Florida to the Bahamas by ferry: routes, drive times and day trips

Updated October 1, 2026 · drive times from Google Maps (Wednesday, about 10:00 AM); ferry data from Balearia Caribbean's booking engine.

The short answer

The only scheduled passenger ferry from Florida to the Bahamas is the Balearia Caribbean fast ferry from Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, and you can buy your tickets at I Love Ferry, an official partner. It sails to Bimini in 2 hours and to Freeport (Grand Bahama) in about 3 hours. There is no ferry to the Bahamas from Miami, Tampa or Orlando: drive to Port Everglades.

Florida – Bahamas ferry routes

Route	Crossing	Same-day round trip (per adult, taxes incl.)	Round trip, later return
Fort Lauderdale – Bimini	2 hours (9:00 AM → 11:00 AM)	$199 Wednesdays, $246 other days	From $325
Fort Lauderdale – Freeport, Grand Bahama	About 3 hours (9:00 AM → 12:00 PM)	$246 ($306 Economy Premium)	From $314.51

Prices vary by date and season. Every sailing date is in the Bimini and Freeport schedules for 2026 and 2027. The ship carries cargo on its vehicle deck, but passengers cannot take their cars.

Drive times to Port Everglades from South Florida

From	Distance	Drive time	Main route
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport (FLL)	4 mi	~15 min	Terminal Dr, Eller Dr
Downtown Fort Lauderdale	5 mi	~20 min	US-1 S
Hollywood	9 mi	~20 min	I-95 N
Davie	11 mi	~20 min	I-595 E
Plantation	13 mi	~20 min	I-595 E
Hallandale Beach	12 mi	~20-25 min	I-95 N
Aventura	14 mi	~25-30 min	I-95 N
Pompano Beach	16 mi	~25-30 min	I-95 S
North Miami Beach	17 mi	~30 min	I-95 N
Sunny Isles Beach	17 mi	~30 min	I-95 N
Miami Gardens	18 mi	~30 min	Florida’s Turnpike
Pembroke Pines	18 mi	~30 min	Pines Blvd, Florida’s Turnpike
Miramar	21 mi	~30 min	Florida’s Turnpike
Weston	22 mi	~30-35 min	I-595 E
Coral Springs	29 mi	~35 min	Sawgrass Expy (FL-869)
Downtown Miami	27 mi	~35-40 min	I-95 N
Miami International Airport (MIA)	29 mi	~40 min	I-95 N
Deerfield Beach	22 mi	~40 min	I-95 S
Boca Raton	25 mi	~40-45 min	I-95 S
Hialeah	29 mi	~45 min	I-95 N
Miami Beach	30 mi	~45 min	I-95 N
Doral	34 mi	~45 min	Florida’s Turnpike
Coral Gables	32 mi	~45-50 min	I-95 N
Delray Beach	33 mi	~50 min	I-95 S
Boynton Beach	38 mi	~50-55 min	I-95 S
Kendall	46 mi	~55 min	Florida’s Turnpike
West Palm Beach	51 mi	~1 h	I-95 S

Google Maps, Wednesday at about 10:00 AM. Port Everglades is 30–45 minutes by car from Miami. City guides: Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Plan your trip

• Documents: a valid passport for every traveler (requirements by nationality).
• Check-in: opens 3 hours before departure and closes 1 hour before (check-in guide).
• Tickets: where to buy Bimini tickets and where to buy Freeport tickets.
• Ferry or plane? Read ferry vs flight to the Bahamas.

Check dates & prices » Book on Balearia Caribbean »

ferrytobahamas.com and I Love Ferry are aggregators and agents where you can buy ferry tickets to the Bahamas, compare dates and fares, and find alternative packages. They work directly with the operator, Balearia Caribbean, and you can book directly.