The thing to know first: the free Hatteras ferry lands at the island's north tip, thirteen miles from the village. The Cedar Island and Swan Quarter ferries, and the passenger ferry, all dock in the village itself. If you're not driving, that difference is your entire trip.
The ride is the point
Before the schedules: these aren't shuttles. North Carolina runs the second-largest state ferry system in the United States, and the Hatteras and Cedar Island routes to Ocracoke are officially part of the Outer Banks National Scenic Byway — the ferry ride is designated scenery, not just the way over. The mainland crossings run the width of Pamlico Sound, the largest lagoon on the East Coast, and for most of two hours the ride feels like open sea. Plenty of people take the boat for its own sake and count it among the best parts of the trip.
The four routes
| Route | Vehicles? | Crossing | Cost | Lands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hatteras | Yes | ~70 min | Free in 2026 tolled from 1 Jan 2027 | North tip, 13 mi from the village |
| Cedar Island | Yes | 2 hr 15 min | $1 pedestrian; $10–45 vehicle | Ocracoke village, at Silver Lake |
| Swan Quarter | Yes | 2 hr 40 min | $1 pedestrian; $10–45 vehicle | Ocracoke village, at Silver Lake |
| Ocracoke Express | No — walk-on | 70 min | $7.50 one way | Silver Lake Harbor, in the village |
The Hatteras to Ocracoke ferry — free through 2026, frequent, year-round
The default for most visitors, and the only route with no ticket and no reservation. It runs year-round and often. The catch is the landing: you arrive at the island's north tip and drive thirteen miles down NC-12 to reach the village. Crossings have run longer than the scheduled hour at times because of shoaling in the inlet. From 1 January 2027 this route will be tolled for the first time in its history — see the notice above.
Fuel before you sail, if you can. There is no conventional gas station on Ocracoke. Gas and diesel are sold year-round at the Anchorage Marina on Silver Lake, and there is a pump at Jerniman's Campground — but prices on a barrier island are what you would expect, and the National Park Service docks sell no fuel at all.
Cedar Island and Swan Quarter — the mainland routes
Both leave from the mainland and both dock beside Silver Lake in the village, so there's no drive at the far end. Cedar Island is 24 miles and about 2 hours 15; Swan Quarter is 32 miles and about 2 hours 40. Reservations are recommended on both and worth making in summer.
These are long crossings with not much to look at. Bring something to do — or play the hunt on the way, which is what the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter versions are built for.
Ocracoke Express — passenger only, seasonal
A walk-on ferry from Hatteras straight into the village. Seventy minutes, $7.50 one way or $15 round trip, no vehicles. It runs May 5 to September 7, 2026, Monday through Saturday, with no Sunday service, and it holds 129 passengers — reservations open 90 days ahead and it fills in high season.
If you're coming without a car, this is the route. Everything you need for a car-free trip is here.
Which one should you take?
- Coming from the northern Outer Banks — Hatteras. It's free and frequent, and you'll have your car on the island.
- Coming from inland or the south — Cedar Island or Swan Quarter. Longer, but they save you the drive up the Banks and land you in the village.
- Day trip, no car — the Ocracoke Express, in season.
Whichever boat you take, the hunt is aboard
Four versions of Blackbeard's Gold: The Crossing, one for each route — because the crossing isn't the wait before the adventure, it's chapter one. The long mainland routes carry the deepest chapters: over two hours of case file on open water, then the village trail, then the water where he died.
Buy the hunt — $29 See the four versions$29 per team, not per person. Your team link arrives by email straight after checkout. Nothing to install.
Common questions
- Is there a bridge to Ocracoke?
- No. The only way on or off the island is by ferry or private boat or plane.
- Which ferry to Ocracoke is free?
- The Hatteras–Ocracoke vehicle ferry, for the rest of 2026 — first-come, first-served with no reservations. The Cedar Island, Swan Quarter and passenger ferries are all ticketed. From 1 January 2027 the Hatteras route is tolled too, under the state's 2026 budget law; rates had not been set as of August 2026.
- Do I need a reservation?
- Not for Hatteras. Recommended for Cedar Island, Swan Quarter and the Ocracoke Express — especially in summer.
- How long is the ferry to Ocracoke?
- About 70 minutes from Hatteras, 2 hours 15 from Cedar Island, 2 hours 40 from Swan Quarter, and 70 minutes on the passenger ferry.
- Can I take a bike?
- Yes. Bicycles are $1 on the passenger ferry, and carried on the vehicle ferries too.
One more thing about the ferries
They are also the evacuation route. Ocracoke has no bridge, ferry service stops at around 20 mph of wind, and Hyde County orders visitors off the island well before residents — in August 2025 about 1,206 people left this way ahead of a storm that never came within two hundred miles. If you are travelling in late August or September, read the hurricane page before you book something non-refundable.