Ferries are a practical method of transporting vehicles over the water and are often designed to carry passengers and cargo as well. A passenger ferry, also called a water bus or water taxi such as those found in Italy, typically make several stops. The use of ferries is nothing new; in fact, it has been around since the days of the Roman’s when the ferry was used to transport horse and chariots across the water of Lake Champlain.

Ferries are still in demand today all over the world, as they are offer easier, and often faster, alternatives to travelling on land around a body of water. There are a variety of types ranging from double-ended ferries to cable ferries, air ferries to hovercraft ferries, and pontoon ferries to Ro-ro ferries. In many cases, the larger ones are referred to as Ro-ro transportation as they allow for vehicles to Roll-on/roll-off making boarding and departure easy. Some of the most well known ferries in the world are:

– The Spirit of Tasmania in Australia which transports passenger and vehicles 186 miles across Bass Strait.

– The government-owned Interislander and the independently owned Bluebridge in New Zealand travel a route of just over 57 miles.

– The Penang Ferry Service in Malaysia is the country’s oldest ferry. Each day it connects Butterworth to Raja Tun Uda. It is a favorite tourist attraction for visitors.

– In Hong Kong, travelers can drive onto the Star Ferry to cross the Victoria Harbour to areas such as Cheung Chau, Lantau Island and Lamma Island.

– The world’s busiest seaport is the English Channel. Ferries from the renowned port carry travelers from Great Britain to Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands. It is here that the Ro-ros are most popular.

Of course, ferries are not uncommon here in North America. In fact, Canada is home to a long list of ferry services offerings crossings for passengers and vehicles alike. Guest to Canada will find ferry services for cities all along the eastern shoreline, as well as across the numerous freshwater lakes that separate the provinces and territories. In the U.S. there are ferry services to be found in cities all along the western and eastern coastlines, as well as in the Great Lakes region. Some of the more noted American ferry services are:

– The Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the U.S. They carry millions of passengers and vehicles each year and have 10 different routes.

– The Stanton Island Ferry in New York City travels between Manhattan and Staten Island and is America’s busiest ferry route by passenger volume.

– In San Francisco, you can use the services of the Blue and Gold Fleet, as well as passenger the passenger ferry which takes guest to Alcatraz.

– In North Carolina, you will find several state owned and operated Ro-ro ferries that make trips between Southport, Fort Fisher, Bald Head Island and other areas along its coast.

– In Michigan, the Mackinac Ferry is used by passengers, as a Ro-ro ferry and even for bicycle travelers to go between the mainland and Mackinac Island.

Travel by ferry is an easy and economical way to take your vehicle with you when you are headed somewhere across the water. They have been around for centuries and will likely be around for years to come. So whether traveling abroad or at home, be sure to take the time to experience an exciting ferry trip.

Author Bio: A leading Auto Transport company has provided the information in this article. For more on this and other Car Shipping nation wide, visit them today.

Category: Travel
Keywords: ferry services, water travel, passenger ferry