More than 18,000 people rode the state’s Ocracoke Express passenger ferry during its 2025 run – marking the service’s highest ridership since 2022.
The passenger ferry, which completed its seventh year of operation in September, boasted 18,786 riders this year. That figure is the highest since over 25,000-plus people rode the Ocracoke Express in 2022. It’s also 13% more passengers than rode the ferry in 2024.
“This has been a popular service since it began, and this year’s ridership shows that it’s trending upward,” said Jed Dixon, director of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division. “The Ocracoke Express gives people the quickest, most convenient way to visit and enjoy all Ocracoke has to offer.”
The ferry carries up to 129 passengers directly between Hatteras and Ocracoke’s Silver Lake Harbor on a 65-minute ride across the Pamlico Sound, allowing people to skip the lines for the vehicle ferry and go directly into the heart of Ocracoke Village. There, they can walk, rent bikes or golf carts, or use Hyde County’s free Ocracoke Village Tram, which stops at shops, restaurants, and attractions in the village.
The Ocracoke Express typically operates from May to September. The passenger ferry is a service especially popular for visitors interested in a day-trip over to Ocracoke, an island known for its artistic shops, eclectic cuisine and rich history. The success of the Ocracoke Express would not have been possible without the efforts of NCDOT employees and partners in Hyde County and Ocracoke, Dixon said.
The NCDOT Ferry Division plans to announce the start of the 2026 passenger ferry season next spring.
To see the ridership figures for all the ferry routes, please visit the N.C. Ferry Division’s website.
For real-time text or email updates on ferry schedule changes, sign up for the Ferry Information Notification System at www.ncdot.gov/fins.
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