Ferries from Southampton

Two Isle of Wight routes

The Southampton terminals are neighbours at Town Quay, but the island terminals are on opposite sides of the River Medina. Choose the route for your transport and the place you want to reach.

These are ferry terminals, separate from Southampton’s five cruise terminals. A transfer to a cruise ship will not automatically bring you to Town Quay.

The vehicle ferry to East Cowes

The vehicle ferry takes approximately one hour for the crossing. You can travel with a car, on foot or with a bicycle. The sailing time does not include reaching Terminal 1, check-in or the onward journey from East Cowes.

Terminal 1 is on Town Quay Road, with vehicle access through Dock Gate 7. Red Funnel asks foot passengers to check in 10-60 minutes before departure. Vehicle check-in depends on the day: 30-45 minutes before departure on Friday, Saturday and Monday, and 30-60 minutes on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Match your arrival to the instructions for your booking.

Red Jet to West Cowes

Red Jet sails between Southampton Terminal 2 and West Cowes, with crossings from 28 minutes. It carries foot passengers and bicycles rather than cars. At Terminal 2, check-in is five to 15 minutes before departure.

Red Jet 6 and 7 each have 11 bicycle racks, with a maximum bicycle weight of 25 kg and tyre width of 63 mm. Folding bicycles inside a cycle bag use the luggage rack. If travelling with a bicycle, compare its dimensions with those limits rather than assuming every cycle fits the same way as on the vehicle ferry.

Getting to the ferry terminals

Both services depart from Town Quay. Use Terminal 1 for East Cowes and Terminal 2 for West Cowes when arranging a taxi or following directions. Red Funnel’s Quayconnect bus links Southampton Central station with Town Quay via Westquay; include that connection when arriving by train.

The Terminal 1 directions distinguish vehicle access from foot-passenger pick-up and drop-off. The Terminal 2 directions cover the Red Jet departure point. Choose the relevant terminal before calculating the time available for check-in.

Onward travel from Cowes

East Cowes and West Cowes are separated by the Medina. A sailing to one does not deliver you to the other side of the river. If meeting someone or joining onward transport, agree the terminal name as well as “Cowes”.

For an Isle of Wight day trip, add the journey from the arrival terminal to your island destination and back again. A visit to Cowes and a trip farther across the island use different amounts of the day. Returning to a cruise ship in Southampton adds another transfer after the ferry.

Planning your ferry journey

Use Red Funnel’s timetables to choose the service, date and direction, then compare the return as well as the outward sailing. For the vehicle ferry, enter the actual vehicle and all passengers; for Red Jet, choose the passenger service to West Cowes.

Include check-in on both sides and leave time between the Southampton arrival and a train, flight or ship. An overnight stay near Town Quay can suit an early ferry departure, while getting here explains the station, coach and airport connections.

Hythe Ferry: no scheduled passenger service

There is currently no scheduled passenger ferry service between Southampton and Hythe. The Hythe Pier Company has acquired assets associated with the route from the liquidators and is discussing possible future operation, without an announced restart date.

Do not plan a Southampton Water crossing around an old Hythe timetable. Hythe Ferry carries the current position and links to further announcements about the route and pier.