Halifax Dartmouth Ferries

Having lived in the HRM since the early 80s, I have made an effort to ride the ferries as often as possible in the summer. For the cost of a Metro Transit bus fare, and the option of a transfer, the upper deck is a pleasant way to cross the harbour on a hot, sunny day. The boardwalk, on the Halifax side, is usually busy with tourists, buskers, and food, and is certainly, the ‘fun’ side, but despite what I read from some reviewers, it is not the prettiest side. The Alderney Landing on the Dartmouth side, doesn’t have it’s skyline crowded with as many ugly buildings as the Halifax side. Must ride? Perhaps not, but you should certainly check it out, and decide for yourself. Bring your own snacks, Jeremy didn’t…

We often take our son just for a boat ride on the weekend and he loves the ferry. We have never had to use it as a commuter so I am sure we may have a different opinion on it if we had to. I think it is very clean and tidy and tons of room for sitting on the upper and lower decks.

The ferry does offer quite a lovely view of Halifax. And it’s a nice way to get to another neighborhood and browse what some people tell me is the «hipster» ‘hood in the area. (I guess judging by the vintage and comic book stores across the way that’s a fair assessment.) It’s $ 2 and it comes every half hour or so and while I wouldn’t necessarily call it a «must ride» while in Halifax I will say it’s an interesting and affordable diversion.

I’m deeply jealous of those fortunate enough to commute by the ferry. Of course, I say this as someone who has ridden it only a handful of times, and never in the rain or snow. Perhaps after a week in February I would change my tune.
BUT, speaking as a more-​than-​casual rider, this is super fun. Zipping from one side of the harbour to the other, sitting in the sun-​warmed plastic of those hard cards, feeling the breeze blow through your hair… It’s something I could honestly do for hours. I could happily sit on the deck and listen to the sea spray around me while I read through glossy magazines or heavy library books (I am totally wearing awesome sunglasses and a scarf tossed around my head in this fantasy), going back and forth for on a lazy afternoon.
Do they sell a pass for that?

Is it ok? Definitely. Is it good? Sure. Is it great? Meh.
The Ferry is a great service, allowing us to make it over to Dartmouth (or to Halifax) in a fraction of the time, and at a reasonable price. But it doesn’t hit the mark every day, or every season.
Price: ⁴⁄₅
$ 2.25… Pretty good. For the price of a bus that will get you from just about anywhere around the HRM, you can take the Ferry straight over to Dartmouth in about 10 minutes or less. About the same as a cup of coffee, much less than a cab ride, and more than a stick of gum from 1925. In all reality, today, what else can you get for $ 2.25? Not too much. Or maybe you have a Metro Transit pass? Then it’s unlimited uses for you!
Service: ³⁄₅
It’s ok, but they don’t exactly go above and beyond to give you a pleasant experience. When it comes to the Ferry, it’s sort of a make your own adventure situation. It’s not their job, really, to do so, but couldn’t it be? Does a Ferry ride to Dartmouth/​Halifax have to be a trip to Alcatraz? Why can’t it be a cruise to the DR? Some kind of snack or drink service on board maybe? I’m not talking dinner and wine, just maybe some juice/​pop and fruit/​chips options. It’s not a bud, it’s a ferry. It’s a boat, it’s 10 minutes long every time… what about a vid screen showing the news of the day?
Conditions: ³⁄₅
Here’s the problem, half the seats on the ferry are inside, and half are outside. In the dead of winter? In a rain storm? Out of luck for the outdoor upstairs kids. If you make it on a really nice warm and sunny Summer day, you are in for a treat. You could even make a date out of it, but otherwise, it’s inside for you. And inside, well it’s not great. A lot of dirty floors, rust spots, and smudged windows. Also, they don’t run very late, so forget a simple ride back to Dartmouth after the bars on a Saturday night.
In summation… It’s ok. It runs when you usually need it, it gets you where you want to go, and it’s not too expensive. it could be better, but for that I’m sure they’d need a lot more money that would no doubt come from us (as a municipal service) and also jack up admission prices. So, you get what you pay for.
To Alcatraz!

I use the ferry Monday to Friday as my travel to work in Halifax and sometimes on weekends.
I take the Woodside ferry when I take my car (usually when my other half works nights and I wouldn’t have a ride home from the terminal) — parking is free there so that is a plus (although technically the sign says free parking only for those with a metropass). I take the alderney ferry when my other half can drive me there as I don’t have to get up as early! The downside about Woodside ferry is its pick up times in Halifax, since I don’t get off until 5pm, I can never make the 5:07, then I end up being 20min early for the 5:37. Also, $ 70.00 for the metro pass is pretty reasonable as well if you take it as often as I do… it sure beats parking in Halifax for $ 10+ a day and then gas money.

999… 1000
Boarding one of the longest running ferries from Dartmouth to downtown Halifax this past week, I knew I had found the subject of my 1000^th review.
There is something truly special about one of our most eastern shorelines. Dripping with history, fresh with the spray from the sea, there is no escaping it. You just feel a little more Canadian perched up on the top deck. The air is salty, the wind whips your hair, the sun bounces off of the glass buildings on the waterfront, cruise ships dock at Pier 21, the sirens echo as the navy performs drills, and the citadel peaks out above the seashore. Friends, this port is one of our collective pieces of our Canadian heritage.
From Dartmouth to downtown Halifax and back again only takes a few minutes each way, and I’m sure for some, it’s just their every day commute, but for me, I was left speechless. The ferry runs every 15 or 30 minutes depending on peak hours. And not to be discounted, the park and the pier on the Dartmouth side has one stunning view.
It was a smooth ride all around, even on days when the water is choppy, I’m told. So smooth in fact that when you finally disembark, much like emerging from a hottub, I felt a little zen-​like. Hottub = jets. Ferry = the humming engine.
¹⁄₃₀ 30 Day Challenge

The ferries are great. It is a must do for anyone in Halifax. The veiws are great from the top and the bottom has bike racks. If you need to only cross the harbour take advantage of the ferries.

The ferry’s good, it ferries you to Dartmouth and of course and it has nice bike racks.

Oh Halifax Dartmouth Ferry, how I love thee! As other Unilocalers mentioned the ferry is punctual… all the time! It is much more reliable than it’s landlubber counterpart. The scheduling is pretty reasonable. I also love the Point A to Point B travel. The busiest time that I’d ever seen the ferry was on Canada Day and it was still tolerable. With the ferry you’ll never have to deal with over-​crowdedness, smelliness or have someone’s nether regions in your face.
If you happen to catch the ferry on a sunny day, the view from the upper deck is spectacular. I’ve caught the ferry on a foggy day and sat on the deck. My advice to you is beware the fog horn, it can be a bit startling.
For $ 2.25 it’s a pretty good deal!

I wasn’t going to write a review on this, until yesterday when a great experience happened and I wanted to share.
It’s always hard to review a service, especially when the service is a monopoly. Metro transit had a bumpy year when it comes to PR, but this instance made my heart sing.
On a beautiful sunny day I decided to ferry it from the dark side on the upper deck to get some much needed sun. As we launched I heard the captain (do they call ferry drivers captains? I do) shout down to a little boy «hey kid, you want to come up here»? The kids eyes lit up, we was already excited to be on the ferry, but to ride with the CAPTAIN? Wow! Quickly got the OK from his mom and scooted up the stairs to the control room. After we stopped the kid came down and I walked behind them ½ listening to him talk non stop about how the ferry works, still brimming with excitement.
GOOD ON YOU metro transit! I’ll remember this next time my bus is late and I’m waiting in the rain/​snow.

There isn’t anything more reminiscent of the east coast than a ferry ride. Even if it’s only about 7 or 8 minutes long from start to finish, it’s still long enough to take in the ride over the water, catch a great view of the Dartmouth and Halifax views and let the fresh wind blow through your hair.
The ferries are part of Metro Transit so those with a transit pass (students, you likely have one too from September-​April) can access this at no extra cost. Otherwise, it’s $ 2.25. The ferry is much more enjoyable than the bus, unless you get seasick easily. The only downside would be if you have easier access to the Dartmouth Sportsplex but if you’re going anywhere in Dartmouth besides that general area or MicMac mall, you’re better off catching the ferry.
There are two routes. There’s the main Halifax-​Alderney route which takes you to downtown Dartmouth at the end of Portland Street, where you can find some neat shops or wander around. And then there’s the other route, Halifax-​Woodside, that takes you to the other end where things are popping up every other day it seems.
I used to take the Halifax-​Alderney one, which only runs in the morning and the evening during rush hours, when I was attending NSCC. It turns out, walking along the waterfront between the two terminals in Dartmouth didn’t take too long so it wasn’t too much out of my way if I had to catch a ferry in the mid-​afternoon or after supper. When they run, they typically go every 15 or 30 minutes, depending on the time of year.
The ferries are what makes HRM distinctly HRM. They can block the view from Citadel Hill but as long as we still have our ferries, I think we’ll be fine.

To me, this is the only Metro Transit service that consistently doesn’t disappoint me. Why? Because they are always on time (for me at least) and also it provides a chance to enjoy the beauty of Halifax and Dartmouth downtown from a ferry crossing over the Eastern Arm.
Either on a sunny day or at night, you’d get to enjoy the view for as cheap as slightly over $ 2. But if you’re a student at one of the universities, its a free ride with your U-​pass. As for me, its one of the cheap thrills I indulge in once in a while whenever I decide to take a weekend trip to Dartmouth’s Public Library at Alderny Landing or perhaps walk a little bit to TIBS Café to enjoy a delicious croissant.

There is nothing I like better than an early evening ferry crossing, just as the sun is setting and the commuter traffic rush is past. I’m not an avid public transit user, but I love that we have active ferry service in Halifax; it’s a cool perk!
Often, the ferry is a go-​to cheap date option (pair that with a visit to Two if by Sea!), an out-​of-​towner tourism pleaser, or just a nice way to get out on the water without having to shell out for a Murphy’s tour.
I can’t speak to how often the crossings are, or how late they go, but whenever I need the ferry, it’s been available. And, seeing that spring is on it’s way in, I think I’m due for a Sunday afternoon crossing very soon!

The ferry is the bright spot in Metro Transit’s Service.
It’s the most fun, if not always most efficient way of getting from one side of the city to the other. The price is the same as the bus, but you get better views (stick to watching the Halifax side), fewer crowds and you don’t have to worry about bridge traffic during rush hour. If it’s nice out be sure to sit up top and breathe in the semi-​fresh harbour air.
Be sure to plan ahead to know how often and when the ferry is coming. The Ferry, unlike the buses actually keeps to its schedule, which is great.
Usually when I am headed to Dartmouth, it is to work or to visit the parents, and both of these locations are better reached on the bus, so it’s a special occasion when I get to take the ferry.

I effing love the ferry. In fact, the ferry may have played a significant role in decision making process when I had to decide where to live and where to work. My morning ferry ride is one of the nicest parts of my day. The ferry commissionaires are a delight — especially the ones on the Dartmouth side. And the volunteer who hand delivers my Metro every morning is lovely too.
Then my soothing ferry ride awaits. I never feel crowded (even when there’s a pile of people), and you can watch the sun glint off the harbour in the morning. Unless it’s foggy, which is kinda a lot of the time honestly, but then the ferry is a little trippy — can’t see a foot in front of you, feels like you’re in a weird, incredibly humid bubble.
And the best part of the ferry is that they are ALWAYS on time. ALWAYS. I have never experienced a ferry that doesn’t show up or a ferry that is late. Unlike the majority of the bus routes in Hfx, where a no-​show bus seems commonplace. Only caveat: occasionally there are a couple of weeks where one ferry is being worked on, so the rush hour «extras» aren’t available. But there’s always warning when that’s about to happen.
I live in Dartmouth, work in Halifax, and I will never take a bus over the bridge. Frankly, I’d rather walk. But the ferry? Sign me up!

Oh ferries, I know you think you deserve ⁴⁄₅ and dream of ⁵⁄₅. Alas, I cannot award you such high marks.
For those of us who are bound by use of public transit to move through this city, you are a scheduling challenge at the best of times and an impossibility at the worst of times.
Let us start with your out-​of-​touch Sunday schedule; no service before 10 a.m. and none after 6 either.
And, yes, I know, at some points in the day you have service every 15 minutes. But that’s only for the 9 months of the year when one of your ships isn’t sent away for «annual repairs.» Perhaps if you’re going to be down one ship a quarter of your schedule, you should invest in another ship?
You also lose points for not including extra service at times when you should know there will be excess volume. For example, when the Alexander Keiths’ birthday festivities were held at Alderney Landing, ferry service was only every 30 minutes and each ferry was over-​flowing with loud and rambunctious party-​goers.
I shall award you points for your on-​tine performance; no traffic delays for you!
You also get credit for providing a relaxing 10 – 12 minute journey across the majestic harbour, offering tourists and residents alike a chance to appreciate the beauty that our city has to offer on either shore.

The cheapest thrill in Halifax! For just over $ 2 or a regular bus pass, you get a glorious and stable jaunt across the lovely harbour with magnificent views of the bridges, the islands, the downtown skyline and… uh…Dartmouth. Just face the other way, okay?
Ferries leave every fifteen during peak hours and every thirty in off-​hours and take about eight minutes for you to reach your destination on either side of the harbour. Seats are comfortable enough, there’s indoor seating below and rooftop seating for those looking to get a better look, and great opportunities for your own personal Halifax photography.
For visitors: keep in mind that there are two different ferry routes. One runs between downtown Halifax and downtown Dartmouth, the other runs from downtown Halifax to Woodside. You’re probably not looking for this one but if you are, follow the student population that’s headed out to the gorgeous NSCC campus.
For locals or locals to be: keep in mind that like most public transit in the city, you’re shit outta luck any time after 11:45pm. All-​night ferry rides would be life-​changing but we likely have a while to wait just yet.
(Edit: Was also just reminded of the brutal 10 – 6 Sunday service. Be warned.)

One of the most enjoyable — and inexpensive treats — on a sunny day or a snowy evening!

Great way to get to the other side!
Halifax and Dartmouth ferries are used for those who have fifteen more minutes in their day and want to cruise the Halifax Harbor while either going home or going to work. The ferries can take you from Halifax to the Dartmouth, Alderney Terminal or the Dartmouth Woodside Terminal. And they of course go back to Halifax.
The ride itself has always been pleasant and stress free. I have never met anyone who has bothered me, and the view is quite beautiful. About six or seven years ago, Halifax Harbor even had some Whales come into the Harbor for a month. During that time they loved playing with the ferries. I wasn’t there but heard that was an amazing experience.
Two out of the three ferry terminals have the famous, iconic coffee and donut shop known as Tim Hortons. The third one in Woodside does not have anything but is close to a Tim Hortons and several fast food restaurants.
The ferry service is connected to the Metro Transit so it costs the same to go on the ferry as it does the bus, $ 2.25. But if you start on the bus and move to the ferry, you can just use a «transfer» ticket that you get from the bus driver and give that to the person working at the ferry terminal so you don’t have to dish out another $ 2.25. And you could also get another transfer from the ferry person so that when you get to the other side you can use it to get back onto a bus.
The ferry service hasn’t changed at all since I started cruising on it over fifteen years ago. The biggest improvement I would like to see would be longer hours for the ferry service and perhaps one more ferry to cut down the wait time. But I always have a good time on the ferry and love standing on the deck, looking at the city and smelling the salt water. So for a fun experience and helping me get to where I want to go, four stars.