The Robert C. Lanier, one of the Galveston–Port Bolivar ferries, on the water

Getting around

The Galveston–Bolivar ferry

The free ferry to the Bolivar Peninsula runs around the clock and crosses in about 20 minutes, past dolphins, ships and a shipwreck. In the busy season the line can take 2 hours or more, so check today's travel time before you go.

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Today's travel time

Checked October 29, 2026Free, 24 hoursAbout 20 minutes

Galveston–Port Bolivar Ferry · Photo: Daniel Schwen; edit by Jim Evans / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

The short answer

How the ferry runs

TxDOT runs the ferry as part of Highway 87. In the daytime there is no timetable: the boats go back and forth as traffic requires. One runs around the clock, a second joins at 6:30 am, and up to five run for summer and holiday traffic. Between midnight and 6 am there is a night schedule.

Before you leave, check the travel time estimates, which combine the wait and the crossing for each direction and appear only when data is available. Webcams show the Galveston and Bolivar landings.

Source: TxDOT: Galveston–Port Bolivar Ferry; wait times and cameras from Houston TranStar.

Cost: Free, with or without a car
Hours: 24 hours a day, every day. In severe weather, service can be cut back or stopped
Crossing: About 20 minutes, plus about 10 minutes to load and unload. On foot, the round trip takes about an hour if there are no lines. With a car, you drive off on the other side and line up again to come back
Landings: Galveston: 1000 Ferry Road, at the east end of the island. Port Bolivar: 123 Highway 87
Waits: In the busy season you can wait 2 hours or more to board
Phone: 409-795-2230

Without a car

Riding as a foot passenger

You can park and walk on for free. The Galveston side has a parking garage and a lot, the Bolivar side a lot, and parking costs nothing while you ride. There are restrooms at both landings and on the upper deck of every ferry. The accessible restroom is at the Bolivar end of the main car deck.

A round trip without getting off takes about an hour. It makes a free sightseeing trip, and going on foot is the easy way to do it. Fort Travis is about half an hour's walk from the Bolivar landing. For Bolivar Flats or Crystal Beach you need a car, so drive it on and expect to line up again for the return. More ideas: things to do in Galveston. Dogs can't ride as foot passengers; pets have to stay in a car.

The ferry Robert H. Dedman crossing to Bolivar — The Robert H. Dedman, one of the ferries, on its way to Bolivar.Galveston–Port Bolivar Ferry · Photo: J.R. Ramos / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

What you'll see

After the ferry leaves the landing, you can get out of your car and go upstairs. Watch for dolphins, pelicans and gulls, cargo ships, tugs and cruise ships. You pass the destroyer and the submarine at Seawolf Park on Pelican Island and the wreck of the concrete ship Selma. Near Bolivar you can see the lighthouse and Fort Travis.

Rules

Before you drive on

These come from TxDOT's ferry rules and FAQ. Follow the deckhands' directions when you drive on and off. Foot passengers go to the front or upstairs as the ferry nears the landing.

Pets: They stay inside your vehicle. Only ADA service animals may come on deck
Smoking: Banned everywhere on board, inside your car too, and so are e-cigarettes
In your car: Turn the engine off and set the parking brake. Stay in the car until the ferry has left the landing
Seagulls: Feed them only from the back of the ferry
Gas cans: Banned. The exceptions are propane tanks built into an RV and two extra federally approved gas tanks in a boat on a trailer
Vehicle size: At most 80,000 lb, 65 ft long, 13.5 ft high and 8.5 ft wide
Inspections: Federal rules require random checks of the hood, console, glovebox and trunk. If you refuse, you can't board for up to 24 hours
Priority boarding: People who can't wait in line can board first with a free Medical Priority Boarding pass, which needs a doctor's certification. The inspection still applies. Apply on 409-795-2250
Other access needs: Call the ferry ahead on 409-795-2230, and the crew will plan where your vehicle parks on board

On the other side

Bolivar Peninsula

Fort Travis Seashore Park is about 1.5 miles from the Port Bolivar landing: a few minutes by car or about half an hour on foot. Bolivar Flats, a Globally Important Bird Area, is a few miles further, and Crystal Beach is about 10 miles away. Outside two free zones, parking on Bolivar's beaches needs a $10 county sticker, and the rules on alcohol and fires differ from Galveston's.

Fishing boats in the harbor at Port Bolivar.Port Bolivar · Photo: Ronald Crow / Unsplash

Bolivar Peninsula and Crystal Beach

Where to stay

A hotel close to the ferry

The ferry landing is at the east end of Galveston, about 2 miles from the Strand. Hotel Lucine (1.7 mi) and the DoubleTree by Hilton Galveston Beach (2.4 mi) are also close.

Outdoor pool at Homewood Suites by Hilton Galveston

1.1 mi to the ferry

Photo: Expedia

East end of the Seawall

Homewood Suites by Hilton Galveston

Catch the first ferry of the morning: the landing is about a mile away. Every room is a suite, the hot breakfast is free, and dogs and cats are welcome.

To the ferry landing: 1.1 mi by car
Parking: $20 a day
Breakfast: Hot breakfast included
Pets: Dogs and cats, up to 2, $75 per stay
Address: 110 Seawall Blvd
Also: Full kitchen in every suite. Pool. Check-out 11 am

Good for

A ferry ride or a day trip to Bolivar
Traveling with a dog

Skip if

You need a hotel shuttle to the ship

Check prices on Expedia Full hotel guide

Sources: Hilton hotel info, Hilton offers

Overnight

The night schedule

Between midnight and 6 am, one ferry runs to a fixed schedule, about once an hour from each side.

From Galveston: 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:05, 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00 am. A second ferry starts at 6:30 am
From Port Bolivar: 12:30, 1:30, 2:20, 3:30, 4:20, 5:30 and 6:30 am. A second ferry starts at 7:00 am