Getting to Nantucket

What is the Easiest Way to Get to Nantucket Without Bringing a Car?

The Nantucket Hotel offers a complimentary pick-up/drop-off service for those guests who choose the Steamship Authority’s or Hy-Line Cruises’s High-Speed Ferry Service from Hyannis, Mass. (centrally located on Cape Cod) and pre-reserve this transfer service with us in advance of their Island arrival.

Here’s how to book this service:

Step 1:

Contact the Steamship Authority for passenger ferry reservations on their high-speed ferry at www.steamshipauthority.com or by calling 508- 495-FAST (3278). TTY for the hearing impaired is (508) 540-1394

Contact Hy-Line Cruises for passenger ferry reservations on their high-speed ferry at www.hylinecruises.com or by calling 800-492-8082.

Step 2:

Pre-reserve your Nantucket Island transfers with us on our Online Concierge page.

What Do I Do If I Wish to Bring a Car?

The Nantucket Hotel is located in Nantucket Town, convenient to beaches, shopping, restaurants, nightlife, and the boat wharves. A car is unnecessary and discouraged.

However, if you wish to do so, please contact the Steamship Authority to make auto ferry reservations. Reservations should be made well in advance. For your information, during the summer months an automobile costs $400.00 round-trip for the ferry passage. Please Note: This price does not include any applicable passenger fees.

Parking spaces are limited in Nantucket Town, as well as at The Nantucket Hotel. We have limited parking spaces available at the Hotel for our guests, which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you wish to park at The Nantucket Hotel, we require your notifying us in advance so we can reserve a space for you. There isn’t any charge for this service, but you need to order it on our Online Concierge.

Additional Getting Here FAQ

From What Locations Do Boats Depart for Nantucket?
What Ground Options are Available to Nantucket from Washington, DC, New Jersey, New York City or Providence, RI?
What Ground Options are Available to Nantucket from Boston, or Boston’s Logan Airport to Nantucket, from Boston or Boston’s Logan Airport?
What Airlines Fly to Nantucket and From What Locations Do They Leave?
What On-Island Transportation Options are Available?
How Do I Rent Bicycles on Nantucket?

From What Locations Do Boats Depart for Nantucket?

Hyannis, Mass., located centrally on Cape Cod, is the primary year-round Nantucket departure port for both automobiles and passengers. Two boat lines, the Steamship Authority and Hy-Line Cruises, operate high-speed, passenger ferry service. The crossing takes one hour. Between the two companies there are up to 11 crossings every day, in each direction, with service almost hourly during the summer months.

Additional seasonal high-speed passenger ferry service is provided to Nantucket from Martha’s Vineyard Island via Hy-Line Cruises, or Harwichport (located near Chatham on Cape Cod) via Freedom Cruises.

Service from Hyannis, Mass.

The Steamship Authority

Provides high-speed, passenger-only service from April through December. The crossing takes one hour with up to five crossings every day, in each direction. Advance reservations are required. The Nantucket Hotel offers a complimentary pick-up/drop-off service for those passengers choosing the Steamship Authority’s High-Speed Ferry Service and who pre-reserve this transfer service with us in advance of their Nantucket Island arrival. To order this service, please use our Online Concierge

Provides the only year-round auto and passenger ferry service to Nantucket. These large vessels make up to six crossings per day, in each direction, during the summer months. The crossing time takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. Passenger reservations are unnecessary on these vessels. Automobile reservations are required

Hy-Line Cruises

Provides year-round, high-speed, passenger-only service . The crossing takes one hour with up to six crossings every day, in each direction. Advance reservations are required. The Nantucket Hotel offers a complimentary pick-up/drop-off service for those passengers choosing Hy-Line Cruises’s High-Speed Ferry Service and who pre-reserve this transfer service with us in advance of their Nantucket Island arrival. To order this service, please use our Online Concierge

Provides traditional passenger-only service with a large vessel making up to three crossings per day, in each direction, during the summer months. The crossing time takes 1 hour and 50 minutes

Hyannis is centrally located on the mainland and both boat lines have plenty of parking available

What Ground Options are Available to Nantucket from Washington, DC, New Jersey, New York City or Providence, RI?

Option 1: Budget and Avis offer a convenient and easy to use one-way drop-off option at the Steamship Authority wharf in Hyannis. You can pick-up your car wherever you start your journey, drop it off at the ferry, enjoy your visit on-island car-free without paying for an unused vehicle and, upon the return, reserve a car for the journey home. When booking on-line, the Hyannis drop-off/pick-up is “Hyannis South Street.”

If you are using Avis for your car rental, and plan to drop it off or pick it up at the Steamship Authority’s Hyannis Terminal, be sure to use Discount Code #H855900 to receive up to 20% off your daily, weekly or weekend rates. In 2013, Avis will be open for business at the Steamship Authority wharf Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information, call (508) 771-4554 or visit their website.

Option 2: You can pre-arrange ground transfer service with a driver from the Amtrak Train Station in Providence, Rhode Island or from the T.F. Green airport in Providence, RI to Hyannis by calling Town Car Travel at (508) 678-5500, White Tie Limo Escort Coach at (800) 564-8116 or Little Rest Limousine at (401) 294-1414.

Option 3: From Port Authority Bus Terminal, New York City – Peter Pan Bus Lines’ operates direct service every two hours to Hyannis. Peter Pan can be reached at (888) 751-8800, by e-mail or via their website, click here. The Hyannis bus terminal is an easy taxi ride to all Hyannis terminals.

What ground options are available to Nantucket from Boston, or Boston’s Logan Airport?

Option 1: Budget and Avis offer a convenient and easy to use one-way drop-off option at the Steamship Authority wharf in Hyannis. You can pick-up your car at Logan Airport or at many in-town locations, drop it off at the ferry, enjoy your visit on-island car-free without paying for an unused vehicle and, upon the return, reserve a car for the journey home. When booking on-line, the Hyannis drop-off/pick-up is “Hyannis South Street.”

Option 2: You can pre-arrange ground transfer service with a driver from Boston to Hyannis by calling Town Car Travel at (508) 678-5500, White Tie Limo Escort Coach at (800) 564-8116, ABD Coach Limo at (866) 4-ABD-LIMO or Any Occasion Limo Service at (508) 477-7300.

Option 3: New for 2013! Passenger rail service will operate from Boston’s South Station to Hyannis every weekend from May 24 to September 2, 2013 connecting with Nantucket’s high-speed ferries. Please go to CapeFlyer.com or call our Reservations Office for details.

Option 4: Plymouth and Brockton Bus Lines operate an hourly bus service from downtown Boston’s South Station, and from all terminals at Logan Airport, to Hyannis. Plymouth & Brockton Bus Lines can be reached at (508) 746-0378 or via their website. The Hyannis Bus Station is a five- minute taxi ride to all Hyannis terminals.

What Airlines Fly to Nantucket and From What Locations Do They Leave?

Two carriers operate out of Hyannis (Cape Cod), Massachusetts:

1) Cape Air/Nantucket Airline operates year-round, frequent air taxi service utilizing nine-seater Cessna aircraft. Additional service is available from New Bedford, Mass. Advance reservations are required by calling toll-free 866-227-3247 or via their website.

2) Island Airline’s operates year-round, frequent air taxi service utilizing nine-seater Cessna aircraft. Advance reservations are required by either calling toll-free 800-248-7779 or via their website.

Flight time is approximately 15 -20 minutes. During the summer months, please allow an additional 30 minutes to collect baggage and transfer, via taxi, from the airport on Nantucket to the Hotel.

Seasonal, non-stop service operates to Nantucket from New York airports, Washington DC, and Providence , RI by Cape Air, Continental Express, Delta Express, Jet Blue and US Airways.

Year-round, non-stop service operates to Nantucket from Boston, via Cape Air, using nine-seat Cessna aircraft. Jet Blue provides seasonal service operating one trip per day.

What on-Island transportation options are available?

The Nantucket offers complimentary shuttle service directly to both Jetties Beach and Surfside Beach during the summer season. Guests can also ride the “Wave,” Nantucket’s popular public bus service. It’s economical, runs frequently, and provides service throughout the Island. Each bus can also accommodate up to two bicycles, for free. The Jetties Beach shuttle and the Madaket shuttle stop right in front of The Nantucket Hotel. For more information, visit their website or call them at 508-228-7025. Walking and bicycling are the favorite methods of getting around Nantucket Town.

How do I rent a bicycle on Nantucket?

We encourage you to bring your own bikes or pre-reserve them on the Nantucket. Young’s Bike Shop will deliver bikes to The Nantucket free-of-charge for our guests. Adults can choose from Men’s and Women’s hybrids, Mountain Bikes, Baby Seat Bikes and Tandem models. There are also kid’s bicycles and “burley cub” or “trail a bike” models for young children. Stroller’s are available, as well.

Pre-reserve your bikes by calling Young’s at 508-228-1151 or book online.

Bike paths to Dionis Beach and Madaket (Nantucket’s famous sunset destination) start near The Nantucket Hotel. All NRTA Wave shuttle buses carry two bikes per trip to all Island destinations. You can bike one way and return by bus!

Nestled prominently in the heart of Nantucket, where everyone wants to be, within walking distances of beaches, shopping and restaurants. The Nantucket is the Island’s newest hotel & resort bringing back family friendly all season Nantucket accommodations.