Ferry from Wellington to Picton: All the Tips You Need

The Most Important Info About the Wellington to Picton Ferry

There are two ferry operators that run several daily crossings between Picton and Wellington and back.

• Interislander Ferries
• Bluebridge Ferries

You can buy tickets online in advance on the operators’ websites or through Directferries.

Ferry tickets from Picton to Wellington on Directferries

Each operator has its own ferry terminals in both locations.

Interislander:
Interislander Ferry Terminal Wellington – Vehicles

Interislander Ferry Terminal Wellington – Foot Passengers

Interislander Ferry Terminal Picton – Vehicles

Interislander Ferry Terminal Picton – Foot Passengers
Bluebridge:
Bluebridge Ferry Terminal Wellington

Bluebridge Ferry Terminal Picton

The crossing takes about 3.5 hours and prices start at around 70 NZD for foot passengers (approximately 38 euros). More on that in a moment.

Per day, there are approximately 4–6 crossings per operator in each direction.

Booking Tickets for the Wellington to Picton Ferry

You buy ferry tickets online — either directly on the operators’ websites or through Directferries.

You can technically also book at the terminals, but the ferries are usually sold out days in advance. We’d skip that option entirely.

Book ferry tickets through Directferries
Book tickets for the Bluebridge ferry

Book tickets for the Interislander ferry

Interislander or Bluebridge: Which ferry should you book?

Honestly, there are no major differences between the two operators. Your best bet is to check which one is cheaper or still has availability on your travel date.

Bluebridge ferries are more modern and better equipped, making them probably the slightly better choice. We traveled with Interislander — simply because that’s where we found the better deal.

One thing to know: Bluebridge ferries tend to sell out earlier, so don’t wait too long.

How far in advance do you need to book?

As soon as you know your travel date. The ferries are often sold out days or even weeks ahead of time.

If you’re trying to book last-minute, you’ll usually only find spots on early-morning or late-evening sailings.

Not 100% sure of your dates yet? Both operators offer flexible ticket options so you’re not locked in.

Are ferry tickets refundable?

That depends on which ticket type you’ve booked.

Both operators offer three options:

• Saver: You’re locked into the specific sailing you’ve booked.
• Flexible/Super Sail: You can change the day and time of your crossing (with the same operator).
• Refundable/Flexi Sail: You can cancel at short notice and get your money back.

The exact change and cancellation conditions vary by operator, so check the fine print when booking.

Booking through Directferries

The big advantage of booking via Directferries is that you can compare both operators side by side — prices, availability, and sailing times — all in one place.

When searching, you’ll need to specify upfront whether you’re traveling on foot or with a vehicle, and how many people you’re booking for.

Compare and book the Wellington to Picton ferry

Booking directly through the operator websites

The websites of Bluebridge and Interislander are clearly laid out and easy to navigate. Booking directly is totally straightforward.

You’ll need the same basic details either way: number of passengers, vehicle information (if applicable), and your preferred date and sailing time.

How Much Does the Wellington to Picton Ferry Cost?

Ferry prices vary depending on the date, time, ticket flexibility, and whether you’re bringing a vehicle.

Here’s a rough idea of what to expect:

Note: Prices may differ on your travel dates. Our overview is meant to give you a general ballpark.

Money-saving tip for bus travelers

If you’re exploring New Zealand without a car, the Flexipass from Intercity buses is seriously worth looking into. It’s a prepaid block of bus travel hours that you draw down with each Intercity ride.

The best part? You can use the Flexipass on the Interislander ferry too. It deducts 3.5 hours from your balance — which works out significantly cheaper than buying a separate ferry ticket.

How Long Does the Wellington to Picton Ferry Take?

Both the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries take about 3.5 hours. The exact duration depends on weather conditions out on Cook Strait.

Keep in mind that you need to arrive at the terminal about 1 hour before departure, and allow some extra time after docking to disembark — especially if you have a vehicle.

The Ferry Crossing: Our Experience on the Wellington to Picton Ferry

Here’s everything you need to know about the crossing itself, plus our honest firsthand experience.

Check-in and ferry terminals in Wellington and Picton

Both ports have separate terminals for passengers with and without vehicles. You’ll find exact addresses and arrival details on the Bluebridge website and on the Interislander website.

Important: check-in closes 60 minutes before departure. Aim to arrive at the terminal at least 1.5 hours before your sailing.

We traveled on the Interislander from Picton to Wellington as foot passengers. We showed up an hour and a half early, checked in at the counter with our booking number, and dropped off our backpacks — free of charge. About 45 minutes before departure, we were allowed to board.

Facilities on board

Once your car is parked on the vehicle deck, you head up into the passenger areas. As foot passengers, we were directed straight inside.

There are multiple decks with plenty of seating throughout. Our boat — the Kaitaki — was enormous. With its eight decks, it honestly felt more like a cruise ship than a ferry.

On board we had a food court on deck 8, an open café on deck 7, an entertainment program for kids, and free Wi-Fi. You can also head outside — though the upper deck was closed on our sailing due to strong winds.

The crossing

After making our way through the first stretch of the Marlborough Sounds, we hit open water after about 45 minutes.

That’s when things got rough. The boat rocked in every direction for the next two hours and the crew asked everyone to stay seated.

Our tip: In rough weather, avoid seats at the very front and back of the boat — those spots sway the most.

Crew members came around distributing ice cubes and sick bags — and they were needed. Nearly everyone on board felt nauseous at some point.

So no, our crossing wasn’t exactly relaxing. But we were genuinely unlucky and caught a bad day out on Cook Strait.

Weather info: You can check current conditions on Cook Strait before you sail. When we were on board, the scale showed orange — meaning high waves.

Arriving at the port

When we docked in Wellington, passengers with vehicles were asked to return to their cars first. Then we walked off the boat to baggage claim.

The Interislander terminal is a little outside the city center, but there’s a free shuttle to Wellington’s train station. We hopped on and were in the heart of the city in about five minutes.

Note: In Picton, there’s a shuttle for Bluebridge passengers too, since that terminal is also a short distance from the center.

Places to Stay in Wellington

We’d recommend spending at least two nights in Wellington before or after your ferry crossing. It’s not a huge city, but there’s a surprising amount to see and do.

Our tips for the best things to do in Wellington
Our hotel recommendations for Wellington:

Places to Stay in Picton

Picton is a small town, but it’s really worth a night or two. It sits right at the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds — one of the most stunning natural highlights in New Zealand.

Great hiking trails and boat tours are right on your doorstep.

Our hotel recommendations for Picton: