Council guideline timetable, undated. The council's 2025 tender notice treats it as the summer pattern (Easter Sunday to 31 October), which is the only source for the end date used here; council pages rechecked 16 October 2026, no winter times published · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~5 min
Frequency
every 30 min
Operator
Wyre Marine Services
Map – Fleetwood–Knott End Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, each way | £2.50 |
| Older passenger (OAP), each way | £2.50 |
| Child, each way | £2.50 |
| Child in pram, each way | £1.50 |
| Dog or bicycle, each way | £0.50 |
| Jet ski or boat launch, per launch | £10.00 |
| Annual launch membership, unlimited launches (April to April) | £60.00 |
Wyre Council's ferry page lists a flat £2.50 each way for adults, older passengers and children. Payment is cash only, because the operator takes no cards, and there are no concessionary fares and no vehicles. Prams, dogs, bikes and launch permits are priced separately. The council page carries no effective date for the prices, so check the notice boards at either landing if you are unsure. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
The Fleetwood to Knott End ferry is a foot-passenger boat across the tidal River Wyre, a gap of roughly 340 metres that takes about five minutes on the water and about 13 miles by road. It is run by Wyre Marine Services, a Fleetwood dredging company, and is paid for in part by public money: Wyre Council and Lancashire County Council each put in half of the annual subsidy. Only people, prams, dogs and bicycles go aboard; there is no vehicle deck and the council states that motor vehicles are not carried.
The ferry has had a difficult 2026. In the spring the council announced that the service would end on 15 April after its tender produced no compliant bids, and that notice is still on the council's ferry page. A funding agreement on 15 April kept the boat running through the summer, then a dispute between the two councils over extra money threatened to close it again at the end of September. On 29 and 30 September Lancashire County Council added a further £62,000 and both authorities announced that the ferry is secured until September 2027, with a longer contract still to be negotiated. The operator has also bought a smaller, faster vessel that can work closer to the sandbanks, and on 29 September it said it was recruiting crew and would be short-staffed over the following month.
Wyre Council describes its timetable as a guideline, not statutory times. When the ferry is operating it generally runs from 07:45 to 17:45, leaving Fleetwood at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour, with Knott End departures about five minutes later. That is the summer pattern: the council's tender defines summer as Easter Sunday to 31 October and says hours are reduced in winter, but no winter times have been published. It can be taken off for maintenance or bad weather, and the sailing day can be shortened at low water, so the Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry Facebook page is the place to check on the day. Because of that, this page labels its times as a sample rather than turning on a live countdown.
Fares are a flat £2.50 each way for adults, older passengers and children, paid in cash only, with 50p for a dog or bicycle and £1.50 for a child in a pram. The council warns that anyone infirm, disabled or using a wheelchair, pram or cycle may find boarding difficult at Fleetwood's ferry dock; the crew will help where they can, and it is sensible to speak to them before you board.
- 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
It is funded to run. Wyre Council and Lancashire County Council announced on 29-30 September 2026 that extra funding keeps it going until September 2027. The council's own ferry page still carries an older notice saying it would end on 15 April 2026, which has been overtaken by the April and September agreements. Sailings can still be shortened or missed, so check the ferry's Facebook page on the day.
£2.50 each way for an adult, older passenger or child, according to Wyre Council. A child in a pram is £1.50 and a dog or bicycle is 50p. The operator takes cash only and does not accept cards.
When it is operating, generally from 07:45 to 17:45, with sailings at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour from Fleetwood and about five minutes later from Knott End. The council calls this a guideline, not a fixed timetable. The council's tender treats it as the summer pattern (Easter Sunday to 31 October) and says hours are reduced in winter, but the winter times are not published.
No. Wyre Council states that the ferry carries no motor vehicles. Foot passengers, prams, dogs and bicycles are accepted, and a jet ski or boat launch costs £10.
About five minutes for a crossing of around 340 metres. By road the same journey is roughly 13 miles, so the ferry saves a long drive round the estuary.
Not always. Wyre Council says it is sometimes taken off for maintenance or bad weather, and the operator has said a faster boat is being fitted out because it can work closer to the sandbanks at lower water levels. Check the Facebook page before setting out.
Access is limited. The council warns that anyone infirm, disabled or with wheelchairs, prams or cycles may struggle to get on and off at Fleetwood ferry dock. The crew will help where possible, so speak to them before boarding.
The service is meant to run all year, but Wyre Council's tender says hours are reduced in the winter months and no winter times have been published. It is also not known whether the boat will take a winter maintenance break: it was withdrawn over winter and returned on 17 April 2025, according to local press. Check the Fleetwood to Knott End Ferry Facebook page or the noticeboards at the landings before you travel.