Summer timetable, 1 April to 31 October 2026, daily; individual low-tide cancellations are announced by the operator · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~30 min
Operator
Plymouth Boat Trips
Map – Cawsand Ferry (Plymouth)
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, single | £6.50 |
| Child (3-15), single | £3.50 |
| Child (2 and under) | Free |
| Bicycle, single | £3.00 |
| Dog (well behaved) | Free |
Single fares only, as published on the operator's page and April 2026 leaflet: adult £6.50, child (3 to 15) £3.50, bicycle £3.00, children of 2 and under and well-behaved dogs free. Tickets can be bought online only for the day of travel (they do not guarantee a crossing time and are non-refundable) or by cash or card on boarding. The operator's Waterlink eWallet takes 10% off ferry fares across its network. Sailings are first-come, first-served. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
The Cawsand Ferry is the seasonal Plymouth Boat Trips boat that links the Barbican Landing Stage, beside the Mayflower Steps, to Cawsand Beach on the Rame Peninsula in Cornwall. The operator times the crossing at 30 minutes and says the route has run for over a hundred years. Cawsand and its neighbour Kingsand are the two villages on the Cornish side that the operator names as the destination.
For 2026 the service runs daily from 1 April to Saturday 31 October, so it is close to closing for the year. The timetable is the same every day: six sailings from the Barbican at 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00 and 16:30, and six from Cawsand Beach at 09:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30 and 17:00. The last boat back to Plymouth therefore leaves Cawsand at 17:00. The operator's leaflet and website both say every crossing is subject to weather, tide and circumstances.
Tide is the practical catch. At Cawsand Beach passengers board and land over a removable ramp or footway, and the leaflet warns that this can be challenging and that the crew can refuse access if it cannot be done safely. On low-tide days the operator drops individual sailings, for example the 13:30 and 14:00 crossings on 28 September and the midday pair on 10 and 11 October 2026, and lists them on its service updates page, sometimes a fortnight ahead. This page loads the published dates automatically. The boat is not wheelchair accessible, though crew will help less able-bodied passengers.
Only single fares are sold: £6.50 for an adult, £3.50 for a child aged 3 to 15, £3.00 for a bicycle, and free for under-threes and well-behaved dogs. It is first-come, first-served. Tickets bought online are valid only for the day of travel and do not guarantee a particular sailing, are non-refundable, and can also be replaced by cash or card on board. If the boat is not running, the operator suggests the number 70 bus to Cremyll and a connection on its Waterlink ferry.
- Arrive at the slipway a few minutes before departure; vehicle queues build quickly in summer.
- Check the operator's notices before travelling — tides, weather and maintenance affect sailings.
- Confirm accepted payment methods: several crossings are contactless-only.
Frequently asked questions
The operator's page says the seasonal service runs from 1 April 2026 to Saturday 31 October 2026, so Saturday 31 October is the last day. (Its printed leaflet says 'Friday 31st October', but 31 October 2026 is a Saturday.) No 2027 dates have been published.
From the Barbican Landing Stage: 09:00, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30, 15:00 and 16:30. From Cawsand Beach: 09:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30 and 17:00. The operator lists the same timetable daily, subject to weather, tide and circumstances.
Single fares only: £6.50 adult, £3.50 child (3 to 15), £3.00 bicycle. Children of 2 and under travel free and well-behaved dogs sail free. Cash and card are accepted on board and tickets can be booked online for the day of travel.
About 30 minutes, according to the operator's leaflet and website.
Passengers board at Cawsand Beach over a removable ramp or footway, and the operator names low tide as the reason it cannot run particular crossings. It announces the affected crossings on its service updates page; for example the 13:30 Barbican and 14:00 Cawsand sailings on 28 September 2026, and the 12:00 and 12:30 sailings on 10 and 11 October.
Only for the same day. Tickets can be bought online up to and including the day of travel, they are non-refundable, and they do not guarantee a crossing time, because sailings are first-come, first-served.
Check the operator's service updates page. If the ferry has stopped, it suggests the number 70 bus to Cremyll and the Waterlink ferry to complete the journey.
No. The operator says its ferries are not wheelchair accessible; crew can help less able-bodied passengers to board, alight and during the trip, and the removable beach ramp at Cawsand can be hard to use.