Ocracoke Ferry Terminal

Ocracoke has no bridge or road connecting it to the mainland, so the only way in or out is by boat. Three North Carolina Ferry Division routes serve the island: a free ferry from Hatteras village and toll ferries from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter on the mainland.

Whether the ferry is free depends on the route. The Hatteras village ferry, the shortest run and the most heavily used of the three, is free, while the longer crossings from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter on the mainland are toll ferries.

The free ferry from Hatteras village takes roughly an hour each way. The toll ferries from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter on the mainland take about 2 hours and 15 minutes each way.

All three ferry routes to Ocracoke carry both vehicles and foot passengers, but vehicle space is limited, so reserving a spot ahead of time is worth doing, especially during the busier summer months.

Hurricanes can disrupt ferry service to Ocracoke. Because these ferries also serve as the island's only evacuation route, service is often the first to be suspended and the last to be restored when a storm threatens — a real consideration for anyone visiting between August and October. Check current sailing schedules before locking in a departure date, and keep some flexibility if a hurricane is anywhere near the forecast.

The Ocracoke ferry terminal sits along Irvin Garrish Highway in Ocracoke village, the point where every crossing to and from the island begins and ends.