Baltimore’s Harbor Connector is a free, city-run water taxi that links waterfront neighborhoods across the Inner Harbor and the Patapsco, and it is running a weekend schedule of two harbor loops through December 13, 2026. According to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, weekday service is organized into three routes, and the service changed in March 2026.
What is the Harbor Connector?
The Harbor Connector is a fare-free ferry service operated by the city’s transportation department. The city describes it as a maritime extension of the Charm City Circulator, the free bus network, and says it is meant to give residents and visitors a way to cross the harbor without driving around it.
Because the boats skip the road network, the service also matters for traffic. According to the city, the Harbor Connector removes about 400,000 single-occupancy vehicle miles from city streets each year. That is the city’s own estimate, not an independent measurement.
Which weekday routes does it run?
The city’s Harbor Connector page lists three weekday routes. Times below are the published weekday schedule as of the page’s late-October 2026 update.
| Route | Stops | Frequency | Weekday hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| HC1 | Maritime Park and Locust Point | Every 15 minutes | First boat 6:00 a.m. from Maritime Park; last boats 7:45 p.m. from Maritime Park and 8:00 p.m. from Locust Point |
| HC2 | Canton Waterfront Park, Locust Point and Maritime Park | Every 45 minutes | 7:15 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. and 3:50 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| HC3 | Federal Hill and Pier 5 | Every 15 minutes | 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
HC1: Fells Point to Locust Point
HC1 is the shortest hop and the most frequent, with boats every 15 minutes. It connects Maritime Park, on the Fells Point side of the harbor, with Locust Point on the south shore.
HC2: The Canton triangle
HC2 is a peak-hours route. According to the city, it does not run between 11:25 a.m. and 3:50 p.m. In the morning, boats run from Canton Waterfront Park to Locust Point, then Maritime Park, then back to Canton. In the afternoon and evening, the direction is reversed.
HC3: Federal Hill to Pier 5
HC3 crosses the Inner Harbor basin between Federal Hill and Pier 5, with boats every 15 minutes from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.
What changed in March 2026?
In a February 18, 2026 announcement, Mayor Brandon M. Scott and Transportation Director Veronica P. McBeth said two changes would take effect on Monday, March 2, 2026.
- HC2 was extended to Maritime Park. Before the change, the route shuttled back and forth between Canton and Locust Point. It now runs as a triangle among Canton, Locust Point and Maritime Park, so a rider can go from Maritime Park to Canton on one boat without transferring.
- HC3’s weekday hours were set at 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The city’s page notes that the start time moved from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
The city said the Route 2 expansion would use the existing fleet and budget. It tied the improvements to its Water Transit Strategic Plan, which guides water transit investments and harbor maintenance.
Is there weekend service?
Yes. From October 17 through December 13, 2026, the Harbor Connector runs two loops on weekends, from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., according to the city.
The Inner Harbor Loop stops at:
- Pier 1 (Harborplace)
- Harbor East, at East Falls Avenue and Aliceanna Street
- Rusty Scupper, at the Federal Hill stop
- Fells Point, at Thames Street and Broadway
- Locust Point, at the northern end of Hull Street
The Outer Harbor Loop stops at Fells Point, Locust Point and Canton Waterfront Park.
That makes the weekend loops a practical way to reach several of the neighborhoods described in our guide to Baltimore neighborhoods from Fells Point to Hampden without a car. After December 13, check the city’s page for the winter weekend schedule rather than assuming the loops continue.
When does the ferry not run?
The city lists four days with no service: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year.
Weather can also interrupt boats. According to the city, service may be suspended for conditions such as high winds or low visibility. Alerts go out by text message, and riders can sign up by texting “harborconnector” to 410-988-6601.
How do you plan a trip?
A few practical points follow from the published schedules.
- Pick the route by the neighborhoods you want. Federal Hill and Pier 5 are on HC3. Canton is only on HC2, and Maritime Park is on both HC1 and HC2.
- Mind the HC2 midday gap. If you are heading to Canton by boat, there is no HC2 service between 11:25 a.m. and 3:50 p.m. on weekdays.
- Check the last boat. Last departures are slightly before the 8 p.m. end time on some routes. HC1 and HC3 last boats leave their first-listed stops at 7:45 p.m.
- Use the alerts. Text alerts are the city’s main channel for weather suspensions.
- Combine modes. The ferry is one piece of a wider network. Our guide to getting around Baltimore by Light RailLink, Metro and MARC covers the state-run rail options, and the free Charm City Circulator buses fill in other downtown links.
The city’s pages do not state rules on bicycles, pets or boat capacity, and they give no accessibility details for the vessels. Riders with specific needs should contact the city directly. The Harbor Connector team lists its email as [email protected].
What does a worked example look like?
Illustrative arithmetic, using only the published frequencies: a 15-minute frequency means four departures an hour on HC1 and HC3, while HC2’s 45-minute frequency means a boat roughly every three-quarters of an hour. Over a 14-hour span from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., HC1 therefore has far more departures than HC2, which also pauses for more than four hours at midday. Actual departure times should come from the posted timetable, not from this arithmetic.
What is next for Baltimore’s water transit?
According to the city, the transportation department began work in 2025 on an update to the 2015 Water Transit Strategic Plan. The plan covers the Harbor Connector and the Harbormaster Office, and the city says the new strategy looks ahead over the next decade. The city’s pages do not give a completion date or a funding amount for the update, so what it will mean for routes and hours remains to be seen.
Why the little ferry matters
The Harbor Connector is a small piece of Baltimore’s transportation system, but it is a useful one. It costs riders nothing, it links neighborhoods that are close by water and far by road, and the March changes show the city adjusting routes within an existing fleet and budget. For visitors and residents alike, the main thing to remember is that schedules change by season, so confirm times on the city’s Harbor Connector page before you go.
This article is general information based on published city schedules, which can change. Confirm current times and alerts with the Baltimore City Department of Transportation before traveling.
Sources: Baltimore City Department of Transportation
