NEWS RELEASES
New Passenger Ferry Runs Between Islands On The Outer Banks
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through The National park Services' website.
The National Park Service (NPS) announced that a new passenger ferry service is now in operation between Hatteras Village and Ocracoke Village on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The Ocracoke Express, in planning stages for several years, began on May 20 and will run through Labor Day. The passenger-only ferry, which can carry up to 149 passengers, will make three round trips daily, departing from the Hatteras Terminal at 9 am, 1 and 5 pm, returning from the Ocracoke Silver Lake Terminal at 11 am, 3 and 7 pm. The trip takes about 70 minutes each way and currently costs $1 per person, which includes optional passage for a bike. No reservation system is currently in place, so officials recommend arriving at least 20 minutes early. The free car ferry between Hatteras and Ocracoke continues in service year-round, although waiting times are often lengthy in the summer.
Meanwhile, the Raleigh News & Observer reports that the ferry in use this summer is not the $4.15 million catamaran ferry that the NC Department of Transportation (DOT) ordered several years ago from US Workboats based in Hubert, NC, which was due to be completed in April 2018, but encountered several delays. The Martha’s Vineyard Express, leased from New Jersey-based ferry company Seastreak Marine, will stand in for the North Carolina built boat this season. The NC DOT plans on establishing a reservation system for the Ocracoke Express in the future, and may raise fares. According to the News & Observer, the DOT originally planned to charge up to $15 for a round-trip ticket.
For current information on the Ocracoke Express service, visit the NC Department of Transportation website.