A Florida ferry route connecting Tampa and St. Petersburg could return before the end of 2026, offering commuters and visitors another way to cross the bay after the Cross-Bay Ferry shut down in April 2025.
The proposed service is the Tampa Bay Ferry, a Hubbard's Marina project that hopes to keep one-way fares at $10.
Here's what to know
WUSF reported that Hubbard's Marina is targeting a launch before the end of 2026 after the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority approved the plan.
A launch on that timeline would bring ferry service back between Tampa and St. Petersburg. The earlier Cross-Bay operation ended after its former operator sought to replace the vessel with a slower boat.
Tara Hubbard, director of business development at Hubbard's Marina, said the company wants the ferry to be more than a leisure attraction. Instead, it is trying to make the service practical for everyday trips, including work commutes, while keeping fares lower than the previous operation.
Hubbard said the $10 target price should make the route "more accessible."
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The company also sees the ferry as a realistic alternative to driving across Interstate 275 or the Gandy Bridge. According to Hubbard, riders could save both time and gas money by avoiding the heavy traffic that often slows cross-bay travel.
More background
According to WUSF, a $4.8 million federal grant supports the new operation and will let Hubbard's run two ferries at once.
The two boats are Bay Clipper, which seats 149 passengers, and Bay Breeze, which seats 249.
Operating both boats at the same time could add flexibility to the back-and-forth schedule. Hubbard said that setup should mean faster service and shorter gaps between trips, a key factor if the ferry is expected to compete with driving for regular commuters.
"There's a lot of research around being able to be around or on the water and what that can provide for your mental health," she said.
What's being done?
Hubbard's Marina is drawing on its long history in marine operations as it prepares the service. The company has been around for nearly a century and already operates deep-sea fishing charters, dolphin-watching cruises, and ferry trips from Fort DeSoto to Egmont Key and Shell Key.
The company is also working with PSTA on possible expansion beyond the initial two-vessel setup. Hubbard said the partners are considering a third boat that could open up new routes and add service around the bay.
At the same time, Hubbard said the focus is on making the ferry dependable enough to become part of people's regular routines.
"That is the big thing," Hubbard said. "Once we launch, being able to get these boats full and really build this consistency as a reputable transit opportunity. That's what we're focused on."
Hubbard said the launch would also mark the realization of a family vision stretching back decades.
"This is something that my father, my grandfather, have not only been acting on but envisioning for the region for literally decades," Hubbard said. "You know, we want to see this waterborne transit stick."
Where can I learn more?
These stories show how similar ferry and water-transit efforts are underway elsewhere as cities look for alternatives to driving.
• In Savannah, Georgia, first-ever electric ferries have begun carrying riders on the river.
• In San Francisco Bay, the world's first hydrogen-powered passenger ferry is set to begin service.
• At Lake Tahoe, planners are advancing a high-tech electric ferry for cross-lake travel.
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