Ferry service returns to area with lower fares

TAMPA — The Cross-Bay Ferry service will re-launch Nov. 1 with a new schedule, lower fares and a new dock in Tampa.

Six months worth of funding for the service, which will run Tuesday through Sunday until April 19, has been provided by the City of St. Petersburg, City of Tampa, Hillsborough County and Pinellas County, according to a press release.

In St. Petersburg, the ferry will dock at the Vinoy Yacht Basin, within walking distance of Straub Park, the Museum of Fine Arts and the shops and restaurants along Beach Drive. In Tampa, the ferry will dock at a new location adjacent to the Florida Aquarium, just steps away from Sparkman Wharf, Amalie Arena, the Tampa Bay History Center and the Tampa Riverwalk.

One-way fares have been lowered to $8 for adults and $3 for children, with discounts for seniors, college students and military personnel, the release states. Operating hours for the high-speed catamaran service have been extended to accommodate users who want to experience nightlife across the bay but take the ferry home.

“Ever since the first season finished, people have asked me when the ferry will return, and I’m thrilled to say the answer is Nov. 1,” St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, an original backer of the ferry project, states in the release. “The ferry provides a fun, fast and efficient way to connect two great cities across the water.”