Since the inauguration of the bridge in Farafenni, many travelers cross the Gambia River in a matter of minutes. This efficient crossing is excellent if you are headed to or from the Casamance. But if you are looking for the most direct route to and from Banjul, or the Kololi/Senegambia area, the ferry remains your best bet.

The ferry has its challenges. There are three boats, but sometimes one is broken down. Sometimes, all three are broken down. If you are traveling during major holidays, such as Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha or the Magal to Touba, Senegal, expect long waits and plenty of chaos during boarding and disembarking.

But it is a worthwhile West African travel experience. There are often hundreds of passengers on the boat. Soldiers serving in the multinational ECOWAS force, families, traders, tourists. There are also plenty of ambulant vendors selling coconuts (a highly recommended refreshment during the crossing), water and fresh fruit.

If you were somehow struggling to grasp the vibrancy of life in West Africa, the ferry will fix that.

How much does it cost?

It’s cheap! A regular passenger ticket costs less than a dollar. On our scooter trips, we pay less than 3 dollars for the bike and the passenger.

It’s a bit more for a car or a truck, but still very affordable. I have no idea what a VIP passenger ticket is, and unless it involves sitting up with the captain, I would say it’s not worth it.

How long does the ferry crossing take?

A foolish question, but I will try to answer it anyway.

If you manage to get on the Kunta Kinteh, the crossing should take 30-45 minutes, depending on the amount of passengers and freight. The other boats are slower and can take over an hour, sometimes longer.

Of course, you may be cruising along on the Kunta Kinteh from Barra and then you can’t dock in Banjul because the Kanilai has broken down in the port.

All of that is to say: be patient. Look at the crossing as a travel experience and not A-to-B drudgery. Drink a coconut and have a chat with someone else taking the ferry. You will meet all sorts of people and most of them speak some amount of English.

Where can I find the ferry schedule?

Before May 2022, this would have been another foolish question. Behold the power of technology. The Gambia Ferry Services app is one of my phone’s most treasured applications (search for it on the Play Store).

It will show you which ferries are running and where they are at any given moment. There is also an estimate on arrival and departure times.

Too good to be true? If you have an iPhone, yes. At the time of this writing, this app is only available for android. If you don’t have the app, then you will have to do the things the old fashioned way: show up and wait.

The ferry runs every day from 7H – 23H. During holiday times, the boats often run for 24H straight. If you miss the last boat on the Barra side, there is not much in the way of lodging. We can recommend Ebou’s lodge, which is not too far from the ferry terminal.

On the Banjul side, there are plenty of accommodation options, especially if you are willing to venture to the Kololi/Kotu area.