There is one passenger ferry to the Isles of Scilly: Scillonian III, run by Isles of Scilly Travel (part of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group), from Penzance to St Mary's. Isles of Scilly Travel says the islands sit "just 28 miles off Cornwall's coast", and the crossing takes around 2 hours and 45 minutes.
2026 is Scillonian III's last year. Her replacement, Scillonian IV, takes over in March 2027, and bookings for 2027 are already open. Everything below comes from the operator's own pages, which I checked on 13 November 2026. For the route itself, see my Penzance to St Mary's page and the Isles of Scilly hub.
The Scillonian crossing at a glance
| Scillonian III (2026) | Scillonian IV (from 2027) | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Penzance to St Mary's | Penzance to St Mary's |
| Crossing time | 2 hours 45 minutes | Not stated on the operator's pages |
| Season | March to November | First sailings March 2027 |
| Passengers | Not stated | 600 |
| Dogs | Allowed | Not stated yet |
Isles of Scilly Travel's route page lists Scillonian III as operating "March to November", with "Dogs allowed", and connections by "Rail, coach, bus and taxis". It's a passenger ferry: the operator calls it the "Scillonian III passenger ferry".
On sailing times, the operator mentions "the familiar 09:15 departure from Penzance and return 16:30 from St Mary's". It also warns that in 2027 "some departure times differ" from that pattern, because of tides and harbour access at both ends. The timetable on its site is an interactive search, so check your own date there before you plan the rest of the day.
Scillonian IV and 2027 tickets
The Scillonian IV page says "in March 2027 a breathtaking new chapter will unfold", and the home page says "Scillonian IV bookings for 2027 are now open". The ship is "Replacing the much-loved Scillonian III" and was "Purpose-built for the route between Penzance and St Mary's".
What the operator says changes for passengers:
- Capacity: "a passenger capacity of 600, which is a 24% increase compared with Scillonian III."
- Lifts: "Unlike Scillonian III, passenger lifts provide access to all passenger decks for wheelchair users and passengers with reduced mobility." There's also an accessible toilet on each of the three passenger decks.
- Comfort: anti-roll fin stabilisers and a Hull Vane, which the operator describes as "a fixed stern hydrofoil", are "designed to reduce pitch and roll".
- Outside seating: "outside seating across all three passenger decks".
The Steamship Group's own new-vessels site gives the ship's progress. Scillonian IV left the shipyard in Vietnam on 31 October 2026 on "a carefully planned 2-month route", "Travelling via the Cape of Good Hope". She called at Singapore on 2 November.
If you want a 2027 day trip, the operator says "Most day trips will allow around 4 hours on the islands", with "the longest planned day trip offering up to 6hrs 45mins on Scilly". On a small number of double sailing days you get "up to 8 hours on the islands". It also warns that "On some dates, the time between sailings will be shorter and a day trip may not be recommended."
The operator also notes "significant interest anticipated for this historic first year" and says "early booking is recommended".
Fares
Isles of Scilly Travel doesn't publish a standard return fare on its information pages. You get the price when you search a date in the booking system. The fares it does publish are for day trips and add-ons.
These were the prices shown when I checked on 13 November 2026:
| Ticket | Adult | Child | Infant | Dog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scillonian III day trip | £35.00 | £17.50 | from £10.50 | from £15.00 |
| Fly+Sail day trip (fly out, sail back) | £89.99 | £73.99 | £38.42 | £66.00 |
| Skybus day trip | from £149.00 | from £119.00 | from £52.00 | from £106.00 |
For a day trip with your dog, the operator says "please call our Passenger Relations team" to book the day trip fare.
Cornwall residents get a locals' day trip fare in 2027: £29.99 for a standard ticket (12+), £15.00 for a child (2–11) and £9.00 for an infant (0–1), with the code LCLSC42027. It's valid only on set dates between 15 March and 7 October 2027, not on bank holidays, gig weekend or school holidays. You'll need "Evidence of residential address" at check-in.
Flexi tickets. If your plans might change, Isles of Scilly Travel sells a flexi ticket that lets you "amend your trip to Scilly up to 48 hours prior to departure" with no amendment fees. On Scillonian III the non-refundable surcharge is £8.50 per adult, £5.50 per child and £3.00 per infant. Flexi tickets "cannot be used for day trip travel".
Without one, the standard amendment fees it lists are 10% of costs more than 14 days ahead, 20% within 14 days, and 100% within 48 hours of travel.
Isles of Scilly Travel doesn't publish a standard return fare on its information pages.
Check-in and boarding in Penzance
The ferry leaves from South Pier, Wharf Road, Penzance TR18 4AH. The operator says "there is no parking on South Pier".
You can "check-in online 24 hours before your scheduled departure". You'll get a text with a link, then boarding passes with a QR code by email. The times that matter on the day:
- "Embarkation opens: 1 hour and 15 minutes before the scheduled departure"
- "Embarkation closes: 30 minutes before the scheduled departure"
- The hold luggage drop-off on Lighthouse quay also "closes 30 minutes before the scheduled departure".
Isles of Scilly Travel is blunt about lateness: "we can't offer any refunds or credit if you're late", and it warns that "the roads to Penzance can get busy, especially during school holidays."
You don't need ID for the ferry. The operator says Scillonian III passengers "will not need to provide a valid proof of identity", but if you're coming back by Skybus "you will need a valid proof of identity for your return journey."
Luggage allowance
Luggage goes in the hold in containers, loaded by hand. You can't get at it again until it's unloaded at the other end. Isles of Scilly Travel's allowances:
| Hold luggage | Hand luggage | |
|---|---|---|
| Pieces per person | 2 | 1 |
| Maximum size | 85 cm × 60 cm × 40 cm | 40 cm × 55 cm × 20 cm |
| Weight | 25kg combined, no single piece over 20 kg | 5kg |
"A camera bag and a laptop are accepted as hand luggage in addition to the 5 kg allowance." Day trip tickets "do not include a hold luggage allowance".
Excess luggage and bulky items must be booked and paid for before you travel. If you don't, your luggage may be refused. Some of the return prices it lists: an adult bicycle is £37.20, a deflated paddleboard £35.00, kayaks, surfboards or canoes £99.30, and excess luggage or camping equipment £37.26 per 50 kg. It won't carry electric bikes "if the electronics have been modified or altered".
Travelling with a dog
Dogs are welcome on Scillonian III, but "Dogs must be booked in advance" and "Space for dogs is limited". The rules:
- "A maximum of 2 dogs per adult are permitted to travel."
- Dogs can go on the outer decks and indoor areas but "are not permitted in the main deck café, the lower deck or on the seats".
- Dogs "must be kept on a lead and securely fitted with a collar or harness at all times".
Guide and assistance dogs can go in all passenger areas. The operator asks you to fill in its mobility aid request form at least 48 hours before travel.
Can you take your car to the Isles of Scilly?
Not on the Scillonian. It's a passenger ferry, and the operator's parking advice is all about leaving your car in Penzance. The Steamship Group's freight website says its cargo ship Menawethan carries "palletised cargo and vehicles". I couldn't find any price or rules for sending a holiday car that way, so ask the freight office directly if you need to.
Parking in Penzance
For longer stays, Isles of Scilly Travel runs the Scillonian Park and Ride (TR20 8TH). Its rules:
- "Parking must be booked at least 48 hours in advance".
- It "is not suitable for those going on a Scillonian III day trip."
- It "opens 2 hours 15 minutes before departure and closes 1 hour before the scheduled sailing time."
- "Only the driver may take the vehicle to the park and ride." Drop passengers, pets and luggage at the quay first, then take the "complimentary shuttle bus" back.
For day trips, the operator points to two Cornwall Council long stay car parks: Harbour (0.5 mile from the quay, "Roughly a 10 minute walk") and Wherrytown (0.7 mile, "Roughly a 15 minute walk").
Getting to Penzance without a car
Penzance station is "0.5 mile (800 m)" from the quay, "Roughly a 10 minute walk", and is served by GWR and CrossCountry. Isles of Scilly Travel says "GWR offer a combined rail and sail ticket". National Express and FlixBus coaches run to Penzance Bus Station, next to the train station.
Getting between the islands
The Scillonian only goes to St Mary's. The luggage page is clear: "Your Scillonian III booking only covers travel and luggage from Penzance to St Mary's quay." If you're staying on Bryher, St Agnes, St Martin's or Tresco, "travel is charged separately via local inter-island boats".
On St Mary's, the operator says, "the quayside bustling with local boatmen, ready to carry visitors to the 'off islands'". "You'll find blackboards advertising times and routes for the day trips on the quay or on their websites", and "Each island has its own boating company".
If you're staying on an off island, label your hold luggage with that island's colour: Bryher (green), St Agnes (yellow), St Martin's (red) or Tresco (blue). The labels are on the quay in Penzance.
On board Scillonian III
The operator says there are "Two cafes" on board and "a small shop selling locally produced gifts/products". You can't bring your own alcohol: "passengers are unable to bring their own alcohol on board for consumption". "Smoking and vaping are not permitted aboard Scillonian."
Flying instead: Skybus
Isles of Scilly Travel also runs Skybus, which it calls "our year-round service flying to and from the Isles of Scilly", in a "19-seater Twin Otter aircraft".
| Route | Flight time | Operates | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land's End to St Mary's | 20 minutes | All year | Allowed |
| Newquay to St Mary's | 30 minutes | from March 2027 | Allowed |
| Exeter to St Mary's | 1 hour | March to October | Not allowed |
Newquay flights are suspended for now. The service status page says "Newquay services will remain suspended from 1st September 2026 until 16th March 2027".
Fly+Sail mixes the two: a Skybus flight out from Land's End and Scillonian back to Penzance. It operates March to October.
If your sailing is cancelled
Isles of Scilly Travel says that if your ferry is cancelled you're entitled to re-routing at no extra cost or a "Full refund of fares if decision is not to travel". If you're stuck overnight, accommodation is "subject to a nightly maximum value of £70 and for up to 3 nights". But it adds: "We cannot offer compensation for extreme weather or other unavoidable events." Its service status page lists current disruption.
Questions about the Isles of Scilly ferry
How long is the ferry from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly?
Isles of Scilly Travel says the crossing from Penzance to St Mary's takes around 2 hours and 45 minutes on Scillonian III.
When does the Scillonian run?
Scillonian III operates from March to November. Scillonian IV replaces her in March 2027, and 2027 bookings are already open.
How much is the Scillonian ferry?
The operator doesn't publish a standard return fare. Day trips were £35.00 for an adult and £17.50 for a child when I checked on 13 November 2026. Standard fares show up when you search a date.
Can I take my dog on the Scillonian?
Yes. Dogs must be booked in advance, space is limited, and there's a maximum of 2 dogs per adult. They must stay on a lead and can't go in the main deck café, on the lower deck or on the seats.
Can I take my car to the Isles of Scilly?
Not on the Scillonian, which carries passengers only. The operator suggests parking in Penzance: the Scillonian Park and Ride for longer stays (book 48 hours ahead) or Cornwall Council long stay car parks for day trips.
How do I get from St Mary's to the other islands?
By local inter-island boat from St Mary's quay. You pay for these separately from your Scillonian ticket, and the times are posted on blackboards on the quay.
