Top Picton Ferry Services

Good experience Birds working in the sounds, gannets, seals and dolphins all swimming near the boat as we headed out of Picton. What a treat

Clean. Nice facilities. Good food. Relaxing and lovely. We were able to relax, eat a late lunch and play some cards while enjoying the lovely view.

Great trip from South to north, very easy to drive in and park and lovely and clean once you get inside the boat. Loads of food and drink available.

Lovely views and relaxing. If you want something from the restaurant go early otherwise you are limited on what they have.

We upgraded and it was worth it. Nice quiet lounge .. comfortable seating .. newspapers and so much food to eat .. lunch followed by high tea.

Windows need washed, a little updating of the furniture and usb/c/plug charging would have been beneficial, but this company doesn’t control the weather or the seas. The food/cafe options met the need.

Great crossing, advisable to book to ensure your place. Ferry staff were very efficient, with a good selection of food and drinks on board.

Having been very lucky enough to have taken many ferry trips throughout the world this one, so far is definitely No 1. The journey through Marlborough sound and the islands is visually brilliant, small coves with huts and houses with no access apart from a boat. Numerous types of trees and flora on the hills, fish farms and locals in their small boats making a living. Also the food and drink on the ferry was well priced and delicious so if like us you get the 9.30am ferry I recommend you have your breakfast onboard…😋😋 Finally do not miss the freshly baked scones which are announced when ready but be quick they are snap yup very quickly 😂😂

No issues with the ferry journey. I would, however, caution that this is not a sightseeing ferry but rather a very practical transport option between the islands. If traveling from Picton to Wellington you will only have nice sights of the South Island for about 45 minutes before you’re in the open water.

Our initial trip was cancelled so it was very stressful and there was no email telling us what to do. I took it upon myself to go to the address and ask in person and she was good enough to get us on the next day which was good because we had to drive 8 hours and prepare to fly out. We had a cabin which was nice and got some sleep but honestly it was a gorgeous day so we stayed outside enjoying the view most of the time. Getting on and off was seamless and food wasn’t bad.

To kill time...I would recommend to eat on the ferry as food is pretty good. Except super long lines for a coffee.

Great trip. Check in and boarding was easy. There is a bit of a walk to board with some steps but assistance is available if needed. We purchased premium lounge access which was great. Comfortable chairs, great food and alcohol. Even though it was a wet and windy day the crossing felt extremely smooth. Would definitely do this trip again.

Found all staff very helpful , cheerful and really friendly - Very clean dining room,Great crossing tonight on the Kaiarahi . Thank you Interislander staff on tonight 07/10/2025.

Marco in the private lounge was incredibly polite and helpful. Lunch was great. Missed the fresh baked scones as they were so popular!

Booked the ferry to link the great journeys from picton to Wellington. I booked the premium lounge which included all food and drink and very comfortable surroundings for the entire crossing. The food was delicious!Beautiful views from the outside decks, of picton, cooks strait as you leave and Wellington on arrival. Didn’t see any dolphins or whales but apparently they are often spotted.Was a smooth sailing across Marlborough sounds. Foot passengers boarded first and were off the boat last due to connecting up the gangway. The port is a little further out of the city than the blue bridge ferry service (not sure what they’re like but the boats don’t look as nice!). You have an option of taking a free shuttle bus to the train station or getting your own transport into the city. Centre. Don’t take a cab into the city from the port…it’s a rip off! They all wanted $40, so I booked an uber for $13!

Interislander has been connecting New Zealand across the Cook Strait for over 60 years, the original Cook Strait Ferry - one of the most spectacular ferry journeys in the world. The 52 nautical miles ( 96.3-km) sailing are daily between the North and South Islands (Wellington and Picton), carrying passengers (1,000 max capacity) and freight. From Picton we travelled through Queen Charlotte Sound - Tory Channel - Cook Strait into Wellington. You are able to stay connected both on-board Kaitaki (meaning: 'Challenger') and at the ferry terminal via free Wi-Fi (500MB per passenger) - noting that the Wi-Fi signal strength can be affected by the local weather whilst at sea, user volume and distance from land-based cell towers. There are some breathtaking views, along with some locally sourced cuisine, cinemas, free kids activities and a premium lounge (NZ$86.00), a perfect fit for the whole family whilst you cross the Cook Straight 3-hours & 30-minutes sea journey.