2026 season timetable (standard 1-boat grid); the operator's X account gave 30 September 2026 as the last day · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full timetable
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~30 min
Operator
Western Lady Ferry Service
Map – Torquay to Brixham Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, single | £8.50 |
| Adult, return | £12.50 |
| Child (3-15), single | £6.50 |
| Child (3-15), return | £10.00 |
| Under 3s (ticket required, free of charge) | Free |
| Family ticket (2 adults + up to 3 children) | £42.00 |
| Dog | £3.00 |
| Bicycle | £5.00 |
Prices as printed on the operator's 2026 season leaflet and matched against the fares list on westernladyferry.com, re-checked 16 October 2026 with no change. Tickets are sold only at the harbourside kiosks in Torquay and Brixham on the day of travel; there is no online booking for the shuttle crossing itself. Under-3s travel free but still need a ticket. A family ticket covers two adults and up to three children. These are 2026 season fares; no 2027 fares are published yet. All fares in pounds sterling (GBP).
The Western Lady Ferry has carried passengers across Tor Bay between Torquay and Brixham for around 80 years, and it remains a foot-passenger crossing only — there is no vehicle deck. Boats leave from departure point E, 6 Vaughan Parade, on Torquay harbour, and land at New Pier in Brixham, a short walk from the town's fish market and Golden Hind replica. The crossing itself takes about 30 minutes and gives one of the better views of the English Riviera coastline, with a light commentary from the skipper pointing out landmarks along the way.
The service is run under the Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company umbrella, using two vessels, the Dart Venturer and the Dittisham Princess. Outside school holidays a standard '1 boat service' pattern runs five return sailings a day; during school holidays and special events a second boat is added, roughly doubling the number of crossings and shortening the gap between them to around 30-45 minutes. Tickets are sold only at the harbourside kiosks on the day of travel, with no online booking for the shuttle crossing, and dogs and bicycles are carried for a small extra charge.
The ferry is seasonal. Western Lady's own X account gave 30 September 2026 as the last day of the 2026 season, and in the final weeks the operator's website warned that Friday sailings were suspended and that the last Monday crossing had run on 14 September. When we checked on 16 October 2026 the website showed no 2027 dates, so there is no published return date; the times on this page are the 2026 season's and are not running now. The operator points passengers to its Facebook and X accounts for day-to-day running rather than reprinting its timetable. The same Torquay and Brixham kiosks also sell tickets for connected day trips — a Dartmouth Day Cruise and the 'Sea Train' combination with the Kingswear-Paignton steam railway — which run on selected dates from April to the end of September and are a different product from the plain Torquay-Brixham crossing.
- 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
No. Probably not: the company's X account said the ferry would run until 30 September 2026, though the post could not be re-read and the website points to its social media for October sailings; and in its last weeks Friday sailings were suspended and the last Monday sailing was 14 September. At our last check on 16 October 2026, westernladyferry.com listed no 2027 dates, so no return date is published. Contact the operator on 01803 293797 for updates.
An adult single is £8.50 and a return £12.50. Children aged 3-15 pay £6.50 single or £10.00 return; under-3s travel free but still need a ticket. A family ticket for two adults and up to three children is £42.00. Dogs cost £3.00 and bicycles £5.00.
About 30 minutes each way across Tor Bay, according to the operator.
From departure point E, 6 Vaughan Parade, Torquay (postcode TQ2 5EQ) and from New Pier in Brixham harbour (TQ5 8AJ), both a short walk from the town centres.
No. It is a foot-passenger boat only; it carries walkers, plus bicycles and dogs for an extra charge, but there is no vehicle deck.
In the 2026 season, outside school holidays, a single boat runs five return sailings a day, roughly every 90 minutes between about 09:45 and 17:00. In school holidays and special events a second boat is added, cutting the gap to around 30-45 minutes.
No. Tickets for the Torquay-Brixham crossing are sold only at the harbourside kiosks in Torquay and Brixham on the day of travel.