Explore the best of Lyttelton and Diamond Harbour by ferry

City commuters and day trippers alike love the Diamond Harbour Ferry. Get away from it all in the space of the few minutes it takes to hop over Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour between Lyttelton Port and Diamond Harbour. There's space for all – wheelchairs, pushchairs, dogs, shopping, the lot. Make sure you've got your Metrocard for the best available fares.

Ferry fares

Ferry fares are cheaper when paying with a Metrocard, but you can still pay with cash. View all fares here.

Metrocard concession fares are also available in the ferry. If you hold a Community Services Card, are between 5-24 years old, or have a Total Mobility card, you are eligible to access cheaper fares with your Metrocard. Some concessions require pre-registration. You can view more details about all concessions here.

Children aged 0-4 travel for free at all times, and SuperGold Card holders are free during off peak times.

Transferring between the ferry and bus

Connecting Metro bus services to the ferry are the 8 Port to Port - Lyttelton to Airport and the 155 Lyttelton - Eastgate shopper service. We've designed the Route 8 (Lyttelton - City - Airport) bus timetable to connect with the ferry schedule. See PDF timetable for connections.

Catching the bus to the ferry

If you're catching the bus to the ferry and paying using a Metrocard, make sure you ask the driver at the beginning of your journey to charge the fare for the Ferry. This will give you free transfers between buses and the ferry within two hours and mean you don't pay extra.

If you're paying cash, pay the required bus fare. Then, when connecting with the ferry, another cash fare is required. There are no free transfers on the ferry when you are paying with cash. You can also pay a cash fare by EFTPOS card on the ferry.

Furthermore, if you are connecting to the Diamond Harbour Ferry and are worried about delays, let your driver know that you are connecting to the ferry as they can contact the skipper on the ferry.

Catching the ferry to the bus

If you're catching the ferry to the bus and paying using a Metrocard, you will pay the ferry fare at the start of your trip. This will give you free transfers onto the bus within two hours and mean you don't pay extra.

Ferry tickets paid by cash or EFTPOS do not come with a free transfer to the bus network. When you arrive in Lyttelton and board a bus you will need to pay for another ticket.