Resuming Summer Rides: The Ocracoke Express

The Summer is upon us and with it, familiar transportation services are resuming operations. Prominent among these, the passenger-only Ocracoke Express ferry service returns this week, set to shuttle people from Hatteras to Ocracoke islands on the Outer Banks, leaving their vehicles behind.

The Ocracoke Express will provide visitors with a 70-minute trip between Hatteras and Silver Lake Harbor in Ocracoke Village throughout the summer season. A free tram service operated by Hyde County will be available at drop-off to take passengers curb-side to popular locations including island shops, restaurants, lodging, and attractions.

Ocracoke Express: Sixth Season of Service

This service marks the sixth season for the 129-seat ferry that supplements other ferry services. These services load both vehicles and passengers from Hatteras to Ocracoke islands. The previous years have seen these traditional ferry services facing long delays and cancelations due to forces of nature like storms that closed N.C. 12 and sand build-up affecting channels off Ocracoke Island. Service redundancy also resulted from unavoidable staffing shortages.

Last year, over 25,000 people opted to travel on the Ocracoke Express. This year one-way fares are set to $7.50 with an additional $1.00 charge for bicycles. Children of ages 3 years and under, who can share a seat with an adult, will be allowed to ride for free. The passengers-only ferry run will end on September 9.

A Rise in Other Ferry Services to Ocracoke

Embarking on the summer season, the N.C Department of Transportation announced the expansion of other ferry services to Ocracoke. The ferry routes between Cedar Island and Ocracoke and Swan Quarter and Ocracoke are set to increase in service frequency from six to eight departures each day through September 9.

Scheduled departures include:

Cedar Island-Ocracoke: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Ocracoke-Cedar Island: 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Swan Quarter-Ocracoke: 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Ocracoke-Swan Quarter: 7 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Hatteras-Ocracoke vehicles ferry route will continue running 52 scheduled departures each day between Hatteras and the north end of Ocracoke Island. No reservations are accepted on the Hatteras vehicle ferry.

Reservations, however, can be made for the passenger ferry up to 90 days in advance on the ferry division’s website or by dialing the toll-free number, 1-800-BY-FERRY.