Ferry Services to and from Cebu, Philippines

For arriving passengers at Mactan Cebu International Airport with the final leg of their journey outside mainland Cebu, it’s practical to take the ferry transfer directly to Cebu City Pier 3.

Pier 3 terminal is the port of origin for most inter-island trips to other Visayas and Mindanao destinations.

Cebu-Mactan Ferry Terminal

This ferry service at Cebu-Mactan Ferry Terminal is popular among tourists to get to Cebu City without taking a bus or taxi.

The service is connected by a series of ferries that operate continuously from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm daily.

Passengers can take a cab for around 20 minutes from MCIA Taxi Bay area to the ferry terminal located in Mactan Marina Wharf.

The port is behind Island Central Mactan mall in Lapu-Lapu City.

There are several vessels serving the port to Pier 3 (and vice versa), which makes it easy for tourists and locals alike to comfortably get between the islands.

The route is serviced by two ferry companies: Topline Express and Metro Ferry, Inc.

It takes approximately 40 minutes to cross the channel to Cebu City Pier 3 with the following fare:

• Regular (0.50 US$)
• Student (0.40 US$)
• Child (between 4 – 12 years old) (0.40 US$)
• Senior Citizen / PWD (0.36 US$)
• Minors (below 4 years old) Free

For complete Topline Express ticket information, destination, fare, and schedule, please refer to its website https://portsandferries.com/topline-express-cebu-mactan-ferry-schedules/

For complete Metro Ferry, Inc. ticket information, destination, fare, and schedule, please refer to its website https://portsandferries.com/metro-ferry-cebu-lapu-lapu-ferry-schedules/

Cebu City Pier 3 Terminal

Cebu City Pier 3 is one of the most important water transportation hubs in the Philippines, handling hundreds of thousands of sea passengers every year.

There are several direct inter-island ferry companies that have terminals here.

Two of these major shipping companies include Trans Asia Shipping and Cokaliong Shipping Lines that offer direct trips to major tourist destinations in Visayas and Mindanao.

Here are some local destinations accessible in Pier 3.

Cokaliong Shipping Lines

• Cebu to Calbayog City, Wednesday, 7pm
• Cebu to Cagayan de Oro City, Tuesday, Thursday, 7pm
• Cebu to Palompon, Leyte, Sunday, 12 pm
• Cebu to Iloilo City, Thursday, Saturday, 7 pm
• Cebu to Nasipit, Monday, Thursday, 8 pm
• Cebu to Surigao City, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 7 pm
• Cebu to Maasin City, Monday, 7 pm
• Cebu to Dumaguete City, Monday, Thursday, 8 pm
• Cebu to Masbate City, Friday, 7 pm
• Cebu to Ozamis City, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7 pm
• Cebu to Iligan City, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7 pm

For complete Cokaliong Shipping Lines ticket information, destination, fare, and schedule, please refer to its website https://www.cokaliongshipping.com/index.php/about/

Trans-Asia Shipping

• Cebu to Cagayan de Oro City, daily except Sunday, 7 pm
• Cebu to Ozamis City, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7:30 pm
• Cebu to Iligan City, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 7:30 pm
• Cebu to Masbate City, Wednesday, 6 pm
• Cebu to Tagbilaran City, Monday, 7 pm
• Cebu to Tacloban City, Friday, 6 pm
• Cebu to Zamboanga City, Monday, 4 pm

For complete Trans-Asia Shipping ticket information, destination, fare, and schedule, please refer to its website https://www.transasiashipping.com/

There are also other smaller vessels serving Visayas and Mindanao, including Weesam, Island Water, Medallion Transport, and MV Star Craft. Note that these are smaller vehicles and may be uncomfortable for older passengers.

Generally, fares vary from 6US$ to 40US$ per passenger depending on the distance and type of accommodation.

Pier 3 is also the main hub to shipping companies including Lite Ferries, Ocean Jet, Super Shuttle Ferry, Supercat, and Superferry. These companies have trips other than the ones mentioned above.

Tourists may check https://superferry2go.com/ for more information.

The terminal also handles cargo that are often delivered to or picked up from ships arriving in port.

It’s interesting to note that the facility was built several centuries ago when few people traveled by sea, but now it is used by thousands of tourists and locals alike who flock in for their vacation or business trips.

Tourists may inquire about the ferry services at the airport information desk, port terminal counters, and their local hotel information center.