The Ferry to Kangaroo Island

SeaLink runs the ferry to Kangaroo Island, from Cape Jervis on the mainland to Penneshaw on the island, a crossing of about 45 minutes. Its fares page shows one-way fares from A$49 for an adult and A$99 for a car up to 5 m long (checked November 2026), and Cape Jervis is 108 km by road from Adelaide Central Bus Station. On SeaLink South Australia’s Kangaroo Island Full Day Experience by Ferry Including Lunch, from US$280 a person (checked November 2026), the coach and the return ferry are in the price.

The calendar above is the coach and ferry day from Adelaide, with 1,467 reviews (checked November 2026).

The short answer

Book the ferry yourself if you are taking a car to the island or staying a few nights. If you are going for the day from Adelaide without a car, a tour that includes the ferry is simpler: you would otherwise need your own way to Cape Jervis, 108 km from the city, and your own way around an island where Seal Bay is 96 km by road from the ferry.

The crossing

The SeaLink ferry crosses Backstairs Passage from Cape Jervis, at the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, to Penneshaw on the eastern end of Kangaroo Island in about 45 minutes. In a straight line the two terminals are about 18 km apart. The other way to the island is a short flight from Adelaide (SeaLink); no tour carded here includes one.

SeaLink brought a new vessel, Wanggami, into service on 27 October 2026 alongside SeaLion 2000, and warned of possible delays; it expects a new timetable with both new vessels in November 2026 (SeaLink, as of 4 November 2026). Check the sailing times when you book rather than relying on an older timetable.

The fares

SeaLink Kangaroo Island fares page, checked November 2026. SeaLink adds that variable pricing may apply by passenger demand and time of travel, so these are starting points, not quotes.

SeaLink adds a temporary fuel surcharge of A$5 per passenger and A$14 per vehicle each way to new bookings, not to resident or freight fares (SeaLink, checked November 2026). Price a car crossing with everyone in it on SeaLink’s booking page: the vehicle fare and the passenger fares are listed separately, and both vary by date.

Getting to Cape Jervis

Cape Jervis is 108 km by road from Adelaide Central Bus Station and about 107 km from Adelaide Airport, both about 1 h 35 without traffic (routed). On the coach day from Adelaide the coach covers that leg: hotel pickup in Adelaide, or meet at Adelaide Central Bus Station on Franklin Street. Untamed Escapes' 3-day camping tour uses SeaLink’s bus connection from Adelaide to Cape Jervis, with the return ferry included.

Tours with the ferry in the price, and without

Prices per person on GetYourGuide, checked November 2026, and on Viator, checked November 2026. Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.

For a day from Adelaide, the first two rows settle the coach and the ferry in one booking. The coach and ferry day includes a fuel surcharge of $5 per person per day in its price.

Check dates for the coach and ferry day