Getting there
Two ways over, and the part in between
The crossing itself is the easy bit. Reaching Ceiba, and finding a ride once you land on Vieques, is where most trips go sideways.
The shape of the trip
Three legs get you from the plane to the island. The drive east is the long one and the crossing is the short one, which surprises people who budget their day around the boat.
- Land at San Juan Most people arrive at SJU. Isla Grande is the other option.
- Drive east to Ceiba About an hour. An Uber runs $70 to $100.
- Cross to Vieques Allow about an hour by ferry, or ten minutes in a small plane.
Ferry or plane
Vieques sits about eight miles off the east coast of Puerto Rico. You reach it by boat from Ceiba or by a small plane from Ceiba or San Juan. The ferry is cheaper, while the plane avoids the terminal and most of the uncertainty. The choice usually comes down to how much your schedule can absorb.
| Route | Time | Fare | Books up | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceiba ferry Some tickets may remain for the terminal window after online sales close, but busy sailings can sell out there too. | Allow about 1 hour | Check live total | Weekends and holidays | Anyone with a spare hour and a flexible morning |
| Flight from Ceiba Vieques Air Link and Cape Air run small planes through the day. | 10 min | From about $50 | Same-day seats are common | Tight connections, or a cancelled sailing |
| Flight from San Juan Leaves from Isla Grande (SIG) or the main airport (SJU). | 25 min | $100–250 | Holiday weeks | Skipping the drive across the island entirely |
Getting yourself to Ceiba
The ferry terminal sits about an hour east of San Juan. An Uber runs roughly $70 to $100 and turns up without much trouble at the San Juan end. Driving yourself works too, and parking at the terminal costs around $8 a day.
Coming back the other way is the leg that catches people out. Ceiba is a small town with few drivers sitting idle, and Uber's own guidance for the area warns that pickup times run longer than in a city. Expect a wait, expect the occasional cancellation, and do not let a morning flight out of San Juan depend on an app finding you a car at 6am.
Drivers on the mainland side
Ceiba and San Juan runsWhen you land on Vieques
Públicos wait at the ferry terminal and the airport. They are shared vans with a yellow tag, fares run about $3 to $5 a person, and they will take you anywhere in either town. They do not go down the rough roads to the refuge beaches.
Ask your driver for a mobile number when you arrive. Arranging a pickup directly is how most people get around for the rest of the week, and it is the only way to get collected from a beach with no signal.
Taxis and públicos on the island
Shared fares $3–5
Bilingual driver, useful for arranging a return pickup from a refuge beach.
Number comes from an island directory last updated in 2019. Call before you rely on it.
Listed as working in English and Spanish, which matters when you are arranging a beach pickup by phone.
Number comes from an island directory last updated in 2019. Call before you rely on it.
Number comes from an island directory last updated in 2019. Call before you rely on it.
The number spells 741-TAXI, which makes it the one worth saving before you land.
Number comes from an island directory last updated in 2019. Call before you rely on it.
Number comes from an island directory last updated in 2019. Call before you rely on it.
Renting a vehicle
Book well aheadYou can enjoy Vieques without a car if you stay in Esperanza or Isabel Segunda and walk to dinner. You cannot reach the refuge beaches that way. Rent on the island rather than bringing a car across, since the cargo ferry puts residents first, and book early because the fleet is small.
Kia Soul $75/day, Jeep Wrangler $90, Kia Seltos $95, before roughly 11.5% tax. On Route 201 between the two towns, so plan a taxi from the ferry to collect it.
Rates read from a sample two-day booking, so a longer or high-season rental may differ. The damage policy is still worth getting in writing.
Advertises free pickup and drop-off, which saves you the taxi leg to a lot in the hills.
We have not confirmed current rates or the damage policy. Get both in writing when you book.