There are six ways across the Solent to the Isle of Wight, run by three operators: Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel. Three of the routes take cars and the other three carry foot passengers only. How much you pay depends far more on which one you pick, when you sail and how early you book than on anything else.
Below I've set out what each operator says about its fares, how long each crossing takes and the booking rules worth knowing before you pay. All prices are the ones shown on the operators' own websites when I checked on 11 November 2026, and they change often, so treat them as a guide and check the live fare before you book.
The six crossings at a glance
| Route | Operator | Crossing time | Carries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth – Fishbourne | Wightlink | 45 minutes | Cars and foot passengers |
| Lymington – Yarmouth | Wightlink | 40 minutes | Cars and foot passengers |
| Portsmouth Harbour – Ryde Pier Head | Wightlink FastCat | 22 minutes | Foot passengers |
| Southampton – East Cowes | Red Funnel | 60 minutes | Cars and foot passengers |
| Southampton – West Cowes | Red Funnel Red Jet | 28 minutes | Foot passengers |
| Southsea – Ryde | Hovertravel | Under 10 minutes | Foot passengers |
Wightlink says it runs "around 100 sailings a day" across its three routes. Red Funnel says its East Cowes car ferry leaves every 60 minutes from March to October and every 90 minutes from November to February, and that the Red Jet runs every 70 minutes, or every 35 minutes at peak times. Hovertravel says it adds extra flights to its standard timetable at peak times. For all the routes in one place, see my Isle of Wight ferry routes page.
Car ferry prices: Wightlink
Wightlink takes cars on Portsmouth – Fishbourne and Lymington – Yarmouth. It charges for the vehicle, not the people in it: "up to seven people can travel together for one price." There's no fixed car fare. Wightlink says prices vary with "the date and time you travel, how much space is available on your chosen sailing and the size of your car or van."
To give a rough idea, Wightlink publishes example journeys for a car with up to seven people. It says these "are for illustration only":
- Day trip (out early morning, back late evening): "You can often expect fares of around £40 – £50 per leg."
- Weekend away (out Friday evening, back Sunday evening): "around £60 – £80 per leg."
- Week-long holiday (out Monday morning, back Sunday evening): "around £80 – £110 per leg."
There are two ticket types. Economy is the cheaper one. It's non-refundable, and changes cost £15 online or £25 by phone or at the port, plus any fare difference. Standard can be refunded "with just a £5 fee as long as you cancel more than 24 hours in advance of your outward sailing," and changes are free apart from any fare difference.
A few extras to know about:
- On Portsmouth – Fishbourne, Wightlink adds a Government Emissions Trading Scheme levy of "£1.50 per leg for cars under five metres in length and £1.75 for vehicles that are five metres or longer."
- Priority Boarding costs "£12.50 per crossing" and gets you one of the first vehicle spaces on board.
- If you have a trailer, caravan, bike rack, roof rack or roof box, Wightlink says you need to include the total height and length when you book.
It charges for the vehicle, not the people in it: "up to seven people can travel together for one price.
Car ferry prices: Red Funnel
Red Funnel's car ferry runs between Southampton and East Cowes. Like Wightlink, it prices by vehicle, and its public fares "allow up to seven passengers to travel in one vehicle." Red Funnel says prices vary with "the size and type of vehicle, date and time of travel, and how busy individual sailings are."
It sells two fare types:
- Saver is Red Funnel's cheapest fare. Changes cost "a £5 amendment fee per change", and if you cancel you lose 10% of the fare 57 days or more before travel, 50% from 56 days up to 24 hours before, and get no refund within 24 hours.
- Flexi is its most popular option. Amendments are free and you can "cancel up to 24 hours before your sailing for a full reimbursement." Within 24 hours there's a 25% cancellation fee.
If you'll take a car across at least eight times in a year, Red Funnel's Frequent Prepay is "available to all customers", not only Islanders. For an initial £750 top-up, it lists a car day return (car plus up to seven passengers) at £66.40 and a car period return at £89.00. Red Funnel says these rates are valid until 31 December 2026.
Red Funnel also offers Travel Cards, which you top up with £250, £500 or £1,000. It says these give "savings of up to 20% off our Saver and Flexi fares".
Foot passenger fares
Wightlink's foot fares are fixed, unlike its car fares. It lists these starting prices for an adult:
- Single: "From £21.90 for adults."
- Day return (back by 04:30 the next morning): "From £28.20 for adults."
- Return (back within 364 nights): "From £39.40 for adults."
- Afternoon Flyer (out after 12:00, back before 04:30 the next morning): "From £22.20 for adults."
The FastCat to Ryde costs a little more. Wightlink's off-peak table for 1 October to 31 December 2026 shows an adult day return at £29.20, a return at £40.40, a single at £22.40 and an Afternoon Flyer at £23.20. Infants aged 0 to 4 travel free on every Wightlink route.
At Red Funnel, foot fares "to East or West Cowes start from just £14". That's the Super Off-Peak Day Return, which Red Funnel says is valid on both the car ferry and the Red Jet "when two or more people travel together from 10.55 am." On Red Funnel's fare table (prices from 3 January 2026), an adult single costs £23.65 on the Red Jet to West Cowes and £13.70 on the car ferry to East Cowes.
Hovertravel has two price levels. Its standard adult fares are £34.00 for a day return, £46.00 for a period return and £25.00 for a single. If you book at least 48 hours ahead, its Advance fares bring those down to £30.60, £41.40 and £22.50. Its Afternoon Flyer (travel between 13:00 and 20:00 and come back the same day) is £27.00 for an adult. For families, Hovertravel's Family Day Return is £70.00 at the standard price, or £65.00 if you book in advance, for two adults and up to three children.
Hovertravel is also running a Black Friday offer: "Book by 30th November for travel right up to 31st March 2027 and get 25% off standard fares."
How to get the cheapest ferry to the Isle of Wight
Each operator gives its own advice, and much of it overlaps.
Book early. Wightlink says that if you book as soon as you know your dates, "you'll generally pay a cheaper price. Last-minute bookings often end up costing more." Red Funnel says the same: "you'll nearly always pay more if booking at the last minute." Hovertravel's Advance fares need booking at least 48 hours before you travel.
Avoid the middle of the day with a car. Wightlink suggests travelling "outside of the peak times between 10:00 and 16:00. Early morning and evening sailings usually cost less." It also has a Best Fare Finder tool that shows which days cost least.
Travel in the afternoon on foot. Wightlink and Hovertravel both sell an Afternoon Flyer, and Red Funnel's Super Off-Peak Day Return starts from 10.55 am.
Book direct, or through where you're staying. Red Funnel advises booking "via this website or with your accommodation provider", and says booking accommodation and ferry together saves "25% on your crossing." Wightlink says it works with Island accommodation providers "to offer guests reduced-price sailings across the Solent with us."
Use what you already have. Wightlink says that "for every £2.50 in Clubcard vouchers, you'll get £5.00 to spend on your sailing," and that rail tickets including its ferry could save "up to a third" on the crossing with railcards such as the 16-25, Senior and Disabled Persons Railcard.
Season tickets and multi-journey passes
If you cross often on foot, all three operators sell passes:
- Wightlink Season Tickets give "unlimited discounted foot travel over a set period, for example six months", and its Multilink Passenger Passes give "a set number of discounted foot sailings, for example 20 single crossings."
- Red Funnel sells Season Tickets for seven days, 30 days, six months or 12 months. A 7 Day adult ticket between Southampton and West Cowes is £155.25. Its Saver Tickets come in books of single crossings, starting at 20 adult singles for £350.50 on the Red Jet route.
- Hovertravel Flexi Flyers come in 10, 20, 40, 120 and 270 single journeys and last 12 months. A Flexi Flyer 10 costs £90.00 for an adult.
Wightlink's Multilink Vehicle Passes are only for Isle of Wight residents or homeowners, so I haven't covered them here.
Booking rules and check-in times
These are the times each operator gives:
- Wightlink, with a vehicle: check in "between 30 minutes and one hour before your crossing."
- Wightlink, on foot: be checked in "at least 15 minutes before your scheduled sailing."
- Red Funnel car ferry: arrive "at least 30 minutes before departure but not more than 60 minutes on peak dates."
- Red Funnel at West Cowes: "Try to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance of the departure time."
- Hovertravel: "All passengers must check in at least 10 minutes before the latest departure time advised by us," and the boarding gate closes two minutes before departure.
If you're early or late as a Wightlink foot passenger, you can use your ticket "on another crossing if it's on the same route and same day, subject to availability." Bikes go free with Wightlink foot tickets, and Red Funnel says bikes are free of charge on both of its Southampton routes, with limited racks on the Red Jet.
Questions about Isle of Wight ferry prices
How much does a car ferry to the Isle of Wight cost?
There's no fixed car fare. Wightlink's own examples for a car with up to seven people put a day trip at "around £40 – £50 per leg" and a week-long holiday at "around £80 – £110 per leg". Red Funnel's prices also vary with your vehicle, the date and how busy the sailing is.
What's the cheapest way to cross as a foot passenger?
Red Funnel's foot fares start from £14 with its Super Off-Peak Day Return, which needs two or more people travelling together from 10.55 am. Wightlink's adult singles start from £21.90, and Hovertravel's Advance adult single is £22.50.
Is it cheaper to book the Isle of Wight ferry in advance?
All three operators say so. Wightlink and Red Funnel both say last-minute bookings usually cost more, and Hovertravel's Advance fares need booking at least 48 hours ahead.
Which is the fastest crossing to the Isle of Wight?
Hovertravel's hovercraft from Southsea to Ryde takes under 10 minutes. Wightlink's FastCat to Ryde takes 22 minutes, and Red Funnel's Red Jet to West Cowes takes 28 minutes.
Do I pay for each passenger in the car?
No. Wightlink charges for the vehicle with up to seven people inside, and Red Funnel's public car fares cover up to seven passengers in one vehicle.
Can I get a refund on a Wightlink car ticket?
Only on a Standard ticket, which Wightlink refunds with a £5 fee if you cancel more than 24 hours before your outward sailing. Economy tickets are non-refundable.
