Planned works withdraw the 23:59 from Southampton on Saturday 24 October and the 01:30 from East Cowes early on Sunday 25 October. Until 27 October a road closure on York Avenue diverts traffic heading for the East Cowes terminal, so allow extra time for check-in.
Red Funnel vehicle ferry timetables for 2 April – 2 November 2026 (published May 2026) and 3 November 2026 – 21 March 2027 (published September 2026), read on 15 October 2026; the evening and overnight departures shown on Red Funnel's live board that day matched the summer table. Red Funnel — vehicle ferry timetables · 2026-10-15
Autumn sets the rhythm of the Red Funnel car ferry. Until Monday 2 November the ships between Southampton's Terminal 1 and East Cowes leave about once an hour from early morning until just before midnight, with a few more in the small hours. From Tuesday 3 November until 21 March 2027 the winter timetable spaces them ninety minutes apart, at 06:00, 07:30, 09:00 and so on through the day. Red Funnel itself describes the route as hourly from March to October and every ninety minutes from November to February.
This is the Southampton crossing that takes vehicles. Do not mistake it for the Red Jet, the foot-passenger catamaran that leaves from Terminal 2 for West Cowes on the opposite bank of the River Medina. The car ferry is slower, about an hour each way, but it carries walkers and cyclists too, at lower fares than the catamaran.
Red Funnel says the route operates 365 days a year. In the summer table Friday stands out as the one day with a departure every hour right through the evening from both sides, where other days leave a gap after 20:15 from Southampton.
On foot, this is the cheaper way over from Southampton: an adult single costs £13.70, against £23.65 on the Red Jet, and a period return valid for 90 days is £27.30. Seniors pay £8.70 one way and children £6.85, and bicycles and dogs go free. Tickets bought online are accepted on either route at the standard rate.
Driving on, you will not find a price list. Red Funnel quotes per vehicle, covering as many as seven occupants, and the figure depends on the vehicle's size, the date and hour and how full that sailing already is; its advice is that a late booking nearly always costs more. You choose between a Saver fare, where each change costs £5 a leg and cancelling between 56 days and 24 hours before travel loses half the price, and a Flexi fare, changeable free and fully refundable up to 24 hours ahead. The only fixed car prices it publishes are for frequent travellers: after a £750 top-up, Frequent Prepay gives a car day return for £66.40 or a longer return for £89.00 until the end of 2026.
| Adult, 16–59 | £ 13.70 |
| Senior, 60+ | £ 8.70 |
| Child, 5–15 | £ 6.85 |
| Adult, standard day return | £ 25.20 |
| Adult, off-peak day return | £ 24.10 |
| Senior, day return | £ 16.20 |
| Child, standard day return | £ 12.70 |
| Adult, period return (90 days) | £ 27.30 |
| Senior, period return | £ 17.30 |
| Child, period return | £ 13.70 |
| Car and up to 7 people, day return | £ 66.40 |
| Car and up to 7 people, period return | £ 89 |
| Foot passenger, any-duration return | £ 13.50 |
| 7 days | £ 116.50 |
| 30 days | £ 310 |
Foot passenger fares from 3 January 2026; Frequent Prepay rates valid to 31 December 2026; car fares have no fixed tariff. Read on 15 October 2026. Red Funnel — passenger fares to the Isle of Wight and to Southampton · 2026-10-15
Leaving Town Quay, the ferry slips past the Ocean Cruise Terminal and heads down Southampton Water, with the Netley chapel, all that survives of a vast Victorian military hospital, on the eastern shore and Hythe Pier opposite; the pier's own passenger ferry to Southampton has not sailed since August 2024. Past Calshot Castle at the end of its spit, the ship turns across the Solent for the mouth of the Medina. By Red Funnel's reckoning the whole passage is 11.7 miles and takes about an hour, ending at a berth that looks across the river to West Cowes.
Cars turn off Town Quay Road at the entrance signposted Red Funnel Terminal 1, Dock Gate 7; anyone being dropped on foot carries on a few yards to Town Quay itself. The terminal has a waiting area with live departure screens, a café and shop, free wi-fi and a Welcome Desk that sells tickets (06:30–18:00 on weekdays, 08:00–18:00 at weekends). For parking Red Funnel suggests the 270-space Triangle car park, five minutes' walk away. The Red Jet uses Terminal 2 next door.
For vehicle check-in Red Funnel gives a different postcode, PO32 6RA, from the terminal's postal address. The building is open around the clock, with a ticket office from 09:00 to 17:00 every day, a waiting room, toilets and vending machines. Long-stay parking is at Well Road, about 500 feet away, and the drop-off bays off Dover Road are limited to 20 minutes. Buses 4 to Ryde and 5 to Newport leave from outside Waitrose, a few minutes' walk, and the Cowes floating bridge to West Cowes is two minutes from the door.
Vehicles check in 30 to 45 minutes before departure on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays, and 30 to 60 minutes before on other days. Foot passengers need 10 to 60 minutes.
Online bookings close 90 minutes before a sailing; by phone you can book up to 30 minutes before.
The number of adults, children and infants in the car, and its size, must match the booking, or you may have to pay a difference at the booth.
Red Funnel does not let passengers sit in their cars for the crossing. If you need the lift to the lounge, call 023 8001 9192 before travelling or tell check-in, so you are parked on the right deck.
Red Funnel bans e-scooters on its ships and in its terminals; e-bikes may travel but cannot be charged on board.
From Southampton the alternative is the Red Jet, which gets foot passengers to West Cowes in under half an hour but takes no vehicles. Drivers coming from Dorset or the New Forest may find Wightlink's Lymington to Yarmouth crossing shorter; the case for this one is arriving in East Cowes, roughly fifteen minutes' drive from Newport on the A3021, with Osborne House a few minutes' drive from the terminal.
Three ships share the route: Red Falcon and Red Osprey, both built by Ferguson Shipbuilders in Glasgow in 1994, and Red Eagle from the same yard in 1996. All three were later lengthened and refitted; each now carries more than 200 cars and up to 892 passengers and makes about 4,000 sailings a year.
No. The car ferry uses East Cowes, on the eastern bank of the Medina, while the Red Jet lands at West Cowes. The Cowes floating bridge joins the two towns and starts two minutes' walk from the East Cowes terminal.
Every ninety minutes from 3 November to 21 March: from Southampton at 06:00, 07:30, 09:00 and on to 21:00, then 23:55, plus restricted-capacity sailings at 03:00 and 04:30 from Monday to Saturday.
Red Funnel has no fixed car tariff. The price depends on the vehicle's size, the date and time and how full that sailing already is, so busy departures and late bookings cost more.
Yes. An adult single is £13.70 on the vehicle ferry against £23.65 on the Red Jet, and a passenger ticket bought online is valid on either route.
Between 30 and 45 minutes before departure on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays. On Sundays and from Tuesday to Thursday the window is 30 to 60 minutes.
Not on the car ferry: the 23:59 from Southampton and the 01:30 from East Cowes on the 25th are withdrawn for planned works. Red Funnel adds Red Jet sailings at 00:10 from Southampton and 00:40 from West Cowes instead.
No, passengers must leave their vehicles; only in extreme circumstances can a request be made to the captain on arrival. Each of the three ships has a lift from the main deck up to the passenger lounge, available on request at check-in.