Interislander Schedules 2026

Interislander has been crossing Cook Strait for more than sixty years and calls itself the original ferry on the route — a fair claim, since it began as the state railway's own service and still carries rail freight alongside cars and passengers. It sails between Wellington and Picton every day, linking New Zealand's two main islands.

On board

The crossing is long enough — around three and a half hours — that the ship matters. There are cinemas, premium lounges, free children's activities and locally-sourced food. Pets are carried; the company is explicit that they are part of the whānau.

The strait itself

Cook Strait has a reputation, and the operator does not hide from it: it publishes guidance on the winds and swells that make national news. What that means practically is that daytime sailings fill first in autumn and winter, and booking early is the difference between crossing when you planned and waiting.

When things go wrong

The company distinguishes clearly between causes. If a sailing is cancelled or delayed for reasons within its control — not weather — you can file a claim, including retrospectively, and ask for a decision to be reviewed. Weather cancellations are treated differently, which is worth understanding before you build a tight connection around a Cook Strait crossing.

Parking

Many passengers cross as foot passengers and leave the car behind. The operator publishes a guide to parking near both terminals for exactly that reason.

We hold no timetable for this operator

Worth stating plainly: our data currently contains no sailings for Interislander. The Cook Strait service between Wellington and Picton runs several times daily and is one of New Zealand’s principal transport links, but none of its departures are in this database. Everything below comes from the operator, not from our schedule data.

Book early, and know where vehicle check-in is

The operator warns that daytime sailings fill up quickly — on a route carrying freight, cars and foot passengers across a strait with no alternative, that is not marketing. At Wellington, vehicle check-in is on Lagoon Road, reached via Kent Street, which is a different approach from the walk-on terminal and catches drivers out. The company also runs a formal claims process for sailings cancelled or delayed for reasons within its control, which excludes weather — and on Cook Strait, weather is the usual reason.