Barnston Island Ferry
The Barnston Island Ferry is a ferry across Parson's Channel on the south side of the Fraser River from Port Kells, Surrey to Barnston Island in British Columbia, Canada.
The ferry is actually a barge that is pushed across the Fraser River using a small tugboat attached to it. Having limited space, it can carry up to 6 vehicles and 52 passengers. The crossing time is usually five minutes. The ferry terminal landing is accessed from British Columbia Highway 1 by taking exit 53 into Port Kells, Surrey and traveling down to the end of 104th Avenue.
The ferry operates under private contract with the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and is free of tolls, as are all inland ferries in British Columbia. The operation is Transport Canada Marine Safety inspected annually and all crew members are Transport Canada certified. It operates on-demand from 6:15 in the morning to 23:55 with an extra hour to 00:55 on the weekend. Service is interrupted as/when river traffic warrants. The school bus gets boarding priority on school days.
With the closure of the Albion Ferry in July 2009, the Barnston Island Ferry is one of the last remaining inland ferries in the Fraser Valley.
