Bay Belle summer timetable, 25 September 2026 to 9 May 2027, every day
Map – Paihia – Russell Passenger Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, return (Bay Belle) | $19.40 |
| Child 5-14, return (Bay Belle) | $10.80 |
| Infant 0-4 | Free |
| Family, return: two adults and three children (Bay Belle) | $42.80 |
| Bicycle, one way (Bay Belle) | $5.90 |
Northland Ferries (Bay Belle) fares, bought at the ferry with cash, EFTPOS or credit card. Adult, child and family prices are for a return trip; Northland Ferries does not publish a one-way passenger price, and the bicycle charge is per one-way trip. Groups of more than 10 should contact the operator first. Its Frequent User and Resident cards also work on this ferry, each for the named holder only. The Blue Ferry, a separate company on the same crossing, sells its own tickets at its boat; they are not listed here. All fares in New Zealand dollars (NZD).
Paihia and Russell face each other across the inner Bay of Islands, but by road they are separated by the drive south to Opua and the vehicle ferry. For people on foot the direct link is a passenger boat between Paihia wharf and Russell wharf, a 15-minute run. The regular service is the Bay Belle, run by Northland Ferries, the same company that operates the Opua to Okiato car ferry. Northland Ferries' page also uses the town's Māori name, Kororāreka.
In the summer season the Bay Belle leaves Paihia on the half hour and Russell on the hour for most of the day, with two earlier boats in the morning and the last crossings late in the evening. Northland Ferries switched back to these summer hours in late September and says they run until 9 May. Outside that window a winter timetable applies; the Far North District Council notes that the 10:30 pm and 10:00 pm finishes are for September to May only. Two sailings from Russell, mid-morning and mid-afternoon, can stop at Waitangi if you ask.
Tickets are bought at the ferry rather than in advance, with cash, EFTPOS or a credit card. Adult, child and family prices are quoted as returns, under-fives are free and a bike pays per trip. Pets other than service dogs travel at the skipper's discretion, on a lead or in a carrier.
The Bay Belle is not the only boat. The Blue Ferry, a locally owned and operated company, publishes its own daytime crossings with a return fare close to the Bay Belle's. Its timetable and tickets are separate and the two are not combined here. The Otehei Bay ferry to Urupukapuka Island also calls at both wharves, but it is an island excursion, not a shuttle between the two towns. When the weather turns, check the Northland Ferries Facebook page, where the company posts when the Bay Belle has been withdrawn.
- Be at the wharf a few minutes before departure; vehicle loading usually closes earlier than walk-on boarding.
- Check the operator's service updates on the day — wind, swell and tide cancel or shift sailings, especially on exposed routes.
- Check which card or ticket the route takes: Auckland Transport's AT HOP works on some ferries and not on privately run ones.