Cebu to Bohol ferry: piers, crossing time and how to book

The main crossing: Cebu City Pier 1 to Tagbilaran

For nearly every visitor, the crossing is the OceanJet fast ferry from Cebu City Pier 1 to Tagbilaran, Bohol’s capital and main gateway. It is a fast ferry of about two hours each way, with sailings running frequently through the day, roughly every 30 to 45 minutes from early morning until the evening. That density is why a Bohol day trip is possible at all: there is almost always a departure that fits.

Pier 1 is in Cebu City’s port area, on the eastern waterfront facing the Mactan Channel. Tagbilaran on the Bohol side puts you closest to the classic countryside loop (Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, Loboc River) and to Panglao’s beaches, which is why it is the pier nearly everyone uses rather than the northern Tubigon crossing.

The northern alternative: Cebu to Tubigon

There is a second, shorter crossing from Cebu to Tubigon on Bohol’s north-west coast, useful if you are heading to the northern or eastern parts of the island rather than the Tagbilaran and Panglao side. It is a RORO crossing that carries vehicles as well as passengers.

• Heading to Tagbilaran, Panglao or the countryside loop? Use Pier 1 to Tagbilaran

  This is the crossing nearly all tourists want. It lands you closest to the Chocolate Hills, the tarsier sanctuaries, the Loboc River and Panglao’s beaches.

• Heading to north or east Bohol? Consider Tubigon

  If your destination is in the north of the island, the Tubigon crossing can save you road time on the Bohol side. We have not verified its current timetable and fares the way we have the Pier 1 crossing, so we do not print them; check with the operator.

• Travelling with a vehicle?

  The Tubigon RORO carries cars and motorbikes, so it is the route if you are bringing a vehicle across. Most tourists travel on foot and take the fast ferry.

Fares, and why we do not print a number

The ferry fare is a fixed public fare set by the operator, not something Cebu.travel quotes or collects. Fares change, and any number we printed here would go stale and mislead you. What we can say reliably: it is a fixed per-person fare, it is the same whether you buy at the pier or online, and discounted fares exist for eligible passengers such as students, senior citizens and PWD with valid ID. Confirm the current amount with the operator or at the ticket counter when you book.

How to book

You can buy a ticket at the Pier 1 terminal on the day, which works fine for most sailings. OceanJet also sells online through its own site and booking channels, which is worth doing for the first and last boats of the day, or any time your plans on the Bohol side depend on a specific sailing. Whatever you do, check in at least 30 to 60 minutes before departure and bring ID, and confirm the current schedule close to your travel date because times change.

Getting to Pier 1 (the Cebu-side leg we arrange)

The one part of a Cebu to Bohol day that is easy to get wrong is the start: misjudge the traffic to Pier 1 and you miss your sailing. Pier 1 is a short 15 to 30 minute drive from most Cebu City hotels, or a longer run of around 30 to 60 minutes from the Mactan resorts and the airport across the bridge, depending on traffic.

• From a Cebu City hotel

  A private car or van collects you at the door and drops you at the terminal in good time, so you are not flagging a taxi with your bags or gambling on traffic.

• From Mactan-Cebu airport or a Mactan resort

  The transfer crosses the bridge, so allow more time, especially at rush hour. We time the pickup around your flight or your sailing.

• The Bohol side

  Once you land at Tagbilaran, our sister site bookbohol.com arranges the Bohol-side transfer from the port to your resort or into the countryside loop.