Do I need to bring a car to Martha's Vineyard?

Updated July 2022

Car or no car? It’s a question we hear a lot. It’s true, Martha’s Vineyard is an Island located off the south shores of Cape Cod. With no bridge or connected road, you can’t drive here, so travel via air or sea is the only way to arrive. For those planning to take a ferry, the option of taking your car over is available only through the Steamship Authority. The Steamship Authority manages the ferry service between Woods Hole, Falmouth and Martha’s Vineyard and is the only service that carries cars, motorcycles and trucks to and from the Island.
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So, is it necessary to bring your car here? Well, it depends.

• Where are you planning to stay? If you are staying in one of the downtown areas of Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs, or Edgartown, it is possible to arrive via passenger ferry and get around on your own. All three downtowns offer safe, walkable streets as well as bike friendly roads. The towns are also easily connected by the Vineyard Transit Authority bus system, which services all Island towns and runs daily from early morning until late into the evening. Local cab companies as well as Uber and Lyft services are also available.
  
• How long are you staying? If you’re only planning a day trip bringing your car is generally not necessary. You can easily fill a day walking around one of the town centers during the summer months, or take a bus or a cab to another town. If you’re looking to see a lot of the Island in a short amount of time we recommend taking a sightseeing tour from one of the many local transportation companies that offer private and group tours.

• What activities do you have planned? If your itinerary includes travelling to various Island towns throughout the duration of your stay you may want to consider bringing your car. While public transportation and car services are available the time and money involved might start to add up. Martha’s Vineyard is 22 by 9 miles wide, and it takes approximately 45 minutes to get from one corner to another, often longer in high summer traffic.
• How much stuff are you bringing? If you’re a family with young kids or you’re planning to stay a while you may be travelling with a lot of cargo. In that case we would recommend bringing a car to more easily transport your group and belongings. If you have young kids and are trying to avoid taking your car, MV Baby Rent offers strollers, car seats, cribs and various other baby products for rent on-Island.
• What is your budget? Martha’s Vineyard can often be a costly place to visit, and taking your car over on the ferry isn’t cheap. In the off-season, January through March, the cost of traveling with a car starts at $118 round trip. In the summer season the starting price jumps to $192.

​Give careful consideration to the factors above before determining which option is best for you. Each island town offers it’s own character and charm and we recommend seeing as much as you can.
 
If you decide on taking your car then get in touch with the Steamship Authority as soon as you know your travel dates to make a reservation, as their summer schedule books up months in advance. Reservations generally open in January for travel for the following May through October.

If you opt to just walk on as a passenger, there are many ferry services available seasonally including the Island Queen, Patriot Party Boat, and Falmouth-Edgartown ferry from Falmouth; Hyline Cruises from Hyannis and Nantucket, the Seastreak from New York or New Bedford, or the Martha’s Vineyard Fast Ferry from Rhode Island. Note that the Steamship Authority also offers passenger tickets and in addition to being the only service that accommodates automobiles, it is the only ferry service that operates year round.
 
Check out our additional resources on getting around the Island!