The Cross-Bay Ferry officially returns on October 15! Tickets are available on its website. The mode of transportation that connects downtown St. Pete with downtown Tampa is ready to carry passengers again. Tampa residents can make their way to the ferry just outside the Tampa Convention Center at 333 S Franklin Street. The ferry will drop passengers off at Port St. Pete (250 8th Ave SE). The ferry service will run through June 2024.
This will be a different spot in St. Pete than Tampa residents are used to. There will be ample e-bikes and scooters available to rent when you hop off the ferry — just make sure to download the Lime and Veo apps if you haven’t already. It’s also a short walk to local foodie hubs such as The Hangar Restaurant, and The Tavern at Bayboro (home of one of the best grouper sandwiches in Tampa.
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Beginning today through June, the Downtown Looper in St. Pete will include a stop at the Port St. Pete, 850 2nd Ave SE, after 4pm Monday-Thursday, and all day Friday-Sunday. This enhancement provides a much closer trolley stop to the Ferry dock, making it convenient for passengers to explore hundreds of downtown destinations within walking distance of the Looper’s 19 other stops. For more information on the Downtown Looper and its route, visit www.PSTA.net/looper.
A new dock at Port St. Pete for the 2023-24 season
There are bike racks on board the ferry, so if you bring your own you’re only a 5-minute bike ride from the heart of downtown St. Pete, too.
Adult tickets cost $12 one-way, and $24 round trip. Senior (65+), Military, College Student (w/ ID)*, cost $22 round trip. Youth ages 5-18 pay $10 one way and $20 round trip. Those in a wheelchair pay $5 one way and $10 round trip.
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Children 4 years and under ride free. You can reserve tickets online. Below you can see a full schedule that shows service on Wednesday and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and Sunday.
Cross-Bay Ferry is the most scenic ride in Tampa Bay
The ferry vessel is a twin-hull aluminum catamaran that can carry a maximum of 149 guests at an average speed of 30 mph. The vessel has a full-service bar with basic food service. Passengers may bring up to two pieces of luggage and one small personal item at no extra charge, and they may also bring bikes on board.
While we’ve enjoyed seasonal service, by 2025 year-round service could be implemented. Hillsborough Area Regional Transit received a $4.9 million grant to secure a larger vessel that would call the St. Petersburg and Tampa area home permanently.
A project of this magnitude isn’t the undertaking of just one group, of course. The Cross-Bay Ferry is a regional collaboration between Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, the City of Tampa, and the City of St. Petersburg.
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