Daily hourly timetable (Otago Regional Council and operator), every day except Christmas Day
Map – Queenstown Ferry (Frankton)
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Single trip, any age 5+, Bee Card | $10.00 |
| Single trip, any age 5+, contactless bank card | $14.00 |
| Child under 5 (no Bee Card needed) | Free |
| Dog on a short lead, with a fare-paying passenger | Free |
One-way fares only, paid on board to the skipper by tagging a Bee Card that already has credit ($10) or a contactless bank card ($14). Cash is not accepted. The operator and the council both say there are no concessions on the ferry: children aged 5 and over, youth, Community Connect and SuperGold travellers pay the full fare, and only under-5s ride free. Bee Cards cost $5 plus a $5 minimum top-up (council figures) and can be bought or topped up at the Watersports kiosk at Queenstown Bay, at Hilton reception, from Bee Card retailers or online, but not on the boat. The council says free Bee Card transfers do not apply to or from ferries. Old Queenstown Ferries concession cards are no longer honoured. All fares in New Zealand dollars (NZD).
Orbus Ferries is the passenger boat on Queenstown's public transport network: the Otago Regional Council lists it with the Orbus buses, and its public holiday page calls it Route 6, Hilton/Kelvin Heights to and from Queenstown. The website footer credits Watersports Ltd with running it. Boats leave from the kiosk at Steamer Wharf in Queenstown Bay, cross Lake Wakatipu to Bayview jetty at Kelvin Heights, then enter the Frankton Arm to call at Frankton Marina and finish at the Hilton jetty near Kawarau Village. Timetabled running time is 10 minutes from Queenstown Bay to the marina and 20 minutes to the Hilton.
The timetable is a simple clock-face pattern published by both the operator and the council: one boat an hour from Queenstown Bay, first around breakfast time and last in the late evening, and one an hour back from the Hilton, calling at the marina five minutes later. The council's page describes it as hourly and lists every departure, and the operator says the service runs daily. Frankton Marina and Bayview are request stops, so passengers there wait on the wharf and wave to the skipper as the boat nears the 5-knot buoys, using a phone light after dark.
Paying works differently from the buses. There is no cash on board: you either tag a Bee Card for $10 or pay $14 by contactless bank card, one way. Bee Cards cannot be bought or topped up on the boat, only at the Watersports kiosk on Steamer Wharf, at Hilton reception or through Bee Card retailers and the website. The bus concessions do not apply, so children from five, students and SuperGold holders all pay the adult fare, under-fives ride free, and there is no free transfer between the ferry and the buses.
The vessels are small. The operator quotes 25 to 35 passengers depending on the boat, says there are no toilets or food on board, and warns that once a boat is full nobody else can board. Bicycles are not carried and the ferries are not wheelchair accessible as standard, while dogs on a short lead and folded pushchairs are fine. Delays and cancellations are posted on the Orbus Ferries Facebook page.
- 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.