Holbox Ferry Guide
Holbox Ferry – How Does It Work?
Two ferry companies operate the route between Chiquilá and Holbox Island: Holbox Express and 9 Hermanos. Both companies offer similar services and charge the same ticket price, but their departure times alternate.
Holbox Express departs every hour at half past the hour (:30), while 9 Hermanos departs every hour on the hour (:00).
This means there is normally a ferry between Chiquilá and Holbox every 30 minutes, making it easy to take the next available ferry when you arrive.
Example: 9 Hermanos at 10:00 AM → Holbox Express at 10:30 AM → 9 Hermanos at 11:00 AM → Holbox Express at 11:30 AM.
Below you can find the ferry schedules, ticket prices and information for each ferry company.
Avoid These 2 Common Ferry Ticket Mistakes
1. Don’t buy your ferry tickets online in advance
2. Don’t buy a round-trip ferry ticket
Why?
Read our complete Holbox Ferry Guide below to learn how it works and avoid unnecessary waiting.
Important Information Before Buying Your Ferry Ticket
We strongly recommend buying your ferry tickets directly at the pier and purchasing one-way tickets only.
Tickets for Holbox Express and 9 Hermanos are not interchangeable. If you buy a ticket in advance and your travel time changes, you may have to wait for the next departure operated by the company you booked with—even if the other ferry is leaving sooner.
We also recommend not buying a round-trip ticket, especially if you are unsure what time you will leave Holbox. A round-trip ticket means you will need to return with the same ferry company and follow their departure schedule.
There is no price advantage to purchasing a round-trip ticket, so keeping your return journey flexible is usually the better option.
Our recommendation: When you arrive in Chiquilá, check which ferry leaves next and buy your ticket at the pier. When leaving Holbox, simply do the same—go to the ferry pier, check the next departure and purchase your ticket there.
This gives you maximum flexibility and less waiting time.
Don’t Feel Pressured to Buy a Round-Trip Ticket
When purchasing your ferry ticket, you may be encouraged to buy a round-trip ticket. Many first-time visitors are not aware that Holbox Express and 9 Hermanos are two separate companies with different departure times.
Our recommendation is simple: buy a one-way ticket only at the pier-not online
First & Last Ferry to Holbox from Chiquilá
The first ferry from Chiquilá to Holbox departs at 6:00 AM, and the last ferry to Holbox departs from Chiquilá at 9:30 PM.
If you are arriving at Cancun International Airport and traveling to Holbox the same day, we recommend leaving Cancun Airport no later than 7:00 PM to have enough time to reach Chiquilá and catch the final ferry.
⚠️ Important for late arrivals: Traffic, road conditions and other unexpected delays can affect travel time. If your flight arrives late in the evening, we recommend allowing plenty of time rather than relying on the last ferry.
First & Last Ferry from Holbox to Chiquilá
The first ferry from Holbox to Chiquilá departs at 5:00 AM, and the last ferry departs at 8:30 PM.
If you have an early-morning flight from Cancun Airport, make sure to allow enough time for your entire journey:
Ferry crossing: approximately 30 minutes
Chiquilá to Cancun Airport: at least 2 hours by road
Airport check-in: most airlines recommend arriving at least 2 hours before departure
For example, if you take the 5:00 AM ferry from Holbox, you can expect to arrive at Cancun Airport at approximately 7:30–8:00 AM at the earliest, depending on traffic and road conditions.
For this reason, we recommend the first ferry only for flights departing Cancun at approximately 10:00 AM or later.
Flying before 10:00 AM?
We strongly recommend leaving Holbox the evening before and staying overnight in Cancun. This gives you sufficient time to reach the airport without the stress or risk of missing your flight.
Our tip: Always allow extra time for ferry schedules, traffic, road conditions and airport check-in, particularly during high season.
Weather Conditions & Ferry Cancellations
Ferry services between Chiquilá and Holbox may occasionally be suspended due to severe weather conditions, including strong winds, heavy rain, rough seas or unusually high tides.
If bad weather is expected, we recommend checking with your hotel or accommodation in Holbox before starting your journey to confirm that the ferry port is open and services are operating normally.
As Holbox is an island, ferry or boat transportation is required to reach or leave the island. If the port is temporarily closed, you may need to adjust your travel plans until conditions improve and maritime authorities allow services to resume.
⚠️ Please note: Private boats are not an alternative during unsafe weather conditions. For safety reasons, private boat transfers also do not operate in severe weather or outside daylight hours.
Our tip: During periods of tropical storms or severe weather, allow extra flexibility in your travel schedule, particularly if you have a flight departing from Cancun Airport.
Holbox Ferry Ticket Prices
As of August 2026, the one-way ferry fares between Chiquilá and Holbox are:
Adults: $330 MXN per person
Children: $200 MXN per child
Both Holbox Express and 9 Hermanos currently charge the same fares.
💡 Our recommendation: Buy a one-way ticket directly at the pier and choose whichever ferry is departing next. There is no price advantage to purchasing a round-trip ticket.
Please note: Go Holbox Transfers is an independent transportation provider and is not responsible for ferry prices, schedules or changes made by the ferry operators. Prices shown on this page are for informational purposes only and may change without notice. Please confirm current fares directly with the ferry operator before traveling.