Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Ice, Packed Ice and Blue Ice: Differences and Boat Roads
Minecraft has three main ice blocks. Normal ice is see-through and melts near bright block light; packed ice is opaque and never melts; blue ice never melts and is the most slippery. All three drop only with Silk Touch. Boats reach 40 m/s on ice and packed ice and 72.73 m/s on blue ice, which is why ice roads are the fastest way to travel, even in the Nether.
What is the difference between the ice types?
| Block | Melts? | Slipperiness | Boat top speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice | Yes, next to block light above 11 | 0.98 | 40 m/s |
| Packed ice | No | 0.98 | 40 m/s |
| Blue ice | No | 0.989 | 72.73 m/s |
Ice is transparent; packed ice and blue ice are solid and opaque. Sunlight never melts ice, only block light such as torches. Boats go about 8 m/s on water by comparison. See boats.
How do you get each type?
- Silk Touch is needed for all three; without it they drop nothing, and normal ice turns into water if there is a block under it (never in the Nether).
- Ice forms when water in a snowy biome freezes under open sky with block light below 10.
- Packed ice generates in ice spikes, frozen peaks and icebergs in frozen oceans; wandering traders sell it for 1 emerald. It is also crafted from ice.
- Blue ice generates under icebergs, as arches in frozen oceans, in some snowy village houses and in ancient cities; wandering traders sell it for 6 emeralds. It is crafted from packed ice.
Why build ice roads in the Nether?
Water cannot be placed in the Nether, but ice can, and it leaves no water when it breaks or melts there. Because 1 block in the Nether equals 8 in the Overworld, a blue-ice boat road through the Nether is the fastest way to cross a world. See Nether portals and the Nether.
What else is ice used for?
Blue ice under a water stream speeds items along in item sorters and farms, and blue ice next to soul soil and lava makes basalt. Goats snap off a horn when they ram packed ice; see goats.
How do you travel fast on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest ice for boats?
Blue ice: boats reach 72.73 m/s on it, against 40 m/s on ice and packed ice.
Does packed ice melt?
No; only normal ice melts.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.