Crossing the Potomac River by Ferry? No Ferries Exist—Use Bridges or Tunnels

If you're looking for a ferry across the Potomac River, you won't find one. No scheduled ferry services currently operate on the Potomac. The river is crossed exclusively by bridges and tunnels.

Current Crossings (Major)

Travel Time

Crossing time depends entirely on location and traffic:

• Off-peak: 2–5 minutes on most bridges
• Rush hour: 20–60+ minutes (Wilson, Legion, Roosevelt bridges notorious)
• Incidents/weather: Can double or triple times

Historical Ferries

Ferries once plied the Potomac (e.g., Colonial Beach, VA to St. Mary's County, MD; Georgetown to Alexandria). The last regular service ended decades ago, replaced by bridges. Occasional tourist water taxis run in DC harbor, but not as river crossings.

Bottom line: Check traffic apps (Waze, Google Maps) for real-time bridge conditions. Ferries are history.