Isle of Wight ferries: Wightlink, Red Funnel and the hovercraft compared

There are three ways to cross the Solent to the Isle of Wight, and the right one depends on whether you have a car, where you are going on the island, and how much you value 20 minutes. Wightlink and Red Funnel both take vehicles; the hovercraft takes foot passengers only.

The crossings are short and frequent, which makes the Isle of Wight one of the easiest island destinations in Europe to reach without planning. The fares, however, vary more than the timetables do.

The three routes

Wightlink Portsmouth to Fishbourne

A 40-minute vehicle ferry from Gunwharf to Fishbourne, two miles west of Ryde. It carries cars, motorhomes, bicycles and foot passengers.

It is the fastest vehicle crossing and the most convenient for the east of the island.

Red Funnel Southampton to East Cowes

An hour-long vehicle ferry from Town Quay to East Cowes, on the north coast. It carries everything including freight.

It is the better route for Cowes, Yarmouth and the west of the island.

Hovertravel Southsea to Ryde

A ten-minute hovercraft crossing for foot passengers only, from Southsea seafront to Ryde esplanade.

It is the fastest crossing of the three and the most weather-sensitive.

Foot passenger options

Wightlink runs a catamaran from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head in 22 minutes, and Red Funnel runs the Red Jet from Southampton to West Cowes in 25.

Both run hourly or better and both are cheaper than the vehicle ferries for a single traveller.

Hovertravel is the fastest but the least reliable in wind, and it is the only one that lands on the beach.

For a day trip from London, the catamaran from Portsmouth Harbour is usually the best combination of speed and train connection.

Fares for cars

Wightlink Portsmouth to Fishbourne: 80 to 160 return for a car and up to five passengers in summer, less in winter.

Red Funnel Southampton to East Cowes: 90 to 170 return, similar structure, slightly higher on peak dates.

Fares are per vehicle and include passengers, which makes a full car good value and a solo driver expensive.

Booking ahead saves 20 to 40 percent. Turning up at the port is the most expensive way to cross.

Fares for foot passengers

Wightlink catamaran: 20 to 35 return. Red Jet: 22 to 38 return. Hovercraft: 25 to 40 return.

Day returns are cheaper than period returns on all three. A day return is typically 60 percent of a period return.

Rail-sail tickets combine train travel to Portsmouth or Southampton with the ferry, and are often cheaper than buying separately.

Children under five travel free on all three operators.

Which route for which destination

Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Bembridge: Wightlink to Fishbourne, or the catamaran to Ryde.

Cowes, Gurnard and the sailing clubs: Red Funnel to East Cowes, or the Red Jet to West Cowes.

Yarmouth, Freshwater and the Needles: Red Funnel to East Cowes then drive west, or the Lymington to Yarmouth ferry.

There is a fourth route from Lymington to Yarmouth for cars, which is the best option for the west of the island.

The Lymington to Yarmouth route

Wightlink runs a 40-minute car ferry from Lymington in the New Forest to Yarmouth on the island’s north-west coast.

It is the shortest route to the Needles, Alum Bay and Freshwater, and it avoids a long drive across the island.

Fares are similar to the Portsmouth route, and the crossing is more sheltered.

Lymington is a small town with limited parking, so arriving early matters.

Booking and turn-up

All three operators take bookings, and all three accept turn-up traffic subject to space. Booking is cheaper and guarantees a slot.

In summer, the vehicle ferries sell out on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings. Those are the two windows to avoid.

Foot passengers rarely need to book, though the hovercraft can fill at peak times.

Booking opens about six months ahead. The cheapest fares appear when booking opens and rise towards the date.

Weather and reliability

The Solent is sheltered and the vehicle ferries rarely cancel. The hovercraft and the catamarans are more exposed to wind.

Hovercraft services stop in winds above about force 6, and the alternative is the catamaran from Portsmouth Harbour.

Fog occasionally disrupts all services, usually for a few hours in the morning.

In winter, the fast services run a reduced timetable, and the vehicle ferries run through most weather.

Car or no car on the island

The island is 23 miles across, and the bus network is decent but slow. A car makes the west and the south coast much easier.

Cycling is excellent, with quiet lanes and a signed round-the-island route. Bicycles cross free on the vehicle ferries in some fares.

For a day trip to Ryde and Sandown, no car is needed. For a week exploring, a car or a hire car on the island is worth it.

Car hire on the island is limited in summer. Book before you travel.

What the crossings are like

The Wightlink and Red Funnel vehicle ferries have cafés, toilets and outdoor decks. The crossing is short enough that facilities matter little.

The catamarans are comfortable and fast but have limited outdoor space.

The hovercraft is an experience in itself: ten minutes, low over the water, landing on a slipway.

For children, the hovercraft is the highlight of the trip. For anyone prone to motion sickness, the vehicle ferry is smoother.

Parking at the mainland terminals

Portsmouth Gunwharf has a multi-storey car park with a long-stay rate. It is convenient and expensive.

Southampton Town Quay has a surface car park beside the terminal, cheaper and smaller.

Lymington has a long-stay car park five minutes from the ferry, charged per day.

Book ahead in summer. All three fill on Friday mornings.

Day trips without a car

From London, a train to Portsmouth Harbour and the catamaran to Ryde gets you onto the island in about two and a half hours.

A day return on the catamaran costs 20 to 30, and the island’s buses run from Ryde to Sandown and Shanklin every 10 to 15 minutes.

The hovercraft from Southsea is faster but requires a train to Portsmouth and Southsea rather than Harbour, then a walk along the seafront.

For a day trip, the catamaran is the better combination of speed, cost and connection.

Freight and commercial traffic

Red Funnel carries most of the island’s freight, and lorries use the Southampton to East Cowes route throughout the night.

That means the vehicle ferry is rarely cancelled and the timetable is robust, because the island depends on it.

It also means the Friday evening and Sunday evening sailings are busy with commercial vehicles as well as tourists.

Wightlink’s Portsmouth route carries more tourist traffic and less freight, which makes it quieter mid-week.

The island’s roads

Main roads are good and the distances are short, but the lanes in the south and west are narrow and hedged.

Peak season traffic around Ryde, Sandown and Shanklin is slow, particularly between 10:00 and 16:00.

Parking in the popular spots fills early. The Needles and Shanklin Chine both have limited car parks.

Cycling is the best way to see the island outside the main towns, and the signed routes avoid most of the traffic.

Fuel is available in Ryde, Newport and Shanklin, and the island’s stations are within a few pence of mainland prices.

There is no motorway on the island and no toll road, so the only driving cost is fuel and the ferry fare itself. Town parking is charged by the hour in summer.

What to check before you book

Confirm which terminal and which operator. Portsmouth has three ferry departure points and they are not interchangeable.

Compare the vehicle fare against foot plus car hire on the island, particularly for a short trip.

Check the weather if you plan to use the hovercraft or a catamaran.

Book ahead for Friday and Sunday crossings in summer. Those are the sailings that sell out.