The most popular term for a boat is नौका. It is also called किश्ती, तरणी or नाव.

A ferry means a commuter boat or ferryboat or a small ship. Accordingly, we may call it यात्री-नौका or जलयान or even a फ़ेरी.

A ferry is a form of transport, usually a boat or ship, but also other forms, carrying (or ferrying) passengers and sometimes their vehicles. Ferries are also used to transport freight (in lorries (trucks) and sometimes unpowered freight containers) and even railroad cars. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services. A foot-passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi.

Ferries form a part of the public transport systems of many waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at a capital cost much lower than bridges or tunnels.