San Sebastián de La Gomera to Santa Cruz de La Palma Ferry

This crossing links the compact harbour of San Sebastián de La Gomera with the terminal at Santa Cruz de La Palma, on the east coast of La Palma about 9 km from the island's airport. Both are western Canary Islands, and the sea link is worked jointly by Fred. Olsen Express and Naviera Armas, giving travellers a genuine choice of vessel and price rather than a single monopoly service.

The two operators use different types of ship, which is why journey times vary so widely. Naviera Armas runs the more direct option, completing the roughly 50-nautical-mile hop in around 2 hours. Fred. Olsen Express sailings are typically routed with a call at Los Cristianos in southern Tenerife, so its listed end-to-end time is closer to 4 hours 30 minutes. If speed is your priority, check the timetable carefully before booking, because the fare difference between a 2-hour and a 4.5-hour itinerary can be small.

Frequency is good for an inter-island route of this size: the two lines together offer up to around 20 weekly connections, with several departures on most days and up to three daily sailings in peak season. Departures cluster in the morning and afternoon. All the ships carry vehicles on enclosed car decks, so you can bring a car, camper van or motorbike; car-deck space is limited and sells out first in July and August, so reserve vehicles well ahead. Standard walk-on fares generally fall in the region of €31 to €60 one way, with cars adding roughly €15 and motorcycles about €10 depending on operator and season. Onboard you will find seating lounges, cafeteria service and, on the larger Armas vessels, more extensive facilities. Foot passengers rarely need to book far in advance outside high season, but doing so still secures the best price.