Pelee Island Ferries

Reservations are recommended for both vehicles, and walk-on passengers. The ferries have limited vehicle space, and capacity is consistently filled with reserved vehicles. Stand-by is not recommended. Full fare is charged at the time of reservation. A confirmation email will be sent when your reservation is completed. Please check the details in the email for accuracy to avoid further penalties.

All terms and conditions are considered accepted 24 hours after you make your reservation. If your reservation is made within the 120 hour (5 days) of sailing, terms and conditions are considered accepted by end of business day of the day the reservation is made. Non-cancellation of the reservation constitutes acceptance of the terms and conditions. Reservation amendments or cancellations can be made by calling our reservation team at 1-800-661-2220 or by emailing us at [email protected].

PITS is completely cashless. Reservations made via phone, or our website can be made using Visa, MasterCard or American Express. At the terminals and aboard PITS vessels, passengers may use the above credit cards, a debit card, as well as Apple and Google Pay.

Vehicles are charged as booked. Please review reservation email for accuracy. If a vehicle requires more vehicle deck space than originally booked, it is considered under-declared; the reservation becomes void, and no refund is issued. Under-declared vehicles will be directed to the stand-by lane.  If space permits for passage, vehicle operators will be required to pay an amendment fee, plus the cost of additional space. If a vehicle needs less space than booked, it is considered over-declared. The customer will not be refunded the difference. The same principle applies to the number of passengers. 

A full refund is applied to every reservation that is cancelled prior to a minimum of 120 hours (5 days) prior to sailing. Reservations made less than 5 days from sailing have until the end of the day to cancel on the day that the reservation was made.

Pelee Island Transportation Service (PITS) will cancel sailings if there is a risk to passenger, crew, or vessel safety because of weather, mechanical concerns, or a public emergency. In the event of a sailing cancellation, all paid passengers will be eligible for a refund for the affected portion of their reservation. Refunds will be automatically applied by the reservations team. If you are booked for a round trip and the first crossing is cancelled, please contact us if you would like to cancel the return trip. PITS is unable to give priority status for subsequent sailings to passengers affected by a cancelled sailing. Passengers who choose to wait for the next departure will be placed in standby.

PITS advises customers as far in advance as possible if there is a cancellation. The email and mobile number provided at booking will be used to communicate cancellations or delays. Notifications are also posted to X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Passengers are also encouraged to opt-in to SMS text notifications for updates on sailing cancellations, delays and other events. Text “OPT IN” to 613-900-6057 to subscribe. Standard messaging rates may apply.

Vehicle Reservations: Passengers travelling with a vehicle must arrive and be in the processing lineup at least one (1) hour prior to sailing. Your vehicle dimensions and passenger count must accurately reflect your reservation, or you risk having your reservation voided.

Walk-on Reservations: We recommend that you arrive at least one (1) hour prior to departure. Walk-on passengers must check-in and retrieve their boarding passes from the terminal building prior to going to the ship for ALL sailings. PITS does not sell round-trip passages, so passengers must check in and retrieve boarding passes for their return sailing. You can board the vessel approximately 30 mins prior to departure.

You are considered late if you arrive less than one (1) hour before the sailing time. Late arrivals risk forfeiting their reservation and will be placed on standby if space is available. No refunds will be issued if you are late and do not get on the ferry. If you are late and do not get on the ferry, you can request standby for the next sailing on the same day. No reservations can be transferred to a different date; all cancellation rules apply.

Stand-by travel is not recommended. We offer limited standby travel on a “first come, first served” basis. Standby vehicles are kept in the order in which they arrive, however, depending on space availability, some sizes of vehicles may be boarded ahead of other vehicles. Vehicles and passengers on standby will be processed until sailing time or until the vessel is full.

On-site parking is available at our Kingsville and Leamington ferry terminals, as space permits. Parking fees are to be paid at the terminal upon check-in, and parking pass displayed in the vehicle. Parking lots are used at your own risk. If a vehicle is parked in a public lot on a terminal for which parking fees are in effect and there is no evidence that the parking fee has been paid, PITS, at the sole risk and cost of the owner or operator of the vehicle, may arrange for towing or removal of the vehicle from the terminal parking lot.

Electric and Hybrid Cars/SUVs and Trucks: PITS welcomes and is appreciative of EV drivers’ contribution to reducing greenhouse emissions. However, with the inherent dangers associated with an EV fire aboard any of our vessels the following precautions have been put in place. Full Electric Vehicles and Hybrid Vehicles will not be permitted to board our ferries if there are signs of collision to the vehicle or it is displaying any battery alarms on its control panel. At no time on PITS property or vessels will charging of EV vehicles be permitted. EVs will need to display the green tag provided at check-in so that crew can easily identify your vehicle for enhanced fire prevention.

Electric Bikes (E-Bikes): Passengers travelling with an E-Bike will be asked to tag their bike, completely power the bike off and disconnect the battery for the duration of the voyage on our ferries. At no time will charging of E-Bikes be permitted on PITS vessels.

We have a small supply of tie-downs to secure motorcycles to the vehicle deck. Bringing personal tiedowns is encouraged. Reservations are recommended.

Pets are allowed on both the Pelee Islander and the Pelee Islander II. They are permitted on all outside decks, provided they are leashed and under the control of their owner. Alternately, pets may remain inside your vehicle during transit. If you choose to leave your pet in your vehicle, be advised that no one is allowed on the vehicle deck when the ship is sailing, and your pet will be unattended for approximately 2 hours.

The Pelee Islander II has a designated area for pets located on the top deck. Pets are also permitted in indoor lounges (excluding the cafeteria) if they remain in a TSA-approved carrier or crate for the entire duration of the sailing. Pets that are leashed and under control of their owner are also permitted in the terminals for short periods. All responsibility for animal behaviour is the responsibility of the owner, and liability is assumed by the owner should the animal injure another passenger or animal. In the event of an emergency evacuation, no animals of any kind will be permitted down the evacuation slide or in life rafts.

Guide dogs for people who are visually impaired and certified service dogs for those with other disabilities are permitted in all areas of the ship and terminal. Each passenger may travel with one service dog (for sailings to/from the U.S., you may travel with up to two service dogs). A service dog is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. The service animal must have been individually trained by an organization or a person specializing in service dog training. For all sailings, the service dog should be clearly identified with a service vest and owners should be prepared to show proof of training from a recognized training institution. Your service dog must always remain under your control during travel, and must be harnessed, held on a leash, or tethered if not in its kennel. Support animals are considered pets for the purpose of designated areas. It is the responsibility of the passenger to ensure that your service dog meets all the travel, entry or exit requirements of the country, province or state you are travelling to/from.

PITS recognizes that dignified and safe ferry travel is important for all passengers. Our staff provide a variety of services for persons with disabilities to ensure a safe and comfortable journey. Please call ahead to advise of specific needs, so we can assist to the highest level of customer service.

Elevator and wheelchair access to the PI2 is available via the vehicle deck. Passengers with accessibility needs are asked to self-identify with an agent upon booking, and again at check in, if there are specific supports required.  Manual wheelchairs are available at all ferry terminals and aboard all vessels. Please ask staff for assistance. Please note that the MV Pelee Islander I has limited accessibility; for further information please call 1-800-661-2220.

On all our vessels, support persons who travel with adults or children with accessibility needs travel free of charge. Verification will be required at check-in.

Our full accessibility policy can be found here.

Passengers travelling across the Canada-United States border on the Pelee Island ↔ Sandusky, OH route must have proper identification (i.e. valid passport, birth certificate, visa waiver) or they may be refused passage. Customs offices are located on Pelee Island and in Sandusky when you disembark the ship. International travellers may be subject to random screening of their baggage and/or vehicles, as per security regulations. For the most up-to-date information on entry requirements to the United States, check out the Canada Border Services Agency website here.

Passengers travelling across the Canada/United States border with pets or service animals are responsible for ensuring that their animal meets all the travel, entry or exit requirements of the country, province, or state they are travelling to/from. For the most up-to-date requirements on bringing a dog into the United States, please see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website here.

Buses and motorcoaches must book in advance. Please call 1-800-661-2220 or email [email protected] to reserve. Reservations must be paid at time of booking or reserved on an approved company account. Buses must arrive at least one (1) hour prior to sailing.

Groups of 10 or more paying passengers in a single vehicle or travelling as walk-on passengers in a single reservation are eligible for a 10% discount. The discount does not apply to vehicles. You can find more information about group rates here.

Frequent Sailor Discount is available for Pelee Island property owners. Application forms, including terms and conditions, are available here as well as at Pelee Island and Leamington Terminals. Once the application is approved by PITS management, a 15% discount will be applied to all reservations after the approval date. Frequent Sailors must always be prepared to show ID when checking in at the terminals prior to every sailing. You can find more information about our Frequent Sailor Discount here.

Children under the age of 12 years old must be accompanied by a supervising person (12 years of age or older). Unaccompanied minors under the age of 12 will not be permitted boarding under any circumstance.

All OSTC properties, vessels and terminals are smoke, vape, and e-cigarette free.

There are limited luggage carts available at boarding for carry-on luggage. Carts are stored on the vehicle deck during crossing and no one is allowed on the vehicle deck when the ship is sailing. Customers requiring assistance with luggage should advise the Ticket Agent upon check in. OSTC does not accept responsibility for loss or damage to luggage or its contents under any circumstances. Luggage containing dangerous goods must be safely stored and may have specific requirements. Some items may not be permitted. Please review our dangerous goods policy here for more details.

Freight items received at any terminal will be charged a minimum of $4 handling fee.  Freight must be paid for prior to shipping or release. Perishable items will only be accepted as freight if they are properly stored and under the care and handling of the owner. Perishable items include but are not limited to fresh meat, foods purchased from chill cabinets, and freshly cooked food stored to be used later. This means anything that requires cooling, which PITS cannot guarantee under Safe Food Handling Regulations.  For full details please see our Freight Policy.

Customers are required by law to declare any dangerous goods, such as gasoline and propane, they intend to bring with them when travelling. Depending on the dangerous goods customers are travelling with, they may be required to fill out a Dangerous Goods Shipping Document. Dangerous goods include, but are not limited to: 

• Gasoline and propane, including used and empty fuel containers 
• Compressed gases 
• Flammable solids and liquids 
• Corrosives or other regulated materials 
• Hay and straw 
• Firearms and ammunition 

Fireworks, pyrotechnics and electric vehicles or bicycles with damaged or defective batteries are strictly prohibited and are not permitted on our vessels at any time. You can find more information on travelling with dangerous goods here.

Drones are not allowed on PITS property and cannot be used onboard the vessels. Permission must be granted by PITS office in advance by contacting [email protected].

Pelee Island Transportation Services (PITS) employees and fellow travelers are to be treated with respect. There are no exceptions. Abusive language or behaviour to persons or property will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, shouting, swearing, threats, or acts of violence and discrimination against PITS staff or other passengers. Passage will be denied, and no refund will be issued. Intoxicated drivers will be refused passage and authorities will be notified. If any of the above behaviour persists, authorities will be called, and ferry privileges may be suspended. Please see our Passenger Code Of Conduct for full details.

All passengers must vacate the vehicle deck for the entire duration of every sailing. Vehicles are loaded and unloaded at the owner’s risk. Pelee Island Transportation Services assumes no responsibility for the contents of vehicles or any damage caused to or by vehicles, motorcycles or bicycles while aboard our ships. All instructions regarding safety communicated by the crew are to be given full attention and adherence.