Ferries / Ludington - Manitowoc
Ludington - Manitowoc ferry schedule
The next Ludington - Manitowoc sailing from Ludington is 9:00 AM. It is a 240 minute crossing. The full timetable is below.Next Ludington boat 9:00 AM, a 240 minute crossing.
SS Badger schedule, baked at the last rebuild
Today's schedule
About the Ludington - Manitowoc crossing
The SS Badger is a 1952 steamship, the last coal-fired passenger vessel on the Great Lakes and a National Historic Landmark, carrying cars and passengers across Lake Michigan between Ludington, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The crossing takes about four hours and cuts out roughly 400 miles of driving around the lake through Chicago. Watch the clock: Ludington runs on Eastern Time and Manitowoc on Central Time, so the boat effectively 'gains' an hour heading west.
Fares
One-way summer fares; passenger and vehicle fares are charged separately. Spring and fall rates are lower. For summer 2026.
Terminals
Ludington - Manitowoc, common questions
How often does the Ludington - Manitowoc ferry run?
SS Badger runs 2 sailings on this route today. The full timetable for both directions is above.
How early should I arrive?
For a walk-on passenger a few minutes before departure is usually plenty. Check the operator for any vehicle or bike boarding cutoffs.
Where do the times come from?
Today's published SS Badger timetable, taken from the operator's own schedule and rebuilt daily. It is not a moment-by-moment tracker.
Schedule from SS Badger's own published timetable, baked each rebuild, not a moment-by-moment tracker. How these numbers are made.