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Pinellas Transit Authority expands ferry options between Clearwater Beach, downtown

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Published  January 31, 2025 8:43pm EST
Pinellas County
FOX 13 News

Clearwater Ferry adds route

FOX 13's Kailey Tracy reports on the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority joining forces with the existing ferry operator, Clearwater Ferry, to expand options from downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach and back.

The Brief

    • Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority joined Clearwater Ferry to expand ferry services to downtown Clearwater.
    • This is PSTA’s first time doing water travel.
    • The Mayor of Clearwater heralded its opening as a game changer for residents of Clearwater Beach.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority joined forces with the existing ferry operator, Clearwater Ferry, to expand the service on Friday. 

On deck the new the PSTA's new ferry to downtown Clearwater.

On deck the new the PSTA's new ferry to downtown Clearwater. 

The new option for getting from downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach and back leaves from Coachman Park on the downtown side. It docks at the Clearwater Beach Marina a half hour later, then heads back to downtown.

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Dig deeper:

State grants and money from the city of Clearwater and the PSTA helped pay for the project. 

It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday between February and September 1 and is free this weekend. 

Officials take photo on new photo to mark its opening.

Officials take photo on new photo to mark its opening. 

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The ferry will eventually also stop in Dunedin once the dock there, which was damaged during the hurricanes, is repaired.

Branching out

Why you should care:

It’s PSTA’s first time dipping its toes in water transportation. 

Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector says it’s a game-changer for both tourists and locals.

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"We want to make sure this park is connected to the beach to provide our millions and millions of visitors more and more opportunities to experience Clearwater and to have a great variety of activities while they’re here," Rector said. 

Rector continued, saying, "One of the things many don’t realize is the importance of this kind of transportation to our beach workers, the many workers, thousands of them that help us keep the hospitality industry going, that serve all these tourists coming in."

The Source: FOX 13's Kailey Tracy collected the information in this story

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