Skip the ferry.
Dolphin Water Taxi
Dolphin Water TaxiRed Hook, St. Thomas, USVI
Private water taxi from the St. Thomas airport and Red Hook to St. John, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola and the BVI resort islands — your boat, your schedule.
Dolphin Water Taxi is the way to get from the St. Thomas airport to your St. John villa or your BVI resort without the ferry line. A Dolphin driver meets you at baggage claim, runs you to Red Hook, and the boat leaves when you step aboard — 15 minutes to Cruz Bay, 30 minutes to the BVI. Fares are per person with a small per-boat minimum, so a family of four to seven pays about what the taxi-plus-ferry shuffle costs, without the shuffle. Travelling as a couple or a small group? Ask for a shared taxi and split the boat with another party at the per-person rate. Reserve online and Dolphin confirms your boat by email.
Choose your trip
from $180The 3:30 to Jost Van Dyke
Dolphin's daily afternoon run to Jost Van Dyke: a shared boat that leaves St. Thomas (Red Hook) or Cruz Bay, St. John at 3:30 PM and lands you in Great Harbour for sunset at the Soggy Dollar. Priced per seat, so a couple or a small group gets the BVI without paying for the whole boat.
Per person, one way. BVI customs fees of $75 per person are additional and paid on the day. Every passenger needs a passport.
from $70Red Hook ↔ Cruz Bay, St. John
The St. John run without the ferry queue: your own boat from Red Hook straight into Cruz Bay, on your time. One-way fares are per person; a party of seven or fewer pays the $350 per-boat minimum each way.
Prices do not include taxes and fees of 12.5%.
from $95STT Airport → Cruz Bay, St. John
Wheels-down to Cruz Bay in about an hour: a Dolphin driver meets you at St. Thomas airport baggage claim, drives you to Red Hook, and the boat is waiting. Runs the same way back for your flight home.
Prices do not include taxes and fees of 12.5%.
from $180St. Thomas → Jost Van Dyke, Tortola & the BVI
Red Hook straight to your BVI dock, priced by zone. Zone 1 is Jost Van Dyke and Tortola — West End, Road Town, Scrub Island, Beef Island and the Moorings / MarineMax bareboat hubs. Zone 2 is the resort and charter islands off Tortola's south side — Norman, Peter, Cooper and Salt Island — through to Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda. Zone 3 is North Sound, Virgin Gorda. Add $25 per person to start at the St. Thomas airport instead of Red Hook.
Per person, one way. Taxes, fees and BVI customs charges are additional. Fewer than 5 guests? Ask for a shared taxi on the form and pay only your seats.
Why people skip the ferry
Good to know
Dolphin Water Taxi FAQ
How do I book Dolphin Water Taxi?
Use the reservation form for your route above — St. Thomas ↔ St. John, or USVI → BVI — with your flight and your dock, and Dolphin confirms your boat by email. There is no ferry timetable: the boat runs on your schedule, including late flight arrivals.
How much is the Dolphin water taxi from St. Thomas to St. John?
Red Hook to Cruz Bay is $70 per person one way for 7 or fewer guests, with a $350 each-way minimum per boat, or $60 per person for 8 guests or more. From the St. Thomas airport, including the cab to Red Hook, it is $95 per person ($475 each-way minimum) or $85 per person for 8 or more. Prices do not include taxes and fees of 12.5%.
How much is a water taxi from St. Thomas to the BVI?
Dolphin prices the British Virgin Islands by zone, per person, one way from Red Hook: Zone 1 (Jost Van Dyke and Tortola, including Scrub Island, Beef Island and the Moorings / MarineMax bareboat hubs) $180, Zone 2 (Norman, Peter, Cooper and Salt Island through Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda) $230, Zone 3 (North Sound, Virgin Gorda) $270. Add $25 per person to be picked up at the St. Thomas airport. Taxes, fees and BVI customs charges are additional. Fewer than 5? Ask for a shared taxi and pay only your seats.
Is there a daily water taxi to Jost Van Dyke?
Yes. Dolphin runs a shared water taxi to Jost Van Dyke every day at 3:30 PM from Red Hook, St. Thomas or Cruz Bay, St. John, landing in Great Harbour. It is $180 per person for 4 or more guests, or $250 per person for a party of 2 or 3, plus BVI customs fees of $75 per person. Passports required.
How long does the water taxi take?
Red Hook to Cruz Bay, St. John is about 15 minutes on the water; from the St. Thomas airport, including the drive to Red Hook, allow about an hour. Red Hook to West End, Tortola is about 30 minutes, with BVI customs clearance typically adding 10–15 minutes, and destinations further east add roughly 10–20 minutes depending on the port and the sea.
Do I need a passport for Dolphin Water Taxi?
For any BVI destination — Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Norman, Peter or Cooper Island — yes: every passenger needs a valid passport and pays the British Virgin Islands entry and exit fees in cash. St. Thomas to St. John stays in the U.S. Virgin Islands, so no passport is needed.
Is Dolphin Water Taxi cheaper than the ferry?
Not per seat — the public Red Hook ferry is a few dollars a person — but it is private and leaves when you do. For a family or a group of four to seven, the $350 per-boat minimum works out close to the cost of taxis plus ferry tickets plus the wait, and for the BVI it replaces a ferry-and-taxi chain with one boat to your dock. Under 5 guests, ask for a shared taxi and pay only your seats.
Where does Dolphin Water Taxi leave from?
Boats leave from American Yacht Harbor in Red Hook, St. Thomas (6100 Red Hook Quarter). If you book an airport pickup, a Dolphin driver meets you at STT baggage claim and takes you to the dock — the boat and crew are ready when the cab arrives.
Reservations go straight to Dolphin Water Taxi's own booking form at dolphinshuttle.com. Rates shown are Dolphin's published fares; the final quote confirms your date, group size and any taxes, fees and BVI customs charges.