Passengers can reserve their spots now on the newly constructed Ocracoke Express ferry that will make its first official run May 17.
This is the fourth season of having the route between Hatteras and Ocracoke Village but the first for this new passenger-only ferry. In years past, the North Carolina Department of Transportation leased the vessel while waiting for the ferry to be built.
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The ferry, which can carry up to 129 passengers, will leave Hatteras at 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and from Ocracoke Village at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. daily. The ferry is expected to shuttle passengers through Labor Day
One-way fares for the 70-minute trip are $5, with an additional $1 charge for bicycles. Children 3 and under who can share a seat with an adult can ride for free. Reservations up to 90 days in advance can be made on the Ferry Division’s website, or by calling 1-800-BY-FERRY.
“The passenger ferry will make a summer day trip to Ocracoke easy and convenient,” said Ferry Division Director Harold Thomas. “People can make reservations on the phone, online or in person and know exactly what time they’ll be leaving and returning.”
The Ocracoke Express drops passengers off at Silver Lake Harbor in Ocracoke Village, where a free tram operated by Hyde County will carry them around the village to shops, restaurants, accommodations and attractions.
Passenger ferry service is a supplement to the vehicle ferries, which will continue to take people between Hatteras and the north end of Ocracoke Island.
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