Which Waiheke ferry ticket should you buy?
One ferry service, two ways to travel
The Waiheke Walk-up service offers a Standard ticket for flexibility, or a Priority ticket for a booked sailing and boarding first. Reserve is a separate ferry service with its own vessel and departure times.
Walk-up
Standard
Travel your way.
$65 adult return
Child $29 | Family $138
Our most flexible ticket. Turn up when you are ready and hop aboard the next available sailing.
- ✓No need to pick a sailing time
- ✓Valid on any Waiheke Walk-up sailing, any day within a year of purchase
- ✓Boards once the Priority lane has cleared
- ✓Upgrade to Priority on the day from $10
Bookable
Priority NEW
Book your time. Board first.
$75 adult return
Child $32 | Family $155
Book the sailing you need, walk the Priority lane and be among the first on board to choose your seat.
- ✓Choose your sailing time when you book
- ✓Priority boarding lane, scanned and boarded first
- ✓First choice of available seating
- ✓Available on every Waiheke Walk-up sailing, every day of the year
A separate ferry service
Reserve
Book. Board. Relax.
$104 adult return
Child $104 | Infants travel free
Reserve runs on its own vessel, with its own departure times. A calmer crossing, with a glass of bubbles waiting as you step aboard.
- ✓Depart Downtown Auckland at 9.00am
- ✓Head back at 4.30pm
- ✓A seat for everyone on board, no queueing
- ✓Space to spread out, away from the crowds
- ✓Departs from piers 13 and 14, not 11 and 12
Product side by side
| Standard | Priority | Reserve | |
| Service | Waiheke Walk-up | Waiheke Walk-up | Separate ferry service |
| Adult return | $65 | $75 | $104 |
| Child return | $29 | $32 | $104 |
| Infants | Travel free | Travel free | Travel free |
| Family return | $138 | $155 | Not available |
| Choose your sailing time | No, travel on any sailing | Yes, booked in advance | Fixed times only |
| Boarding | After the Priority lane | Priority lane, boarded first | Own vessel |
| Ticket validity | One year from purchase | Booked date and sailing | Booked date only |
| Sailings available | All Walk-up sailings | All Walk-up sailings, every day of the year | 9.00am out, 4.30pm back |
| Departs Auckland from | Piers 11 and 12 | Piers 11 and 12 | Piers 13 and 14 |
| Best for | Open-ended days and locals | Booked tours, lunches and families | Celebrations and slow mornings |
Still deciding? Start with your day
The right ticket usually comes down to one question: does something on the island start at a set time?
“I have a wine tour at 11.30 and I cannot miss it.”
Book the sailing that gets you there, then walk straight down the Priority lane when you arrive.
Choose Priority“We will head over whenever we are ready.”
No booking, no fixed time. Turn up at the terminal and take the next sailing with room on board.
Choose Standard“It is our anniversary and I want the day to feel special.”
A quieter vessel, a glass of bubbles and a full day on the island between the 9.00am and 4.30pm sailings.
Choose ReserveHow Priority boarding works
Four steps, and one timing rule worth knowing before you travel.
1
Book your sailing
Pick your departure time online or in the Fullers360 app. Priority runs on every Waiheke sailing.
2
Arrive in good time
Be at the Downtown Ferry Terminal 30 to 45 minutes before you sail, and allow an hour on summer weekends.
3
Look for the Priority lane
Head to piers 11 and 12 and join the lane marked Priority. Waiheke residents use this lane too.
4
Board first
The Priority lane is scanned and boarded before the Standard lane opens, so you get first pick of the seats.
⏱
Priority boarding closes 10 minutes before departure
If you booked the 10.20am, be in the lane by 10.10am. Arrive after that and you keep priority queuing on a first come, first served basis once the Standard lane has been scanned. If that sailing is full, you go to the front of the queue for the next one. Miss your sailing altogether and your ticket still works as a Standard ticket.
When the ferries run
Sailings step up as summer builds. All three tickets follow the same timetable, except Reserve, which runs once each way.
REGULAR SAILINGS
19 October to 29 November, and 1 March to 4 April
Standard timetable. Priority is available on every sailing from 19 October.
EXTRA WEEKEND SAILINGS
30 November to 27 December, and 1 to 28 February
Sailings every 20 minutes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, mornings and late afternoons.
EVERY 20 MINUTES, DAILY
28 December to 31 January
Sailings every 20 minutes, seven days a week. The busiest weeks of the year, and where booking Priority earns its keep.
Planning further ahead? From 5 April to 17 October 2027 the Waiheke timetable moves to off peak, with fewer sailings across the day. Standard, Priority and Reserve tickets are all available on every sailing, and you can book any date in the full timetable.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Standard and Priority?
Standard is a walk-up ticket valid on any sailing for a year from purchase. Priority lets you book a specific sailing time in advance and board ahead of the Standard queue.
Can I upgrade to Priority on the day?
Yes. If you already hold a Standard ticket you can upgrade at the terminal for $10 per adult, $3 per child or $17 per family, subject to space on the sailing.
What happens if I miss my Priority sailing?
Your ticket stays valid as a Standard ticket, so you join the walk-up queue on a first come, first served basis. Refunds are not issued for missed sailings.
Does Priority guarantee me a seat on that sailing?
Priority reserves your place in the first boarding group for that departure. Demand is very high on this route in summer, so arrive before the 10 minute cut-off to be sure of travelling at your chosen time.
What if Fullers360 cancels my Priority sailing?
You are automatically refunded the $10 difference between Priority and Standard, and you are prioritised onto the next available sailing.
Do Waiheke residents use the Priority lane?
Yes. Residents travelling on a monthly pass, FlexiPass or off-island ticket share the same lane, which is staffed from 9.00am to 6.00pm in Auckland and 3.00pm to 6.00pm on Waiheke.
Ready when you are
Book your Waiheke sailing in under a minute, or turn up and hop on the next one.
