Updated June 25, 2019
HATTERAS – After three first successful days, the “Ocracoke Express” passenger ferry is now accepting reservations.
Reservations can be made online at www.ncferry.org and on the phone at 1-800-BY-FERRY. Walk-up reservations will still be accepted as long as space is available.
Introductory fares are $2 for a round trip, with children 3 and under free. There is no additional charge for bicycles.
Walk-on service began Monday (May 20) and continues through Sept. 5. In the first three days, the new boat whisked 1,021 passengers on a 70-minute trip between Hatteras and Ocracoke Village. Luggage, bicycles and pets are allowed on the boat.
The “Ocracoke Express” currently departs Hatteras at 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., with departures from Ocracoke’s Silver Lake Terminal at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
“The reviews have been very positive,” said Harold Thomas, director of the N.C. Ferry Division. “We’re excited to have the passenger-only ferry service available this summer as an additional travel option for people on the Outer Banks.”
For the inaugural run, 57 women, men and children, and a dog named “Cotton” boarded the Ocracoke Express in Hatteras Village and arrived about 70 minutes later in Ocracoke Village. The passenger ferry supplements the regular vehicle ferries the state agency operates.
A free tram service is available to carry visitors around Ocracoke Village, and bikes and golf carts are also available for rent.
For more information, visit the N.C. Ferry Division website above and click on “Ocracoke Express.”
