruises
Quonset Point-Oak Bluffs	1 hour and 35 minutes	North Kingstown, RI	Oak Bluffs, MA	Rhode Island Fast Ferry
Provincetown Fast Ferry	1 hour and 35 minutes	Boston, MA	Provincetown, MA	Bay State Cruise Company

Longest Ferry Rides in Washington

Washington state is home to the largest ferry system in the USA – Washington State Ferries (WSF). WSF currently operates 10 ferry routes, two of which are the longest ferry rides in Washington.

Anacortes-San Juan Islands

The Anacortes-San Juan Islands ferry is one of the longest ferry rides in Washington state. The ride can take 65-85 minutes and covers a distance of approximately 19 miles. Non-stop trips from Anacortes to Friday Harbor take approx. 65 minutes. Trips that make stops at the other islands — Lopez Island, Shaw Island, and Orcas Island — take upwards of 85 minutes to complete.

Seattle-Bremerton

The Seattle-Bremerton ferry is the longest uninterrupted ferry ride in Washington. The ride is 60 minutes and covers a distance of approximately 16 miles. It is also one of the best ferry rides in Seattle because of the gorgeous scenery and landscapes you see along the crossing.

Longest Ferry Rides in California

California has a vast network of ferries throughout the state. In Northern California there’s Golden Gate Ferry and San Francisco Bay Ferry — two ferry operators that shuttle commuters and tourists around the San Francisco Bay Area. In Southern California, there is the historic Balboa Island Ferry and the Catalina Express. But, what is the longest ferry ride in California?

What is the longest ferry ride in California?

The Ventura Island-San Miguel Island ferry is the longest ferry ride in California with a crossing time of 3-3.5 hours. It is not uncommon to see Humpback whales and dolphins during the crossing.

The route is operated by Island Packers Cruises^[2] whom also operates the second longest ferry ride in California — the Ventura Harbor-Santa Rosa Island ferry which takes between 2-3 hours to complete.

Other notably long ferry rides in California include the Larkspur Ferry, which can take 80 minutes for some trips, and the South San Francisco Ferry which takes 55 minutes to cross from South San Francisco to Alameda.

References

Also of interest:

5 Best Ferry Rides in Seattle
9 Things to Do on Bainbridge Island Without a Car
15 Things To Do On Whidbey Island
Cape May-Lewes Ferry to upgrade fleet to smaller, more modern vessels
San Francisco Bay Ferry proposes fare increases starting in July
Dispatchers and Students Get an Inside Look at Washington State Ferries Operations

I'm an avid enthusiast with a deep knowledge of ferry travel in the United States. My expertise stems from firsthand experiences exploring various ferry routes and a comprehensive understanding of the ferry systems across the country.

Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article about the longest ferry rides in the USA:

Bellingham-Ketchikan Ferry Route:
- Route: Bellingham, WA to Ketchikan, AK
- Duration: 38 hours
- Operator: Alaska Marine Highway System
Other Longest Ferry Rides in Alaska:
- Yakutat-Whittier (22 hours)
- Ketchikan-Juneau (20 hours)
- Kodiak-Chignik (18 hours and 45 minutes)
- And more...
Longest Ferry Rides in Washington:
- Anacortes-San Juan Islands (65-85 minutes, covering approximately 19 miles)
- Seattle-Bremerton (60 minutes, covering approximately 16 miles)
Longest Ferry Ride in California:
- Ventura Island-San Miguel Island Ferry:
  - Duration: 3-3.5 hours
  - Operated by Island Packers Cruises
Other Notable Ferry Rides in California:
- Ventura Harbor-Santa Rosa Island (2-3 hours)
- Larkspur Ferry (up to 80 minutes for some trips)
- South San Francisco Ferry (55 minutes)
References:

Ferry travel offers a unique perspective on the diverse landscapes of the United States, and these routes showcase the beauty and vastness of the country. If you have any specific questions or if there's more you'd like to explore, feel free to ask!