Ocracoke Express passenger ferry begins eighth season on Tuesday
- Staff Reports
- 14 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Ocracoke Express ferry is shown by the docks. (Photo courtesy North Carolina Department of Transportation)
By staff reports
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OCRACOKE — The Ocracoke Express passenger ferry that runs between Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island begins its eighth season of summer service on Tuesday, May 5, according to a Monday press release from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
The ferry will run six days a week through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, according to the release. The fare is $15 for a round-trip ticket, with children under 3 riding for free, and an additional $1 to bring a bicycle on board.
The Ocracoke Express ferry carries up to 129 people on a 70-minute ride across the Pamlico Sound and, unlike the vehicle ferry routes between the islands, accepts advance reservations.
The passenger ferry between Hatteras and Ocracoke’s Silver Lake Harbor allows people to skip the wait for the vehicle ferry, instead going “directly into the heart of Ocracoke Village,” the press release said. “There, they can walk, rent bikes or golf carts, or use Hyde County’s free Ocracoke Village Tram, which stops at shops, restaurants and attractions in the village.”
The passenger ferry will make eight departures during the busier days, Tuesday through Thursday, with trips from Hatteras at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 5 p.m., and return trips from Ocracoke at 9:45 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3.p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
On Friday, Saturday and Monday, departures from Hatteras will be at 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., with return trips from Ocracoke at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. No passenger ferry service will be available on Sundays.
Reservations are available 90 days in advance and are highly recommended during the busy summer season, according to the release. Travelers can make reservations online at www.ncferry.org, or on the phone at 1-800-BY-FERRY.
The free Hatteras-Ocracoke vehicle ferry route will continue running 52 scheduled departures each day between Hatteras and the north end of Ocracoke Island, according to the release. No reservations are accepted on the Hatteras vehicle ferry.
The Ocracoke Express ferry operates each summer season from May through early September, according to the Ferry Division website.
To receive real-time text or email updates on weather or mechanical delays, people can sign up for the Ferry Information Notification System at www.ncdot.gov/fins.
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