Office Address
Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
Phone Number
+1 7584602257
Email Address
info@tripcarib.com
Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
+1 7584602257
info@tripcarib.com
Stand on the north coast of St Lucia on a clear day and you can see it: a long blue shape on the horizon, close enough to feel reachable. That is Martinique, about 20 miles away, and yes, you can get there by boat.
The crossing is one of the Caribbean's genuinely good ideas: 90 minutes at sea and you step off into France. Croissants, French wine, euros, road signs in French, and a completely different island culture from the one you left after breakfast. Here is how it actually works, including the small costs and rules that catch people out.
The main ferry runs between Castries in St Lucia and Fort-de-France in Martinique, takes about 1 hour 30 minutes non-stop, and is operated by FRS Express des Îles, the company most people still call L'Express des Îles. The same network continues north to Dominica and Guadeloupe, so this is also the first leg of proper Caribbean island hopping.
Sailings are typically a few round trips per week rather than daily, and here is the detail almost no travel site mentions: the schedule drops to around three round trips a week during the operator's maintenance periods, usually June, September and January. Always check live times on the operator's site before building a plan around it.
Fares vary by season and how far ahead you book, and in recent seasons round trip tickets have generally sat in the range of roughly $90 to $135 US per adult, with child fares available. Booking ahead is genuinely cheaper here, and popular sailings around holidays sell out.
Then there is the cost that surprises everyone at the counter: a sea departure tax of EC$33 per person aged 12 and over, payable on the spot before boarding, in cash. It is not included in your ticket. That is roughly $12 US. Arrive with EC dollars in hand or you will be hunting for an ATM with a boat to catch.
One more practical limit: you cannot take a vehicle on the St Lucia crossing. Rental cars stay on their own island, so plan to explore Martinique on foot, by local transport or with a hire car arranged over there.
Martinique is not just French-influenced, it is legally France, an overseas department of the European Union. That means you are leaving one country and entering another, so treat it like international travel.
Bring your passport. French nationals can use a valid national identity card for shorter stays, but for everyone else a passport is required, and immigration will expect to see a return or onward ticket. Check your own nationality's entry rules for France before booking, because they are France's rules, not the Caribbean's.
Practical currency note: Martinique uses the euro, not the EC dollar and not US dollars. Cards work widely in Fort-de-France, but have some euros for markets and small cafés.
Honestly, it depends on which direction you are travelling and which service.
From the Martinique side there is a dedicated day trip service: a separate operator sails from Le Marin in the south of Martinique to Rodney Bay in St Lucia on several days a week, arriving mid-morning and returning in the late afternoon. That is a proper day out, and it is why you sometimes see French visitors wandering Rodney Bay with beach bags.
From the St Lucia side, a same-day return on the Castries service is possible when the timetable lines up, but it is tight and entirely dependent on that week's sailing times. Our honest advice: if you want to see Martinique properly, stay a night in Fort-de-France. If you only have one free day, spend it on the sights you flew here for instead, and let our island excursions show you what a full St Lucia day can hold.
The crossing itself is comfortable, with seating, air conditioning and refreshments on board, but a few realities worth setting expectations around.
Arrive early. Check-in and baggage handling can be slow, especially on busy sailings, and boarding is not a place to be optimistic about timing. Regular passengers all give the same advice: bring patience along with your passport.
The sea between these islands is open water, and the channel can be lively. If anyone in your group is prone to seasickness, take something before boarding, sit low and central, and keep your eyes on the horizon rather than your phone.
Delays happen. Ferries in the Caribbean run on Caribbean time, so never book the ferry back on the same day as your flight home from Hewanorra. Give yourself a night's buffer, always.
The Castries terminal sits in the capital, which is 20 to 30 minutes from Rodney Bay, around 25 minutes from Marigot Bay, and 60 to 75 minutes up from Soufriere. Because sailings leave early and check-in starts earlier, this is a morning journey worth arranging rather than improvising, and remember there is no Uber in St Lucia to summon at 6am.
Options: a pre-booked private transfer to the ferry terminal with a fixed price and a driver who shows up early, an island taxi arranged the day before at the fares in our taxi price list, or the green-plate buses if you are travelling light and not against the clock. Coming back in the late afternoon, have a driver's WhatsApp saved, because arrivals cluster and taxis at the terminal go quickly.
How long is the ferry from St Lucia to Martinique? About 1 hour 30 minutes non-stop between Castries and Fort-de-France.
Who operates the St Lucia ferry? FRS Express des Îles, still widely known as L'Express des Îles, which also connects Dominica and Guadeloupe.
Does the ferry run every day? No. Expect a few round trips per week, dropping to around three during maintenance months. Check live schedules before planning.
How much is the ferry to Martinique? Roughly $90 to $135 US round trip per adult in recent seasons, plus the EC$33 departure tax paid in cash at the terminal.
Can I take a rental car on the ferry? Not on the St Lucia route. Vehicles stay behind.
Do I need a passport for Martinique? Yes for most nationalities, since Martinique is France. A return or onward ticket is expected too.
Is a day trip to Martinique worth it from St Lucia? Only if the timetable genuinely allows it that week. An overnight makes far more sense, and one free day is often better spent on the Pitons and Sulphur Springs.
The ferry to Martinique is one of the best day-and-a-half adventures in the eastern Caribbean: 90 minutes at sea, then France for lunch. Book ahead, bring your passport and EC$33 in cash for the departure tax, check the live sailing days, and never schedule the return for your flight day.
Book your ride to the ferry terminal and start the crossing without a 6am taxi hunt. We will have you at check-in with time to spare.
