Playa del Carmen to Cozumel Ferry: Schedule, Price and Tips
Every boat trip on this island starts after you have crossed to it. The ferry from Playa del Carmen takes 35 to 45 minutes depending on the sea, runs from around six in the morning to eleven at night, and costs $38 for a round trip that stays valid for six months. Two companies work the route with staggered departures, so a boat leaves roughly every 45 to 60 minutes through the middle of the day. This covers the schedule, the seat that stops you feeling the swell, and the timing mistake that costs people their tour. Once you are across, the island's reef and catamaran boat trips are all within a short walk or taxi of the terminal.
About the Cozumel Ferry
Full refund up to 24 hours before your chosen departure
Crossing time varies with the sea state, not the operator
Premium or first class, valid for six months from purchase
Roughly every 45 to 60 minutes at peak, about 6 AM to 11 PM
Three decks, air conditioning, restrooms, open-air sundeck
Around 65 pesos, paid at a booth before boarding
Check Live Availability & Prices
Pre-booked round-trip tickets, exchanged for boarding passes at the terminal. Prices are per person in US dollars.
How the Crossing Works
Two operators, one route
Ultramar and Winjet both run the Playa del Carmen to Cozumel route from the same pier, with departures staggered between them. That is why the effective frequency is a boat every 45 to 60 minutes at peak even though neither company alone runs that often.
Ultramar operates the larger, newer catamarans and sells tickets online. Winjet is the smaller competitor, usually a little cheaper, and mostly walk-up. Crossing time is the same on both, because the limiting factor is the channel rather than the boat.
What a pre-booked ticket gets you
A round trip at $38, valid for six months, which matters more than it sounds. Plans on this coast move, and an open return means you are not locked to a specific boat home.
Premium class covers general access to the ferry. First class adds priority boarding, roomier reserved seating and a lounge. On a 40-minute crossing the upgrade is comfort rather than necessity, though it earns its keep on a packed midday sailing.
The port fee nobody mentions
Around 65 pesos per person, bought at a separate booth before you board. It is not part of the ticket and not collected with it.
Pay in pesos where you can. Both terminals accept US dollars, and both apply an exchange rate noticeably worse than any ATM in town.
The Crossing on Video
Where to Sit if You Feel the Swell
The channel is short and it can be lively
The crossing is 40 minutes of open water between the mainland and the island, and on a windy day it moves. Regular travellers on this route are consistent about what works.
Sit outside at the back, or on the upper deck. Amidships beats either end. Fix your eyes on the horizon rather than a phone. The worst seat by common agreement is inside, downstairs, at the front, which is exactly where people head for the air conditioning.
- Best: outside at the stern, or the upper open deck
- Good: amidships on the lower deck, indoors, if it is pouring
- Worst: indoors, lower deck, forward
- Take Bonine, Dramamine or ginger chews 30 to 60 minutes before boarding
- Skip the heavy breakfast before a morning crossing
- Watch the horizon, not a screen
What's Included, and What Isn't
In the ticket
The boats are properly equipped for what is a short hop.
- Round-trip crossing, premium or first class
- Air-conditioned cabins with reclining leather seats
- Covered and open-air decks with panoramic windows
- Restrooms on board
- Express boarding gangways and carry-on baggage handling
- The 24.37-peso deck charge tax
Paid separately
Two things catch people out at the terminal.
- The port fee, around 65 pesos per person, at a separate booth
- Food and drinks, sold at the on-board snack bar
- Any taxi at either end
- Gratuities for baggage handling
How the Crossing Flows
-
−30 min
Exchange the voucher
At the Ultramar terminal ticket booth, swap your voucher for a boarding pass. Thirty minutes before departure is the stated minimum.
-
−20 min
Pay the port fee
Separate booth, around 65 pesos per person. Pesos in cash gets you a better rate than dollars.
-
−10 min
Board
New-generation gangways make boarding quick even on a full sailing. Pick your seat by the swell advice above.
-
0:00
Cast off
The boat clears the pier and opens up for the channel crossing.
-
35–45 min
Arrive in San Miguel
The Cozumel terminal sits downtown, beside the Monumental Flagpole and a short walk from Punta Langosta and Muelle Fiscal.
Important Things to Know Before You Go
What to bring
Short crossing, but the terminal has its own requirements.
- Passport or ID card, and a credit card
- Pesos in cash for the port fee
- A light layer, since the cabins run cold
- Motion-sickness tablets if you are prone, taken before you arrive
The timing mistake that costs people their tour
Book any Cozumel boat trip to start at least two hours after your ferry lands. Operators are blunt in their own listings: miss the crossing and there is no refund, and they cannot help.
On a rough morning the crossing takes the full 45 minutes rather than 35, boarding queues at peak add 15, and the walk from the ferry terminal to a downtown meeting point costs another 10. That is an hour of slippage on a bad day, against a schedule most people build with 30 minutes of slack.
Schedules move
The published timetable shifts with season, weather and demand, and the harbour master can suspend sailings in a strong norte between January and March.
Check the departure board when you arrive rather than trusting a printout, and note the time of the last boat back before you plan a late dinner on the island.
Insider Tips From People Who Have Done It
Six things regular crossers do
From the Cozumel and Playa del Carmen travel forums.
- Take the earliest boat you can face. Morning water is flattest and the queues are shortest.
- Buy in pesos. Both terminals take dollars at a rate that costs you a few dollars each way.
- Do not eat a big breakfast before a morning crossing, especially if the flags are moving.
- The upper open deck is better going over in the morning: more air, better view, less rocking.
- Keep the return open. A six-month ticket means one rough afternoon does not strand you.
- If you are staying on the mainland, factor the round trip into your boat-tour day. It is roughly 90 minutes of travel on top of the tour.
Where the Ferry Docks
Who This Ticket Is For
A good fit if
Almost everyone who is not already on the island or on a ship.
- You are staying in Playa del Carmen, Tulum or anywhere on the Riviera Maya
- You want the flexibility of an open six-month return
- You would rather pre-book than queue at a ticket window on the day
- You are building a day trip around a Cozumel boat tour
Not needed if
Two groups can skip it entirely.
- Cruise passengers, who dock on the island already
- Anyone staying in a Cozumel hotel
- Travellers driving to the car ferry at Calica, a separate and slower service
Playa del Carmen to Cozumel Ferry — FAQ
How long is the ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel?
Between 35 and 45 minutes, depending on the sea state. Both operators, Ultramar and Winjet, take about the same time, since the limiting factor is the channel rather than the boat.
How much does the Cozumel ferry cost?
A pre-booked round trip runs $38 per person and stays valid for six months. On top of that there is a port fee of around 65 pesos per person, paid at a separate booth before boarding and not included in the ticket.
How often does the ferry run?
From roughly 6 AM to 11 PM daily. With Ultramar and Winjet departures staggered, a boat leaves about every 45 to 60 minutes during peak hours and every 90 minutes early and late. Check the board on arrival, as schedules shift by season.
Is the Cozumel ferry rough?
It can be. The crossing is open water and lively on a windy day. Sit outside at the stern or on the upper deck, stay amidships rather than forward, watch the horizon, and take motion-sickness tablets 30 to 60 minutes before boarding. The worst spot is indoors on the lower deck at the front.
How early should I arrive?
Thirty minutes before departure, which is what the operator asks, and it is genuinely needed: you exchange the voucher at the ticket booth, then pay the port fee at a second booth, then queue to board.
Can I book a boat tour the same morning I cross?
Yes, but leave at least two hours between landing and your tour start. Operators do not refund a no-show caused by a missed ferry, and a rough crossing plus boarding queues plus the walk to a downtown meeting point can eat an hour of your buffer.
What Passengers Say About the Crossing
The people who sit outside in the back never seem to get sick. The worst place is inside downstairs in the front.
Sit amidships and focus on the horizon. Motion sickness medication taken 30 minutes before helps.
Ride in comfort on a spacious 157-foot ferry with reclinable leather seating and open-air decks. Various departures throughout the day.
Quotes from the operator's GetYourGuide listing and Cozumel travel forums, reproduced as written.