How Much Is the Catalina Express? | Current Ferry Fares

Catalina Express costs $97–$106 round trip for most adults, depending on the mainland port and island stop.

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The real answer to how much the Catalina Express costs depends on three things: your mainland port, whether you are going to Avalon or Two Harbors, and whether you add an upgrade or bring gear. For a standard adult round trip, the usual total is $99 from Long Beach or San Pedro to Avalon, $97 from San Pedro to Two Harbors, and $106 from Dana Point to Avalon.

Those totals already include the island wharfage fee and tax listed by Catalina Express. The ferry is still one of the simplest ways to reach Catalina Island without a car, but families, seniors, cyclists, and day trippers should price the full door-to-door cost before picking a sailing.

For the main Long Beach route, compare the ferry and ground-transfer pieces before you lock in a time:

The Fare In One Sentence

Catalina Express adult round-trip fares currently run from $97 to $106, with child fares from $76.50 to $85 and senior fares from $88 to $96.50. Infants under 2 still need a ticket because the island fee applies, so the infant round trip is $8 to Two Harbors or $10 to Avalon.

A one-way ticket is available, but the cleanest public fare table is the round-trip total. That matters because the island wharfage fee and tax are charged into the fare, and one-way totals can shift with the exact route and sailing.

Catalina Express Prices By Route And Age

Catalina Express posts the current route and age fares on its Catalina Express schedule and fares page, and that table is the number to check before payment. The current public fares break down like this for standard round trips.

Fare check: Catalina Express says schedules, fares, taxes, and fuel surcharges can change, so treat the table above as a planning number and confirm the exact sailing total before purchase.

What Does The Fare Include?

Catalina Express round-trip totals include passenger ferry transportation plus the island wharfage fee and tax. For Avalon, that fee is $10 round trip; for Two Harbors, it is $8 round trip.

The standard ticket gets you a reserved seat on the scheduled sailing, not a flexible all-day pass. Reservations are smart for weekends, summer dates, holidays, and late-afternoon returns, because the most useful times can fill before the cheapest-feeling plan is still practical.

• Long Beach to Avalon is the shortest common route, at about one hour.
• San Pedro to Avalon takes about one hour and 15 minutes.
• Dana Point to Avalon takes about one hour and 30 minutes.
• Some San Pedro sailings route through Two Harbors, which can add time.

Long Beach, San Pedro, Or Dana Point

Catalina Express pricing changes by mainland port, so the cheapest ferry fare is not always the cheapest trip. Long Beach and San Pedro to Avalon have the same $99 adult round-trip fare, while Dana Point to Avalon costs $106 for an adult round trip.

Long Beach usually works well for travelers coming from Los Angeles, Long Beach Airport, or central Orange County. San Pedro is useful for Two Harbors and for some Los Angeles-area travelers. Dana Point costs a bit more, but it can save driving time for South Orange County and San Diego travelers.

Parking can change the math. Catalina Express lists daily parking at $26.95 in Long Beach, $23 in San Pedro, and $24 in Dana Point on its group travel information, so a pair of adults driving to Long Beach should think in terms of roughly $225.95 before food, activities, or lodging.

Where The Extra Costs Show Up

Catalina Express travelers should budget for parking, lounge upgrades, gear, and the chance of a higher total on date-specific sailings. A cheap-looking day trip can feel less cheap once two adult fares, terminal parking, meals, and island transportation are added.

The add-ons are easy to separate:

• Parking: budget about $23 to $26.95 per day at the mainland terminals.
• Bikes or surfboards: add $7 per item in the fare table.
• Commodore Lounge: add $20 one way where offered.
• Captain’s Lounge: add $60 one way from Long Beach or San Pedro, or $80 one way from Dana Point.
• Groups: groups of 20 or more may have different handling and fares through group sales.

A family of two adults and two children going Long Beach to Avalon would be about $355 for ferry tickets before parking. Add one day of Long Beach parking and the ferry-and-parking total lands around $381.95.

Stay Overnight If The Ferry Math Gets Tight

Avalon hotel stays can make sense when parking, evening return times, and the round-trip ferry total crowd a same-day plan. Overnighting turns the ferry fare into transportation for a short island stay rather than the main cost of a rushed day.

Compare Avalon lodging near the ferry landing first, especially if you are arriving without a car:

Staying central also cuts down on taxis and golf-cart time. The trade is higher lodging cost, but the payoff is a slower evening in Avalon and no race for the last return boat.

Pick The Ticket That Fits The Trip

Catalina Express is the simple choice when your plan is a foot-passenger trip to Avalon or Two Harbors, but the right ticket depends on time and comfort. The cheapest standard adult ferry total is San Pedro to Two Harbors at $97 round trip; the most common Avalon total is $99 from Long Beach or San Pedro.

• Lowest standard adult fare: San Pedro to Two Harbors at $97 round trip.
• Shortest common crossing: Long Beach to Avalon at about one hour.
• Orange County convenience: Dana Point to Avalon at $106 round trip for adults.
• Families: price the child fare, infant fee, and parking together before choosing the port.
• Comfort upgrade: pick Commodore Lounge where offered if you want a small add-on, and Captain’s Lounge only when the higher one-way cost feels worth it.

For most first-time Catalina visitors, Long Beach to Avalon is the easiest fare to understand: $99 round trip for adults, $90 for seniors, $78.50 for children ages 2 to 11, and about a one-hour crossing. Choose San Pedro for Two Harbors or a better drive from your starting point; choose Dana Point when saving road time matters more than the few dollars extra on the ferry.