Isle Of Wight ferry ticket prices

[Russel]

I'm looking at visiting the Isle Of Wight in May, is it me, or are the prices for ferries a little steep?

I've looked at Wightlink and Red Funnel, as a foot passenger, I have the following options -
Wightlink, Portsmouth - Ryde £25.60 day return
Red Jet, Portsmouth - Cowes £22.20

Is there any way to reduce the cost of the ferry crossing, I know this forum is usually full of good advice with this sort of thing.

I cannot get over the prices for a relatively short crossing.

 

[JonathanH]

Is there any way to reduce the cost of the ferry crossing, I know this forum is usually full of good advice with this sort of thing.

Book it as part of a through itinerary from the railway, particularly if you are a railcard holder (including Network Railcard), although obviously time restrictions need to be taken into account.

 

[richw]

Buy a through rail ticket from a few stations before Portsmouth harbour to an Isle of Wight station such as Ryde St John or sandown. The inclusive ticket is normally cheaper than the ferry alone, and also subject to railcard discounts

 

[JonathanH]

The inclusive ticket is normally cheaper than the ferry alone, and also subject to railcard discounts

Not quite. A railcard is needed to bring the ticket cheaper than the ferry alone now.

Portsmouth Stations to Ryde St John's Road is £28.80 for the Anytime Day Return on Wightlink, which is more than the ferry alone.
https://www.brfares.com/!faredetail?orig=PMS&dest=RYR&grpo=0440&rte=981&tkt=SDR

The Evening out and Sunday out returns are £27.60.

 

[david1212]

I'm looking at visiting the Isle Of Wight in May, is it me, or are the prices for ferries a little steep?
.....

We are sailing, we are sailing,
Home again cross the sea.
We are sailing across the Solent,
Fleecing you and your family.

Aside from very short crossings the Solent is renowned as one of the most expensive ferry crossings per (nautical) mile / km in the world.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I'm looking at visiting the Isle Of Wight in May, is it me, or are the prices for ferries a little steep?

I've looked at Wightlink and Red Funnel, as a foot passenger, I have the following options -
Wightlink, Portsmouth - Ryde £25.60 day return
Red Jet, Portsmouth - Cowes £22.20

Is there any way to reduce the cost of the ferry crossing, I know this forum is usually full of good advice with this sort of thing.

I cannot get over the prices for a relatively short crossing.

Through rail ticket on the hovercraft; ( you might as well book it to Shanklin... ). Usually much cheaper than buying separately. Likely the same applies for through tickets on the ferry.

 

[Russel]

Through rail ticket on the hovercraft; ( you might as well book it to Shanklin... ). Usually much cheaper than buying separately. Likely the same applies for through tickets on the ferry.

Looks like Hovertravel is the cheapest option, Portsmouth and Southsea - Ryde St Johns Rd anytime day return with a railcard is £14,

We are sailing, we are sailing,
Home again cross the sea.
We are sailing across the Solent,
Fleecing you and your family.

Aside from very short crossings the Solent is renowned as one of the most expensive ferry crossings in the world.

I feel for anyone who has to cross the Solent on a frequent basis, it must be painful.

I've just checked a couple of similar crossings with CalMac and you're talking around £10 for a foot passenger return, that's over half the Wightlink / Red Funnel fare...

 

[JonathanH]

Likely the same applies for through tickets on the ferry.

No, through tickets on Wightlink are now not cheaper than booking direct unless you have a railcard.

 

[ChrisC]

Looks like Hovertravel is the cheapest option, Portsmouth and Southsea - Ryde St Johns Rd anytime day return with a railcard is £14,



I feel for anyone who has to cross the Solent on a frequent basis, it must be painful.

I've just checked a couple of similar crossings with CalMac and you're talking around £10 for a foot passenger return, that's over half the Wightlink / Red Funnel fare...

Foot passenger ticket prices to the Isle of Wight do seem to have risen considerably in recent years. Car ferry prices have always been very high. I had relatives who lived on the island during the 1970’s and 80’s and they found prices high back then. The other problem was finding availability for getting on and off the island by car on summer Saturdays. That was a real problem for people living there.

I may be wrong but aren’t Calmac fares subsidised by the Scottish government. That certainly has been so for cars in recent years. Car ferry fares don’t seem as high relative to what they they were 30 years ago.

 

[gazzak]

Tesco Clubcard Points.

https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/vouchers/wightlink-isle-of-wight-ferries/UK-010023.prd

My parents used to live on the Island so we were over there several times each year in the car with kids. The clubcard deal basically paid for our ferry with Wighlink every time.
It used to be 4 x clubcard vouchers but now I see they've dropped it to 3x. Hopefully if you have any vouchers it'll help with the cost.

I see from June this year they're dropping to 2x!

 

[david1212]

Tesco Clubcard Points.

https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/vouchers/wightlink-isle-of-wight-ferries/UK-010023.prd

My parents used to live on the Island so we were over there several times each year in the car with kids. The clubcard deal basically paid for our ferry with Wighlink every time.
It used to be 4 x clubcard vouchers but now I see they've dropped it to 3x. Hopefully if you have any vouchers it'll help with the cost.

I see from June this year they're dropping to 2x!

Back in early July 2012 outward Portsmouth - Fishbourne Saturday early afternoon and a week later return Fishbourne - Portsmouth Saturday late morning was just over £120. £30 of Clubcard vouchers at 4x gave £120.

I have just looked for this year and the same is £280 Standard or £240 Economy ( not refundable + fee to amend ) .

I collect far less in Clubcard now as I buy the majority of food at Aldi plus currently ASDA 5p/litre less for E10 unleaded than Tesco as well as Tesco giving less including Clubcard discounts rather than extra points before 3x and becoming 2x.

I can not see me having another week or more holiday with the car on the IOW again even when retired so more flexibility on travel but of course still having to fit in with accommodation bookings. Travelling at silly o'clock is not a practical option as need to allow 3 1/2 hours from home to Portsmouth sailing time.

A while ago for a short break parking a car for a few days in Southsea near to South Parade Pier so 25 -30 minutes walk from the Hovertravel terminal was discussed. Once practical but reported that now time limited without a residents permit.

 

[stuart100100]

I'm going in June and staying in a caravan park. The park offer a discount for the ferry as part of booking with them (this is parkdean resorts) and so with the discount the price dropped from over £200 to around £55 for a car return with 2 people....and a dog