Driving Directions
Centrally located South of Boston and North of New York, many visitors to Martha's Vineyard choose to drive to the ferry and either walk across or bring their car along. In the summer season there are a number of ports from which you can reach the Vineyard, although only one through which you can bring a car. Walking aboard gives you more options and on-island transportation is quite good.
Approximate mileage to Woods Hole, MA (the Steamship Authority port) from the following cities:
- Boston, MA 85 miles
- Buzzards Bay, MA 20 miles
- Hartford, CT 187 miles
- New Haven, CT 165 miles
- New York, NY 271 miles
- Providence, RI 85 miles
From New York and points South:
To FERRIES in Falmouth and Woods Hole - Follow Route I-95 North. Then take I-195 East to Route 25 East, cross the Bourne Bridge, and follow Route 28 South.
To FERRY in New Bedford - Follow Route I-95 North to Providence, then take I-195 East.
To FERRY in Hyannis - From I-195 East take Route 25 East to the Bourne Bridge area and then follow Route 6 East.
From Boston and points North:
Take Route 3 to the Sagamore Bridge.
To the FERRIES in Falmouth and Woods Hole – Just before the bridge take Route 6 West to Buzzards Bay (Bourne), cross the Bourne Bridge, and follow Route 28 South.
To Hyannis – Go over the Sagamore Bridge and follow Route 6 East.
Alternate route from Boston and points North:
Follow I-95 to Route 24.
To FERRIES in Falmouth and Woods Hole - take Route 24 to I-495, I-495 to Buzzards Bay (Bourne) cross the Bourne Bridge and follow Route 28 South.
To New Bedford - take Route 24 South to the end then take I-195 East
By Ferry
If you’re coming to Martha’s Vineyard, you’ll need to connect to one of the many passenger ferry services that serve the Island from the mainland (unless you choose to travel by air). Boats to the Island sail from 5 Massachusetts ports: Woods Hole, Falmouth, Hyannis, New Bedford and Nantucket (another island) and also seasonally from Quonset.
The ports of Hyannis, New Bedford and Woods Hole offer year round service to the Island. Woods Hole is the only port that can carry both passengers and cars. Service is offered numerous times daily, with greater frequency in the busy summer months. Reservations for cars are recommended in the low-season and required in the high-season.
The ferries from Falmouth and Hyannis carry passengers only, and operate during the spring, summer, and fall. Passenger ferries to and from Nantucket run only during the summer months. (See more info below.)
Ferry Information:
Approximate voyage times:
- From Woods Hole 45 minutes
- From Falmouth 40 minutes
- From Hyannis 1 hour and 45 minutes;
- (high speed) 50 minutes
- From New Bedford 1 hour
- From Nantucket 2 hours and 15 minutes
- From Quonset, Rhode Island 1 hour and 30 minutes
For ferry schedules, reservation requirements, and information on bringing your car by boat to the Island, visit the following Web sites:
The Steamship Authority
Offers routes to and from Woods Hole, Hyannis, Nantucket and New Bedford daily year-round. Steamship Authority boats dock in the town of Vineyard Haven in the winter, and both Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs in the summer. This is the only ferry line that accommodates cars and trucks.
The Island Queen
Offers seasonal daily walk-on passenger-only service to and from Falmouth to the town of Oak Bluffs.
Hy-line Cruises
Offering year-round high-speed ferry service from Hyannis to Oak Bluffs in 50 minutes. Traditional service to and from Hyannis and Nantucket to the town of Oak Bluffs seasonally. Passengers only.
New Bedford to Martha’s Vineyard Express Ferry
Offers year round daily passenger-only express ferry service from historic New Bedford to Martha’s Vineyard. One hour trip to Oak Bluffs in summer / Vineyard Haven in winter. Reservations recommended.
Rhode Island - Vineyard Fast Ferry
Seasonal fast ferry service from Quonset Point, RI to Oak Bluffs aboard a 400 passenger high-speed catamaran. Ferry is 15 min. away from the Providence (PVD) Airport or 20 min. from Amtrak (KIN). Offers first-class amenities, advance reservations & dockside parking. May-Oct. with 2 to 3 round-trips daily.
More Information About Getting Here by Ferry
By Air
There is year-round scheduled plane service to the Martha's Vineyard Airport from Boston, Hyannis, Nantucket, New Bedford, and Providence. Charter services also are available, and the airport has facilities for private planes. M.V. Airport is located in the center of the Island. Taxis and cars can be hired at the terminal.
Commercial Airlines (Varies Yearly)
Cape Air
MV Airport
West Tisbury, MA
Phone: 1-800-352-0714
US Airways Express
Phone: 800-428-4322
Martha's Vineyard Airport
Phone: 508-693-7022
Charter Airlines and Private Planes
Coastal Air Charter LLC
47 LP Henderson Rd
Beverly, MA 01915
Toll Free: 888-359-2785
wyvern1@comcast.net
Million Air Charter
Toll Free: 1-800-882-2333
Fax: 1-201-288-1229
charter@meridianaircharter.com
Linear Air
From Boston and NYC: 1-877-2linear
Fax: 781-457-0595
info@linearair.com
Desert & Island Air Charter
Nantucket, MA 02554
Toll Free: 800-835-9135
fly08@desertislandair.com
Ocean Wings Air Charter
MV Airport, MA
Phone: 508-693-4646
Toll Free: 800-253-5039
Fax: 508-228-3962
wings@nantucket.net
Eagle Air Inc
Toll Free: 1-888-993-2453
Fax: 1-508-7528330
eagleaircharter@aol.com