In a nutshell
- Lombok and Bali sit right next to each other — both are part of Indonesia and make for incredible vacation destinations.
- You’ve got three ways to get from Bali to Lombok: the slow ferry, a speedboat, or a flight.
- We took the official Bali to Lombok ferry and share everything you need to know — tickets, costs, what to expect on board, and how to get from the port to your hotel.
- We also cover the speedboat and flight alternatives so you can pick the option that fits your trip best.
The Most Important Info About the Ferry from Bali to Lombok
The ferry is one of the most popular ways to get around Bali. Here are the key facts about the official Bali to Lombok ferry — also known as the “Slow Ferry.”
- Bali Ferry Terminal: Padang Bai
- Lombok Ferry Terminal: Lembar
- Crossing Duration: 4–5 hours
- Price: 80,000 IDR
Our Experience with the Ferry from Bali to Lombok
We went with the “slow ferry” because it’s by far the cheapest option for getting from Bali to Lombok. Since we weren’t in a rush, the long travel time didn’t bother us at all.
Here are all our tips for the crossing.
How Do You Get to Padang Bai?
The Padang Bai ferry terminal is a bit out of the way from most attractions on Bali. If you’ve rented a scooter or a car, you can drive straight to Padang Bai — and take your vehicle on the ferry with you.
Otherwise, your best bet is a taxi or a shuttle to the port. We took the shuttle with Perama Tour. Booking seats was easy via WhatsApp, and the ride from Ubud took only about one hour.
We paid 100,000 IDR for it.
Buying Tickets for the Bali Lombok Ferry
You need to buy your ferry tickets before entering the terminal. We picked ours up at a counter on the main road in Padang Bai — totally straightforward.
To buy tickets, you’ll need to show your passport and pay 80,000 IDR in cash. You’ll get a simple paper ticket in return.
Ferry Departure in Bali
Ferries to Lombok run several times a day — but since departure times change frequently, we won’t list exact times here. Our ferry left at 11:30 AM.
To board, you walk through the port building, where your ticket gets scanned and you receive two new paper tickets at the counter.
You keep one and hand the other in just before boarding.
We boarded almost an hour early — there really isn’t much to see in Padang Bai itself.
Our tip for Padang Bai: If you want to slow things down, you could also spend a night here. There’s White Sand Beach nearby — one of the lovelier beaches on Bali.
The ferry has a large indoor seating area. Someone may try to sell you a private cabin at the entrance — you can safely ignore that and grab a free seat.
One thing to know: the air conditioning inside runs at full blast, so bring a layer. Our ferry was also very old and worn — don’t expect any real comfort.
Before departure, all kinds of vendors come on board selling food and drinks.
We ended up leaving half an hour late, at noon.
The Crossing and Arrival in Lembar
The first part of the crossing was very smooth. After about an hour, though, the ferry started rocking quite a bit. During that stretch, we stayed calm and seated and didn’t move around.
Otherwise, you’re free to walk around the boat and head outside whenever you like.
Our tip: If you need to use the restroom, go right at the beginning or end of the crossing — or ideally, plan ahead and avoid it altogether.
As Lombok came into view, the ride smoothed out again. We disembarked around 4:30 PM.
From Lembar to Your Hotel on Lombok
If you’ve got a car or scooter, you can drive straight off the ferry to your accommodation on Lombok — for example in Kuta. Otherwise, you’re looking at a taxi or Grab.
We’d recommend not jumping on the very first taxi that approaches you. Walk a little further from the terminal first — you’ll get a better price.
For a mototaxi, expect to pay around 100,000–150,000 IDR, and around 400,000 IDR for a car.
You can find more advice on getting around in our Lombok travel tips article.
Alternative to the Bali Lombok Ferry: Speedboats
If the slow ferry feels like too much of a time commitment, speedboats are a solid alternative.
One big advantage: they depart from several ports across Bali. All speedboats, however, arrive at the same port on Lombok: Bangsal.
These are the most common departure ports for speedboats from Bali to Lombok:
Padang Bai in the north
Serangan in the south
Sanur slightly north of Serangan
Note: There are also plenty of speedboats from Bali to the Gili Islands. Most depart from Padang Bai and Serangan.
You can book speedboats through 12goasia — sometimes a transfer from various spots on Bali is included. Prices vary quite a bit, from 15 to 50 euros depending on the route.
Alternatively, you can buy tickets on the spot at the port. Since speedboats run regularly, this is no problem at all.
Alternative: Flights from Bali to Lombok
There are also several flights per day from Bali to Lombok. Honestly, we think flying such a short distance is overkill — but if you struggle with sea travel, it’s a perfectly valid option.
Flights cost around 60 euros depending on the season and take about one hour.
Book flights on Skyscanner
Frequently Asked Questions About the Ferry from Bali to Lombok
Is the Bali to Lombok ferry safe?
Honestly, the ferries don’t look like the most trustworthy ships we’ve ever stepped onto.
That said, we’re not aware of any serious incidents or a ferry ever having sunk on this route.
In our view, the crossing is safe in good weather.
We’d avoid it in bad weather, though.
How do you get from Bali to the Gili Islands?
There are — as mentioned above — plenty of speedboat connections to all three Gili Islands.
Most boats head to Gili Trawangan — the largest of the three.
