Plan your arrival
How to Get to Nevis
Nevis is a small island without a long-haul airport. Most international visitors fly into Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport (SKB) on neighbouring St. Kitts, then cross to Nevis by road and a short boat ride. Nevis does have its own airport, Vance W. Amory International (NEV), but it handles smaller regional flights only.
The quick answer
For most international travellers, the practical route is to fly into SKB on St. Kitts and continue to Nevis by road and water taxi. If your trip already runs through a regional hub such as Sint Maarten or Antigua, you can instead take a small connecting flight straight into NEV on Nevis.
- Two islands, no bridge. St. Kitts and Nevis sit about two miles apart across a channel called The Narrows. Every crossing is by boat or by plane.
- SKB and NEV are different airports on different islands. Check the airport code on your ticket before you book anything else.
- From SKB, the route is road, then boat. The standard route is around 25–30 minutes by road to Reggae Beach, around 6–10 minutes across The Narrows, then an onward Nevis drive where required. The final road leg depends on where you are staying.
Which route is right for me?
There are five practical ways to reach Nevis. None is best for everyone — the right one depends on your flight, your luggage, your budget and where you are staying.
| Option | Best for | Timing | Luggage | You arrange | Watch out for | Current information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly to SKB + coordinated private transferSKB → road → Reggae Beach → private water taxi → Nevis → road to your door where needed | Most arrivals with luggage, families, late flights, hotel and villa stays | Timed around your flight; delays tracked | Handled for you at every hand-off | Nothing on the day — booked in advance | Costs more than doing it yourself; must be pre-booked (no walk-up service) | Find your transfer |
| Fly to SKB + scheduled water taxiSKB → taxi to Reggae Beach → scheduled boat → Oualie Pier | Independent travellers with light bags and flexible timing | Fixed operator departures | You manage your own | Taxi to Reggae Beach, the crossing, taxi from Oualie Pier | You match your flight to the departures; check the last boat | NASPA schedules |
| Fly to SKB + public ferrySKB → taxi to Basseterre → ferry → Charlestown → taxi | Tight budgets, light luggage, stays in or near Charlestown | Fixed timetable that varies by day | You manage your own; porters usually at both ends | Two taxis, plus a ticket bought at the terminal | Most steps and the longest overall; the ferry does not leave from the airport | Current ferry schedule |
| Fly directly to NEVRegional connection via a Caribbean hub → NEV on Nevis | Itineraries that already route through a regional gateway such as Sint Maarten, Antigua or St. Thomas | Airline schedule | Checked through on the flight; small aircraft can have their own limits | The regional connection and a taxi on Nevis | An extra flight on a smaller aircraft, with limited frequency | Flying to Nevis (NTA) |
| Vehicle ferry (iConnect)Principally Majors Bay, St. Kitts ⇄ Charlestown, Nevis | Taking a car or other vehicle across | Operator schedule | Travels in your vehicle | Everything — it is a vehicle crossing, not an airport connection | Only worth it if the vehicle itself has to cross | iConnect |
Fares and timetables for ferries, water taxis and flights change through the year, so we link to the source that keeps them current rather than repeating them here.
Step 1
Step 1 — Fly into St. Kitts
SKB is the federation’s main international airport and the usual gateway for Nevis. Long-haul flights arrive from:
- United States — Miami year-round, plus Charlotte, New York (JFK), Newark and Atlanta, several of which run seasonally, mainly in the winter peak.
- Canada — Toronto, seasonally through the winter.
- United Kingdom — London Gatwick with British Airways. The flight stops in Antigua for about an hour, but passengers continuing to St. Kitts stay on the same aircraft.
- The Caribbean — regional connections through hubs such as Antigua, Sint Maarten, Barbados and San Juan.
Routes and frequencies change by season. Confirm your specific flight with the airline before you travel, and make sure your ticket ends at SKB (St. Kitts) unless you have deliberately planned a connection to NEV. For carriers and seasons, see our guide to flights to St. Kitts.
Step 2
Step 2 — Continue from SKB to Nevis
From SKB, the usual route to Nevis runs down St. Kitts’ Southeast Peninsula by road, then across The Narrows by boat. On a coordinated private transfer, the chain looks like this:
- SKB Airport. You clear immigration and customs, then meet your driver in arrivals.
- Private St. Kitts vehicle. Around 25–30 minutes to Reggae Beach at Cockleshell Bay.
- Private water taxi. Around 6–10 minutes across The Narrows to Oualie Pier on Nevis’ west coast, depending on the sea.
- Onward Nevis vehicle, where your route needs one. The final drive to your hotel or villa. How long it takes depends on where you are staying.
From Oualie Pier, allow around 10 minutes to Hamilton Beach or Mount Nevis, 10–15 minutes to Paradise Beach, 15–20 minutes to Four Seasons Reception, and around 30 minutes to Montpelier, The Hermitage or Golden Rock.
Not every guest finishes at Oualie Pier. Oualie Beach Resort guests can land at the resort’s own pier, and Four Seasons guests can instead take the direct-to-pier route from Majors Bay (see below). For most other hotels and villas there is a final road leg on Nevis.
Find your transfer by hotel or villa → · What happens on arrival day
Where will I actually arrive on Nevis?
“Nevis” covers several different landing points. Knowing which one your route uses prevents most booking mistakes.
Oualie Pier
The main water-taxi landing on Nevis’ west coast. Most private and scheduled water taxis from Reggae Beach arrive here, and most hotel and villa transfers continue by road from this pier. A transfer that ends at Oualie Pier ends at the pier — onward transport is separate.
Oualie Beach Resort Pier
The resort’s own pier, for Oualie Beach Resort guests only — a different destination from Oualie Pier. Our SKB to Oualie Beach Resort Pier transfer lands here directly, with no Nevis road leg.
Four Seasons Resort Nevis Pier
The resort’s own pier on Pinney’s Beach. Only the direct-to-pier transfer lands here, by private boat from Majors Bay on St. Kitts; the Reception transfer arrives via Oualie Pier instead.
Charlestown ferry pier
Where the public passenger ferry from Basseterre arrives, in the island’s capital. It is also the main Nevis terminal for the iConnect vehicle ferry. Taxis wait at the pier for the drive to your accommodation.
NEV airport
Vance W. Amory International, at Newcastle in the north-east of Nevis. You only arrive here if your ticket ends at NEV — usually a regional connection.
Special case
Staying at Four Seasons Resort Nevis?
Book Nevis offers two distinct private arrivals from SKB. They end in different places, so choose deliberately:
Reception transfer
SKB → Reggae Beach → Oualie Pier → Four Seasons Reception. A private vehicle to Reggae Beach (around 25–30 minutes), a private water taxi to Oualie Pier (around 6–10 minutes), then a private car to the resort’s Reception (around 15–20 minutes).
Direct-to-pier transfer
SKB → Majors Bay → Four Seasons Resort Nevis Pier. A private vehicle to Majors Bay on St. Kitts’ Southeast Peninsula, then a private boat straight to Four Seasons Resort Nevis Pier — around 15–20 minutes on the water, with no Nevis road leg and no stop at Oualie Pier.
Both are fully private and both run in reverse for departure. For a side-by-side comparison, see our Four Seasons Nevis transfer guide.
Scheduled water taxi or private water taxi?
Both use the same short stretch of water between Reggae Beach and Oualie Pier, so they are easy to confuse. The difference is who fits around whom.
Scheduled water taxi
Independent operators run a scheduled crossing between Reggae Beach on St. Kitts and Oualie Pier on Nevis. You fit around their departures, pay for the crossing yourself, and arrange your own taxis to Reggae Beach and onward from Oualie Pier. It suits independent travellers with light bags and flexible timing.
Departures and fares are set by the operators. Check the NASPA schedules and confirm with the operator, especially the last boat of the day.
Private water taxi, as part of a coordinated transfer
The boat is reserved for your party and timed to your journey. On a coordinated transfer, the drives on both islands are arranged with it and your luggage moves with you at each hand-off.
Book Nevis crossings are pre-booked only — we do not run a walk-up boat from Reggae Beach. How our Reggae Beach crossing works.
The public ferry: Basseterre to Charlestown
The passenger ferry links Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts, with Charlestown, the capital of Nevis. It is the lowest-cost way across and the one many locals use. The crossing takes roughly 25–45 minutes, depending on the vessel and the sea.
It is not an airport-to-hotel service. Arriving at SKB, you would also need to arrange:
- a taxi from SKB to the ferry terminal in Basseterre, around 20 minutes in normal traffic;
- a ferry ticket, normally bought in person at the terminal, on a sailing that fits your arrival time;
- a taxi from the Charlestown pier to your accommodation.
Several vessels share the route and the timetable differs by day of the week, so we do not reproduce it here.
Can I fly directly to Nevis?
Yes, but only on a regional flight. Nevis’s own airport, Vance W. Amory International (NEV), is on Nevis itself, at Newcastle in the north-east of the island. Its runway suits smaller regional aircraft, so it is worth separating two things:
- Direct flights into NEV are regional services from nearby Caribbean gateways — currently including Sint Maarten (SXM), Antigua (ANU), St. Thomas (STT), St. Croix (STX) and St. Kitts (SKB) itself. Direct regional routes change, so verify your actual itinerary with the airline.
- From North America or Europe, reaching NEV means a one-stop itinerary: an international flight to one of those gateways, then a change onto the regional flight to Nevis. The long-haul airline itself does not fly to Nevis.
SKB
Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, on St. Kitts. Long-haul flights; onward road and boat to Nevis.
NEV
Vance W. Amory International Airport, on Nevis. Regional flights on smaller aircraft.
Flying into NEV makes sense when your itinerary already passes through one of those hubs and landing on Nevis saves you the road-and-boat connection. For most long-haul travellers, SKB is simpler because it avoids a second flight on a smaller aircraft. For an overview of current regional services, see the Nevis Tourism Authority’s flying to Nevis page.
Our NEV transfers are for guests staying on St. Kitts: we run private transfers between NEV and St. Kitts Marriott Resort or the Park Hyatt St. Kitts pier. We do not currently offer transfers from NEV to hotels or villas on Nevis — if you land at NEV and are staying on Nevis, arrange a local taxi or ask your accommodation.
Bringing a car?
The passenger ferry and water taxis do not carry vehicles. If the vehicle itself needs to cross, iConnect operates a vehicle-ferry service between St. Kitts and Nevis, principally between Majors Bay on St. Kitts’ Southeast Peninsula and Charlestown on Nevis. Terminals and sailing times can change, so check iConnect directly before travelling.
Late flights and delays
My flight lands late — can I still get to Nevis tonight?
That depends on how you are crossing:
- Coordinated private transfer: yes. Book Nevis runs the route at night with no after-hours charge, and the road and boat legs are timed to when you actually land.
- Scheduled water taxi: only if you reach Reggae Beach before the operator’s last departure. Last-boat times vary by day and season, so confirm them before relying on one after an evening arrival.
- Public ferry: only if a sailing still fits after you clear customs and reach Basseterre. Check that day’s final sailing on the official schedule.
Whichever you choose, crossings depend on the sea. In unsafe conditions boats wait or reschedule.
What if my flight is delayed?
With a Book Nevis transfer, we track your flight from the moment you book. If it lands late, we move the road and boat timings to match — and a delay, even into the next day, does not add a delay fee. If you are rebooked onto a different flight, send us the new flight number so we can re-coordinate each leg.
Ferries and scheduled water taxis keep to their own timetables and are not linked to your flight.
Travelling with children or lots of luggage
Children and child seats
- Infant, child and booster seats are available on request for the road legs of a transfer.
- They are not used on the water taxi — they apply to the vehicles only.
- Child seats must be requested in advance and are subject to availability. Tell us each child’s age when you book so the right seats are fitted.
Luggage
- Normal holiday luggage is handled throughout a coordinated private transfer, at every hand-off — vehicle to boat, boat to vehicle — through to your final drop-off.
- Tell us when booking if you are travelling with unusually large or extra luggage, golf clubs, dive gear, strollers or similar items so the correct vehicle and boat capacity can be arranged.
- On the public ferry you handle your own bags, although porters are usually available at both terminals. For scheduled water taxis and regional flights into NEV, check baggage allowances with the operator or airline.
Getting back to SKB for your flight home
The journey runs in reverse: a road leg on Nevis where needed, the water taxi back to St. Kitts, then the drive to SKB. Don’t work out your own pickup time by adding up drive and boat times — sea conditions, boat availability and airport check-in all affect it.
For Book Nevis airport departures, we normally schedule your pickup to get you to SKB approximately three hours before your flight departure. You give us your departure flight when you book, and your pickup time and meeting point arrive in your final details email before you travel. You can book both directions together.
Using the ferry for the return? Check that day’s timetable, leave a generous margin, and remember you still need a taxi from Basseterre to SKB.
Before you book
Check these before you book anything
- SKB or NEV? SKB is on St. Kitts; NEV is on Nevis. Most international flights land at SKB — booking the wrong one changes your whole onward plan.
- The ferry isn’t at the airport. The public ferry leaves from Basseterre, around 20 minutes in normal traffic from SKB.
- A scheduled water taxi is the boat only. Getting to Reggae Beach, and away from Oualie Pier, is up to you.
- Oualie Pier and Oualie Beach Resort Pier are different destinations. The resort pier is for the resort’s guests.
- A pier-only transfer ends at the pier. Staying at a hotel or villa elsewhere on Nevis? Book the route to your accommodation, or plan the onward leg from Oualie Pier or Charlestown.
- Four Seasons: Reception or pier? The two transfers end in different places. Pick the one you actually want.
- Don’t count on the last boat after a late flight. Check the final departure for your day, or book a transfer that is timed around your flight.
What should I choose?
Choose a coordinated private transfer if…
- you are arriving at SKB;
- you have luggage;
- timing matters, or you land late;
- you are travelling with children;
- you want airport to hotel handled as one journey.
Consider the public ferry if…
- budget matters more than convenience;
- your arrival fits the ferry timetable;
- you are travelling light and happy to arrange taxis at both ends;
- you are staying in or near Charlestown.
Consider a scheduled water taxi if…
- your timing is flexible and you are travelling light;
- you are happy to arrange taxis to Reggae Beach and from Oualie Pier.
Consider flying into NEV if…
- your itinerary already routes through a regional hub such as Sint Maarten or Antigua;
- landing directly on Nevis genuinely simplifies your trip.
Use the vehicle ferry if…
- the vehicle itself needs to cross.
Before you travel: a quick checklist
- Confirm your arrival airport: SKB (St. Kitts) or NEV (Nevis).
- Check your passport and the entry requirements for your nationality.
- If it applies to you, apply for the St. Kitts and Nevis eTA on the official government portal — entry rules change, so rely on that source rather than summaries.
- Note your flight numbers and scheduled arrival and departure times.
- Book onward transport for both directions.
- Travelling independently? Check that day’s ferry or water-taxi times.
- Tell your transfer provider about oversized luggage.
- Request child seats in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Which airport should I fly into for Nevis?
Most international travellers fly into Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport (SKB) on St. Kitts, which has the long-haul flights, and cross to Nevis by road and water taxi. Nevis’s own airport, NEV, is served by smaller regional flights and makes sense mainly when your trip already connects through a nearby hub.
Is SKB Airport on Nevis?
No. SKB is on St. Kitts. Nevis’s airport is Vance W. Amory International (NEV). If your ticket ends at SKB, you will need onward transport across to Nevis.
Can I fly directly to Nevis?
Yes, but only on regional flights into NEV from nearby gateways such as Sint Maarten, Antigua, St. Thomas, St. Croix or St. Kitts. From North America or Europe that means a one-stop itinerary with a change onto the regional flight — the long-haul airline itself does not fly to Nevis. Regional routes change, so verify your itinerary with the airline.
How do I get from SKB Airport to Nevis?
Either drive across St. Kitts to Reggae Beach and take a water taxi to Oualie Pier on Nevis, or take a taxi to Basseterre for the public ferry to Charlestown. A coordinated private transfer books the road, boat and Nevis legs as one journey.
How long does the journey from SKB to Nevis take?
On the standard route, allow around 25–30 minutes by road to Reggae Beach and around 6–10 minutes on the water to Oualie Pier, plus an onward drive on Nevis where required — from around 10 minutes to Hamilton Beach or Mount Nevis to around 30 minutes to Montpelier, The Hermitage or Golden Rock. Independent options usually take longer because you connect the legs yourself.
Is there a ferry from St. Kitts to Nevis?
Yes. The public passenger ferry runs between Basseterre and Charlestown and takes roughly 25–45 minutes. The timetable varies by day, so check the current Nevis ferry schedule before you travel.
Where does the water taxi arrive on Nevis?
Most water taxis from Reggae Beach land at Oualie Pier on Nevis’ west coast. Some private transfers land instead at Oualie Beach Resort Pier or at Four Seasons Resort Nevis Pier.
Is Oualie Pier the same as Oualie Beach Resort Pier?
No. Oualie Pier is the main water-taxi landing point; Oualie Beach Resort Pier is the resort’s own pier, for its guests. Book the one that matches where you are staying.
How do I get to Four Seasons Nevis from SKB?
Book Nevis offers two private options: a Reception transfer via Reggae Beach and Oualie Pier with a car to the resort’s Reception, or a direct-to-pier transfer by road to Majors Bay and private boat to Four Seasons Resort Nevis Pier, around 15–20 minutes on the water. Our Four Seasons Nevis transfer guide compares them.
What happens if my flight is delayed?
With a Book Nevis transfer, we track your flight and move the road and boat timings to match, with no delay fee — even if you arrive the next day. Ferries and scheduled water taxis keep to their own timetables.
Can I get to Nevis late at night?
Yes, with a pre-booked private transfer: Book Nevis runs the route at night with no after-hours charge. Scheduled water taxis and the public ferry stop at set times, so check the last departure before relying on them.
Can I take a car from St. Kitts to Nevis?
Yes, on the iConnect vehicle ferry, which principally runs between Majors Bay on St. Kitts and Charlestown on Nevis. The passenger ferry and water taxis do not carry vehicles, so check iConnect for current sailings.
Ready to plan your arrival?
Tell us your flight and where you are staying, and we will coordinate every leg from SKB to your door — and back again.
More detailed guides
- SKB Airport to Nevis, step by step
- St. Kitts to Nevis: ferry vs water taxi vs private transfer
- Nevis ferry schedule: Basseterre to Charlestown
- Your arrival day with Book Nevis
- Nevis travel guide for first-time visitors
- Flights to St. Kitts (SKB)
Information checked 22 September 2026. Airline routes, ferry and water-taxi timetables, fares and entry requirements change — use the linked official sources for current details.