Is the Mayport Ferry Open Today? Schedule and Status

Eric DawsonByEric Dawson Boats & Cruises

For travelers asking is the Mayport Ferry open today, service is scheduled Monday-Sunday, with departures from Mayport Village from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Departures from Ft. George Island run from 6:15 a.m. to 8:45 p.m., under the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) schedule.

The St. Johns River Ferry crossing takes roughly 5 minutes, with departures every half hour. Updated service hours take effect October 1, 2026: weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

When Does the Next Ferry Leave Each Landing?

Mayport Village departures leave on the hour and at the half hour; Ft. George Island departures leave at quarter past and quarter until the hour. Choose the departure pattern for your boarding side, then look for the next scheduled time after your arrival.

Departures from Mayport Village begin at 6:00 a.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. for travel to Ft. George Island. Travelers boarding on this side should use that final departure as the evening cutoff when planning their outbound trip.

Service from Ft. George Island to Mayport Village begins at 6:15 a.m. and ends at 8:45 p.m. Return journeys require the schedule for the landing where you will board, rather than the landing where you started.

Both landing schedules apply Monday through Sunday under the current JTA schedule. Check your boarding location before choosing a sailing, especially when planning travel in both directions.

Is the Mayport Ferry Open Today or Only Scheduled?

The St. Johns River Ferry is scheduled to operate today under the JTA operating calendar. Updated service hours take effect on the date listed below.

  • Operating days: Published Value Monday-Sunday
  • Updated service hours effective date: Published Value October 1, 2026
  • Updated weekday hours: Published Value 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Updated weekend hours: Published Value 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

JTA’s published operating hours do not, by themselves, confirm the absence of a delay, weather closure, or temporary suspension. Treat the timetable as your starting point for planning, not as a live departure report.

First Coast News also reports the upcoming change in operating hours. For travel before the effective date, use the current landing-specific schedule rather than applying the future weekday or weekend window early. Trips after the change deserve a fresh schedule check, particularly if your usual crossing is near the beginning or end of service.

Primary and Standby Ferry Capacities

Jean Ribault is listed as the primary ferry, while Blackbeard is listed as the standby vessel. Blackbeard has the larger listed capacity for both vehicles and passengers (Wikipedia).

Vessel Role Vehicle Capacity Passenger Capacity
Jean Ribault Primary 40 vehicles 206 passengers
Blackbeard Standby 42 vehicles 207 passengers

Construction dates also distinguish the vessels: Jean Ribault was built in 1996, and Blackbeard was built in 1956.

Responsibility for the ferry shifted to the JTA on March 31, 2016. Vehicles and pedestrians cross the St. Johns River on the route linking Mayport Village and Ft. George Island.

How to Check Mayport Ferry Service Alerts

Mayport ferry service alerts should be checked on the JTA St. Johns River Ferry page before traveling. Start with the ferry advisory, then check route alerts for your direction of travel.

The official ferry page includes a Ferry Advisory entry dated August 15, 2026. Check the date attached to an advisory before using its instructions to plan your departure.

  1. Open JTA’s St. Johns River Ferry page and look for the Ferry Advisory entry.
  2. Read the notice for any instructions affecting your planned crossing.
  3. Check the FERRY route in Moovit for your departure landing and review its service-alert information.

Moovit offers ferry location, delay, route-change and service-alert information, according to its route page. Select the direction matching your trip: Fort George Ferry Landing to Mayport Ferry Landing for travel toward Mayport.

Delay notices are the relevant check when your concern is the wait before boarding. Keep that check separate from buying a ticket or choosing a departure time.

Look for the period the notice covers and any instructions about service resuming. If a notice does not address your planned travel, avoid assuming that its appearance on the page settles today’s operating status.

Historical closure reports need the same care. Wikipedia records a May 4, 2025 collision involving Jean Ribault and a boarding ramp, with no injuries reported, followed by a service interruption and a return on June 13, 2025. That account describes a past interruption, not a reason to declare the ferry closed now.

What Determines the Wait Before Boarding?

Mayport Ferry boarding time, scheduled departure, and the crossing itself refer to different parts of the trip. Allow roughly 5 minutes for travel across the river once the ferry is underway, separate from time spent waiting to board (Jacksonville Transportation Authority).

The St. Johns River Ferry travels 0.9 miles between Mayport Village and Ft. George Island.

Its crossing sits 2.5 miles inland from the mouth of the St. Johns River, connecting the ends of Florida State Road A1A in Duval County.

Moovit lists an approximately 10-minute total route duration, rather than JTA’s shorter crossing estimate. Use the operator’s figure for the on-water portion, but do not treat either estimate as a promised arrival-to-arrival travel time. Boarding, waiting for departure, and leaving the landing are separate planning considerations.

No live queue estimate is established by the published timetable. Matching your arrival to a departure pattern helps you plan, but it does not tell you how many vehicles are ahead of you or confirm space on a particular sailing. Leave room in your plans for the parts of the journey that the crossing estimate does not cover.

Save on Your Fare

Mayport ferry passengers can purchase discounted fares through the MyJTA app, but mobile discounts end October 1, 2026 (Jacksonville Transportation Authority). Reduced fares also apply to qualifying pedestrians and bicycle passengers. Ticket books provide another purchase option for travelers planning multiple crossings.

MyJTA is available for iPhone and Android and supports ferry fare purchases. Motorcycle fares are $6 through the regular purchase option or $5.50 through the app as of September 2026. Both the daily and weekend fare entries list those motorcycle prices.

Car passengers pay a weekday fare of $7, compared with $6.30 through the app. Weekend car fares are $8 through the regular purchase option or $7.20 through MyJTA. Day of travel therefore determines which car fare entry applies when checking the Mayport ferry ticket price.

Truck, bus and recreational vehicle (RV) fares are $14 on weekdays, with a $12.60 app fare. Weekend travel costs $16 through the regular purchase option or $14.40 through MyJTA. Those vehicles have their own fare category, separate from the passenger car entry.

JTA defines the car category as any vehicle under 20 feet long. Vehicles measuring 20 feet or longer fall under the truck, bus and RV category. Check the length-based definition rather than relying only on what you normally call your vehicle when selecting a fare.

Car ticket books cost $120 through the regular purchase option or $100 through the app. Each book includes tickets for 20 trips, usable seven days a week. Travelers purchasing a book through the JTA store website can use its tickets on any day rather than selecting a weekday-only option.

Truck, bus and RV ticket books cost $240 through the regular purchase option or $200 through MyJTA. Both the daily and weekend listings carry those book prices. Vehicle category determines which ticket book price applies, while the listed book price stays the same across those listings.

A reduced daily fare of $0.50 is available to eligible pedestrians and bicycle passengers. Eligibility requires a valid Senior or Reduced Fare ID STAR Card or Paratransit E-STAR Card. Passengers qualify for this fare through their card, not through the mobile purchase discount.

When checking fare qualifications and ticket terms, I remember that in 2019, Columbus, I took a used 2014 Honda Fit with 61,000 miles and let the dealer add a $1,395 service contract; six years on, I have never made a claim on it. My costly little lesson is to read the exclusions and conditions, not just the inviting wording.

Which Address Leads to the Boarding Ramp?

The Mayport boarding entrance is at 4780 Ocean Street, on Florida State Road A1A. Across the river, the Ft. George Island entrance is at 9618 Heckscher Drive, also on A1A. Both addresses identify ferry entrance ramps in the JTA driving directions.

Mayport’s separate address listing is 4680 Ocean Street, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233. Drivers looking for the vehicle boarding entrance should use the ramp address rather than that general listing. Keeping the distinction between a listed location and the entrance matters when choosing the destination for the drive.

Travelers approaching from north of Jacksonville on southbound Interstate 95 should take the south Interstate 295 East Beltway and Exit 362-A. Follow the beltway for approximately six miles to Zoo Parkway/Heckscher Drive, Exit 41, then proceed approximately 10 miles along the approach identified in JTA’s directions. Arrival from this direction places the Ft. George Island ferry entrance ramp on the right.

Drivers coming from the Yulee or Fernandina Beach area follow A1A south for approximately 16 miles toward the Ft. George Island entrance. Approaching from that direction puts the ramp on the left. Although the destination is the same landing used by travelers approaching from north of Jacksonville, the entrance is on the opposite side of the approach.

Traffic arriving from south of Jacksonville on northbound Interstate 95 should take the north Interstate 295 East Beltway and Exit 337. Use Exit 46 for Merrill Road/SR 116, then follow that road approximately 8 miles to A1A. Continue along the approach into the Village of Mayport for approximately 3.25 miles. Along this approach, the Mayport ferry entrance ramp is on the left.

Westbound-origin travelers heading east on Interstate 10 should use the north Interstate 295 West Beltway and Exit 356. Their destination is the Ft. George Island entrance, with the ramp on the right. Beach-area travelers coming from either direction on A1A are directed to the Mayport entrance.

Beach-area driving directions include approximately 1.5 miles to Mayport Road/A1A, followed by approximately 3.25 miles to the Mayport Road/A1A fork. Continue on A1A for approximately 4.5 miles into the Village of Mayport. Along this final approach, the boarding entrance is on the left.

What Should Passengers Know Before Boarding?

St. Johns River Ferry passengers should watch for slippery decks when wet and stay out of the spaces between vehicles as the ferry enters either landing. Walking cautiously is part of the onboard safety guidance from the JTA.

Pedestrians traveling with a dog on a short leash are permitted to stand at the rear of the ferry if space allows. Dogs must remain away from other passengers under that arrangement.

Dumping trash on the ferry deck or into the water is prohibited. Discharging oil, trash, or other debris into the water is also prohibited by law.

Drivers should not exceed 3 mph when driving onto or off the ferry. Small children must have a parent or guardian with them on the ferry decks at all times. Plan to keep children accompanied throughout the crossing, including while the vessel approaches the landing.

Smoking is strictly prohibited aboard the ferry. Swimming, diving, and fishing are also prohibited, so the crossing is not an opportunity for those activities. Keep your plans for time aboard consistent with the passenger rules rather than treating the deck as an unrestricted waterfront space.

JTA’s prohibited-item list includes hazardous materials, chemical, biological or radiological agents or devices, illegal fireworks, explosives or incendiary devices, and unlawful or illegally possessed firearms. Review the operator’s restrictions before arriving if you are carrying anything that may fall within those categories. A purchased fare does not replace that check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Pedestrians and Cyclists Get a Reduced Fare?

Eligible pedestrian and bicycle passengers pay a reduced fare of $0.50 every day. Bring a valid Senior or Reduced Fare ID STAR Card or Paratransit E-STAR Card to establish eligibility. Without a qualifying card, do not assume the reduced fare applies simply because you are walking or cycling aboard.

Are Dogs Allowed Aboard the Ferry?

Dogs must stay inside vehicles and off the deck during travel, except service dogs, which must be held. Large dogs in truck beds must either be restrained or have their owner with them. For pedestrians, the short-leash arrangement depends on space at the rear of the ferry away from other passengers.

Does a Vehicle Fare Category Confirm That My RV Will Fit?

A fare category is not a clearance approval. Confirm any fit or clearance concerns with the operator before bringing a vehicle whose dimensions need special consideration.

References

Sources read in September 2026.

Eric Dawson

I'm Eric Dawson, and I write The Money Watch from north Columbus, Ohio. Most of what I cover comes from my own life: renting, a 2014 Honda Fit, parking, computers, food and the bills behind all of it. I spent four years in an apartment-property office and eleven on a distributor's operations desk, reading leases and invoices. Where you need real information, I research the maker's or agency's own page and independent sources and report what they publish. I don't give tax, investment, legal or medical advice.