Public ferries in the Maldives: how the network works

Think of the public ferries as three overlapping layers, all state-run but working a little differently.

Greater Malé ferries

Short, frequent crossings link Malé with its neighbours, such as Villimalé, Hulhumalé, Thilafushi and Gulhifalhu. These are commuter boats that run through the day and take minutes rather than hours. If you are staying in Malé, the Villimalé guide is a good first trip.

RTL high-speed atoll networks

Since 2022 the government has been building a national network of fast ferries under the Raajje Transport Link brand, operated by MTCC. It started in the far north (Haa Alif, Haa Dhaalu and Shaviyani) and has spread zone by zone. National news outlets and the President’s Office reported that RTL served 15 atolls by April 2026, after Laamu was added on 1 April. Raa followed in June 2025, Thaa in September 2025, and Faafu and Dhaalu in February 2026.

At the start of June 2026, MMTV reported that Meemu was due next, with the outer part of Kaafu (Zone 3), Alifu Alifu, Alifu Dhaalu and Vaavu still to be connected. The stated aim is RTL in every atoll by the end of 2026. Rollout dates have slipped before, so treat any launch date as a target until services are actually running.

Older public ferry routes

In atolls the high-speed network has not yet reached, including North Malé (Kaafu) Atoll, older MTCC public ferry routes still do the job. These are numbered routes using slower, traditional-style boats. They leave Malé, call at several islands in turn, and run on set days of the week. The ferry to Dhiffushi, route 308, is one of these.

A ferry route is a chain, not a straight line. A boat leaves a hub (Malé, or an atoll’s main island), drops and collects people at each island along the way, then turns round. A few practical things follow from that.

• Journeys are long. A crossing a speedboat makes in under an hour can take two to three hours by public ferry once the stops are added.
• Times shift. Loading cargo, a busy jetty or a rough channel can push arrivals back. Times are a guide, not a promise.
• Some routes run only on certain days. On outer-atoll and inter-atoll links in particular, a boat may sail a few times a week. Missing it can cost you a day or more.
• The return leg matters most. Before you take a ferry out, check when and how you will get back, especially if you have a flight to catch.

Timetables come from MTCC and RTL. The RTL website and app list routes and times for the networks they cover. For older routes, ask at the ferry terminal or your guesthouse a day or two before you travel, because schedules change.

Friday is the main day of prayer in the Maldives, and most public ferry routes do not run on Fridays. This is the single most common reason independent travellers get stuck. If you are moving islands at the end of a week, plan to travel on Thursday or Saturday instead.

Services can also change around Eid and other public holidays, and during Ramadan, when working hours shift. See festivals and public holidays for the calendar, and check locally before travelling on or near those dates.

How you pay depends on which layer of the network you are using.

• Greater Malé ferries: since October 2023 you can pay with an RTL QR ticket bought in the app or online, a paper QR ticket from the terminal counter, or a contactless debit or credit card (PSM and Adhadhu reported Visa and Mastercard). Scan your ticket or card on the validator when you board.
• RTL atoll networks: tickets are sold through the RTL website and mobile app. New networks usually open with a free trial week for residents before regular fares start.
• Older public ferry routes: buy your ticket in person at the terminal or on the boat shortly before departure, in rufiyaa cash. Do not count on cards or US dollars being accepted.

Fares on all three are low and set by the state; this guide does not list them because they change. Carry small rufiyaa notes for ferries, buses and island shops. The rufiyaa guide explains notes and coins, and the money, costs and taxes guide covers ATMs and exchange.

We could not find a published luggage allowance for MTCC or RTL ferries, so there is no official kilogram limit to quote. Ferries carry islanders’ shopping and goods as well as passengers, so a normal suitcase is usually fine. Some sensible habits:

• Travel with one main bag you can carry along a jetty yourself.
• Keep passports, phones and medicines in a small bag that stays with you.
• Use a dry bag or a plastic cover. Spray reaches open decks, and bags sometimes sit outside.
• Ask before you bring anything bulky, such as a surfboard or a large dive bag.

Maldivian marine safety rules, as reported by Edition and PSM, require vessels used as public ferries to carry life jackets that can be reached easily in an emergency, and passengers should be shown how to use them before the trip. On small boats (9 metres or shorter), and on any boat crossing an area under a weather alert, the captain must make sure passengers actually wear them.

The Maldives Meteorological Service issues yellow, orange and red alerts in rough weather. Small passenger boats are not allowed to sail under these alerts unless the trip has government approval, so ferries and speedboats may be cancelled at short notice, especially in the southwest monsoon (mid-May to November).

• Note where the life jackets are when you board, and put one on if the crew asks or if the sea picks up.
• Stay seated in open water and keep hands and feet inside the boat when docking.
• In an emergency, call 911 (the national emergency number) or the coastguard via the crew.

Our weather hazards guide explains swell, storms and alerts in more detail.

For a local island near Malé, the choice is usually public ferry or shared speedboat.

Take the ferry when you have time and no flight that day; take a speedboat when arriving late, leaving for the airport or travelling on a Friday. For the wider picture, including domestic flights and seaplanes, see getting around the Maldives.

Dhiffushi, on the eastern rim of North Malé (Kaafu) Atoll, about 37 km north-east of Malé, is a good example of how a ferry route works. Public ferry route 308 leaves from Malé city (not the airport), calls at Himmafushi, Huraa and Thulusdhoo, then reaches Dhiffushi’s harbour, a short walk from the speedboat jetty. It does not run on Fridays. The shared speedboat takes about 40–50 minutes from Malé or the airport.

For current details, see our MTCC public ferry route 308 page, and for every option step by step, how to get to Dhiffushi.

• Confirm the departure the evening before and arrive early.
• Bring water, a hat and sun cream, and dress as you would on a local island.
• Give seats to older people and parents with babies, and be patient while cargo comes off.

Ferries pair well with slow, island-by-island travel. Our island hopping guide and local islands guide help you plan a route, and local islands near Malé lists the easiest first stops.