Picton Wellington Ferry: All You Need to Know

Here’s all you need to know about taking the Picton Wellington ferry between the north and south island of New Zealand. The ferry between Picton and Wellington going through the famous Cook Strat is one of the world’s great ferry journeys connecting one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

If you are wondering what to expect from this ferry journey, how to connect it with other New Zealand journeys, or simply what kinds of amenities will be onboard, keep reading.

Intro About the Picton Wellington Ferry

The Picton Wellington ferry sails out from Picton through the scenic Marlborough Sounds, out into the occasionally churning mixture of the Pacific Ocean and the Taman Sea (you can see the different color seas mixing from the ferry), and into the protected harbor of New Zealand’s capital, Wellington.

The whole journey takes about 3.5 hours. There are lots of restaurants, seating spaces, a rooftop, and even entertainment onboard the ferry… more on that later.

Picton – Wellington Ferry Journeys Interislander vs Bluebridge

There are two companies that run the 92km ferry from Picton to Wellington – the Interislander and Bluebridge. Both companies use the same port areas in different terminals which are close to the main town in Picton (5 minute walk) and Wellington (short walk to central city or cab/uber to anywhere in the city).

The Interislander is the original ferry service and is known for having larger and nicer boats with more outdoor seating. The larger boats can usually brave rough seas better.

Bluebridge is smaller but has more private cabins onboard which many agree are nicer for anyone who wants private space, although there’s lots of seating on each. Bluebridge also offers an overnight sleeper service for anyone who wants to skip a night of accommodation.

The Interislander has a popular lounge upgrade possibility where you can pay a bit more (actually double the price of your ticket) for an exclusive area with open food and drink (including alcohol). Many travelers love this and agree you get your money’s worth (although I am more of a rooftop person myself).

However, both services are very comparable, and many prefer each of them. It’s best to see which fits in best with your schedule! Each company runs at least 2-8 journeys per day depending on the season – there are more ferry journeys in the summer.

One of the best benefits of the Interislander is that the 2:15pm departure meets perfectly with the Coastal Pacific Train Journey from Christchurch (and they can check your bag all the way through to Wellington from Christchurch, too).

Bluebridge has a two ship fleet, and Interislander has three ships: Kaitaki, Aratere and Kaiarahi. The photos and New Zealand ferry review in this post are from my journey on the Interislander Kaitaki ship!

Picton Wellington Ferry Prices Interislander vs. Bluebridge

The Interislander ferry tends to be a bit cheaper than the Bluebridge ferry. At the time of publishing, the Picton to Wellington Ferry onboard the Interislander goes for $60NZD normal fare, $62NZD flexible fare (can change time/date), or fully refundable for $68.

Bluebridge is a price class higher, with the normal tickets going for $68, flexible for $70, and refundable for $79 (although some cheaper fares are often available on directferries for certain departures).

With a car, the prices on Interislander for normal, flexible, and refundable tickets are $189, $195, and $209. For Bluebridge, the prices are $202 – $211 and $231, respectively.

If you are planning to bring a car or camper on the ferry Picton to Wellington, BOOK EARLIER. These services are very popular among those who are planning to travel New Zealand by camper. Car tickets sell out MUCH faster than foot passenger tickets. (please leave a comment below if you notice the prices are different and I will update them).

You can select different kinds of upgrades on each service, from the Interislander lounge to larger vehicles/camper vans, additional animals, and you can also book private cabins on both services.

Final Interislander vs Bluebridge FAQ’s

Connecting the Picton Wellington Ferry with Scenic Trains

I took the Coastal Pacific scenic train from Christchurch to Picton the morning right before I took the Picton to Wellington Interislander ferry. The coastal pacific train leaves Christchurch at 7am and gets you to Picton just before 1pm, giving you ample time to take a small lap around Picton (you can check your bag the whole way) and make your way to the ferry.

The ferry terminal is only about a 5 minute walk from the train station and there are even handy blue lines on the ground leading you straight to it. Use this link to book the Coastal Pacific train if you’re also traveling from Christchurch and want EXTRA viewage today.

My Review of the Interislander Kaitaki Ferry from Picton to Wellington

Because I took the scenic train, I got the Interislander 2:15pm Kaitaki boat departure and had a great experience. It was a perfect day (the last one for a while so I got lucky) and I spent most of my time on the top deck.

One of the workers recommended the atrium as the best place to sit, which has vast glass windows, but I found it a bit hot and stuffy so I spent most of the time outside. Just prepare for CRAZY wind as soon as you hit the Cook Strait.

For some reason on my ferry journey we took a longer scenic route (taking about 4 hours) but I think this is rare – maybe it’s because it was a rare calm day! So some of these photos are from parts of the Marlborough sounds that most ferry journeys don’t see.

Tour + Review of Kaitaki Ferry Picton to Wellington

Here are some of the various parts of the Interislander Kaitaki ship. The Kaitaki ship had 10 decks (I believe) with all the activities and restaurants on decks 7 to 9 and then the rooftop.

Foot passengers enter last (after all the vehicles) through a footbridge and must take the elevator or walk up to these decks. The food on the ship was very decent from the different eateries and I heard/had no complaints about it!

Ocean View Eatery 

This is the biggest restaurant on the ship that has a tray style process – grab a tray, fill it up with the food you want (sandwiches, pies etc or choose something like a burger over the counter as a worker helps you) and pay at the end.

Gift Shop 

There’s a cute little gift shop onboard with little NZ trinkets and bits and bobs. This is a great place to get a small souvenir or gift or pick up sunglasses or a hat if you forgot one.

Island Bar and Cafe + Sports

In the middle of the ship there’s a large bar area with tons of seating and a few bars in the middle serving different kind of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages and small snacks. There are TV’s in here playing whatever sports or news happens to be on at the moment.

The Lookout 

Adjacent to the Island Bar is ‘The Lookout” atrium area which has huge, two story glass windows facing backwards and some comfy couches and tables with another top story of couches and tables (which was a bit stuffy honestly). This would have been my place of choice had it been cooler or with bad weather.

Magician Show/Entertainment

About an hour into the Picton to Wellington ferry journey there was a MAGIC SHOW! Unfortunately I was enjoying the views from the top deck too much to go to it but I’m sure it was great. I believe there is some kind of similar entertainment on all Interislander ferry journeys.

Hector’s Cafe 

At the front of the ship (next to some of the comfiest airline-style seats that would be one of my other top options to sit in if the weather is bad) is another cafe called Hector’s cafe. This one has pre-made sandwiches that can be toasted and a few other baked goods. I got a sandwich from here and loved it – the food quality was great!

Cinema and Play Area (deck 2)

There’s a cinema and kids play area all the way down on deck 2. This would be great for anyone who gets seasick (it’s better to be on a lower floor) or wants to keep their little ones entertained.

Lounge Upgrade

I noticed the lounge upgrade immediately after boarding the ferry. It’s located on one of the higher decks and offers food and drink included. From my understanding, there’s unlimited food of different varieties as well as alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages, and you truly get your money’s worth!

Rooftop Seating

Interislander ferries have lots of rooftop seating on both sides of the boat. On my ferry there was room for dozens of people on each side. Just make sure to bring sunscreen and a hat (as it’s in direct sunlight on a sunny day) and warm coats (as it gets windy).

The Marlborough Sounds

The first part of the ferry Picton to Wellington journey is through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds. It’s not as incredible as Milford Sound but the views are stunning so make sure to spend some time outside if the weather is nice.

The Marlborough Sounds are a drowned river system with the same amount of coast as Portugal, so there are lots of sights to see and interesting things to learn about the first settlers there. Make sure to head up to the roof and read the informational signboards that are posted up.

The Cook Strait

The Cook Strait is a very unpredictable place to sail – sometimes it can be completely calm, and other times it can be quite rough.

This is because there’s a strong wind belt being funneled between the two islands (making Wellington one of the windiest cities on earth) channeling and strengthening the strong “roaring forties” wind known all around the Southern hemisphere at this latitude. As soon as the ship enters the straight it will most likely be roaring with wind.

This is also because the Cook Strait is where the Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea meet – creating a powerful mixing of two massive bodies of water with different tides and makeups.

The Cook Strait is also home to more unique seabird species than many other places on earth – so if you can brave the wind (bring a jacket and secure your things) head up to the roof with some binoculars and jin the bird watchers.

Fun Facts About the Cook Strait, Picton and Wellington

• 100 people have SWAM between Picton and Wellington, which has a 26km shortest distance (compared to the ferry’s 92km).
• The Cook Strait has a max depth of 350m in the narrows, but Cook Strait Canyon is 1500m deep and parts of the beginnings of the next canyon, the Kermadec trench, are up to 3000m deep!
• There are actually underground fiber optic cables bringing signal and wifi between the islands 
• The Maori name for the Cook Strait is Te Moana-o-Raukawa

Final Tips for Taking the Picton to Wellington Ferry

• Book as early as you can, especially in the peak season/summer and ESPECIALLY if you have a car as you want to make sure there’s enough space for you to go on your desired date and time.
• You cannot stay in your car while on the ferry, you will have to head up to the decks so grab everything you need.
• Many people rave about the cabins and having private space, but if you are on a budget and don’t want to pay for one, arrive earlier and get a comfy seat to relax in – there are plenty! And the outside decks and rooftops have better views too.

If you’re heading south to Queenstown make sure to jump on a TSS Earnslaw boat cruise too!