Isle of Wight Guru
  • Home
  • Why You Should Visit The Isle Of Wight
  • Ferry travel advice & discounts
    • Discount Isle of Wight Ferry Travel
    • Isle Of Wight Ferry Beginners Guide
    • 7 Isle Of Wight Holidays Including Ferry Travel
    • Wightlink's Tesco Clubcard deal
    • Wightlink’s Multilink deal for regular travel
    • Wightlink Foot Passenger Fares - Money Saving Tips
    • Cheap Red Funnel Foot Passenger Fares
    • Cheap Isle of Wight Ferry Travel For Caravans
    • London to Isle of Wight – Quickest + Cheapest Route
  • Holiday parks, hotels, camping & cottages
    • Family holiday parks & caravans >
      • 10 Of The Best Isle of Wight Caravan Holiday Parks
      • Parkdean Resorts Isle of Wight Holiday Parks (formerly Park Resorts)
      • Which Isle Of Wight Holiday Park Should I Stay In?
      • Last Minute Deals And Discounts At Holiday Parks
      • Is There A Haven Holiday Park On The Isle Of Wight?
      • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park Reviews and Facilities
      • Lower Hyde And Landguard Holiday Park Review
      • Nodes Point Holiday Park Review
      • 6 Tricks To Save Money At Isle Of Wight Caravan Holiday Parks
    • Accommodation advice >
      • Where’s The Best Place To Stay For...?
      • What Time Of Year Should I Visit The Isle Of Wight?
      • Which Isle of Wight Town Should I Stay In?
      • Where Is The Cheapest Place To Stay?
      • Is Christmas A Good Time To Visit The Isle of Wight?
    • Hotels & guest houses >
      • Isle of Wight Hotels - a beginner's guide
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Luxury Hotels
      • Warner's Bembridge Coast & Norton Grange hotels
      • 5 Best Isle of Wight Coach Tour Holidays And Trips
      • Isle of Wight Hotels With A Sea View
      • 5 Ventnor Hotels And Guest Houses
      • 5 Best Ryde Hotels
    • Spa Breaks & Romantic >
      • 3 Best Isle Of Wight Spa Break Hotels And Spa Days
      • Romantic Isle Of Wight Holidays For Couples
    • Camping & glamping >
      • 20 Isle Of Wight Camping And Touring Parks
      • Isle of Wight Glamping
      • Cheap Camping, Touring + Motorhome Holidays
    • Best in Cowes, Newport, Sandown, Shanklin >
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Cowes
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Newport
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Sandown
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Shanklin
    • Cottages & self catering >
      • Holiday Cottages With A Sea View
      • Brambles Chine And Linstone Chine Self Catering
      • 5 Best National Trust Isle of Wight Holiday Cottages
      • Bayclose - Our Holiday Apartment In Freshwater Bay
    • Lodges, Hot Tub & Swimming Pool Holidays >
      • 8 Best Isle Of Wight Holiday Lodges
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Hot Tub Holidays
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Holidays With Swimming Pools
    • Quirky & AirBnbs >
      • 20 Quirky Places To Stay On The Isle Of Wight
      • 9 Best Isle of Wight Airbnb Holiday Homes
    • Group accommodation >
      • 10 Best Places To Stay For Large Groups
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Manor Houses For Hire
  • Festivals, days out & attractions
    • Attractions for adults & stag dos >
      • Activities For Adults On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For An Isle Of Wight Stag Do
    • Attractions for children, teenagers, toddlers >
      • Activities For Toddlers On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For Children And Families On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For Teenagers On The Isle Of Wight
      • 6 Best Isle of Wight Playgrounds
      • Surviving An Isle Of Wight Holiday With A Toddler
    • Days out in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor >
      • 10 Things To Do In Bembridge, St Helen's and Seaview
      • 10 Things To Do In Cowes And East Cowes
      • 12 Things To Do In Newport and Carisbrooke
      • 15 Things To Do In Ryde
      • 15 Things To Do In Shanklin And Sandown
      • 15 Things To Do In Ventnor And South Wight
      • 20 Things To Do In Yarmouth And West Wight
    • Festivals & carnivals >
      • Major Festivals And Carnivals
      • Isle of Wight Festival 2025 Lineup And Tickets
      • 10 Unforgettable Isle of Wight Festival Moments
      • Isle of Wight Festival History
      • Isle of Wight Carnivals
      • Cowes Week - Attractions And Accommodation
    • Free days out & attraction discounts >
      • Free Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
      • Discounts To Isle Of Wight Attractions
      • Itinerary For A Budget Isle of Wight Holiday
      • 10 Ways To Save Money On Isle Of Wight Holidays
    • Guides To Popular Attractions >
      • Blackgang Chine
      • The Needles and Alum Bay
      • Robin Hill
      • Osborne House
    • Quirky days out >
      • 10 Quirky Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Things You Can't Do On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Things You Can Only Visit On The Isle Of Wight
      • Isle Of Wight TV & Movie Tour
      • 10 Reasons To Visit The Isle Of Wight
      • 5 Isle Of Wight Attractions You Haven't Visited
      • 8 Wonders of the Isle of Wight
    • Rainy day & winter attractions >
      • Rainy Day Activities On The Isle Of Wight
      • Itinerary For A Rainy Isle Of Wight Holiday
      • Winter Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
    • Zoos, historic attractions, gardens, dinosaurs >
      • Isle of Wight Zoos And Animal Attractions
      • Historic Attractions On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Isle of Wight Gardens And Parks
      • 5 Isle of Wight Dinosaur Attractions
      • 100 Isle of Wight Disasters, Discoveries and Weird News
  • Day trips
    • Day Trips From Portsmouth To The Isle of Wight
    • Day Trips From Southampton To The Isle of Wight
    • Day Trips From Lymington To The Isle of Wight
  • Beaches, tides, watersports & weather
    • Which Is The Best Isle Of Wight Beach For...
    • Isle of Wight Beaches Interactive Map
    • Isle Of Wight Tide Times
    • Isle of Wight Weather Forecast
    • Isle Of Wight Surf Forecast
    • Isle of Wight Watersports
    • The Beach Holiday Checklist - 5 Accessories
    • Mobile Version Of Isle Of Wight Best Beaches
  • Walking, Cycling & Golf Holidays
    • Walking >
      • Walking The Isle of Wight Coastal Path
      • 10 Best Isle of Wight Walks (Circular, 3-9 miles)
      • 10 Isle of Wight Short Walks For Children (1 Mile)
      • 10 Best Benches With A View
      • Isle of Wight Themed Walks
      • Isle of Wight Treasure Trails and Treasure Hunts
    • Cycling >
      • Cycling Holidays On The Isle of Wight
      • Red Squirrel Trail (Family Cycle Track)
      • Tennyson Trail (Mountain Bike and Walking Route)
    • 4 Best Isle of Wight Golf Courses
  • Public transport & driving
    • Public Transport
    • Isle Of Wight Car Hire
    • Wighty 90 Driving Route
    • Car journey games & viewpoints >
      • 5 Isle Of Wight Car Journey Games
      • 15 Best Isle Of Wight Car Park Viewpoints
      • The Isle Spy Car Journey Game
  • Dog friendly
    • Dog Friendly Isle of Wight Accommodation
    • Dog Friendly Isle Of Wight Holidays
  • Disabled Holidays
    • Wheelchair Accessible Accommodation
    • Accessible Ferry Travel, Beaches and Days Out
  • Food & drink
    • Eating Out On A Budget
    • Pubs And Restaurants With A Sea View
    • Family Friendly Pubs With Playgrounds
    • Isle Of Wight Supermarkets
    • Isle of Wight Food and Drink Tour
    • Isle of Wight Beach Cafes With A Sea View
    • Posh Restaurants on the Isle of Wight
  • Useful information
    • Boring & practical stuff >
      • FAQ
      • Which Mobile Phone Network Has The Best Signal On The Isle Of Wight?
      • Cheap Parcel Delivery And Sending Mail To The Isle Of Wight
      • Isle of Wight Map
      • Isle of Wight Newspapers, News Websites And Radio Stations
    • Souvenirs
    • Should I Move To The Isle Of Wight?
  • About
    • Contact Us/About/Disclaimer
    • Who Is The Isle Of Wight Guru?
    • Isle of Wight Copywriter
    • Isle Of Wight Drone Photography and Aerial Videography
  • Blog
  • Français, Deutsch & Nederlands
    • Les Vacances Sur L’île De Wight
    • Urlaub auf der Isle of Wight
    • Vakantie op Isle of Wight
  • Advice For Plagiarists
  • Privacy policy and cookies policy
  • Home
  • Why You Should Visit The Isle Of Wight
  • Ferry travel advice & discounts
    • Discount Isle of Wight Ferry Travel
    • Isle Of Wight Ferry Beginners Guide
    • 7 Isle Of Wight Holidays Including Ferry Travel
    • Wightlink's Tesco Clubcard deal
    • Wightlink’s Multilink deal for regular travel
    • Wightlink Foot Passenger Fares - Money Saving Tips
    • Cheap Red Funnel Foot Passenger Fares
    • Cheap Isle of Wight Ferry Travel For Caravans
    • London to Isle of Wight – Quickest + Cheapest Route
  • Holiday parks, hotels, camping & cottages
    • Family holiday parks & caravans >
      • 10 Of The Best Isle of Wight Caravan Holiday Parks
      • Parkdean Resorts Isle of Wight Holiday Parks (formerly Park Resorts)
      • Which Isle Of Wight Holiday Park Should I Stay In?
      • Last Minute Deals And Discounts At Holiday Parks
      • Is There A Haven Holiday Park On The Isle Of Wight?
      • Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park Reviews and Facilities
      • Lower Hyde And Landguard Holiday Park Review
      • Nodes Point Holiday Park Review
      • 6 Tricks To Save Money At Isle Of Wight Caravan Holiday Parks
    • Accommodation advice >
      • Where’s The Best Place To Stay For...?
      • What Time Of Year Should I Visit The Isle Of Wight?
      • Which Isle of Wight Town Should I Stay In?
      • Where Is The Cheapest Place To Stay?
      • Is Christmas A Good Time To Visit The Isle of Wight?
    • Hotels & guest houses >
      • Isle of Wight Hotels - a beginner's guide
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Luxury Hotels
      • Warner's Bembridge Coast & Norton Grange hotels
      • 5 Best Isle of Wight Coach Tour Holidays And Trips
      • Isle of Wight Hotels With A Sea View
      • 5 Ventnor Hotels And Guest Houses
      • 5 Best Ryde Hotels
    • Spa Breaks & Romantic >
      • 3 Best Isle Of Wight Spa Break Hotels And Spa Days
      • Romantic Isle Of Wight Holidays For Couples
    • Camping & glamping >
      • 20 Isle Of Wight Camping And Touring Parks
      • Isle of Wight Glamping
      • Cheap Camping, Touring + Motorhome Holidays
    • Best in Cowes, Newport, Sandown, Shanklin >
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Cowes
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Newport
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Sandown
      • 10 Best Places To Stay In Shanklin
    • Cottages & self catering >
      • Holiday Cottages With A Sea View
      • Brambles Chine And Linstone Chine Self Catering
      • 5 Best National Trust Isle of Wight Holiday Cottages
      • Bayclose - Our Holiday Apartment In Freshwater Bay
    • Lodges, Hot Tub & Swimming Pool Holidays >
      • 8 Best Isle Of Wight Holiday Lodges
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Hot Tub Holidays
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Holidays With Swimming Pools
    • Quirky & AirBnbs >
      • 20 Quirky Places To Stay On The Isle Of Wight
      • 9 Best Isle of Wight Airbnb Holiday Homes
    • Group accommodation >
      • 10 Best Places To Stay For Large Groups
      • 10 Best Isle Of Wight Manor Houses For Hire
  • Festivals, days out & attractions
    • Attractions for adults & stag dos >
      • Activities For Adults On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For An Isle Of Wight Stag Do
    • Attractions for children, teenagers, toddlers >
      • Activities For Toddlers On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For Children And Families On The Isle Of Wight
      • Activities For Teenagers On The Isle Of Wight
      • 6 Best Isle of Wight Playgrounds
      • Surviving An Isle Of Wight Holiday With A Toddler
    • Days out in Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor >
      • 10 Things To Do In Bembridge, St Helen's and Seaview
      • 10 Things To Do In Cowes And East Cowes
      • 12 Things To Do In Newport and Carisbrooke
      • 15 Things To Do In Ryde
      • 15 Things To Do In Shanklin And Sandown
      • 15 Things To Do In Ventnor And South Wight
      • 20 Things To Do In Yarmouth And West Wight
    • Festivals & carnivals >
      • Major Festivals And Carnivals
      • Isle of Wight Festival 2025 Lineup And Tickets
      • 10 Unforgettable Isle of Wight Festival Moments
      • Isle of Wight Festival History
      • Isle of Wight Carnivals
      • Cowes Week - Attractions And Accommodation
    • Free days out & attraction discounts >
      • Free Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
      • Discounts To Isle Of Wight Attractions
      • Itinerary For A Budget Isle of Wight Holiday
      • 10 Ways To Save Money On Isle Of Wight Holidays
    • Guides To Popular Attractions >
      • Blackgang Chine
      • The Needles and Alum Bay
      • Robin Hill
      • Osborne House
    • Quirky days out >
      • 10 Quirky Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Things You Can't Do On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Things You Can Only Visit On The Isle Of Wight
      • Isle Of Wight TV & Movie Tour
      • 10 Reasons To Visit The Isle Of Wight
      • 5 Isle Of Wight Attractions You Haven't Visited
      • 8 Wonders of the Isle of Wight
    • Rainy day & winter attractions >
      • Rainy Day Activities On The Isle Of Wight
      • Itinerary For A Rainy Isle Of Wight Holiday
      • Winter Days Out On The Isle Of Wight
    • Zoos, historic attractions, gardens, dinosaurs >
      • Isle of Wight Zoos And Animal Attractions
      • Historic Attractions On The Isle Of Wight
      • 10 Isle of Wight Gardens And Parks
      • 5 Isle of Wight Dinosaur Attractions
      • 100 Isle of Wight Disasters, Discoveries and Weird News
  • Day trips
    • Day Trips From Portsmouth To The Isle of Wight
    • Day Trips From Southampton To The Isle of Wight
    • Day Trips From Lymington To The Isle of Wight
  • Beaches, tides, watersports & weather
    • Which Is The Best Isle Of Wight Beach For...
    • Isle of Wight Beaches Interactive Map
    • Isle Of Wight Tide Times
    • Isle of Wight Weather Forecast
    • Isle Of Wight Surf Forecast
    • Isle of Wight Watersports
    • The Beach Holiday Checklist - 5 Accessories
    • Mobile Version Of Isle Of Wight Best Beaches
  • Walking, Cycling & Golf Holidays
    • Walking >
      • Walking The Isle of Wight Coastal Path
      • 10 Best Isle of Wight Walks (Circular, 3-9 miles)
      • 10 Isle of Wight Short Walks For Children (1 Mile)
      • 10 Best Benches With A View
      • Isle of Wight Themed Walks
      • Isle of Wight Treasure Trails and Treasure Hunts
    • Cycling >
      • Cycling Holidays On The Isle of Wight
      • Red Squirrel Trail (Family Cycle Track)
      • Tennyson Trail (Mountain Bike and Walking Route)
    • 4 Best Isle of Wight Golf Courses
  • Public transport & driving
    • Public Transport
    • Isle Of Wight Car Hire
    • Wighty 90 Driving Route
    • Car journey games & viewpoints >
      • 5 Isle Of Wight Car Journey Games
      • 15 Best Isle Of Wight Car Park Viewpoints
      • The Isle Spy Car Journey Game
  • Dog friendly
    • Dog Friendly Isle of Wight Accommodation
    • Dog Friendly Isle Of Wight Holidays
  • Disabled Holidays
    • Wheelchair Accessible Accommodation
    • Accessible Ferry Travel, Beaches and Days Out
  • Food & drink
    • Eating Out On A Budget
    • Pubs And Restaurants With A Sea View
    • Family Friendly Pubs With Playgrounds
    • Isle Of Wight Supermarkets
    • Isle of Wight Food and Drink Tour
    • Isle of Wight Beach Cafes With A Sea View
    • Posh Restaurants on the Isle of Wight
  • Useful information
    • Boring & practical stuff >
      • FAQ
      • Which Mobile Phone Network Has The Best Signal On The Isle Of Wight?
      • Cheap Parcel Delivery And Sending Mail To The Isle Of Wight
      • Isle of Wight Map
      • Isle of Wight Newspapers, News Websites And Radio Stations
    • Souvenirs
    • Should I Move To The Isle Of Wight?
  • About
    • Contact Us/About/Disclaimer
    • Who Is The Isle Of Wight Guru?
    • Isle of Wight Copywriter
    • Isle Of Wight Drone Photography and Aerial Videography
  • Blog
  • Français, Deutsch & Nederlands
    • Les Vacances Sur L’île De Wight
    • Urlaub auf der Isle of Wight
    • Vakantie op Isle of Wight
  • Advice For Plagiarists
  • Privacy policy and cookies policy
Isle of Wight Guru

Is The Solent The Most Expensive Ferry Crossing In The World?

22/6/2022

8 Comments

 
Wightlink ferry leaving Yarmouth
​BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions came from Freshwater Memorial Hall recently. It was an enjoyable programme with an audience booing and cheering like they were at Shanklin Theatre watching Jack and the Beanstalk in mid-December.

The most interesting moment for me was the ferries discussion, in which someone repeated the old line about the Solent being the most expensive stretch of water in the world per mile (or at least one of the most expensive).

I’ve often wondered where this line came from originally. I suspect it may be similar to the claim about the entire population of the world fitting on the Isle of Wight. We reckon that one ceased to be true in about 1981. We looked into this one in this guide.

The most relevant research I’ve found on ferry prices between different locations was done in 2016 by NatureNet, but this looked at per-km foot passenger fares. It put the Isle of Wight ferries in the mid-table.

However, a lot has changed since 2016 and I wanted to know how car ferry costs compare, since most families still bring a car with them to the Island.

Unfortunately, making a comparison isn’t as simple as you might expect.

A Fair Ferry Comparison?

​Many years ago, the Isle of Wight ferries offered more car journeys at fixed prices. I don’t recall the exact details but I seem to think that at the turn of the millennium there were two or three car ferry prices depending on when you travelled.

Nowadays, the Isle of Wight ferries operate much like airlines for most car ferry journeys (with a few exceptions, such as day return special deals and Multilink). Prices go up and down with demand so you can get a much lower price at 3am on a Thursday in February than you would get on 1pm on a Saturday in August.

There are other complications, as users of the same ferry will probably be paying different amounts.

For example, if you were to book a lunchtime return from a Saturday to Saturday with Wightlink in August 2022 then you might more than £250 for a car and passengers.

However, if a local resident uses the Wightlink Multilink deal then they might pay somewhere around £60.

If a holidaymaker stayed at a local hotel or holiday park then they might pay about £120 - £200 depending on the ‘trade rate’ available. We’ve seen deals with Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park which are about half the standard fare.

Other canny travellers will have used £80 of Tesco Clubcard vouchers and others will have gained a discount through English Heritage or one of the many other discount providers.

See our ferry discounts guide for the full list of offers, which also includes Red Funnel’s latest deals and an ongoing 10% discount.

Our Comparison Criteria

​For our comparison, we looked at two return different journeys - one off peak and one on peak. We figured that would give a fairer comparison of costs as some ferry companies use 'flexi' pricing (e.g. Wightlink and Red Funnel) and others use a simple fixed price model (e.g. Calmac in Scotland, at least as far as I can tell)

For the peak ferry we looked at the cost of:
  • a return journey for a family of four, travelling from the UK mainland on a Saturday in mid-August 2022
  • a standard sized car without a roofbox or trailer
  • the fare closest to noon on each day

This produced a higher cost per mile/km than you'd get off peak, but it's when the most number of people want to travel so it is worth examining. We applied the same to other crossings so it should be comparable.

We didn’t include:
  • discount codes or other offers, just the straightforward price for booking direct. It wouldn’t be fair on non-Isle of Wight ferry companies otherwise, as I’ve done zero research into their deals and loopholes.
  • upgrades, such as priority boarding or easier cancellation.
  • every single ferry crossing in the world. I need to pick the kids up from school in 20 minutes, so I'm afraid my research is limited to a selection of journeys from the UK.

    ​For some routes, there wasn’t a Saturday crossing, so we went for the nearest date available. 

For the off peak journey we looked at
  • a return journey for a family of four, travelling from the UK mainland fpr a Monday to Friday midweek break in mid October, during term time
  • a standard sized car without a roofbox or trailer.
  • the crossing closest to 9am
    ​
Again, we didn't look for discount codes or offers and we didn't include upgrades and extras.

Our Results

​Here's our results, presented as a series of numbers and as a chart.

First, here's the peak time prices in order of price per kilometre. The Solent crossings are in bold.
Table showing peak time UK ferry prices
And here's the same data on a bar chart. If you can't read them then you can make them a little bigger on a desktop by clicking on the image.
Bar chart showing UK ferry crossing prices at peak times
Next, here's the peak time figures with the Norfolk chain ferry excluded as it skews the figures a fair amount.
Peak time ferry prices UK
Next, here's the off-peak data table.
Table showing off peak ferry prices in the UK
And here's the off peak data presented as a bar chart. Again, click to make it a little bigger on a desktop.
Off peak ferry prices UK
And finally, here's the graph without the Norfolk chain ferry to make it easier to see smaller differences.
Off peak ferry prices without Norfolk

A Few Conclusions and Caveats

  • The Solent isn't the most expensive ferry crossing per mile in the world. It's not even the most expensive in the UK. However, the chain ferry crossing from Norfolk is very short, so that skews things. 

  • The Isle of Wight ferries are notably more expensive per mile/km than the crossings we looked at to the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Mull, Lewis, Dublin, Cherbourg and other European destinations. However, most of these crossings cover a greater distance. There's a good argument that it's cheaper to run a long distance ferry service than a short one as you waste less staff time on loading and unloading and other costs. 

  • The Calmac crossings from Oban and Ullapool don't seem to apply flexible pricing in the same way as Wightlink and Red Funnel. So, the difference in price is less significant for an off-peak sailing than an on-peak sailing.

  • Crossings from the Isle of Wight are far more regular than those from most others on that list. In some cases there were only two or three crossings a day, whereas the Isle of Wight ferries go back and forth like ants building a nest.

  • The peak time Isle of Wight fares shown are a worst case scenario. In reality, you can get a much cheaper price with a bit of hunting around and jumping through hopes. For example, an Isle of Wight resident using a Wightlink Multilink pass would pay about £2.50 per km, which is about the same as Dover to Calais on peak. Similarly, I've seen Red Funnel offering day returns for £43 through their 'Friends and Family' vouchers which are posted to residents. That works out as £1.16 per km, which would be the sixth cheapest in our top 20.
    ​

  • Out of curiosity we included a Cunard cruise return from Southampton to New York for four people in 2023. This didn’t include taking your car so isn't really comparable. 

A Few Tips For Lowering The Price Per KM With Red Funnel And Wightlink

As I've said many times on this website, you really shouldn't be paying the full price for a ferry crossing to the Isle of Wight. Our discount ferries guide has lots of suggestions for money saving:
  • There's a 10% discount code on our ferries discount page which is valid all year round for Red Funnel. Often, there are better discounts, such as around Black Friday when they've offered 25 - 50% reductions.

  • Regular travellers or those with an Isle of Wight residence can save a lot by either getting a Red Funnel Travelcard or a Wightlink Multilink pass. The Red Funnel pass requires an initial investment for £1000 but it doesn't expire. Combine it with the Red Funnel Rewards car and you get about 23% off any crossing. The Wightlink deal requires you to travel five times a year, but it's probably worth getting if you have an Isle of Wight residence and use the ferry three or four times per year.

  • Getting your accommodation provider to book for you is a big way to save money which a lot of people overlook. Some holiday parks will offer you a saving of as much as 50% on ferry + accommodation deals whilst a big hotel chain such as Warner Leisure do very good value fixed price deals (currently £60).

  • You may be better to leave the car at home to save some money. This is most likely to be a saving if you are a) visiting at peak time when the car ferry prices are high but the foot passenger prices don't increase b) travelling alone or as a couple as foot passengers are charged as individuals whilst cars are charged the same whether you have one or seven passengers c) getting the train to Portsmouth, Southampton or Fishbourne so you aren't paying for mainland parking and d) have a free bus pass.

Finally...

Big thanks to Matthew Chatfield, who made this research much quicker by publishing data on different crossings for foot passengers.
8 Comments
Jason Mark Nicholls
24/6/2022 04:26:37 am

Excellent article

Reply
Isle of Wight Guru
27/6/2022 10:18:41 am

Thanks Jason, it is lovely to get some positive feedback!

Reply
Tony P
11/4/2023 08:02:48 am

That was surprisingly interesting study and a wide ranging comparison of types of ferries to draw conclusions from. I wonder though, does that muddy the water a bit?

Other factors are at play here I was not sure all were taken into consideration so I wonder if you have the data for these to be taken into consideration and perhaps take some ferry services out of the study?

Goods and Services, Daily Commuters, sheer volume of trips and population densities are also factors. Another one is to compare concessions offered by different providers, total amounts on after to communities to apply for and actual cost of subsidised fares (for those of benefits and accessing health/treatment).

It’s entertaining to include the transatlantic route as well as our own and Reedham’s chain link ferries, but it’s not addressing the concern that our ferries are at times prohibitively expensive. I’m not sure I’ve understood why that is from your study.

Reply
Isle of Wight Guru
11/4/2023 09:25:08 pm

Thanks Tony - you are right, it's a lot more complex and could really do with a PHD level study! My 'study' only looked at a peak time fare so it only has limited value.

The selection of crossings I included was mostly building on some previous work done by Nature Net. They did a lot of the leg work!

You might also like to take a look at the blog I wrote recently about ferry fares: https://www.isleofwightguru.co.uk/blog/how-much-have-isle-of-wight-ferry-prices-risen-in-10-years-and-how-to-save-money

Reply
Tony P
12/4/2023 07:47:10 am

Thanks, will read through the blog.

Tony P
11/4/2023 08:52:50 am

In addition, here’s an article in which a sister company to Wightlink (same parent company - Basalt) was fined almost €4m for excessive fairs charged to passengers with vehicles.

This is exactly the type of passenger ferry service that should be compared to Wightlink.

Sadly, I’d guess that our Gov would rather praise Wightlink for being so profitable than castigate them for being so expensive.

Reply
David Manning
15/4/2023 09:29:57 am

Not sure about Red Funnel but you cannot buy a return ticket on Wightlink. It is one price one way and invariably another price coming back, So effectively to single tickets. Surely a return ticket should be x amount and cover both ways !

Reply
Isle of Wight Guru
15/4/2023 04:13:33 pm

Thanks David. Yes, Red Funnel and Wightlink both work in similar ways with their booking. You book two singles for most journeys. They occasionally do fixed price deals (e.g. Red Funnel's Big Book of Savings) but most journeys are 'flexible pricing'. This means you could pay £50 for your outward leg and £100 for your return leg, or vice versa.

For my comparison, I calculated a 'return' by looking for the price for two singles on the times and dates mentioned earlier.
Robbie

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Isle of Wight Guru's Blog

    Tales of Isle of Wight days out, attractions and ferry discounts from a Wightophile. This site uses cookies - see our privacy policy. Ads & links in bold may give us a small payment from the seller, at no cost to the buyer. However, this never affects our views - if we like it, we recommend it.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

    RSS Feed

Where to stay

Accessible
​Big houses
​Camping/touring
​
Castles
Cheap​
​Coach trips
​Dog friendly
Ferry-inclusive
Glamping
​
Historic cottages
Holiday parks
Hot tubs
Last minute
​Lodges
Luxury hotels
Manor houses
​Quirky
Romantic
Sea views (hotels) 
Sea views (cottages)
Spa breaks​
​Swimming pools
​

where to stay (popular chains)

​Away Resorts
​Parkdean Resorts
Premier Inn
​Warner Hotels
​

Where to stay (location)

​Cowes
​Newport
​Sandown
Shanklin
Ryde
Ventnor
​

Where to stay (advice)

​Best for me?
​Hotel summary
Time of year
​Town by town

Days out

Adults
Beaches
Bembridge
​Benches
Blackgang Chine
Carnivals
​Churches
​Cowes
​Cycling
Dinosaurs
​Disabled
Dog friendly
​Driving
Eight wonders
Families
Festivals
Golf
​Hidden
Historic
​IOW Festival
Needles
Newport
Osborne
​Playgrounds
​Quirky
​Rainy days
​Romantic
Ryde
​Shanklin
Stag-dos
Toddlers
Teenagers
​
Toilets
Ventnor
​Viewpoints​
Watersports
Winter
​Yarmouth
​
Zoos
​

Forecasts

Surf
Tides
​Weather

Saving money

Accommodation
​Attraction discounts
​
Big Book of Savings
​Blackgang
​Car hire
Ferry discount codes
​
Foot passengers (Wightlink)
Foot passengers (Red Funnel)
​Free attractions
​Free parking
Holiday park discounts
​Low income discounts
Multilink
Public transport
Residents' ferry fares
​Tesco Clubcard
​

Eating out

​Allergies
​
Beach cafes
​Cheap pubs
​Food tour
Posh restaurants
Pub playgrounds
Seaside restaurants
​

Walking

1 mile walks
​
3-9 mile walks
Accessible
Coastal path
​Themed walks
​
Treasure hunts
​
​

Cycling

Cycling summary
Red Squirrel Trail (families)
Tennyson Trail (mountain bikes)
​

Day Trips

From Lymington
From Portsmouth
From Southampton
From London​

About

​Advice for plagiarists
Blog
Contact
Disclaimer
Privacy Policy
​Who is the Guru?
​

Other languages

Deutsch
​Français

​
Nederland

Some of the links on this site are 'affiliate links' meaning we may receive commission from accommodation providers at no cost to the buyer. We are also an Amazon Associate and earn from qualifying products. However, we maintain full editorial control and only recommend based on merit rather than whether they offer commission.
​© COPYRIGHT 2025. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.