✈️ How do I get from Boston or Logan Airport to Martha's Vineyard? (2024)
Alternative ways to get to MV after arriving in Boston, reliability, how long it takes and price comparisons
Getting to Martha’s Vineyard - only accessible by ferry or plane - can be confusing. Let me help break it down. Flights to the island are limited and expensive. Instead, you can fly or train to Boston, and make your way to Cape Cod where you can board a relatively inexpensive ferry onto the island.
Once you land in Boston, you are going to want to get to Woods Hole, MA to catch the Steamship Authority Ferry that will take you to the island. There are a few different ways to do - bus, train, private car, etc. I’ve broken them down and linked info in this post depending on what you’re prioritizing. Want to get there fast? Fly. Want to get there cheaply? Bus. Want to travel as a group? Private car. Choose your adventure below.
Please note, getting to Woods Hole from Logan will take about two hours (or more if you’re dealing with summer traffic) to get to the ferry, and another 45 minutes to arrive on the island.
By Bus
Cost: $30-35 one way
The easiest/cheapest option is taking the bus:
Peter Pan Bus Lines (this is a solid option)
PB Bus (this is MVacay’s recommendation - The PB Bus runs from Logan to Woods Hole 6 times/day directly from each terminal. Tickets are not date, direction or time specific, which is more flexible with flight delays etc. They run daily, year-round and have digital tickets you purchase on their site or kiosk.)
CapeBus (Note: this will take you to Hyannis to the Hyline ferry, not Woods Hole and Steamship. Not year round, will take much longer)
By Private Car
Cost: approximately $100-$200 one way
Try these options that can take you directly from BOS-WH + Back. This would be far more dependable than an Uber/Lyft. This is a great option if you want to stay as a group of 4 or if you want reliability.
By Rental Car
Cost: about $100/day
Budget/Avis offer rental cars at Logan Airport that you can pay a small fee to return in Woods Hole at the Steamship Authority parking lot. This has the added time of returning the car or picking it up. Side note: you can not bring this car onto Martha’s Vineyard unless you have an advanced reservation. You will have to make a reservation through the Steamship Authority ferry for a rental car in order to bring it with you as opposed to leaving it on the Cape Cod side of the ferry terminal.
By Rideshare App
Cost: varies greatly
A lot of people assume they can just pay for a very expensive Uber or Lyft to and from the Airport. We don’t suggest doing this because of the great distance (over an hour) it can be quite difficult to get a driver to accept the ride and you may have to wait some time to get a ride picked up.
By Train
Cost: $20
The Cape FLYER Train operates on summer weekends (Memorial Day to Labor Day) from South Station in Boston to Bourne, where you can take the SSA free shuttle to the Woods Hole terminal. You will need to get from Logan to South Station on the free MBTA Silver Line shuttle to make this work. While it is the cheapest, it involves a lot of movement (plane to shuttle to train to shuttle to ferry, eek!)
By Plane
Cost: varies greatly
CapeAir flies from Logan to MVY Airport, so consider seeing if you can hop on a connecting flight.
We’ve made you a little cheat sheet to compare the options below:
Once you arrive in Woods Hole, you can take the Steamship Authority Ferry to either Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven, Martha’s Vineyard. You can buy a ticket when you arrive (do not need to pre-purchase for individuals). The last ferry of the night usually leaves Woods Hole at 9:45pm, so give yourself plenty of time to arrive and board. If possible, we suggest taking a flight that arrives morning or mid-day to ensure you have enough travel time. Traffic from Boston onto Cape Cod can be very heavy (up to 4 hours during peak times) so plan ahead!
If you’re looking for more Martha’s Vineyard travel info, you can find it here. MVacay lists consolidated, easy-to-use travel info and updates it regularly. We also post weekend updates about what’s happening on the island, guides for travel and more.
