St Barth Ferry Alternative: Why a Private Boat Wins Every Time
The public ferry between St Barth and St Martin is real, runs daily, and gets people across. For solo travelers on a budget with light luggage and flexible timing, it's fine. For most other guests, groups, families, anyone with a fixed flight, anyone moving real luggage, a private speedboat is faster, easier, and often not much more expensive once you do the actual math. Here's the breakdown.
What the public ferry is
Two operators run scheduled ferries between Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin: Voyager and Great Bay Express. The boats are 100 to 150-passenger catamarans, mostly open-top, on a daily schedule that shifts with the season. Departures on the St Martin side leave from Marigot or Oyster Pond on the French half, and from Bobby's Marina or the Captain Hodge Wharf in Philipsburg on the Dutch side. All of them dock in Gustavia.
The crossing takes about 80 minutes. Tickets run $90 to $120 each way, plus port taxes. Two or three departures per day in most seasons. The ferries exist because the islands needed regional transit on a budget, and they do that job. They're also slow, exposed to weather, and not built for the kind of trip most St Barth-bound guests are taking.
Side-by-side comparison: ferry vs. private boat
| Factor | Public ferry | Private speedboat |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing time | ~80 minutes | ~40 minutes |
| Schedule | 2–3 fixed departures/day | On demand, 24/7 |
| Pricing model | Per person, ~$90–120 one way | Per boat (covers up to 8–12 guests) |
| Group size | Shared with 100+ passengers | Your group only |
| Luggage | Open back deck, loose | Secure storage compartments |
| Pickup point in St Martin | Fixed terminal (Marigot or Oyster Pond) | Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, Marigot, your villa |
| Drop-off in St Barth | Public ferry dock in Gustavia | Same dock + driver waiting for villa transfer |
| Weather flexibility | Goes if weather permits, no rebooking | Reschedule or full refund if unsafe |
| Best for | Solo travelers, light luggage, flexible timing | Groups, families, luggage, fixed flights |
When the ferry wins
The ferry has real advantages in narrow cases. A solo traveler with a single carry-on and a flexible afternoon: at $90 each way, it beats any per-boat math. Day-trippers heading from Sint Maarten for lunch in Gustavia and back: regulars do it on the ferry every week. And occasionally, when the channel is too rough for a fast speedboat, the heavier ferry still runs. It's rare but it does happen.
For everyone else, the rest of this article is why the speedboat is the better trip.
Where the speedboat is the better choice
The schedule isn't a schedule
Voyager and Great Bay Express run their ferries at roughly 7:30 AM, 11 AM and 4:30 PM, with seasonal variation. If your flight lands at 1:45 PM, you miss the 11 by two hours and the 4:30 means you sit at the airport. A private boat leaves when your flight lands. The pickup adjusts to actual arrival, not the printed schedule, and that single feature is what makes the private route work for travelers connecting from long-haul.
You save forty minutes each way
The ferry takes 80 minutes. The speedboat takes about 40 to 50. Round-tripping that's an hour to an hour and a half back in your day. On a four-day vacation that's a meal, a sunset, or an extra afternoon at the beach.
The cost math, with actual numbers
Six people on the ferry: $110 each way times two times six is roughly $1,320, plus port taxes. Private boat: one flat rate covering the captain, crew, fuel, the open bar (beer, water, soda, rum punch, rosé, champagne), and snorkeling gear. Ground transport on both ends in a Mercedes van. For groups of four or five and up, the per-person comparison closes fast, sometimes the private boat comes out lower once you factor in the airport taxis the ferry forces you to add. Holiday weeks (December 20 to January 7) carry a 20% surcharge across the fleet, so the math tilts in the ferry's favor in that specific window if budget is the deciding factor.
Luggage isn't an open question
On the ferry, luggage rides loose on an open back deck, sometimes under tarps. We've had clients describe wet suitcases and once a missing carry-on. Rare, but the storage on a 100-passenger catamaran isn't designed for the kind of luggage long-haul travelers actually bring. On a private boat, suitcases go into stern and bow compartments and stay dry. Twelve guests with twenty-four checked bags fits on a single VanDutch crossing.
You arrive functional
An 80-minute open-top crossing in 20-knot trade winds is a workout. Spray, glare, noise. People show up in Gustavia wanting a shower more than dinner. The forty-minute version on a partially shaded speedboat is just easier on the body, especially after a long-haul flight.
Weather risk shifts
If the public ferry cancels, you rebook yourself, often onto a departure the next day. Private boat operators carry the weather risk, cancel for safety and you get a full reschedule or refund.
The door-to-dock piece
Private boat rates in this market generally cover ground transport on both islands, the Mercedes van from your hotel or the SXM curb to the dock, and the second van waiting in Gustavia for the run to your villa. The ferry doesn't include either. Add an airport taxi to Marigot at $40 to $60, and a Gustavia taxi to your villa at $30 to $50, and the "cheap" ferry isn't quite so cheap.
Want to skip the ferry?
One message on WhatsApp and we'll have a private boat ready when you are.
WhatsApp usThe honest middle case
If you're a couple on a moderate budget, traveling light, and the ferry schedule lines up with your day, take the ferry. It's a real boat ride, you save real money, and the crossing isn't unpleasant. If you're four or more people, traveling with kids, connecting from a fixed international flight, or staying in a villa with multiple checked bags per person, the private boat is almost always the better trip. The clients who try the ferry once and then book private for the return tend to be the ones who write us the longest thank-you notes.
How to actually book each option
Public ferry: book online directly with Voyager or Great Bay Express. Tickets are timed and the schedule shifts by season, double-check the day of departure, especially around holidays.
Private boat: WhatsApp us your dates and group size. We come back with a quote and lock the boat with a deposit. Most bookings confirm same-day. See all our routes or read the complete guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is the St Barth ferry safe?
Yes. The ferry boats are properly licensed, regularly inspected, and operated by experienced crews. The Anguilla Channel is a well-used route. The discomfort issues are real (open top, slow, packed) but safety isn't.
Can I bring large luggage on the ferry?
Yes, but it rides on an open back deck and is generally not secured. For bulkier items (golf bags, surfboards, multiple suitcases), the private boat handles it more reliably.
Does the ferry run year-round?
Yes, with reduced schedules in low season (May, September, October) and extra departures in high season (December–April). Hurricane warnings cancel ferries.
How early should I arrive at the ferry terminal?
30–45 minutes before departure for ticket validation and boarding. Allow extra time during high season, lines at Marigot can be substantial.
Do private boats really cost the same as the ferry for groups?
Sometimes less, especially when you factor in airport taxis, longer travel time, and the time value of your own day. Send us your numbers and we'll do an honest comparison for your group.