Two historic river ferries operate in Connecticut — the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry and the Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry. Both carry thousands of passengers, cars and some bicycles across the Connecticut River each season. The Chester-Hadlyme Ferry was established in 1769 as Warner’s Ferry an d is one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating ferries. It sails back and forth between Chester and Lyme. The Rocky Hill Ferry is the nation’s oldest, and it runs between Rocky Hill and Glastonbury. And even though neither of the ferry rides last more than a few minutes, they remain popular for commuters and sightseers alike. Both operate seasonally from April to the end of November, but the Chester-Hadlyme is currently closed for repairs. Across the two boats, tens of thousands of Connecticut residents travel each month during ferry season. July is the most popular, with nearly 20,000 passengers riding the ferries during that month in 2024 and 2025. In the summer months, one Connecticut’s ferry might cross the river more than 2,500 times. The Chester-Hadlyme Ferry made 2,527 river crossings in July 2025. That’s an average of more than 81 crossings per day. The two ferries run seven days a week, but some times are busier than others. The majority of crossings are made on weekday afternoons and evenings. Weekday mornings and weekends see fewer crossings. The vessels collect modest fares from each passenger. Walk-on riders are charged $2 a trip and vehicles cost $5 per vehicle on weekdays, $6 on the weekends. There are also commuter packages for those who take the ferry regularly, priced at $60 for 20 rides. Last year, there were more than 91,000 ferry rides taken between the two boats. But the inexpensive fares mean the revenue the ferries generate is limited. In 2024, they brought in $227,995 in rider fees for the season, excluding rides purchased through Token Transit, an app that launched for the two boats in 2024. Last year, ferry fare revenue dropped to $193,427, but nearly 1,000 more tickets were sold through Token Transit. The vessels played an important part in Connecticut history. The Chester-Hadlyme route, which many take today to get to Gillette Castle State Park, was used during the Revolutionary War to transfer supplies across the Connecticut River. The current ferry traversing the route has been in operation for more than 75 years. Earlier this summer, state officials announced $8 million in state and federal grants will be used to replace the vessel, known as Selden III. The Rocky Hill Ferry is older than the Chester-Hadlyme route, dating back to 1655. In fact, it’s the oldest continuously operational ferry in the nation. The setup for the Rocky Hill-Glastonbury crossing, known as “towing on the hip,” consists of a tugboat that is secured to the side of a barge — the “Hollister III” — that carries cars, bicycles and passengers on foot. ...read more read less