Monday-Saturday pattern, year-round — checked 15 September 2026 · Sailings shown by frequency — exact times from the operator. · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~3 min
Operator
Dartmouth Higher Ferry (DKFBC)
Map – Dartmouth Higher Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Foot passenger (including cyclists), single | £1.00 |
| Motorcycle (including sidecars), single | £4.00 |
| Car or passenger vehicle up to 8 seats, single | £8.90 |
| Car or passenger vehicle up to 8 seats, same-day return | £15.50 |
| Light goods vehicle (up to 3,500kg MAM), single | £8.90 |
| Mini bus (9-20 passengers), single | £11.50 |
| Goods vehicle (3,500-7,500kg MAM), single | £11.50 |
| Coach (21+ passengers, up to 18,000kg MAM), single | £36.00 |
| HGV (7,500-18,000kg MAM), single | £32.00 |
The Higher Ferry is cashless: it does not accept cash or cheques. Foot passengers, cyclists and drivers pay by contactless credit or debit card, collected by a crew member as you cross — there is nothing to buy in advance for a one-off trip. Regular users can instead buy a Concession Card onboard (10, 20 or 40-journey books, valid 12 months) and top it up online at dkfb.co.uk, saving up to 61% on cars and up to 74% on the largest commuter book; businesses running several vehicles can apply for a Fleet Card. A same-day return is only published as a fixed fare for cars and light goods vehicles — other vehicle types are charged the single fare each way. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
The Dartmouth Higher Ferry is a chain (cable) ferry — locally still called the Floating Bridge — that carries the A379 across the River Dart between Dartmouth and Kingswear in Devon. It is operated today by DKFBC Ltd, trading as Dartmouth Higher Ferry, at dkfb.co.uk. Crossing takes about three minutes, and using it saves drivers roughly 25 miles and 50 minutes compared with the inland road route around Totnes.
Dartmouth has three separate river crossings, and confusing them causes real problems because tickets are not interchangeable. The Higher Ferry, covered here, is the northern, vehicle-carrying chain ferry that lands at a dedicated slip on the A379 near the Royal Naval College (TQ6 9PH) and at Bridge Road, Kingswear (TQ6 0DZ). The Lower Ferry crosses further south, from the town centre near Dartmouth's South Embankment, and is owned and run separately — a Lower Ferry ticket will not work on the Higher Ferry, and vice versa. The Passenger Ferry is a third, foot-passengers-only service between the two town centres.
A ferry has crossed here since at least 1365, with a purpose-built floating bridge dating to 1829; the crossing moved from chains to wire ropes in 1912, and the current vessel — built by Pendennis of Falmouth — entered service in 2009. The ferry now runs cashless: payment on board is by contactless credit or debit card only, taken by a crew member as vehicles and foot passengers cross. Regular users can buy a Concession Card on board and top it up online for savings of up to 61% on cars and up to 74% on the largest commuter book, and businesses can apply for a Fleet Card.
Vehicles up to 18 tonnes are accepted, including a double-decker bus, but tri-axle coaches and vehicles carrying loose gas cylinders or fuel are turned away. The operator has flagged its next scheduled maintenance refit for 18 January-1 February 2027 — announced well in advance and still in early planning, so it does not affect the service through 2026.
- 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
This page covers the Higher Ferry, the vehicle-carrying chain ferry on the A379 north of the town, landing near the Royal Naval College (TQ6 9PH) in Dartmouth and on Bridge Road (TQ6 0DZ) in Kingswear. The Lower Ferry crosses further south from Dartmouth town centre and is a separate operation with its own tickets — a Higher Ferry ticket cannot be used on it, and there is also a foot-passengers-only Passenger Ferry between the two town centres.
Paying on board by card: foot passenger or cyclist £1.00, motorcycle £4.00, car (up to 8 seats) £8.90 single or £15.50 same-day return, mini bus or goods vehicle up to 7.5 tonnes £11.50, coach £36.00, and HGV up to 18 tonnes £32.00.
No. The ferry is cashless and does not accept cash or cheques. Payment is by contactless credit or debit card only, collected by a crew member as you cross, or by a pre-loaded Concession Card for regular users.
Yes. A Concession Card, bought on board and topped up online, offers books of 10, 20 or 40 journeys valid for 12 months, saving up to 61% on a car crossing and up to 74% on the largest 40-trip commuter book. Businesses with several vehicles can apply for a Fleet Card instead.
It runs 7 days a week, all year: Monday-Saturday 06:30-22:45, Sunday and bank/public holidays 08:00-22:45, with shorter hours on Christmas Day (09:00-14:45), Boxing Day (08:00-20:45) and New Year's Day (09:00-18:45).
The operator does not publish a fixed interval in minutes. It is a continuous chain-ferry shuttle making a roughly 3-minute crossing back and forth, so waits at busy times are generally short, but no exact 'every X minutes' timetable is issued.
Yes, it takes cars, vans, motorcycles, minibuses, coaches and HGVs up to 18 tonnes maximum authorised mass, and is built to carry a double-decker bus. Tri-axle coaches are not permitted, and loose fuel or Calor/propane cylinders are not carried.
No — the operator's homepage showed 'Service running to normal timetable' on 15 September 2026. It has, however, announced preliminary dates of 18 January-1 February 2027 for its next annual maintenance refit, in early planning and not affecting the current 2026 service.