We want you to have an enjoyable and safe journey on board our ferry services.
Before planning a trip, please be mindful of the accessibility considerations and limitations when taking a journey by ferry and travelling with:
- Bikes
- Wheelchairs and mobility aids
- Luggage
- Prams, including buggies and strollers
- Disability assist dogs
If you have accessibility needs, please contact us before your trip or see one of our crew before boarding.
A journey by ferry
All passengers need to be able to board, move through the ferry, and disembark independently or with help from enough companions to support safe travel. Our crew are not able to physically assist passengers in the normal course of ferry sailings.
During a ferry journey, passengers need to be able to navigate:
- Stairs on wharves and inside the ferry cabins
- Lips and door thresholds on the gangways and in the ferry cabins
- Gangway ramps with variable gradients depending on tidal conditions. Ramps are especially steep at high tide.
- Movement and instability caused by the tide and weather on wharves, gangways on onboard ferries.
Some examples of our gangways below:
Bikes
Bikes can be taken onboard all ferries on a first-come, first-served basis as capacity allows. Passengers with bikes will be accepted in the order they are queuing at the gangway.
To support safe and timely travel with a bike:
- Be at the wharf ready to board at least 10 minutes before the timetabled departure time. An early arrival helps the crew to plan and leave on time.
- Load and unload your own bike from the ferry or with help from a companion. Our crew are not always able to assist with manual handling.
- Load and unload your bike on gangways only and store them on the top deck. Please keep bikes out of internal stairways.
Tandem and cargo bikes are too big to board and stow on our ferries, so cannot be taken onboard.
Wheelchairs and mobility aids
All East By West ferry services are inaccessible by wheelchair. This is because high steps and steep gangway ramps on the ferries and wharves make it unsafe for wheelchair users to board and disembark.
If you use a folding wheelchair or other type of mobility aid, and can board without using the aid, you must be accompanied by enough companions to support safe travel, including boarding, moving through the ferry and disembarking. Our crew are not able to physically assist passengers in the normal course of ferry sailings.
Accessible transport options between Wellington and Eastbourne include:
- Metlink’s route 83 bus service
To plan a journey, visit metlink.org.nz or call the Contact Centre on 0800 801 700. - Taxi services
A fare subsidy is available to Te Hunga Whaikaha Total Mobility cardholders. Please try to book your ride in advance and let the taxi company know if you need a wheelchair accessible vehicle. For more information, visit Te Hunga Whaikaha Total Mobility.
East By West is committed to working with our communities and partners to improve the accessibility of our services as opportunities present. This includes Greater Wellington on the design of our ferries, and wharf infrastructure improvements with Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council and the Department of Conservation.
Luggage
You are welcome to carry luggage onboard all ferries as long as they do not contain any hazardous substances.
Prams, including buggies and strollers
Prams, including buggies and strollers, can be taken onboard all our ferries.
To safely board children seated in a single pram:
- strap them in,
- have an adult present at either end of the pram for supervision,
- pull the pram backwards on and off the vessel.
Tandem buggies must be folded to fit on the gangway on boarding and disembarking. Children will need to be out of tandem buggies whilst boarding and disembarking.
While onboard the ferry all prams must be:
- folded while carried in the internal staircase
- have the break applied
- stored out of walkways on the top deck.
We recommend that you travel with gear stored in a bag rather than in your pram so it can be easily folded. Bring a rain cover if your pram does not fold to ensure it stays dry.
Disability assist dogs
Disability assist dogs are welcome onboard all our ferry services when accompanied by their disabled handler or a person supporting their training.
If planning to visit Mātiu/Somes Island with a disability assist dog, please be mindful of the special conditions that apply before travelling and while visiting this conservation land.
Before travelling contact the Department of Conservation to let them know of your plans to visit Mātiu/Somes Island with a disability assist dog. For contact details, visit the Department of Conservation’s website.