Everything You Need to Know About the Ferry to Gillette Castle

Note: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a commission. More details are here.

Wondering about taking the historic ferry to Gillette Castle?

I recently rode this ferry for the first time and while the state website had some basic information, there were some things I was still unsure about. Below is a quick and helpful guide with all the details you need: cost, hours and season, how to pay, helpful tips, and why I think it’s worth doing.

Officially called the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry, this is a great addition to a trip to Gillette Castle State Park, whether you’re in a car or on foot. It is inexpensive and quick, and you get beautiful views of the castle from the river.

Chester-Hadlyme Ferry Information

The state-run passenger and car ferry operates seven days a week seasonally. On the weekend, there are shorter hours and a slightly higher rate. The ferry, named the Selden III, can fit up to nine vehicles—potentially up to twelve if there are very small cars.

There are parking lots at the ferry landing on both sides of the river if you want to go on foot. The lot in Chester (west side of the river) is much smaller, but the times I have been, it has been pretty much empty.

A small line of cars boarding the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry at a riverside dock marked by historic signage and flags. A green fare sign details Connecticut State Ferry Service prices, and a red stop sign and gated entrance highlight the boarding area.

Season: April 1 – November 30 (closed Thanksgiving)
Hours: 7 AM – 6:45 PM (Mon – Fri) // 10:30 AM – 5 PM (Weekend)
Vehicle Cost: $5 per vehicle (Mon – Fri) // $6 per vehicle (Weekend)
Pedestrian Cost: $2 per person (on foot or bicycle)
Google Maps Location: Chester Landing (West) // Hadlyme Landing (East)

Be sure to check the CT State website for any updates or changes.

How to Pay for the Ferry

Cash or Check

You can pay with cash or check, and they prefer exact change. I didn’t know this on the way over, and while the attendant did ask me if I had a single (which I didn’t), she had plenty of change available.

Token Transit App

Alternatively, you can download the app Token Transit (available on Google Play for Android and the App Store for Apple).

I attempted to use this on my way back, but I couldn’t get it to work as it only showed the Middletown bus system when I clicked “Buy Passes.” I thought it was location-based and that when I was close to the ferry, maybe it would load, but it didn’t. I tried the refresh button, and I tried finding a dropdown on the ticket purchasing screen—none of which worked.

When I had more time afterwards, I figured out how to purchase ferry tickets. While I still haven’t actually used it to board the ferry, below is what I found as I walked through the process. Screenshots are from the Android app—iPhone may look different.

How to use the Token Transit app to purchase ferry tickets

I recommend that you download the app, set up your account, and even purchase your tickets before you arrive to ensure you have time and a good connection.

If you don’t see the ferry listed when you click “Buy Passes,” do the following:

Tap the hamburger menu on the top left. Go to Settings.

A screen labeled “My passes” with a guide that reads: “(1) Buy passes, (2) Activate pass when bus arrives, (3) Show driver the ticket on your phone.” An illustrated bus ticket is shown, and the button at the bottom reads "BUY PASSES." The side menu icon of three horizontal lines at the top left is circled in orange.

The side navigation menu of the transit app is open, showing options such as “My Passes,” “Redeem Code,” “History,” “Settings,” and “Help.” The “Settings” option is circled in orange.

Click Agency, and choose CTferry. The description says “Chester-Hadlyme and Rocky Hill-Glastonbury.”

A settings menu in a mobile transit app showing fields for phone number, name, email, and agency. The agency is listed as “River Valley Transit,” which is circled in orange indicating where to tap.

A mobile app screen titled “Choose Your Agency,” displaying a list of transit agencies. The “CTferry Chester-Hadlyme and Rocky Hill-Glastonbury” option is circled in orange under the “Nearby agencies” section.

Exit back to the main screen, and now when you click “Buy Passes,” you should see options for the ferry.

A mobile app screen titled “Buy passes” showing the CTferry route for Chester-Hadlyme and Rocky Hill-Glastonbury. An orange checkmark drawn on the screenshot marks the ferry route, and a drawn orange oval highlights the “Select Rider” button under the Rider section.

Click Ferry, and then you will see options for the type of fare you want to purchase. If you’re purchasing walk-on tickets for multiple people, you should choose “Add to Cart” and then you will be able to increase the quantity on the cart/checkout screen. Otherwise, you can go straight to checkout by clicking “Buy Now.”

The Token Transit app screen shows the selected rider as “Ferry” and prompts the user to “Select Fare.” The “Select Fare” button is circled in orange.

A list of fare options to choose from is displayed: “Weekday Vehicle ($5.00),” “Weekend Vehicle ($6.00),” “20 Rides Discount ($60.00),” and “Walk On / Bike On ($2.00).” Each option includes an info icon.

After selecting “Walk On / Bike On,” the screen shows the fare selected and a yellow-orange “ADD TO CART” button with a drawn orange circle, indicating where to tap.

The cart displays “Ferry Walk On Bike On” for $2.00 with quantity controls. A yellow-orange “CONFIRM CHOICE” button is circled at the bottom.

Follow the checkout process, and then you will see your pass on the main screen under a heading “Stored Passes.”

‼️ IMPORTANT: don’t click the pass until you are getting on the boat because the tickets are only valid for 10 minutes once activated. You will get a pop-up screen informing you of this if you click the pass. When you click “Start My Trip,” you’ll see a screen with your ticket type, time, and expiration that you can show to the attendant. If you accidentally leave this screen, you can still access it from the main screen—the ticket shows as before and indicates how much time you have left.

The “My passes” screen shows the stored CTferry pass labeled “Ferry Walk On Bike On” with a prompt to “Tap to use this pass” circled.

A live CTferry digital ticket screen with a large timestamp “6:56:56 AM,” a yellow “Walk Bike” label, and the pass description and expiration time.

The Token Transit app “My passes” screen shows the active pass “Ferry Walk On Bike On” with a countdown timer displaying “10 MINUTES” remaining.

Tips for Taking the Ferry

No timed schedule

The trips are quick, so there’s not really a timed schedule—you just wait for the next ferry to arrive. It won’t take long!

Traveling on foot

If you go on foot, it’s best to go from Chester to Gillette Castle, as you can walk up the hill to the park from the ferry landing. (Just don’t miss the ferry hours for the return trip!)

Going the opposite way, you’ll probably want to just take a ride over and then come right back, as there isn’t much to see on the Chester side. You could walk up Ferry Road to the train tracks to get a photo of a cute booth (and potentially the Essex Steam Train coming by—use caution), and you could also take photos of the ferry and Gillette Castle from the little parking lot. But there isn’t anything else in walking distance on this side of the river.

Traveling by car

If you are taking your car across, you can simply arrive and pull up to wait. There might already be cars there, so you can just get in line.

If you’re the first or second one, please be sure not to block the entry to the parking lot. Other cars may arrive that want to enter, and cars coming off the boat might want to turn into the lot.

Getting photos of the castle

The best photos on the way to the castle are from the first vehicle or if you are outside of your car.

A black SUV parked on the deck of a ferry crossing the Connecticut River, with a view of Gillette Castle on a green tree-covered hill in the background. The sky is partly cloudy with blue patches, and a yellow caution label reading “SET PARKING BRAKE” is visible near the ferry’s edge. — *I was the second vehicle to board on my trip to the castle. I could still see it, but it was somewhat obstructed by the first car.*

Ask the attendant, but you should be able to get out of your car to take photos. It’s possible they only allow this when there are fewer cars. I assumed you couldn’t on my first trip, and nobody asked. But on my second trip, I heard the man working tell someone they could get out—so I did, too!

(Of course, be sure to get back in your car before arriving at the landing. The trip across is short and sweet!)

3 Reasons to Ride the Ferry to Gillette Castle

You can absolutely just drive directly to Gillette Castle (either up the East side of the river from Lyme or going across the East Haddam Bridge). But if you’re wondering if it’s worth it to take the ferry instead, here are three reasons I think this is a great addition to your trip.

It’s an interesting piece of history.

This historic ferry has been operating since 1769—over 250 years! It’s the second oldest ferry in continuous use in Connecticut.

Known as Warners Ferry until 1882, it then became the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry, though many people today refer to it as the Gillette Castle Ferry. The State of Connecticut took over operation in 1917.

A riverside ferry landing in Connecticut features a green sign detailing state ferry service fares and hours, with an American flag and small guardhouse nearby. A historic district sign for Hadlyme Ferry, founded in 1769, hangs on the adjacent cream-colored building.

Curious to know more? Find interesting details about the ferry service and the Selden III on the state’s website here.

You get great views of the castle from below.

Gillette Castle on top of a lush, tree-covered hill overlooking the Connecticut River, with its gray stone towers peeking above the dense greenery. A few people are walking along the riverbank path at the base of the hill, and the perspective of the image is from below on the river.

The first time I visited Gillette Castle, I drove straight there, and I loved seeing the castle up close and the views of the Connecticut River from on top of the hill. It wasn’t until later that I took the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat that I had the chance to see it from this perspective.

Not only is getting out on the rivers in Connecticut a great way to experience this state, the views of the castle itself are beautiful from below.

It’s quick and easy.

While bridges are of course the fastest way to cross the Connecticut River, the ferry actually doesn’t take that long—especially considering you have to drive a ways north or south to reach a bridge. It only takes a few minutes to cross on the ferry, and I found the whole process very easy since it’s so small.

Have you ever taken the ferry over to Gillette Castle? Do you have any other questions about it? Let us know in the comments!

Best of Connecticut Activities, Food, and More