The St John ferry schedule is easier than it looks: passenger ferries leave Red Hook, St. Thomas, about every hour from early morning until 11:30 PM, the ride to Cruz Bay takes roughly 20 minutes, and a non-resident adult ticket is $8.15 each way (as of October 2026). Below you’ll find the full timetable from the ferry companies, the Charlotte Amalie and Crown Bay options, the car barges, and a few tips from up here on the ridge so your first day on island goes smoothly.
One quick note before you plan around any of these times: ferry schedules in the Virgin Islands change with the seasons. Everything below was checked against the ferry companies and the Virgin Islands Port Authority in October 2026. Always give the official St. John ferry schedules page a final look the week you travel, since the St John ferry schedule can shift with very little notice.
St John Ferry Schedule at a Glance
There is no airport on St. John, so every visitor arrives by boat. Here is the St John ferry schedule for all four ways across, side by side.
| Route | How often | Adult fare (one way) |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hook to Cruz Bay, about 20 min (Transportation Services and Varlack Ventures) | About hourly, 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM | $8.15 non-resident, $6.00 resident |
| Charlotte Amalie to Cruz Bay (St. John ferry companies) | 2 trips each way per day | Check when booking |
| Crown Bay to Cruz Bay (Inter Island Boat Services) | 2 to 3 trips each way per day | $20.00 |
| Red Hook to Enighed Pond car barge (Big Red Barge, Global Marine, Love City Car Ferries) | About hourly, 6 AM to 7:30 PM | $50 per vehicle, $65 round trip |
St John Ferry Schedule: Red Hook to Cruz Bay
This is the route almost everyone takes. Ferries leave from the Urman Frederick Marine Terminal in Red Hook on the east end of St. Thomas and land right in the middle of Cruz Bay, steps from shops, taxis and the National Park visitor center. The crossing takes about 20 minutes, and on a clear day you’ll watch the green hills of St. John get bigger the whole way over.
The ferry companies posted a new timetable effective November 1, 2026. The times match the off-season schedule that ran from July 26 to October 31, so if you’re traveling any time this fall or winter, this is the one to use.
| Departing Red Hook (St. Thomas) | Departing Cruz Bay (St. John) |
|---|---|
| 5:30 AM (Monday to Friday only) | 6:00 AM |
| 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM |
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM |
| 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
| 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM |
| 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| 11:30 PM |
Two things worth noticing in this St John ferry schedule. From Red Hook there’s no 9:00 PM boat, so the evening jumps from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. From Cruz Bay there’s no 10:00 PM boat, so after 9:00 PM the last chance back to St. Thomas is 11:00 PM. If you have a late flight or dinner plans on either side, build around those gaps.
Red Hook ferry fares
These are the one-way fares listed by St. John Ferry Ticketing Co. as of October 2026:
- Adult, non-resident: $8.15
- Adult, resident: $6.00 (valid USVI ID required)
- V.I. senior citizen: $1.50
- Child: $1.00
- Infant: free
- Bags: $4.00 for each bag that doesn’t fit on your lap
That bag fee catches a lot of first-timers. The ferry’s idea of a carry-on is smaller than an airline’s, so a family of four with checked suitcases should budget for a few extra $4 charges. Tickets can be bought online ahead of time and stay valid for up to 10 days, which means you can buy both directions before you even land.
St John Ferry Schedule from Charlotte Amalie
If you’re staying in Charlotte Amalie or arriving on a cruise ship, there’s a direct boat from downtown St. Thomas to Cruz Bay. This route took a break for the slow season (suspended August 30, 2026) and is scheduled to restart on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
| Departing Charlotte Amalie | Departing Cruz Bay |
|---|---|
| 10:00 AM | 8:45 AM |
| 12:30 PM | 11:15 AM |
With only two departures each way, this one rewards planning. The last boat out of Charlotte Amalie leaves at 12:30 PM, so if you miss it, head out to Red Hook and catch the hourly ferry there instead. Tickets for this route are sold through the same St. John Ferry Ticketing Co. site.
Crown Bay to Cruz Bay Ferry
Crown Bay sits about five minutes from Cyril E. King Airport, which makes this ferry handy if your flight lands in the afternoon. Inter Island Boat Services runs it a few times a day. According to the Virgin Islands Port Authority ferry schedules (checked October 2026):
- Crown Bay to Cruz Bay: 2:15 PM (Saturday and Sunday), 3:30 PM, 5:30 PM
- Cruz Bay to Crown Bay: 11:00 AM, 1:15 PM (Saturday and Sunday), 4:15 PM
- Fares: adult $20, senior $15, child under 12 $10, luggage or boxes $5 each
The trade-off is simple: it costs more than the Red Hook ferry, but it saves you the cross-island taxi ride to the east end. If your arrival lines up with this part of the St John ferry schedule, it’s a lovely way to start the trip.
Car Barge Schedule: Bringing a Rental Over
Rented a car on St. Thomas, or want your own wheels for the North Shore beaches? Car barges run between the Noel “Breeze” Boynes Car Ferry Dock in Red Hook and the Theovald Moorehead Dock at Enighed Pond, just around the corner from Cruz Bay. Three companies share the route: Big Red Barge, Global Marine (Tug Life) and Love City Car Ferries.
- Price: $50 one way or $65 round trip for a standard vehicle, with lower resident and senior rates (as of October 2026)
- Frequency: between the three companies, a barge leaves roughly every hour from about 6:00 AM until 7:30 PM
- Boarding: first come, first loaded. Buying online doesn’t lock in a specific sailing, so the Port Authority suggests arriving 30 minutes to an hour early
- Tickets: not interchangeable between companies, so keep your return on the same line you came over on
Check with your rental company before you book a barge, since policies on taking cars between islands vary. Plenty of visitors simply rent a car in Cruz Bay once they arrive.
Tips for Using the St John Ferry Schedule
A few habits make the St John ferry schedule work for you, so the crossing feels like part of the vacation instead of a chore.
- Get to the dock 15 minutes early. That’s what the Port Authority recommends for passenger ferries, and it gives you time to sort out bags and tickets.
- Buy tickets online. They’re good for 10 days, so grab your return at the same time and skip the line on the way home.
- Pack light for the crossing. Anything that won’t fit on your lap is $4 a bag. A soft duffel and a backpack per person keeps it easy.
- Sit up top on a calm day. The open deck on the Red Hook run gives you Pillsbury Sound, the cays and the first look at Cruz Bay.
- Leave a buffer before your flight. Between the ferry, the taxi across St. Thomas and airport lines, most travelers give themselves at least a few hours.
- Watch for seasonal changes. Schedules shift in summer and fall, and routes like Charlotte Amalie can pause. A two-minute check of the official St John ferry schedule saves a lot of stress.
From the Ferry Dock to The Windmill Bar
Once you step off in Cruz Bay, The Windmill Bar is just two miles up Centerline Road (Route 10) at Neptune’s Lookout on Estate Susannaberg. Taxis wait near the dock, and if you have a car, the drive takes you up past Dolphin Market, around the hairpin at Supreme Corner, and on up the ridge. Our Find Us page has turn-by-turn directions, and our older guide on how to get to The Windmill Bar from St. Thomas walks through the whole trip from the airport.
We’re open daily from 11 AM to 8 PM, with the kitchen serving until 7:30 PM and happy hour from noon to 3 PM. That timing works nicely with the St John ferry schedule. Catch a morning boat, spend the day at a beach like Trunk Bay, come up the hill for an early dinner and the view, and you’ll still have the 9:00 PM or 11:00 PM boat back to Red Hook if you’re staying on St. Thomas. Take a look at the menu before you come, and check the live cam to see what the sky is doing right now.
If this is your first trip, our St. John Virgin Islands guide covers the island basics, and our list of things to do on St. John will help you fill the days between crossings. Traveling from the mainland? Good news: as a U.S. citizen you don’t need a passport for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and that includes the ferry between St. Thomas and St. John.
St John Ferry Schedule FAQ
How often does the ferry run from St. Thomas to St. John?
On the current St John ferry schedule, passenger ferries from Red Hook leave about every hour from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, plus a 5:30 AM boat on weekdays and late boats at 10:00 PM and 11:30 PM (schedule effective November 1, 2026).
How much is the ferry to St. John?
As of October 2026, the Red Hook to Cruz Bay ferry is $8.15 one way for non-resident adults, $6.00 for residents, $1.00 for children, and free for infants. Bags that don’t fit on your lap are $4.00 each.
What time is the last ferry from St. John to St. Thomas?
The last passenger ferry from Cruz Bay to Red Hook leaves at 11:00 PM. The one before it is at 9:00 PM.
How long is the ferry ride to St. John?
The Red Hook to Cruz Bay crossing takes about 20 minutes. The Charlotte Amalie and Crown Bay boats take longer because they start farther west on St. Thomas.
Do I need to book the St. John ferry in advance?
You don’t have to, but buying online is easy and tickets stay valid for 10 days. For the car barge, booking online doesn’t reserve a specific sailing, so plan to arrive 30 minutes to an hour early.
Where is The Windmill Bar from the Cruz Bay ferry dock?
Two miles up Centerline Road at Neptune’s Lookout, Estate Susannaberg. It’s a short taxi ride or drive from the dock.
Ferry booked? Come on up. The view from the ridge is the best way we know to say welcome to St. John, and there’s live music most nights. See who’s playing on our events page and we’ll see you on the hill.
