The Isle of Wight is found a few miles off the south coast of the UK and is around 24 miles wide and 12 miles from the North to the South, and contains about 150 square miles of land. The main public ferries are accessed from Lymington, Southampton and Portsmouth via the Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel services – More information on them is found below as well the best methods of getting to these ferries and what public transport services are available to easily travel around the Island once you get there.
Find great Isle of Wight ferry special offers on our Ferry Discount Page
Solent Cruises
Solent Cruises have your travel sorted every weekend for your shopping trip to Portsmouth. Why not stop and have some lunch too at Gunwharf Quays? They will land you right on the doorstep! Departing at 0930 hours from Thetis Wharf, Cowes. Free parking is available at their yard.
Red Funnel, Isle of Wight Ferries
Red Funnel are proud to offer their customers award-winning ferry travel to the Isle of Wight. If you’re looking to take a UK break somewhere beautiful, they will sail you from Southampton to the Isle of Wight in under an hour with a vehicle, or 30 minutes if you’re travelling as a foot passenger.
WightLink
Wightlink run two car ferry services to the Isle of Wight, one running from Portsmouth to Fishbourne and takes around 45 minutes and the other from Lymington to Yarmouth which is around a 40 minutes journey both ferries take cars, motor homes, bikes and foot passengers. Wightlink also operate a high speed foot passenger Catamaran which runs from Portsmouth harbour to Ryde pier head and takes approximately 22 minutes.
Hover Travel
Hovertravel is the quickest foot passenger service to the Isle of Wight with journey times of only 10 minutes, the ferry runs from Southsea in Portsmouth into Ryde on the Isle of Wight and has easy links on each end for people travelling by train, couch or bus.
Isle of Wight Buses
Southern Vectis provides public transport on the Isle of Wight and has been acknowledged as one of the best rural bus services in the country.The buses run a regular service to and from all major towns on the Isle of Wight and cover most of the villages. They also run 3 open top bus tours in peak season which take you on a journey round some of the Islands most beautiful scenery.
Island Line
Island Line train service is part of South Western Railway and connects Ryde, Brading, Sandown, Lake and Shanklin. The service can be picked up from the foot passenger terminal at Ryde pier head making it an easy way to travel from your ferry to your accommodation.
