Can you take a car on the ferry from North to South Island New Zealand?

We sail between the North Island and South Island (Wellington and Picton) daily carrying passengers, cars, trucks and rail wagons. Along with the breathtaking views, enjoy our locally sourced food and beverages, cinemas, free kids activities and premium lounges on board our ferries.



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For prearranged rental cars to numerous destinations between islands, you will be able to drop off your vehicle at the Wellington ferry terminal and resume your trip with a new vehicle supplied by the same car hire company at no additional cost upon your arrival at the Picton Ferry Terminal.

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The price of a ferry from Picton to Wellington can vary between $53 and $337 depending on the operator, season and whether you are travelling with a vehicle. The average price of a foot passenger is $70, prices can range from $53 and $158. The average price with a car is $182.

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All our tour itineraries are arranged so that you drop one rental car at either Picton or Wellington and collect a replacement car on arrival to the other side. This saves you money as taking a car on the ferry is expensive.

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Taking the ferry without a vehicle is the cheapest - and also the most convenient - way of crossing the strait - and if you book with us you will leave your existing rental vehicle at one end, and pick up a new one at the other.

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New Zealand's most famous and beautiful ferry route is between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island. The journey between the two islands is commonly referred to as 'crossing the Cook Strait'. The sailing time is around 3.5 hours (weather dependent).

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Visitors to New Zealand A visitor to New Zealand can hire a vehicle as long as they have a current and valid driver licence. Learn about the other requirements you have to meet to drive in New Zealand.

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The roads are often narrow and hilly with twists and turns so may take longer to drive than you expect. Our time and distance calculator can help you plan your itinerary. Outside of the main cities, there are very few motorways. Most of our roads are two-way with one lane in each direction and no barriers in-between.

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