Take advantage of InterIslander daily ferry service from Picton to Wellington. Swap New Zealand’s South Island for the North Island, crossing Cook Strait to the capital city. The Picton-to-Wellington ferry departs one way, gliding over the serene waters of Queen Charlotte Sound on a 3-hour cruise that offers stunning views of both islands — the perfect entry to the colonial port city.

What's Included

One way InterIslander ferry trip from Picton to Wellington
Access to viewing decks
2x 23kg baggage allowance

Food and beverages (available to purchase on board)
Carrying additional bicycles and sporting gear $15 per item
Kennels for pets are provided at a cost of $15

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Picton Port
Auckland Street, Picton 7281, New Zealand

End point

Wellington Ferry Terminal, 1 Aotea Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
Interislander Ferry Terminal, 1 Aotea Quay, Pipitea, Wellington

What To Expect

Board the InterIslander ferry in the picturesque port town of Picton, and relax during the 3-hour cruise across Cook Strait on what promises to be one of the most scenic ferry journeys. You’ll travel through the tranquil, shimmering waters of Queen Charlotte Sound, nestled amid lush forest in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds.

Leave the South Island behind during daily ferry service to the North Island, where you’ll arrive in port at Wellington Harbour. As New Zealand's capital comes into view, enjoy a unique panorama of the hills surrounding the lively city marked by its Maori and colonial heritage. Disembark in Wellington to enjoy some of New Zealand's finest restaurants, shopping, theater and attractions, including the renowned Te Papa Museum.

Note: The InterIslander ferry opyion does not allow travel with your vehicle.

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Apart from designated areas, smoking is not permitted inside the ship.
Wheelchair accessible
The InterIslander fleet has 3 vessels: The Kaitaki (carrying up to 1600 passengers), The Aratere (carrying up to 350 passengers) and the Kaiarahi (carrying up to 550 passengers).
Stroller accessible
From Picton, some InterIslander ferry sailing's connect with the Coastal Pacific train service to Kaikoura and Christchurch.
The InterIslander ferry sailing timetable is subject to change, without notice.
Service animals allowed
Cafes and a food court
Near public transportation
Fast-food takeaway bar
Shop for travel needs, souvenirs, magazines and confectionery
Movie theater (on select ships)

Video games parlor
Lounge and tavern bar
Observation deck
Children's play area and nursery
Most travelers can participate
Please note, during off-peak sailing's, some facilities are only open for a limited time
Surcharge applies to additional services including extra luggage, large sporting equipment, traveling with pets. The option of carrying additional bicycles and sporting gear (for example, canoes or surfboards), is an additional cost of $15 per item. If you are traveling with dogs, kennels are provided at a cost of $15, ensuring your pet's comfort and safety, and your peace of mind. There are a limited number of kennels available.
The luggage allowance is two (2) items of baggage per person. Additional baggage items may be carried, subject to availability and on the payment of an additional charge. Larger baggage, including backpacks, must be checked in at the Picton terminal. Baggage can then be collected from the carousels at the port of arrival. InterIslander will not accept individual baggage items which exceed either 23 kilograms in weight, or 200 linear centimeters (height and length and width) in dimension. For safety reasons, there are no exceptions to the weight restriction. However, the restriction in dimension is relaxed for sporting equipment.
Infants aged 1 year and under travel free of charge.
Children aged 2 to 14 years inclusive qualify for the child rate.
Youths aged 18 years and under are not permitted to travel in Plus Lounge.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Curtis_P

Nice way to travel between the islands. The ferry was clean & comfortable. The staff were helpful & friendly.

Reviews

4.0

210 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 210 reviews

Best Ferry ride

Susanny_D, Apr 2024

Great view, nice ferry with few seating arrangements, cafes & food, good services. Need improvement in toilet cleanliness.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your feedback, Susanny. It's wonderful to hear that you enjoyed the service and the stunning views. We hope to see on board again soon!

Great service

christine_b, Mar 2024

Very smooth crossing. Left a bit early so arrived at 9,30pm which was perfect. Food was adequate. We couldn't access WiFi on the boat, which would have been very useful.

A Wonderful Way To Unwind

Bree_M, Mar 2024

Wonderful smooth trip today. Excellent food, drinks, and areas to relax. I enjoyed upper deck which was slightly cool with warm points along the way. Scenery was spectacular. Crew was kind and caring.

Great ride

Curtis_P, Mar 2024

Nice way to travel between the islands. The ferry was clean & comfortable. The staff were helpful & friendly.

Smooth sailing

Lisa_T, Mar 2024

View of Picton & Marlborough Sound from deck during departure was beautiful Premium lounge experience was very good. More guidance to the lounge tequired as we were 'first timers'. Picton boarding ramp/stairs require more ability than some could manage. Persistent blowfly interfered with meal consumption. Servers in Premium lounge are a credit to the company. Polite, pleasant disposition, helpful at all times.

Very friendly and efficient

Rena_B, Mar 2024

We got a notification our 2:15 Ferry was cancelled and they rescheduled us for 11:00 am With this being all new to us when we arrived we found out we had only booked ourselves not our car. But the lady at the ticket booth was very friendly and helped us sort out to get our car on board

Picton to Wellington Ferry

anika_i, Mar 2024

The views at the start of the journey. Make sure you get a map/guide if it’s your first time. They don’t offer unless you ask.

Great way to travel in NZ

Louise_G, Feb 2024

Great service. Very comfortable and clean environment. We were exploring New Zealand and it provided us with a different look. Seeing both Queen Charlotte Sound as we left Piston and the bay entering Wellington was lovely.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Thank you for your review Louise. We are so glad you enjoyed your journey with us. The views are truly amazing! We hope to see you on board again soon

Great Ferry Ride

Ed_B, Feb 2024

Seas were a bit rough but the sailing was smooth. Comfortable seating, lots of meal and drink choices.

Expensive mistake booking with Viator.

Gary_P, Feb 2024

Being told at the check in that our booking didn’t include the car after paying $341.30 so to get the car on the ferry i had to pay a further $189.72. The young lady at the check told me the money that i paid was for a premium lounge package which i didn’t want, and was not part of my booking, i cancelled the package before boarding the ferry, i asked viator for a refund, which was refused.

Large ferry with plenty...

John_B, Dec 2023

Large ferry with plenty of room to move around and different areas to sit comfortably inside or find a deck to take in the beautiful views from. Easy to embark and disembark. Although there was a long treck to get onto the boat from the check-in area it was undercover and there was clearly work being done to upgrade the facility.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Thank you for your review John. We are very glad you had a pleasant sailing with Interislander and were able to relax on board and enjoy the views. We hope to welcome you on board again in the future. Kind regards, Interislander Team

awesome experience

murali, Dec 2023

It was hugely beautiful vessel. Boarding was a breeze, staff very cordial. Views, outstanding, ofcourse (did n't see whales, just kidding).Highly recommended

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Thank you for your review. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed your journey with Interislander. Hopefully next time you will get to see some whales! Kind regards, Interislander Team

Not happy!

Glenys_B, Nov 2023

The wasted day in Picton waiting for news of when the ferry would be departing - then having to locate our rental car in the dark and all alone at Wellington.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

We are sorry to hear you were affected by delays, we understand this can be very frustrating. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. Kind regards, Interislander Team

Day ferry trip

Cindy_P, Nov 2023

Beautiful Cook's Stait. Although it is not a sailing trip that we hope for, a ferry trip surffice. Your facility is comfortable. Thank you.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Thank you for your review. We’re pleased you had a comfortable time on board and got to enjoy the beautiful Cook Strait views. We hope to see you on board again soon. Kind regards, Interislander Team

Good ferry ride

Anna_Y, Aug 2023

Easy to use, just go to the counter and tell the staff your surname, they will be able identify your booking and offer other helpsz

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Thank you for your review Anna. We’re glad to hear you had an easy time checking in with the help of our friendly staff. We hope you had a great rest of your journey. Kind regards, Interislander Team

The weather was cold and...

Tom_H, Jul 2023

The weather was cold and wet but the water was calm, even in the open strait. The seating was very comfortable and the views spectacular. We’ll worth the experience.

Wonderful way to cross Cook’s Strait from Picton to Wellington

Val_K, Apr 2023

Very comfortable accommodation, good food, nice views, many different option to spend time during the trip, highly recommend!!

Viator comes to rescue!

Deborah_B, Mar 2023

Lovely trip and worthwhile to sail through Marlborough Sound. However, I would definitely book through Viator. We found out by chance that our boat had been cancelled due to it breaking down. Could not get in contact with Interislander due to recorded messages on phone. Got in touch with Viator and they sorted straight away. Big thanks to Viator.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Kia Ora Deborah, Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. I am sorry to hear you were affected by the cancellation and faced difficulties in reaching our Contact Centre for clarifications. Our team worked hard assisting passengers affected by the disrupted sailings. We appreciate it has been frustrating for our customers. Since your reservation was made through Viator, they served as your initial point of contact. I am glad to hear that they were able to help you! Hope you enjoyed the rest of your journey. Many thanks and regards, Kseniia

Great sail after a few hiccups

Paula_E, Mar 2023

The journey across the straight was absolutely stunning. However, when we went to check in, we found our booking had been changed to a different and unacceptable sailing (had a flight to catch) It did get resolved however we did not receive any notice from Viator as we had been assured we would. The ship, the crew and the sailing were all great.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Kia ora, Paula! Thanks for taking the time to review your Interislander journey. I am pleased you had a fantastic journey and our wonderful staff looked after you. I am sorry to hear you did not receive the communications about your sailing time change, I will look into this further for you. Hope you had a safe flight and rest of your journey! Kind regards and thanks, Karen

Great Journey in wonderful New Zealand

Tomek_C, Jan 2023

The train travel was so lovely and exciting. You can enjoy the landscape of New Zealand's most scenic train ride from one of the comfortable seats inside the panoramic view carriages. Highly recommended for all nature and train lovers out there