The MBTA ferry system is a public boat service providing water transportation in Boston Harbor.

The ferry system has the highest on-time performance and farebox recovery ratio of MBTA service types.

[7][8] A privately-run service with the same name operated between Rowes Wharf and Chelsea from May 15 to September 28, 1990, during early Big Dig construction.

[17][8] City-run service ran from a new wharf at Lewis Street to Long Wharf from 1995 to 1997; it was discontinued due to extremely low ridership (an average of 1.3 passengers per trip) as the Blue Line provided a faster and more frequent service along the same corridor.

[21] In August 2014, the MBTA opened bidding for providing the two boats for East Boston service.

[24] Temporary Long Wharf–Lewis Wharf ferry service was run from April 25 to May 17, 2022, during a closure of the Blue Line tunnel for maintenance.

[25][26][27] A pilot program of seasonal Long Wharf–Lewis Wharf service began on September 12, 2022, with 22 round trips on weekdays and 19 on weekends.

It is overseen by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority on behalf of private companies in the Seaport, rather than by the MBTA.

[33] As of January 2025[update], an extension of the route to Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park is planned to begin in June 2025.

In March 1983, Massachusetts Bay Commuter Services began eleven subsidized round trips (reduced to eight that June).

The state began subsidizing eight additional round trips by Boston Harbor Commuter Services in 1984 during Southeast Expressway reconstruction.

[6] In 1996, Water Transportation Associates (WTA), doing business as Harbor Express, began service between Fore River Shipyard in Quincy and Long Wharf via Logan Airport.

[31] Attempts in 2010 and 2011 to restore summer weekend service to Nantasket failed due to high fuel costs.

[39][40] Quincy proposed Squantum Point as an alternative terminal to maintain ferry service to the city.

[43] The Hingham Intermodal Center was opened in January 2017, providing a larger waiting area and ticketing facilities.

[44] On January 2, 2018, ferry service to Hingham was indefinitely suspended due to ice damage to the dock during severe cold the previous week.

[16] Steamboat service between Salem and Boston was run at various points between 1818 and 1931; because of competition from the Eastern Railroad, it was largely intended for recreation.

Service to Winthrop was operated during several periods between 1840 and 1898; it too was largely out-competed by the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad for the commuter market.

[6] Ferry service between Boston and Salem was operated during the summer of 1998 by WTA, funded by a state grant.

[6] Salem service resumed on June 22, 2006, with a ferry funded largely by a $2.3 million state grant.

[49] Winthrop service, run by BHC under a three-year state grant, began on August 2, 2010 and lasted until 2012.

The Marina Bay stop (previously served by several short-lived services between 1977 and 1997) was added on August 16, 2016.

[6] The service's high cost and low reliability has attracted criticism; it was not run for six weeks in 2019 due to mechanical issues and lack of staff.

Service began on May 19, 2014 with three weekday round trips, as a two-year pilot program funded by the state.

[58] The Lynn Ferry resumed on June 26, 2023 as an MBTA service, intended as mitigation for a temporary closure of the Sumner Tunnel.

[6] As of December 2019[update], the MBTA planned to overhaul the older catamarans in 2020–22; new double-ended ferries for route F4 were also being considered.

[66] [52] At some point, the MBTA acquired the used catamarans Schoodic Explorer (a former whale watching boat and cruise ship tender used in Maine)[67][68] and Ava Pearl (previously used for service between Rhode Island and Martha's Vineyard).

However, the service still operated at a $5 million annual loss to the MBTA and carried a relatively small percentage of passengers, which resulted in calls for its discontinuance or modification.