Quick takeaways
- Three main ways in: drive the Overseas Highway, fly into Key West (EYW), or take the Key West Express ferry from Fort Myers.
- Miami to Key West is about 160 miles and 3.5–4 hours — the drive itself is a bucket-list experience across 42 bridges.
- Flying into EYW is fastest and easiest but pricier; flying into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and driving is often cheaper.
- Once you’re here, skip the car — walk, bike, or use the island’s low-cost on-demand shuttle; parking runs $30–$40 a day.
- There is no ferry or bridge from Miami direct to Key West by boat — the only ferry runs from the Gulf Coast.
Getting to Key West is part of the adventure. This is the end of the road — literally the last stop on U.S. 1 — and reaching it means either a spectacular drive across the ocean, a hop into one of the country’s smallest and friendliest airports, or a fast catamaran across the Gulf. Each option has its trade-offs in time, cost, and scenery, and the right one depends on where you’re coming from and what kind of trip you want. Here’s how to choose, plus everything you need to know about getting around once you arrive.
Driving the Overseas Highway
For many visitors, driving is the quintessential way to arrive. The Overseas Highway carries U.S. 1 for 113 miles from the mainland to Key West, leapfrogging island to island across 42 bridges — including the famous Seven Mile Bridge — with water stretching to the horizon on both sides. From Miami it’s about 160 miles and a 3.5-to-4-hour drive without stops, though you’ll want to stop: Key Largo’s dive shops, Islamorada’s sportfishing and Robbie’s tarpon, Marathon’s Turtle Hospital, and Bahia Honda’s beach all make worthy breaks. Our dedicated driving guide maps the whole route.
A few practical notes for the drive. Leave early to enjoy the scenery in daylight and beat traffic, especially on weekends and holidays when the single-lane stretches back up. Fill the tank before the long bridges, watch your speed (the limits change often and are enforced), and know that the drive can stretch to 4.5 hours or more with stops and traffic. From other Florida cities, budget roughly 4–4.5 hours from Fort Lauderdale, 5 from Naples, and 7 from Orlando.
Flying to Key West
If you’d rather skip the drive, Key West International Airport (airport code EYW) sits just a few miles from Old Town and is one of the most pleasant small airports anywhere — you can be curbside within ten minutes of landing. Airlines including American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Allegiant, Breeze, and Silver serve it with nonstops from a growing list of cities. The catch is price: because the airport is small and demand is high, fares into EYW often run well above what you’d pay into Miami or Fort Lauderdale.
That’s why many travelers fly into Miami (MIA) or Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and drive down, trading a few hours for real savings and the scenic highway. If you go that route, you can rent a car, take a shared shuttle van, or catch a connecting flight. From the EYW terminal, it’s a quick taxi, rideshare, or hotel-shuttle ride into town. Our Key West airport guide covers airlines, routes, and ground transport in detail.
The Key West Express ferry
Here’s a route a lot of people don’t know about: you can arrive by sea. The Key West Express runs a high-speed catamaran from Fort Myers Beach (and seasonally from Marco Island), a roughly 3.5-hour crossing that drops you right at the Historic Seaport in the heart of Old Town — no car, no bridges, no parking. Round-trip fares run around $155–$160 for adults, and the ride itself, gliding across the Gulf, is a pleasant part of the trip. It’s an especially smart option if you’re already on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
One important clarification, because it comes up constantly: there is no passenger ferry from Miami to Key West. The only scheduled ferry is the Gulf-Coast route from Fort Myers. From Miami or the east coast, your options are driving, flying, or a shuttle — not a boat.
Shuttles, buses, and cruise ships
A few more ways in. Shared shuttle vans like the Keys Shuttle run door-to-door from Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports for around $90 per person — a comfortable, hassle-free option if you don’t want to drive. Budget bus service (Greyhound/FlixBus) also connects Miami to Key West for those watching every dollar, though it’s slower. And many visitors arrive by cruise ship: Key West is a popular port of call, with ships docking near Mallory Square and Pier B, putting passengers steps from Duval for the day.
Getting around once you’re here
Now the easy part. Key West is four miles long and one wide, so getting around is refreshingly simple — and a car is more liability than asset in Old Town.
Walking
Old Town is made for walking. Almost every major sight, restaurant, and bar sits within a 15-to-20-minute stroll, the terrain is dead flat, and wandering the side streets is half the fun. For most visitors staying in the center, walking covers the majority of the trip.
Bicycles
Biking is the island’s favorite way to get around, and for good reason: it’s flat, quick, cheap, and lets you cover more ground than walking while still soaking up the atmosphere. Rentals run about $15–$25 a day, bike racks are everywhere, and cruiser bikes suit the relaxed pace perfectly.
Scooters and golf carts
For a little more range, scooters and mopeds rent for roughly $35–$45 a day and park free in motorcycle spots. Electric golf carts are the fun, quintessentially Key West option — they seat four to six and cruise the streets at island pace — though they’re pricier, often $180–$250 a day, and can’t go on U.S. 1. Both are a blast; just drive carefully, as the streets are busy with pedestrians and cyclists.
Rideshare, taxis, and the on-demand shuttle
Uber and Lyft operate in Key West, and traditional taxis are available for late nights or trips out to New Town and the airport. The city’s free Duval Loop bus was retired at the end of 2025 and replaced by a low-cost, app-based on-demand shuttle (Key West Rides, around $2 a trip) covering Old Town and nearby areas — a cheap, handy way to hop across the island without a car. The Lower Keys Shuttle also runs up the island chain if you’re headed north.
Parking in Key West
If you do bring a car, know that parking is limited and expensive — downtown lots and garages run $30–$40 a day, and street parking in Old Town is scarce and metered (pay via the Park Key West app). The smart move for most drivers is to park at your hotel or the Old Town Parking Garage on Grinnell Street when you arrive and leave the car put for the rest of your stay, using bikes and the on-demand shuttle instead. Fighting for a metered spot every day is a needless headache on an island this walkable.
Tour trains and trolleys
The Conch Tour Train and the Old Town Trolley are narrated sightseeing rides rather than true transportation — great for a first-day orientation to the island’s layout and history, less useful for getting from point A to point B. The trolley’s hop-on, hop-off format offers some practical value, but for actually getting around, biking and walking win. They’re covered among the island’s things to do.
How to choose the best option
So which way should you go? Fly into EYW if convenience matters most and the fare is acceptable — it’s the fastest, easiest arrival. Fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and drive if you want to save money, see the Keys, and have a car for day trips up the island chain (though remember you likely won’t need it in town). Take the ferry if you’re on the Gulf Coast and love the idea of arriving by sea, car-free. And however you arrive, plan to go car-free once you’re on the island. Fit it all together with our vacation planning guide, and use our day trips guide if you’re planning excursions beyond the island.
Comparing your options at a glance
Here’s the quick side-by-side to help you decide how to arrive:
| Option | Time from South Florida | Rough cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly into EYW | ~1 hr flight | $$$ (higher fares) | Convenience, short trips |
| Fly to MIA/FLL + drive | 3.5–4.5 hr drive | $$ (save on airfare) | Budget, seeing the Keys |
| Drive from South Florida | 3.5–4 hr from Miami | $ (gas + tolls) | Road-trippers, day trips |
| Key West Express ferry | ~3.5 hr from Fort Myers | ~$155–$160 round trip | Gulf Coast, car-free arrival |
| Shared shuttle van | ~4 hr from Miami/FLL | ~$90/person | No-hassle, no driving |
Drive times from major cities
If you’re road-tripping, here’s roughly how long the drive to Key West takes from around the state and beyond: Miami about 3.5–4 hours (160 miles); Fort Lauderdale 4–4.5 hours (200 miles); Naples about 5 hours; Orlando around 7 hours; and Tampa roughly 6.5 hours. The last stretch — from the mainland at Florida City down through the Keys — is the slow, scenic part, so pad your estimate on busy weekends. Wherever you start, the drive through the Keys is the kind of journey people remember for years, so build in time for a few stops rather than treating it as a transfer to endure.
Should you rent a car?
This is the question that trips up the most visitors, so here’s the straight answer: rent a car only if your plans require it. If you’re flying into EYW and staying in Old Town, you almost certainly don’t need one — the island is walkable, bikes and the on-demand shuttle cover the rest, and a rental car will sit in a $35-a-day space doing nothing. Where a car genuinely earns its keep is if you’re driving down from the mainland anyway, staying out in New Town or on Stock Island, or planning to explore up the Keys to Bahia Honda, Marathon, or Islamorada on day trips. In those cases, having wheels is worth it. Otherwise, arriving car-free and getting around on two wheels and two feet is not only cheaper but genuinely more pleasant on an island built for a slower pace.
A few final transportation tips
Whatever route you choose, a little foresight smooths the trip. Book flights into the small EYW airport early, since limited seats mean prices climb fast. If driving, gas up before the long bridges and start early to enjoy the scenery in daylight. Reserve the ferry ahead in peak season. And once you land, resist the instinct to over-plan your in-town transportation — the beauty of Key West is that you can figure most of it out on foot with a bike as backup. The island’s compactness is one of its greatest charms, and leaning into it, rather than fighting it with a car, is the key to a relaxed visit.
Arriving by cruise and other practicalities
If you’re coming in on a cruise ship, you’ll dock near Mallory Square or Pier B and step off within walking distance of Duval Street, the museums, and the seaport — which means a car or even a bike is unnecessary for a typical port day. Most cruise visitors simply walk the compact core, catch the Conch Tour Train for a quick overview, and grab a key lime pie before heading back aboard. Just keep an eye on your ship’s all-aboard time, since the town’s relaxed pace has a way of making the hours disappear.
A couple of final considerations worth flagging. Travelers with accessibility needs should know that Old Town’s narrow, sometimes uneven sidewalks and historic buildings can be challenging, so the flat main streets, rideshares, and newer New Town hotels tend to be the easier bet. And no matter how you travel, remember that Key West is a domestic U.S. destination — despite being closer to Cuba than to Miami, it requires no passport for U.S. citizens. Sort your arrival, embrace the car-free island once you’re here, and the logistics of a Key West trip turn out to be some of the simplest in Florida.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Miami to Key West?
About 3.5 to 4 hours without stops, covering roughly 160 miles down the Overseas Highway. With traffic, stops, or weekend congestion, budget 4.5 hours or more — and plan to enjoy the scenic drive rather than rush it.
Do I need a car in Key West?
Not if you’re staying in Old Town. The island is walkable and bikeable, rideshares and the on-demand shuttle fill the gaps, and parking is expensive. A car helps only for stays in New Town or Stock Island, or day trips up the Keys.
What airlines fly to Key West?
American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Allegiant, Breeze, and Silver Airways serve Key West International (EYW) with nonstops from a range of cities. Fares tend to run higher than flying into Miami or Fort Lauderdale.
How much does the Key West Express ferry cost?
Round-trip adult fares run around $155–$160 from Fort Myers Beach, with the crossing taking about 3.5 hours. Booking in advance is recommended, especially in peak season.
Can I take a ferry from Miami to Key West?
No. There is no passenger ferry from Miami. The only scheduled ferry, the Key West Express, runs from Fort Myers Beach (and seasonally Marco Island) on the Gulf Coast. From Miami, drive, fly, or take a shuttle.
How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Key West?
Scooters and mopeds run about $35–$45 a day. Electric golf carts, the fun four-to-six-seat option, cost more — often $180–$250 a day — and can’t be driven on U.S. 1.
Is there public transportation in Key West?
Yes. The city replaced its free Duval Loop bus at the end of 2025 with a low-cost, app-based on-demand shuttle (Key West Rides, about $2 a trip) around Old Town, plus the Lower Keys Shuttle up the island chain. Rideshares and taxis are also available.
Where should I park in Key West?
Use your hotel’s parking or the Old Town Parking Garage on Grinnell Street, then leave the car put. Street parking is scarce and metered (pay via the Park Key West app), and lots run $30–$40 a day.
