Year-round schedule published by Loyalist Township: hourly from each side, every day
Map – Amherst Island Ferry (Millhaven–Stella)
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Pedestrian, round trip | Free |
| Car, van, truck under 1 ton, farm tractor or small school bus, round trip | $11.00 |
| RV, car with trailer or large vehicle needing up to 2 spaces, round trip | $22.00 |
| Vehicles or equipment needing more than 2 spaces, per space, round trip | $11.00 |
| Motorcycle, round trip | $4.00 |
| Bicycle, round trip | $2.00 |
| Transit Card minimum load (25 rides) | $110.00 |
2026 fares from Loyalist Township, in effect since 5 January 2026. All fares are round trip; the township does not say at which wharf they are collected. Pedestrians ride free and no separate driver charge is listed. Large vehicles, trailers or equipment needing more than two spaces pay $11.00 per space. Single fares are paid on board by card or phone (tap preferred). The Amherst Island Ferry Transit Card replaced the 25-ticket bulk package: a stored-value card with a minimum load of $110.00 (25 rides) that does not expire. Old white tickets bought before 5 January 2026 were accepted until 15 February 2026, with a $0.50 difference charged after that; salmon-coloured tickets carry a $1.00 difference. Commercial operators can apply for monthly billing. All fares in Canadian dollars (CAD).
The Amherst Island ferry is run by Loyalist Township, whose offices are in Odessa. The boat shuttles between Millhaven Wharf at 5604 Bath Road on the mainland and Stella Wharf at 1 Stella Forty Foot Road on the island. The township lists a 20-minute crossing and warns that the boat is not held for anyone arriving late.
The pattern is easy to remember: the island side sends a boat on the hour and the mainland side on the half-hour, from early morning until the 1 am run out of Stella and the 1:30 am return from Millhaven. The township publishes one year-round schedule with no separate weekend, holiday or winter timetable.
Money changed in January 2026. Every fare is a round trip, people on foot travel free, and a car, van, pickup under one ton or farm tractor costs $11.00; an RV or car towing a trailer takes two spaces and pays double. Cyclists pay $2.00 and motorcyclists $4.00. The old 25-ticket book has been replaced by the Amherst Island Ferry Transit Card, a Square-issued stored-value card that must be loaded with at least $110.00 (25 rides), never expires, and can be bought as a physical card from the pursers or as a digital card for Apple Wallet. Single fares are paid on board by debit or credit card or by phone, with tap preferred.
A few rules catch first-timers. Overhead clearance on the vehicle deck is 13 feet, so tall loads should call the ferry office first. Emergency vehicles get priority: cars can be taken off to make room, and the boat may even turn back to Millhaven mid-crossing before picking up the timetable again. In September 2026 the ferry's X account twice reported the service off schedule because of an emergency call, on 14 and 23 September.
Both wharves gained passenger buildings with washrooms, waiting areas and offices in February 2022, along with paved parking, bike racks and sidewalks. Planned maintenance is announced in advance on the township website, dock signs, the ferry's Facebook and X pages and the township's CodeRed alert service, which is worth joining if you cross often.
- Arrive at the terminal before the posted departure; vehicle lanes and ticket booths close earlier than the foot-passenger gate.
- Check the operator's current conditions or service notices on the day — wind, ice, vessel refits and dangerous-cargo sailings change the schedule.
- Find out how you can pay before you queue: some crossings are free, some sell tickets only at one end, and some take cards only.