Camping guides
Ferry to Isle of Wight with a Motorhome: Full Guide
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As Britain’s biggest island, the Isle of Wight is a popular destination for motorhome holidays. As it can’t be reached by a road bridge, ferry is the only way to get to the Isle of Wight, which means that common questions from holidaymakers include:
How do I get to the Isle of Wight by ferry?
How do I take a motorhome to the Isle of Wight?
How much does a van on the ferry to the Isle of Wight cost?
Assuming two adults travelling with a 7m x 2.6m motorhome, return ticket prices are between £177 and £313 from the Hampshire coast to the Isle of Wight.
We checked a few variants to get this price range, all for a one-week return and leaving England at 9am:
Next day sailing (in high season and at weekend at time of writing): £244-£313
Mid-season midweek sailings (early October; Tuesday to Tuesday): £157-£178
Mid-week season weekend sailings (early October; Saturday to Saturday): £177-£234
The price for your own trip will obviously depend upon season, but there are some other factors to take into account. We go into more detail on these below.
What does the price of taking a motorhome to the Isle of Wight depend on?
The price of the ticket depends on:
Length of time between booking and departure date: trips booked closer to the latter will cost more
Seasonal demand: high season will obviously be more expensive
The departure and arrival ports
The ferry company
The number of people travelling and their ages
Whether pets are accompanying the trip
The length and height of the motorhome
Ticket type: economy/non-refundable or standard
How long does the ferry take to get to the Isle of Wight?
All UK/England sailings to the Isle of Wight depart from Hampshire. There are three Isle of Wight-destined ports in the county: Portsmouth, Southampton and Lymington. From these ports you can arrive at Cowes, Ryde, Fishbourne or Yarmouth.
All sailings on services which accept motorhomes take between 40 minutes and an hour, and depart regularly throughout the day. Routes and specific timings are as follows:
Departing from Portsmouth
Portsmouth to Fishbourne: 45m; 25 sailings daily
Portsmouth to Ryde: 22m; 14 sailings daily
Departing from Southampton
Southampton to Cowes: 1h; 19 sailings daily
Departing from Lymington
Lymington to Yarmouth: 40m; 16 sailings daily
Where to book a ferry to take a motorhome to the Isle of Wight
Book directly with a ferry company sailing from the Hampshire coast to the Isle of Wight, or use a price comparison site for the best chance of a good deal. Direct Ferries compares prices from all the main Isle of Wight ferry operators, while Ferry Savers covers all routes apart from Southsea to Ryde.
Get the best price by booking as far as advance as you can and avoiding peak high season or other high-demand times like half-terms.
Which ferry companies have routes to the Isle of Wight?
Wight Link is the main ferry company for routes to the Isle of Wight, operating routes from Lymington to Yarmouth, Portsmouth to Fishbourne and Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde. Red Funnel runs routes from Southampton to Cowes.
Permits and documentation needed for ferry travel to the Isle of Wight
Make sure you bring the following on your ferry trip:
Printed booking confirmation
Documentation and insurance papers for the motorhome
Valid driving licence
Are there alternatives to taking the ferry to the Isle of Wight?
Although you can get to the Isle of Wight as a foot passenger on the Southsea to Ryde route, or take a private plane, the ferry is the only way to get to the Isle of Wight if you’re taking a vehicle.
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