Operator's hours, read on 28 September 2026: Monday to Friday 06:30-22:00; Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 08:00-22:00. The chain ferry runs continuously on demand, so there is no fixed timetable and no booking. · Sailings shown by frequency — exact times from the operator. · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Map – Reedham Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Pedestrian | £0.50 |
| Pedestrian with cycle | £1.00 |
| Motorcycle | £2.50 |
| Car or light van including passengers, single | £5.00 |
| Car or light van including passengers, day return | £8.00 |
| Lorry or motorhome (over 3,500 kg) | £7.00 |
| Trailer or caravan | £2.50 |
| Minimum fare | £1.50 |
| Multi-card, 10 trips | £32.00 |
Charges and information sheet published by the operator in 2026 (image uploaded 29 May 2026). Cash and cards are accepted. Cyclists must dismount before boarding and there is no smoking on board. Maximum weight is seven tonnes, tide depending, and the ferry carries up to two cars at a time. The sheet lists a multi-card of ten trips for £32 without saying which vehicle it covers. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
The Reedham ferry is a vehicle chain ferry over the River Yare in Norfolk, hauled across on chains between two banks a few dozen metres apart. It is run by the Archer family from the Reedham Ferry Inn, which the family says it took over in 1949, and the operator describes it as the only crossing point of the river between Norwich and Great Yarmouth, saving a detour of more than thirty miles. This page is about the crossing, not the pub, touring park or fishing lakes that share the name.
There is no timetable. The ferry shuttles on demand during its operating hours, which the operator gives as 06:30 to 22:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 22:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, and it says plainly that no booking is needed. The vessel currently in use was built in 1984 and carries up to two cars at a time. Pedestrians pay 50p, a pedestrian with a bicycle £1 (cyclists must dismount to board), a motorcycle £2.50, and a car or light van including its passengers £5 single or £8 for a day return, according to the operator's 2026 charges sheet. Cash and cards are both accepted.
The limits are worth knowing before you arrive with anything heavy. The maximum weight is seven tonnes, and the operator's own sheet adds 'tide depending'. Agricultural vehicles are capped at 7 tonnes including any attachments, and the operator on duty makes the final call, because high or low tides change whether a ferry carrying ballast can take a given load. A lorry or motorhome over 3,500 kg is charged £7 and a trailer or caravan £2.50.
The ferry has to come out of the water every four to five years for a hull check, and the operator notes that locals then face a drive of thirty miles or more. The chain ferry page says the ferry is currently operational, and no closure is published. If you are planning a drive with a large vehicle or a tight deadline, ring the touring park office on 01493 700999.
- 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.