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Isle of Wight ferry beginners guide
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Unless you are a very strong swimmer or own a yacht, you will need to catch an Isle of Wight ferry for your holiday.
If you already know a bit about Red Funnel ferries, Wightlink ferries or Hovertravel and are looking for discount codes and promotional vouchers... don't waste your time on this beginners' guide. Instead, book via this Red Funnel widget to get 10% off car ferry bookings, or check out our regularly updated guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel. If you're a first time visitor to the Isle of Wight, please read on: |
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How much does the Isle of Wight ferry cost?
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Isle of Wight car ferry prices vary. In winter you might pay as little as £40 to take a car and up to 6 or 7 passengers – potentially just £6 per person return.
Most summer visitors pay somewhere around £100, although peak fares occasionally reach nearly £200 during school holidays. There are other factors too - a day return is cheaper than a week's holiday on the Isle of Wight whilst long vans or motorhomes cost more than cars. |
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Wightlink and Red Funnel both have decent online booking forms which allow you to tweak times and days to find the best price.
Read on for a summary of how to get the best Isle of Wight ferry prices, or read our more detailed guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel.
The foot passenger fares don’t fluctuate in the same way. Expect to pay about £15 - £25 for an adult return ticket.
Read on for a summary of how to get the best Isle of Wight ferry prices, or read our more detailed guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel.
The foot passenger fares don’t fluctuate in the same way. Expect to pay about £15 - £25 for an adult return ticket.
Where do I get the Isle of Wight ferry from?
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There are three main Isle of Wight car ferries and three main foot passenger ferries, which leave from ports along mainland England’s south coast.
They are operated by Red Funnel ferries, Wightlink ferries and Hovertravel. |
Wightlink and Red Funnel run Isle of Wight car ferries
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Car ferries to the Isle of Wight:
The Southampton to Isle of Wight and Portsmouth to Isle of Wight crossings require a drive through fairly busy cities, whilst the Lymington to Isle of Wight crossing requires a scenic (i.e. slow) drive through the New Forest.
Foot passenger ferries to the Isle of Wight:
The Portsmouth Harbour to Isle of Wight crossing links up neatly with a railway station on both sides of the water. The Southampton to Isle of Wight (Cowes) crossing links with a free bus to Southampton Central. Southsea is a bus ride from a train station but connects with buses and trains on the Isle of Wight.
- Southampton to Isle of Wight (East Cowes) – 55 minutes - Red Funnel Ferries (click here for Red Funnel timetable)
- Portsmouth to Isle of Wight (Fishbourne) – 45 minutes – Wightlink Ferries (click here for Wightlink timetable)
- Lymington to Isle of Wight (Yarmouth) – 40 minutes – Wightlink Ferries (click here for Wightlink timetable)
The Southampton to Isle of Wight and Portsmouth to Isle of Wight crossings require a drive through fairly busy cities, whilst the Lymington to Isle of Wight crossing requires a scenic (i.e. slow) drive through the New Forest.
Foot passenger ferries to the Isle of Wight:
- Portsmouth Harbour to Isle of Wight (Ryde Pier Head) – 22 minutes – Wightlink Ferries (click here for Wightlink timetable)
- Southampton to Isle of Wight (Cowes) – 25 minutes – Red Funnel Ferries (click here for Red Funnel timetable)
- Southsea to Isle of Wight (Ryde Esplanade) – 10 minutes - Hovertravel (click here for Hovertravel timetable)
The Portsmouth Harbour to Isle of Wight crossing links up neatly with a railway station on both sides of the water. The Southampton to Isle of Wight (Cowes) crossing links with a free bus to Southampton Central. Southsea is a bus ride from a train station but connects with buses and trains on the Isle of Wight.
Should I take my car on the Isle of Wight ferry?
A car isn’t essential for a lone Isle of Wight visitor or for a couple, but my advice would be to bring a car if you are travelling as a family or group (unless you’re one of those super eco-friendly families who cycle everywhere and live on a barge).
Getting around by public transport on the Isle of Wight is feasible but the buses are much slower than driving as most routes go via Newport and the railway line only covers the East Side of the Island (Ryde through to Sandown and Shanklin). See our public transport guide for more info.
People travelling alone will save a bit of money by travelling as a foot passenger but once you have filled a car with three or more people you may find that the car ferry is often cheaper, particularly outside of the peak season (the car ferry charges per car with up to 7 passengers included with Wightlink ferries and Red Funnel ferries).
If you're planning a day trip, we've got different advice depending on whether you are travelling from Southampton, Lymington or Portsmouth.
Getting around by public transport on the Isle of Wight is feasible but the buses are much slower than driving as most routes go via Newport and the railway line only covers the East Side of the Island (Ryde through to Sandown and Shanklin). See our public transport guide for more info.
People travelling alone will save a bit of money by travelling as a foot passenger but once you have filled a car with three or more people you may find that the car ferry is often cheaper, particularly outside of the peak season (the car ferry charges per car with up to 7 passengers included with Wightlink ferries and Red Funnel ferries).
If you're planning a day trip, we've got different advice depending on whether you are travelling from Southampton, Lymington or Portsmouth.
How can I get the cheapest Isle of Wight Ferry?
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The Isle of Wight ferry prices vary from about £40 in winter to well over £100 in summer (sometimes up to £200 return). RedFunnel ferries and Wightlink ferries operate much like budget airlines – if you book early and travel at 3am in February then you’ll pay less than someone who books a last minute ferry ticket on a Saturday lunchtime in August.
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A couple of dears enjoying the Isle of Wight ferry
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So, how can I get the cheapest car ferry to Isle of Wight?
For more, see our guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel.
*See the next question for more on booking early
- If possible, book early* and try to avoid peak times (which is not always easy if you have children at school and a self-catering chalet with a Saturday changeover day).
- Get a quote from both Red Funnel Ferries and Wightlink Ferries – it varies as to which is the cheapest.
- Next, see if your accommodation provider can get the ferry any cheaper for you. Big caravan parks like Away Resorts and big hotels like Warner Leisure get special rates, as do some self catering agencies. Hoseasons offer 10% off Wightlink travel if you're staying at an Isle of Wight caravan holiday park or lodge. You need to book online with Hoseasons first and then you will be given a link.
- If it’s cheaper, book the ferry yourself and see if there are any discounts available. As well as discount codes and vouchers offered by Wightlink and Redfunnel, there are various offers, deals and loopholes, including our 10% off deal with Red Funnel which can be used all year (see the top of the page). Other popular deals include: 15% off Red Funnel and Wightlink if you join English Heritage (plus, you can save 15% off English Heritage Membership with the discount code EH2020 until 31/10/20), Wightlink’s Tesco Clubcard deal or Wightlink's discount for members of the Camping and Caravanning Club.
For more, see our guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel.
*See the next question for more on booking early
It is also worth checking the 'official' offers pages for the three Isle of Wight ferry companies:
When is the ideal time to book to get the best price?
Wightlink and Red Funnel encourage travellers to ‘book early for the best price’. The general approach seems to be similar to budget airlines which increase fares as you get nearer to lift off.
A few years ago we carried out our own little experiment by tracking the cost of one crossing at half term back in October. We looked at Saturday lunchtime crossings on October 24th and 31st from Portsmouth and Southampton for car and passengers.
The full saga is recounted in this Pulitzer-worthy blog post, but the summary is that the Red Funnel fare only increased from £101 to about £105 over six months. The Wightlink fare increased from £110 to £138 over six months.
Over that six month period, there was also a discount code which appeared for Red Funnel, which means the best time to book would have actually been two months beforehand (the lowest price would have been about £85).
So, whilst booking early does help, you might on occasion get the best price by hanging on for a discount code to appear. Of course, it’s also possible that your preferred crossing time will get completely full – unlikely in low season, but fairly likely during school holiday weekends or festivals.
The other conclusion I drew from this (very small) experiment is that whilst booking early might be advisable, being flexible is equally if not more important. Getting an early morning or late night crossing can be two thirds or half the price of a midday sailing on peak days, which dwarfs the £4 increase with Red Funnel.
A few years ago we carried out our own little experiment by tracking the cost of one crossing at half term back in October. We looked at Saturday lunchtime crossings on October 24th and 31st from Portsmouth and Southampton for car and passengers.
The full saga is recounted in this Pulitzer-worthy blog post, but the summary is that the Red Funnel fare only increased from £101 to about £105 over six months. The Wightlink fare increased from £110 to £138 over six months.
Over that six month period, there was also a discount code which appeared for Red Funnel, which means the best time to book would have actually been two months beforehand (the lowest price would have been about £85).
So, whilst booking early does help, you might on occasion get the best price by hanging on for a discount code to appear. Of course, it’s also possible that your preferred crossing time will get completely full – unlikely in low season, but fairly likely during school holiday weekends or festivals.
The other conclusion I drew from this (very small) experiment is that whilst booking early might be advisable, being flexible is equally if not more important. Getting an early morning or late night crossing can be two thirds or half the price of a midday sailing on peak days, which dwarfs the £4 increase with Red Funnel.
How can I save money on foot passenger fares to the Isle of Wight?
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Foot passenger fares don’t fluctuate as much as taking a car, but they do vary depending on how long you are staying a day or longer and whether you are just making one return or if you will be travelling a few times.
We did a price comparison to show how the Isle of Wight foot passenger fares vary. |
There are several foot passenger options for Isle of Wight travel
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Our criteria:
- Standard return, not a day return (validity is usually 90 days)
- Starting from the mainland to the Isle of Wight
- We only included books of tickets where you bought 10 or less returns with a validity of 12 months (e.g. Wightlink's Multilink deal or Hovertravel's Regular Travel deal). We didn’t include deals where you buy 20 or 40 returns or a season ticket as that it more akin to commuting rather than occasional travel.
- We searched in October 2020.
Ranking (cheapest first) |
Crossing |
Ferry company |
Crossing time |
Return ticket price |
Notes |
1 |
Portsmouth to Ryde Pierhead |
Wightlink |
22 |
£13.40 |
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2 |
Portsmouth to Ryde Pierhead |
Wightlink |
22 |
£13.80 |
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3 |
Southsea to Ryde |
Hovertravel |
10 |
£14.50 |
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4 |
Southampton to East Cowes |
Red Funnel |
55 |
£15.55 |
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5 |
Southsea to Ryde |
Hovertravel |
10 |
£16.40 |
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6 |
Southampton to East Cowes |
Red Funnel |
55 |
£20.70 |
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7 |
Portsmouth to Fishbourne |
Wightlink |
45 |
£25.20 |
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8 |
Lymington to Yarmouth |
Wightlink |
40 |
£25.20 |
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9 |
Southampton to Cowes |
Red Funnel |
25 |
£27.10 |
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10 |
Portsmouth to Ryde Pierhead |
Wightlink |
22 |
£29.80 |
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11 |
Southampton to (West) Cowes |
Red Funnel |
22 |
£30.80 |
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12 |
Southsea to Ryde |
Hovertravel |
10 |
£33 |
My conclusions from the comparison above is that you will roughly pay twice as much to travel if you turn up and buy a return journey than if you are travelling five or ten times in a year.
Second home owners or fairly regular visitors will do much better to buy a book of tickets - you'll start saving money once you've used about half of your tickets.
If you are just planning one return journey and want to save money, consider getting a car ferry as the cheapest on the day fares are all on those.
Also, check out our discount ferry travel page as there are often short term deals for foot passengers. Our favourite ongoing discount is using a railcard and booking the ferry as a train journey.
Second home owners or fairly regular visitors will do much better to buy a book of tickets - you'll start saving money once you've used about half of your tickets.
If you are just planning one return journey and want to save money, consider getting a car ferry as the cheapest on the day fares are all on those.
Also, check out our discount ferry travel page as there are often short term deals for foot passengers. Our favourite ongoing discount is using a railcard and booking the ferry as a train journey.
Which is cheaper, Wightlink Ferries or Red Funnel Ferries?
It varies. Sometimes you will find Wightlink ferries is cheaper, sometimes Red Funnel ferries, will be cheaper.
It is worth getting an IOW ferry quote from both and seeing if either is offering promotional codes or if you qualify for a particular discount (for example, Wightlink do a good deal for Isle of Wight residents and second homeowners called Multilink and a discount for disabled blue badge holders). We also have an exclusive deal which means you can get 10% off Red Funnel car journeys if you book via the booking form at the top of this page.
It is worth getting an IOW ferry quote from both and seeing if either is offering promotional codes or if you qualify for a particular discount (for example, Wightlink do a good deal for Isle of Wight residents and second homeowners called Multilink and a discount for disabled blue badge holders). We also have an exclusive deal which means you can get 10% off Red Funnel car journeys if you book via the booking form at the top of this page.
What are the postcodes for the ferries to Isle of Wight?
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Isle of Wight car ferry postcodes for sat nav:
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The floating bridge links the two Red Funnel ferries at Cowes and East Cowes
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Isle of Wight passenger ferry postcodes for sat nav:
- Red Funnel Southampton ferry terminal: SO14 2AQ
- Red Funnel West Cowes ferry terminal (Isle of Wight) postcode: PO31 7AR
- Wightlink Portsmouth Harbour ferry terminal postcode: PO1 3PS
- Wightlink Ryde Pierhead (Isle of Wight) ferry terminal postcode: PO33 2HF
- Hovertravel Southsea ferry terminal postcode: PO5 3AD
- Hovertravel Ryde (Isle of Wight) ferry terminal postcode: PO33 2HB
Which is the best Isle of Wight Ferry?
The car ferries to the Isle of Wight are, broadly speaking, all pretty similar. You’ll get out of your car, go upstairs to the main lounge, queue up for a coffee and a sausage roll, read the headline in the Isle of Wight County Press (‘Chaos as tree closes road…’ etc) pick up a glossy brochure about the Isle of Wight’s attractions and then spend two minutes out on the ‘sun deck’ before deciding it is too cold.
Some of the ferries are bigger than others, and some are more modern than others, but all the ferries are good quality nowadays so I personally book based on price.
However, if there isn't much difference in price between Red Funnel and Wightlink then you will probably want to think about which is the most convenient and nicest crossing out of Southampton to East Cowes, Portsmouth to Fishbourne and Lymington to Yarmouth.
The quickest and most pleasant crossing in my view is Wightlink's Lymington to Yarmouth crossing as it passes through a lovely stretch of water. It is the quietest and least busy crossing, although it doesn't run as regularly (or as late) as others and uses smaller ferries with simpler facilities.
The main downside is that getting to Lymington is often pretty slow as you'll end up plodding through the New Forest. It is very scenic with animals larking around by the side of the road but that might not be your priority after a four hour journey with irritable children. On the other side of the water, you arrive in Yarmouth which is a pretty town which immediately makes you feels like you are on holiday.
The Southampton to East Cowes crossing takes the longest - 55 minutes - but Southampton is often the quickest port to reach if you are coming from the west of England. The Red Funnel ferries are all fairly similar in size and onboard facilities. Ferries run regularly so you shouldn't have to wait ages if you miss it. Getting through Southampton can be very slow if there are lots of cruise ships preparing to leave (this seems to be worst on Saturdays - I once missed the start of a football match at St Mary's and still haven't got over it).
The Portsmouth to Fishbourne ferry is quicker than the Southampton to East Cowes crossing (45 minutes rather than 55 minutes). Like Southampton, it can be quite slow to drive through Portsmouth so allow a bit of extra time during rush hour. The ferries leave very regularly from Portsmouth (every half hour during high season). The ferries from this port vary in size quite a bit - a couple of them are pretty impressive with loads of sofas, soft play and a small cinema room.
As for convenience once you are on the Isle of Wight - well, the Island is not huge so you could really get any ferry, regardless of where you are staying. The longest drive from any ferry port would be about 45 minutes (assuming you don't get lost). However, if you are staying in the East Wight (Ryde, Seaview, Bembridge) then Portsmouth to Fishbourne or Southampton to East Cowes is quite a lot nearer than Lymington to Yarmouth. If you are staying in the West Wight (Freshwater Bay, Yarmouth, Shalfleet, Brighstone) then Lymington to Yarmouth is quickest. For other resorts like Ventnor, Shanklin or Sandown then you'll find East Cowes or Fishbourne is about 15 minutes quicker than Yarmouth.
Some of the ferries are bigger than others, and some are more modern than others, but all the ferries are good quality nowadays so I personally book based on price.
However, if there isn't much difference in price between Red Funnel and Wightlink then you will probably want to think about which is the most convenient and nicest crossing out of Southampton to East Cowes, Portsmouth to Fishbourne and Lymington to Yarmouth.
The quickest and most pleasant crossing in my view is Wightlink's Lymington to Yarmouth crossing as it passes through a lovely stretch of water. It is the quietest and least busy crossing, although it doesn't run as regularly (or as late) as others and uses smaller ferries with simpler facilities.
The main downside is that getting to Lymington is often pretty slow as you'll end up plodding through the New Forest. It is very scenic with animals larking around by the side of the road but that might not be your priority after a four hour journey with irritable children. On the other side of the water, you arrive in Yarmouth which is a pretty town which immediately makes you feels like you are on holiday.
The Southampton to East Cowes crossing takes the longest - 55 minutes - but Southampton is often the quickest port to reach if you are coming from the west of England. The Red Funnel ferries are all fairly similar in size and onboard facilities. Ferries run regularly so you shouldn't have to wait ages if you miss it. Getting through Southampton can be very slow if there are lots of cruise ships preparing to leave (this seems to be worst on Saturdays - I once missed the start of a football match at St Mary's and still haven't got over it).
The Portsmouth to Fishbourne ferry is quicker than the Southampton to East Cowes crossing (45 minutes rather than 55 minutes). Like Southampton, it can be quite slow to drive through Portsmouth so allow a bit of extra time during rush hour. The ferries leave very regularly from Portsmouth (every half hour during high season). The ferries from this port vary in size quite a bit - a couple of them are pretty impressive with loads of sofas, soft play and a small cinema room.
As for convenience once you are on the Isle of Wight - well, the Island is not huge so you could really get any ferry, regardless of where you are staying. The longest drive from any ferry port would be about 45 minutes (assuming you don't get lost). However, if you are staying in the East Wight (Ryde, Seaview, Bembridge) then Portsmouth to Fishbourne or Southampton to East Cowes is quite a lot nearer than Lymington to Yarmouth. If you are staying in the West Wight (Freshwater Bay, Yarmouth, Shalfleet, Brighstone) then Lymington to Yarmouth is quickest. For other resorts like Ventnor, Shanklin or Sandown then you'll find East Cowes or Fishbourne is about 15 minutes quicker than Yarmouth.
Will I get seasick on the Isle of Wight Ferry?
No, probably not. The Isle of Wight car ferries are generally very steady and take less than an hour, so you very rarely see people going pale and rushing to the toilet. The first half of the Southampton to East Cowes crossing is within a sheltered estuary so you'll only have to hold your stomach for half the journey.
The Isle of Wight foot passenger ferries are a bit bumpier because they go quicker. If you have a particularly weak stomach (like I do nowadays...) and it is a stormy day in winter then you might feel a bit queasy but they only take about 20 minutes (Portsmouth to Isle of Wight or Southampton to Isle of Wight) or 10 minutes (Southsea to Isle of Wight hovercraft). Just sit back and think of England.
The Isle of Wight foot passenger ferries are a bit bumpier because they go quicker. If you have a particularly weak stomach (like I do nowadays...) and it is a stormy day in winter then you might feel a bit queasy but they only take about 20 minutes (Portsmouth to Isle of Wight or Southampton to Isle of Wight) or 10 minutes (Southsea to Isle of Wight hovercraft). Just sit back and think of England.
Can I take my bicycle on the ferry?
Yes, you can take a bike onto the Isle of Wight ferries for free - but there are some restrictions on the foot passenger ferries (the car ferries have more space for bikes and don't seem to have restrictions).
Can I take my dog to the Isle of WIght?
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Yes, all the Isle of Wight ferries are dog friendly:
See our guide to dog friendly Isle of Wight holidays |
An alternative way to get your dog across the Solent
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What are the Covid-19/coronavirus rules for the Isle of WIght ferries?
Rather than attempting to update this section every time that the Prime Minister gives a press conference, I'll provide some links to the coronavirus sections on the ferry company websites.
Are there free car parks for foot passengers near to the Isle of Wight ferry?
Parking near to the ferry ports and travelling to the Isle of Wight as a foot passenger is a bit of a challenge. If you can, you’ll find taking a car across or catching the train is generally simpler and often cheaper. You are unlikely to find free parking for any stretch of time near the ferry at Portsmouth or Southampton.
In the past we have parked on a residential side road on the mainland and caught a train for the last stop or two. You do face the risk of an angry resident shaking their fist at you, but as far as I’m aware they don’t actually own the road outside their house…guess it depends how brave you’re feeling. I’m afraid I’m not an expert on which parts of Portsmouth and Southampton are safest to leave your car on the street for a week, otherwise I’d be running a site called Mainland Guru.
If you’ve got a Railcard you often get one third off the passenger fare for the Isle of Wight ferries if you book it with a train journey (see our guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel).
If you prefer to park near the ferry port you’ll need to dig deep:
In the past we have parked on a residential side road on the mainland and caught a train for the last stop or two. You do face the risk of an angry resident shaking their fist at you, but as far as I’m aware they don’t actually own the road outside their house…guess it depends how brave you’re feeling. I’m afraid I’m not an expert on which parts of Portsmouth and Southampton are safest to leave your car on the street for a week, otherwise I’d be running a site called Mainland Guru.
If you’ve got a Railcard you often get one third off the passenger fare for the Isle of Wight ferries if you book it with a train journey (see our guide to discount Isle of Wight ferry travel).
If you prefer to park near the ferry port you’ll need to dig deep:
- Parking at Southampton’s Town Quay for the Red Funnel ferry to East Cowes or (West) Cowes for three days costs an eye watering £31.50.
- Parking at Gunwharf Quays for Wightlink’s Portsmouth ferries is available for £8 per day, so £56 for a week (you have to get this validated at the car park office otherwise it is £20 per day).
- I struggled to find week long parking near the Lymington ferry. The best I could manage was 72 hours for £20 on Bath Road which was about 20 minute walk from the ferry.
- As far as I can tell, the car park at Southsea's Seafront Canoe Lake is free in winter, though I'm unsure how long you can stay. I don't know the area well enough to recommend other locations for getting the hovercraft.
- Sites like Your Parking Space, Park On My Drive and Just Park are worth a look. It is very much based on availability when someone just has one space though.
Do I need a passport for the Isle of Wight ferry?
No, you don't need a passport on the Isle of Wight ferry. The Isle of Wight is an English county - how dare you even ask? Obviously you will need a passport to get into the UK if you're coming from abroad, but you won't need to show your passport to get from the mainland to the Isle of Wight.
