October is the quiet shoulder on Foveaux Strait. Since 1 October RealNZ's catamaran leaves Bluff at 09:15 and 17:30 and Oban at 07:30 and 16:00; from 1 December a midday return is added, and the boat leaves Bluff at 14:00 and Oban at 12:00 as well. The crossing takes about an hour, it carries people and light freight but no cars, and fares are set by the booking calendar rather than a printed table.
RealNZ timetable from 1 October 2026, with a third daily return from 1 December 2026; no end date given and the operator calls the times indicative; checked 9 October 2026 RealNZ – Stewart Island Ferry Services, timetable · 2026-10-09
The Bluff–Oban timetable changes in spring. Winter's two sailings each way, which ended on 30 September, left Bluff at 09:45 and 16:30. Since 1 October both runs leave earlier in the morning and later in the evening, and on 1 December a third return slots in between them for the summer. RealNZ, which runs the service under its Stewart Island Experience name, publishes the times on its website but calls them indicative.
For a day trip in October and November the arithmetic is simple: over on the 09:15, back on the 16:00 from Oban. From December the 14:00 from Bluff and the 12:00 from Oban give shorter or later visits. Missing the last boat means a night on the island, so plan the day backwards from it.
Book ahead, especially for December and January. RealNZ says it cannot always keep seats for people who just turn up, and a booking also means you hear about weather changes before you reach the terminal.
RealNZ does not print a fare list for the crossing. Its ferry page advertises a starting price instead, and that figure moves: NZD $145 for an adult one way when we read it on 29 September 2026, NZD $139 on 9 October. The same page says a return saves 28%, with the homeward leg from $100.08. Child and concession prices exist but only show up once you choose a date in the booking calendar, so we have left the table below empty rather than print a number that may not be yours.
The fare is for the boat alone. The Invercargill–Bluff coach, parking at Bluff, extra baggage and bikes or kayaks are charged on top. RealNZ's list of those extras on its ferry page was marked valid until 30 September 2026 and had not been replaced on 9 October, so ask for the current figure when you book. Rescheduling or a refund is possible with at least 24 hours' notice.
No fixed fare table: RealNZ prices each sailing in its booking calendar (read 9 October 2026) RealNZ – Stewart Island Ferry Services · 2026-10-09
The route leaves Bluff, at the bottom of the South Island, and crosses Foveaux Strait to Halfmoon Bay on the east coast of Stewart Island/Rakiura. When weather and crew allow, the skipper points out Dog Island lighthouse, Ruapuke Island, the Tītī Islands and Mount Anglem, the island's highest peak, and mollymawks often follow the wake. Stewart Island Experience is the only ferry the island's promotion association lists; the other way over is a flight from Invercargill, which DOC puts at about 20 minutes.
RealNZ calls this building the Stewart Island Experience Visitor Terminal, and it sits on Foreshore Road, about half an hour's drive south of Invercargill by the operator's own reckoning. Tickets can be bought here by EFTPOS or credit card. The car park beside it works like an airport one: take a ticket at the barrier, pay when you check in for the boat, and do not expect to reserve a space. Cars, campervans, boat trailers, motorbikes and bicycles all have room.
The ferry ties up in Halfmoon Bay, in the middle of Oban, the island's one township. RealNZ also runs the Oban Visitor Centre, which is where its hire cars, vans and e-bikes are handed out to anyone who left a vehicle in Bluff. The walk to Golden Bay, for boats to Ulva Island, starts from the township too.
RealNZ wants you at the counter half an hour ahead so luggage can go on. Boarding gates close 10 minutes before the scheduled time.
Each passenger may bring two checked bags plus one small carry-on. Anything more needs arranging with the ferry office on 03 212 7660, and cargo space is limited on some sailings.
The ferry carries passengers and light freight only. Pay for the Bluff car park at check-in, or hire a car, van or e-bike in Oban.
Foveaux Strait can be rough. RealNZ suggests seasickness remedies such as ginger taken well before boarding, eating beforehand and riding on the back deck if you feel queasy.
RealNZ says it cannot currently offer wheelchair access on the ferry and asks passengers who need it to call before booking.
What happens when the strait is too rough? RealNZ's boats are built for these waters, and it describes cancellations as rare. When a departure is called off for weather, passengers are moved to a later sailing or refunded in full, which is why the operator asks for contact details at booking. DOC advises checking the Foveaux coastal forecast before any trip south.
The ferry is the start of most Rakiura visits, not the end. From Oban, a short walk leads to Golden Bay, where water taxis to Ulva Island cross Paterson Inlet to the predator-free bird sanctuary. In Fiordland, the same company's Doubtful Sound day trips begin on Lake Manapouri, where an independent water taxi to West Arm is the booked alternative to the cruise boats.
About an hour each way. Sea conditions can stretch it a little.
From 1 October: Bluff 09:15 and 17:30, Oban 07:30 and 16:00. From 1 December a midday pair is added, Bluff 14:00 and Oban 12:00.
RealNZ prices each sailing in its booking calendar. On 9 October 2026 the lowest adult one-way fare it advertised was NZD $139, down from $145 on 29 September.
No. Only passengers and light freight travel. Park at Bluff, or hire a car, van or e-bike in Oban.
Yes, RealNZ runs a coach between Invercargill and Bluff that meets every sailing, for an extra charge. Ask for an airport pick-up when you book.
The Bluff terminal sells tickets, but seats are not guaranteed, particularly in summer and around Christmas and New Year. Booking is safer.
By arrangement. Extras cost more than the passenger fare, and the published list expired on 30 September 2026, so confirm the current charge with RealNZ.