Fly into BOS

If you fly into Boston’s Logan Airport you can either 1/ rent a car at the airport and drive+ferry to the Vineyard, or 2/ you can take a bus directly from the airport to the ferry.

To rent a car and drive from the airport to the Vineyard

• Simply put “Steamship Authority” in Falmouth, MA into maps and you’ll be there in 1.5-2hrs.

• To bring your car over on the ferry you need to make a Steamship Authority reservation ahead of time. Car ferry tickets sell quickly for the summer months so please do this ASAP, tickets go on sale in January for the summer season.

• If you don’t want to bring the car over, you can park it in a Falmouth lot for $15-20/day, there’s a shuttle directly from the lot to the ferry, just make sure to note which town your ferry is going to (Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs) and plan transportation from the ferry to your accommodations accordingly.

To take the bus from the airport

• Go to Peter Pan Bus Lines and buy a ticket from Boston (Logan Airport) to Woods Hole, MA. You can also buy tickets onboard the bus as a last resort, but they can sell out in the summer.

• When your flight arrives, go to the baggage claim area and walk outside. The bus will arrive in the Scheduled Departures area. The bus will say Woods Hole when it arrives. It’s about 2hrs to Woods Hole, the last stop.

• The bus will drop you off next to the Steamship Authority terminal where you will need to buy a ferry ticket to the Vineyard. Make sure to note which town your ferry is going to (Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs) and plan transportation from the ferry to your accommodations accordingly.

See the on island transportation section for more info. Final note, it’s helpful to look at both the bus and ferry schedules before you book your flight to make sure you can make it on island the same day, the last ferry usually runs around 9:45pm.

Fly into MVY

This is the most convenient option, however, keep in mind that flying directly into the Vineyard can be significantly more expensive than flying to Boston. See Getting around on Island for how to get from the airport to your accommodations.

Driving over

• Simply enter “Steamship Authority” in Falmouth, MA into maps.

• To bring your car over on the ferry you need to make a Steamship Authority reservation ahead of time. Car ferry tickets sell quickly for the summer months so please do this ASAP, tickets go on sale in January for the summer season.

• If you don’t want to bring the car over, you can park it in a Falmouth lot for $15-20/day, there’s a shuttle directly from the lot to the ferry, just make sure to note which town your ferry is going to (Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs) and plan transportation from the ferry to your accommodations accordingly.

by car

Having a car on the island will give you the most freedom and is 1000% encouraged. If you’re driving your own car over, make a Steamship Authority reservation ahead of time. Car ferry tickets sell quickly for the summer months so please do this ASAP, tickets go on sale for the summer season in mid January and sell out quickly for key dates, Saturdays especially. If you need to rent a car, it will be much more reasonable to do so at the airport in Boston rather than on island, but you can rent cars on island as well.

by bus

VTA Bus Service: The VTA is a Vineyard-wide bus service that’s very reliable if you’re going car-free, just keep in mind that most routes run once an hour, and only on the main roads. Keep this in mind when booking accommodation, many Vineyard homes are tucked down very long dirt roads.

by taxi

Uber/Lyft/taxi: They exist! But service tapers off significantly early morning or late at night, and prices are generally high.

other

Hitchhiking: If you’re stuck somewhere, don’t be afraid to try to hitchhike, it’s definitely not unheard of on the Vineyard when you’re in a pinch.