If your flight arrives in St. Thomas and your charter starts in Tortola, you will need to take a ferry from St. Thomas to Tortola.
Taxi fares from St. Thomas airport to the Charlotte Amalie Ferry dock run approximately $15 per person. Local taxi fares are payable in cash. It’s about a 15 minute ride. There is a taxi stand in the baggage area of the St. Thomas airport where you’ll be directed to a taxi to take you to the ferry dock.
The public ferry costs are approximately $60/person one way. Ferry tickets may be purchased by
Visa or MasterCard. In addition, there is a $10 per person environmental tax when entering the BVI, and a $20 departure tax. You’ll want to have cash on hand for these fees.
Several ferry companies operate from the same dock in downtown Charlotte Amalie. The three main companies are Road Town Fast Ferry, Smith’s Ferry (aka Tortola Fast Ferry), and Native Son Ferry.
Current public ferry schedules may be found online at: www.roadtownfastferry.com www.smithsferry.com www.nativesonferry.com
The 3 ferry companies alternate schedules. The latest departure from St. Thomas is currently at 4:30 or 5 p.m. and varies daily. You should arrive at the ferry dock at least 30 mins. prior.
Reservations are suggested, but not necessary. It’s not uncommon to use one ferry service for your arrival in St. Thomas and another for your departure from Tortola.
When scheduling your ferry back to St. Thomas from Tortola at the end of your trip, if your flight is the same day, you’ll want to make sure the ferry arrives in time to allow you to be at the airport 3 hours before your flight time. Please call us if you have any questions regarding scheduling your trip between St. Thomas to Tortola. We’ll be happy to help you determine which works best for you.
There are also private water taxis available departing from Red Hook, St. Thomas. They are quite a bit more expensive than the public ferries – about $150-$200 per person one-way (if you have 5 people or more) with taxi transfers, customs fees, and tax. However, they are worth considering if your arrival in St. Thomas does not coincide with the public ferry departures, or you want a more personalized service from St. Thomas to your yacht in Tortola. They also handle clearing customs for you while you sit on the water taxi enjoying a cold beverage! These water taxis usually have a minimum charge based on 4 or 5 people plus additional per person rates for additional passengers. See below for some suggested services:
Island Time Water Taxi – www.islandtimewatertaxi.com
Chillout Charters & Water Taxi – www.chilloutchartersbvi.com
Ocean Dreams – www.oceandreamswatertaxi.com