Kelleys Island Ferry: 2026 Fares, Schedule & Parking
The Kelleys Island Ferry leaves Marblehead about every hour and costs $26 round trip for an adult or $46 for a car. It is the only boat that carries cars to Kelleys, and the only one still running to the island after summer.
Kelleys Island Ferry fares for 2026
The rate card is priced one way. The round-trip column below is the price of the online round-trip ticket, which the operator sells for any day of the 2026 season. Groups of 25 or more pay $10 per adult and $7.50 per child each way.
| Ticket | One way | Round trip (online) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (12 and older) | $13 | $26 |
| Senior | $10 | $20 (ages 62+; military also $20) |
| Child 5–11 | $8 | $16 |
| Child 4 and under | Free | Free |
| Automobile | $23 | $46 |
| Automobile with bike rack or over-tailgate camper | $25 | $50 |
| Motorcycle | $16 | — |
| Golf cart / ATV (including 6-seat carts) | $23 | — |
| Bicycle | $5 | $10 |
| Moped | $8 | — |
A family of two adults and two kids aged 5 to 11 with a car pays $130 round trip ($52 for the adults, $32 for the kids, $46 for the car). The same family walking on and renting a golf cart at the island dock pays $84 for the boat. The rate card prices passengers and vehicles separately; if you want to confirm how the driver is charged, call the dock at 419-798-9763. RVs, trailers and trucks have their own rates on the full card.
Kelleys Island Ferry schedule, fall 2026
The boats run year-round when the lake allows, but the timetable thins out after October. All trips are weather and ice permitting.
September 28 to October 25
| Day | Leave Marblehead | Leave Kelleys Island |
|---|---|---|
| Mon–Wed | Every hour, 7 am–5 pm | Every hour, 7:30 am–5:30 pm |
| Thursday | Every hour 7 am–7 pm, plus half-hourly 1–6 pm | Every hour 7:30 am–7:30 pm, plus half-hourly 1–5:30 pm |
| Friday | Every hour 7 am–9 pm, plus half-hourly 9 am–8 pm | Every hour 7:30 am–9:30 pm, plus half-hourly 9 am–7:30 pm |
| Saturday | Every hour 7 am–9 pm, plus half-hourly 9 am–5 pm | Every hour 7:30 am–9:30 pm, plus half-hourly 9 am–4:30 pm |
| Sunday | Every hour 7 am–8 pm, plus half-hourly 9 am–5 pm | Every hour 7:30 am–8:30 pm, plus half-hourly 9 am–4:30 pm |
October 26 to November 29
| Day | Leave Marblehead | Leave Kelleys Island |
|---|---|---|
| Mon–Thu | 7, 8, 9 am, noon, 3, 4, 5 pm | 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 am, 12:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30 pm |
| Fri–Sun | Every hour, 7 am–6 pm | Every hour, 7:30 am–6:30 pm |
| Thanksgiving Day | 9 am and 4 pm | 9:30 am and 4:30 pm |
From November 30 the operator says the schedule is "to be posted." The boats do not run on Christmas Day or New Year's Day. Watch the last boat on weekdays in late fall: Monday to Thursday it leaves Kelleys at 5:30 pm, and there is no midday boat between 9:30 am and 12:30 pm.
Bringing a car, golf cart or bike
Kelleys is the easy island for a car. The ferry line runs five boats that hold 15 to 36 cars each (the Carmen Lee, the largest, joined the fleet in 2022), and the island has room to park. Plenty of people still leave the car in Marblehead and rent a golf cart or bike near the Kelleys dock; the island is small enough to loop in an afternoon. If you are coming over for the Glacial Grooves and the state park beach, a bike is enough.
Bring your own cart only if you have a reason to: the one-way cart rate is the same $23 as a car.
Parking at the Marblehead dock
The dock lot charges $20 per vehicle, and that pass is good for one month. A season pass for 2026 is $200. Lines form on summer Saturday mornings, so give yourself time to park and buy tickets before the boat you want.
From Sandusky, Port Clinton or Put-in-Bay
- From Port Clinton or Catawba: drive about 15 minutes east to the Marblehead dock. The Miller Ferry at Catawba only goes to Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass.
- From Sandusky: in summer, Jet Express runs passenger boats from Sandusky to Kelleys and on to Put-in-Bay. The 2026 Sandusky route ended September 7. Off-season, drive around Sandusky Bay to Marblehead.
- From Put-in-Bay: the same summer Jet Express route links the two islands. In fall, ride Miller back to Catawba and drive to Marblehead. Our Lake Erie islands ferry guide compares every boat.
- In winter: Griffing Flying Service flies island charters from Erie-Ottawa International in Port Clinton; see airports and the island air taxi.
Checking the crossing
The ferry crosses the water off Marblehead that the National Weather Service covers in nearshore zone LEZ143, Reno Beach to The Islands. Read that zone, not a phone weather app, if the lake looks rough; our Lake Erie wave forecast guide explains how to read it. The Marblehead Lighthouse webcam shows the same stretch of lake live.
Staying on Kelleys?
The island has a short list of B&Bs and lakefront rooms. If the late-fall weekday schedule makes a day trip tight, an overnight solves it. See what to do once you land in our Kelleys Island guide.
Check Kelleys Island pricesKelleys Island Ferry FAQ
How much is the Kelleys Island Ferry?
For 2026 the Kelleys Island Ferry charges $13 each way for adults ($26 round trip), $8 for children 5 to 11 and nothing for kids 4 and under. A car is $23 each way, so $46 round trip. Bikes are $5 each way and golf carts $23. Parking at the Marblehead dock is $20 per vehicle and is good for a month.
Where does the Kelleys Island Ferry leave from?
From the Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line dock at 510 W. Main St in Marblehead, Ohio, on the north side of the Marblehead Peninsula. Boats land at Seaway Marina on Kelleys Island, about four miles across. The operator lists the trip as about 20 minutes.
Does Miller Ferry go to Kelleys Island?
No. Miller Ferry runs from Catawba Point to Put-in-Bay (South Bass Island) and Middle Bass Island only. For Kelleys you drive to Marblehead and take the Kelleys Island Ferry, which is also the only boat that carries cars to Kelleys.
Can I take the ferry from Sandusky or Put-in-Bay to Kelleys Island?
Only in summer. Jet Express runs passenger boats between Sandusky, Kelleys Island and Put-in-Bay on its summer Sandusky route, and that route ended September 7 in 2026. The rest of the year, Marblehead is the only ferry dock for Kelleys.
Does the Kelleys Island Ferry run in winter?
Yes, as weather and ice allow. The published 2026 schedule runs through November 29, says the schedule from November 30 will be posted later, and notes the boats are closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. When ice stops the boats, the island air taxi from Port Clinton is the way across.
Do I need a reservation for the Kelleys Island Ferry?
No. Boarding is first come, first served. You can buy round-trip tickets online, valid any day in the 2026 season, but the operator says an online ticket does not hold or prioritize a spot on the boat. Arrive early with a car on summer weekends.
Sources
Fares, schedule, parking and fleet: Kelleys Island Ferry fares, 2026 schedule, round-trip tickets, parking and about the fleet (Kelleys Island Ferry Boat Line, checked October 8, 2026). Jet Express season: Jet Express 2026 ferry schedules. Marine zone: NWS nearshore forecast, LEZ143.