Andaman Ferry Guide: Routes, Timings, Tickets, Prices & Booking Tips

Andaman Ferry Guide

Ferries are the part of an Andaman trip that people plan last and worry about most.

That is the wrong way round. The islands are spread across the sea, and ferries are the only way to move between them. There is no bridge to Havelock and no airport on Neil Island. If your ferry is not booked, your trip is not booked.

The good news is that it is simple once you understand it. There are three main routes, two kinds of ferry, and about four things you need to get right. This guide covers all of them — routes, timings, ticket prices, how to book, and the mistakes that cost people a day of their holiday.

One important note before you read on. Ferry timings and fares in the Andamans change with the season, the weather and the operator. Everything in this guide is a realistic range to help you plan. Always check the live schedule for your exact travel dates before you book anything.

Andaman Ferry Routes: Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island

Almost every trip uses the same small set of routes. Here they are.

Route	Journey Time (Private Ferry)	How Often
Port Blair to Havelock (Swaraj Dweep)	About 1.5 – 2 hours	Several sailings daily
Havelock to Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep)	About 1 – 1.5 hours	Usually 1 – 2 daily
Neil Island to Port Blair	About 1.5 – 2 hours	Usually 1 – 2 daily
Port Blair to Neil Island	About 1.5 – 2 hours	Usually 1 – 2 daily
Havelock to Port Blair	About 1.5 – 2 hours	Several sailings daily

Port Blair is the hub. Your flight lands there, and both jetties are there, so every island journey starts and ends in Port Blair.

The most common trip shape is a simple loop. Port Blair to Havelock Island, then Havelock to Neil Island, then Neil Island back to Port Blair. Three crossings in total. You never repeat a leg, and you never waste a day.

Boats to Ross Island and North Bay

These are different. Ross Island and North Bay Island are short harbour trips from Port Blair, not inter-island ferries.

They run on small boats from the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex jetty, take roughly 15 to 30 minutes, and usually leave in the morning. Most travellers do both in a single half-day trip. You book these locally or through your operator, not on the ferry websites.

Local Expert Tip: Do not try to fit Ross Island into the same day you take a ferry to Havelock. The boat timings and the ferry timings do not line up, and people who try this usually end up missing one of them.

Andaman Ferry Travel Time: How Long Each Crossing Takes

Travel time is the thing that shapes your day, so it is worth knowing exactly.

Crossing	Private Ferry	Government Ferry	Add for Boarding
Port Blair to Havelock	1.5 – 2 hours	2.5 – 4 hours	1 hour before departure
Havelock to Neil Island	1 – 1.5 hours	1.5 – 2.5 hours	45 minutes before departure
Neil Island to Port Blair	1.5 – 2 hours	2.5 – 4 hours	45 minutes before departure

The number people forget is the last column. A 1.5 hour crossing is really a 3 hour block once you add reaching the jetty, boarding, and getting to your hotel at the other end. Plan the day around that, not around the sailing time alone.

Andaman Ferry Timings and Schedule

Here is the honest version: exact departure times change through the year, so no guide can give you a fixed timetable that stays correct.

What does stay consistent is the pattern. Ferries sail in three rough bands.

Time Band	Typical Sailings	Best Used For
Early morning (around 6am – 9am)	Port Blair to Havelock, Havelock to Neil	Getting a full day on the island you arrive at
Midday (around 11am – 2pm)	Port Blair to Havelock, Neil to Port Blair	A relaxed start, or connecting after a late flight
Afternoon (around 2pm – 4pm)	Havelock to Port Blair, Neil to Port Blair	Returning on your last island day

Two rules matter more than the exact times.

Take the morning ferry when you are travelling towards the beaches. A morning crossing to Havelock means you reach by late morning, check in, and still get the full afternoon and sunset. An afternoon crossing costs you that entire day.

Take the later ferry when you are heading back. There is no reason to leave Neil Island at 7am if your flight is at 4pm. Ask for the midday sailing instead and enjoy one more morning on the beach.

Traveller insight: The single most common ferry mistake we see is booking the Havelock crossing for the same day someone lands in Port Blair. If your flight is delayed even slightly, you miss the sailing, and there is often nothing left that day. We put arrival day and ferry day apart wherever the itinerary allows.

For a fuller picture of how weather changes sailings through the year, our guide to the best time to visit the Andamans covers each season.

Andaman Ferry Ticket Prices

Ferry fares depend on the operator, the class you pick, and whether you choose a private cruise or the government ferry.

Route	Private Ferry (Per Person, One Way)	Government Ferry (Per Person, One Way)
Port Blair to Havelock	About ₹1,000 – ₹2,200	About ₹500 – ₹700
Havelock to Neil Island	About ₹900 – ₹1,800	About ₹400 – ₹600
Neil Island to Port Blair	About ₹1,000 – ₹2,200	About ₹500 – ₹700
Port Blair to Neil Island	About ₹1,000 – ₹2,200	About ₹500 – ₹700

The range inside each private ferry comes from the class. Most operators sell a standard economy seat and a higher class with more legroom, and sometimes a premium or lounge class above that. The boat is the same; the seat is different.

For a round trip covering all three islands, budget roughly ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 per person on private ferries, or around ₹1,500 on government ferries.

Traveller insight: People often try to save money on ferries and then regret it. The saving on a full trip is around ₹2,000 to ₹3,000 per person. What you give up is speed, comfort and reliability on the days that hold your whole itinerary together. If you are going to economise somewhere, the hotel is usually a better place than the boat.

Government Ferry vs Private Ferry in Andaman

This is the choice most travellers ask about, so here it is plainly.

Factor	Private Ferry	Government Ferry
Journey time	1.5 – 2 hours	2.5 – 4 hours
Comfort	Air-conditioned, assigned seats	Basic, often open seating
Price	₹1,000 – ₹2,200	₹400 – ₹700
Booking	Online, weeks in advance	Mostly at counters, limited advance
Reliability	Generally punctual	Timings can shift
Best for	Almost every traveller on a fixed itinerary	Backpackers with flexible dates

The honest recommendation for most people is the private ferry. Not because the government ferry is bad, but because of how it is sold. Government ferry tickets are largely handled through local counters with limited advance booking, which is difficult to manage from the mainland and risky when your hotel is already paid for.

The cheapest ferry in Andaman is the government one. The most practical one, for a traveller with a fixed six-day plan, is the private one.

Local Expert Tip: If a package quote looks unusually cheap, ask which ferry it uses. Some budget operators quietly put you on the government ferry, which means longer crossings and less certainty. It is not wrong, but you should know before you pay, not after.

Best Ferry from Port Blair to Havelock: Makruzz, Nautika and Green Ocean

Three private operators run the main routes. Travellers ask constantly which is best, and the honest answer is that they are more similar than different.

Operator	Type	What Stands Out	Worth Knowing
Makruzz	Air-conditioned catamaran	Long-established, well known, multiple classes	Very popular — usually sells out first
Nautika	Air-conditioned catamaran	Modern vessel, comfortable seating	Often has seats when Makruzz is full
Green Ocean	Air-conditioned ferry	Some sailings have open-deck access	Good if you enjoy being outside on the crossing

All three are safe, air-conditioned, and take roughly the same time. All three sell out in peak season.

So the real answer to “which ferry is best in Andaman” is this: the best ferry is the one whose departure time fits your plan on that day. Choosing an operator first and then bending your itinerary around it is backwards.

Nautika vs Makruzz: The Comparison People Ask For Most

These two get compared more than any other pair, so here it is directly.

Point of Comparison	Makruzz	Nautika
Vessel	Air-conditioned catamaran	Air-conditioned catamaran, newer fleet
Travel time	About 1.5 – 2 hours to Havelock	About 1.5 – 2 hours to Havelock
Seating classes	Multiple, including premium options	Multiple, including premium options
Availability	Books out earliest — highest demand	Often has seats when Makruzz is full
Recognition	The most established name on the route	Newer, increasingly popular

The honest verdict: there is no meaningful winner. Both are comfortable, both are safe, both take the same time. Makruzz has the stronger name and sells out first. Nautika is the one that usually still has seats when you book late.

If both have a sailing that suits your day, pick either. If only one does, pick that one and stop researching — the difference is much smaller than the internet suggests.

Traveller insight: Couples often want the open deck on Green Ocean for the views and the photos. It is genuinely lovely on a calm day. But if anyone in your group gets seasick, book the enclosed air-conditioned cabin instead — the open deck feels much worse in choppy water.

How to Book Ferry Tickets in Andaman (Online and Offline)

Here is the part that decides whether your trip runs smoothly.

Andaman ferry ticket booking online is straightforward for private operators — you choose the route, date, sailing and seat class, enter passenger details, and pay by card or UPI. Government ferry tickets are the harder part, since they are mostly sold through counters in Port Blair with limited advance sale. That single difference is why most travellers on a fixed plan end up on private ferries.

Booking Method	How It Works	Best For
Through your tour operator	Booked with your hotels, matched to your itinerary	Most travellers — nothing to manage yourself
Operator websites (online)	Book directly with Makruzz, Nautika or Green Ocean	Independent travellers planning their own trip
Government ferry counters	Bought locally in Port Blair, limited advance sale	Flexible budget travellers already on the islands

How Early to Book Andaman Ferry Tickets

Most people book flights, then hotels, then ferries. That order causes problems, because ferries are the thing that sells out first.

Do it this way instead:

1. Decide your itinerary — which islands, how many nights on each
2. Book or confirm your ferries for those dates
3. Book hotels around the ferry timings
4. Book flights that give you a buffer on arrival day

When You Travel	Book Ferries This Far Ahead
December, January, Valentine’s week	60 days
November, February, March	45 days
April, May, October	30 days
June to September (monsoon)	15 – 20 days, with flexible dates

Local Expert Tip: Private ferries genuinely fill up in peak season. A hotel can usually be swapped at short notice — a sold-out sailing cannot. If you only book one thing early on this trip, make it the ferries.

What You Need to Book

Keep these ready. Every passenger needs a valid government photo ID, and the name on the ticket must match it exactly. Foreign nationals need passport details at the time of booking.

Carry a printed or downloaded copy of the ticket. Mobile signal at the jetty is not always reliable, and you do not want to be searching your email while the queue moves.

Ferry Boarding: What Happens on the Day

The process is straightforward once you know it.

Step	What to Do
Reach the jetty early	45 – 60 minutes before departure; longer in peak season
Check the right jetty	Private cruises and government ferries usually leave from different jetties in Port Blair — your ticket will say which
Security and ID check	Photo ID for every passenger, matching the ticket
Luggage	Handed over or screened before boarding
Boarding	Usually 20 – 30 minutes before departure

Ferries do not wait. If the sailing leaves at 8am and you arrive at 7:55am, you will most likely watch it go. This is the single most expensive mistake possible on an Andaman trip, because the next available seat may be the following day.

Local Expert Tip: On the morning of a ferry, leave your hotel 30 minutes earlier than feels necessary. Port Blair traffic near the jetties gets slow in peak season, and there is no recovering from a missed sailing.

Andaman Ferry Luggage Rules

Private ferries usually allow around 20 to 25 kg of check-in luggage per person, plus a small cabin bag. Exact limits vary by operator, so check your ticket.

A few practical points. Keep valuables, medicines and phones in your cabin bag, not in checked luggage. Snorkelling gear and dive equipment are usually fine, but heavier sets may count towards your limit. And if you are carrying more than the allowance, tell the operator in advance rather than at the counter.

Traveller insight: Many hotels in Port Blair will store a bag for you while you island-hop. If you are doing five nights across three islands, leaving one large suitcase behind and travelling with a smaller bag makes every ferry day noticeably easier.

Seasickness: How to Handle the Crossing

Most crossings between Port Blair, Havelock and Neil are smooth, especially between November and March. But the sea can get choppy, particularly from June onwards.

If you or anyone in your group is prone to motion sickness, a few things genuinely help.

Take medication about an hour before departure rather than after you feel unwell. Sit on the lower deck and towards the middle of the boat, where movement is least. Look at the horizon rather than down at your phone. Eat something light before the trip, since an empty stomach makes it worse. And choose the enclosed air-conditioned cabin over the open deck on a rough day.

Local Expert Tip: The Havelock to Neil crossing is usually the calmest of the three, and Port Blair to Havelock is the longest exposure to open water. If someone in your group is very sensitive, plan the longest crossing for a morning sailing — the sea is generally calmer earlier in the day.

Weather and Cancellations

Ferries in the Andamans are weather-dependent. This matters most during the monsoon months.

Season	Sea Conditions	Cancellation Risk
November – February	Calm and clear	Very low
March – May	Generally calm, warmer	Low
June – September	Rough, monsoon	Moderate — timings can shift or sailings pause
October	Settling after monsoon	Low

Cancellation and refund rules differ between operators, and they are usually stricter than people expect. Cancelling a few days ahead often carries a charge, and same-day cancellations may not be refundable at all. Read the rules on your ticket before you book, especially if your dates might change.

If a sailing is cancelled due to weather, operators generally reschedule or refund. What they cannot do is give you back the day. That is why travelling June to September needs flexibility built into the plan.

Andaman Ferry Cancellation and Refund Policy

Cancellation rules are stricter than most travellers expect, and they differ between operators. Read them on your ticket before you pay, especially if your dates might move.

Situation	What Usually Happens
You cancel well in advance	Refund with a cancellation charge deducted
You cancel close to departure	Higher charge, often a large share of the fare
You cancel on the day	Frequently non-refundable
You miss the sailing	Treated as a no-show — no refund
Operator cancels for weather	Reschedule on the next available sailing, or a refund
Name or ID mismatch at boarding	Boarding refused, treated as a no-show

Two practical points. Ferry tickets are usually non-transferable, so the name on the ticket must match the ID exactly — a spelling error is not a small problem. And date changes are often handled as a cancellation plus a fresh booking rather than a simple swap.

Traveller insight: This is a strong argument for booking ferries through your operator rather than yourself. When a sailing is cancelled or a plan shifts, someone in Port Blair can rebook you on the next available boat and adjust the hotels to match. Doing that from the mainland, on the day, is much harder.

Andaman Ferry Booking for Honeymoon and Family Trips

The ferry plan should change depending on who is travelling.

Traveller Type	Ferry Advice
Honeymoon couples	Morning ferry to Havelock, later ferry back — protects both sunsets
Families with young kids	Enclosed cabin, lower deck, avoid the earliest sailing if possible
Senior travellers	Private ferry only; jetty steps and long queues are harder on the government route
Groups of 6 or more	Book all seats together well ahead — split groups across sailings is common when booked late
Divers	Plan your last ferry with the no-fly gap in mind after your final dive

Andaman Ferry Booking for Honeymoon Couples

For a honeymoon, the ferry timings quietly decide how romantic the trip feels.

Take the morning sailing to Havelock. You reach by late morning, check in, and still get the full afternoon and the Radhanagar sunset on your first day there. Then take a later sailing back, so your final island morning is spent on the beach rather than at a jetty.

Book a higher seat class if it is available. It costs a little more and makes the crossing feel like part of the holiday instead of a transfer.

Andaman Ferry Booking for Families

For families, the priority is a calm crossing and a sane wake-up time.

Choose the enclosed air-conditioned cabin and sit on the lower deck towards the middle, where the boat moves least. Skip the earliest sailing if you can — waking small children at 4:30am starts the day badly for everyone. Carry water, a snack and motion sickness medicine in your cabin bag, since checked luggage is not accessible during the crossing.

Traveller insight: For families, the 6am ferry looks efficient on paper and rarely works in practice. We usually put families on the midday sailing and accept the slightly shorter first afternoon. Everyone arrives in a better mood, which matters more than the extra two hours.

Sample Package Inclusions

If you book a package rather than arranging ferries yourself, this is what should be covered.

Inclusion	What It Actually Means
Hotels	Stays in Port Blair, Havelock and Neil Island in your chosen category
Ferry tickets	All inter-island crossings on private cruises, booked in advance
Airport transfers	Pickup and drop at Port Blair airport, timed to your flight
Sightseeing	Private AC vehicle — you leave when you are ready
Breakfast	Daily breakfast at every hotel
Local assistance	A team in the Andamans you can call if a sailing changes

The ferry piece is the main reason packages exist. Booking a hotel yourself is easy. Getting three ferry crossings, three hotels and two flights to line up correctly is where independent trips go wrong.

Why Book with AndamanTravelCare

What We Offer	Why It Matters
Government licensed	A registered operator, not a middleman passing your booking along
Local team in the Andamans	We book against this week’s real sailing schedule, not an old timetable
Transparent pricing	You know which ferry and which class you are on before you pay
Custom itineraries	Built around ferry timings that suit your group, not a fixed template
24/7 on-ground support	If a sailing is cancelled, someone local is already fixing it
Reviews and recognition	AATO member with hundreds of verified Google and TripAdvisor reviews

About the Author

Fawziya Co–Founder, AndamanTravelCare AATO Member | Government Licensed Tour Operator | Based in Port Blair

Fawziya’s team books hundreds of ferry crossings every season from their office in Port Blair. Most of what is in this guide comes from that daily work — which sailings sell out first, why the morning ferry matters more than travellers expect, and how often a same-day arrival and crossing goes wrong.

Ferry timings, fares and rules change through the year and between operators. Everything here is a realistic planning range rather than a fixed timetable, and we confirm live schedules before issuing any ticket.

About This Page

Author	Fawziya, Co-Founder — AndamanTravelCare
Reviewed By	Senior Travel Consultant, AndamanTravelCare
Content Type	Travel Planning Guide
Primary Topic	Andaman Ferry Booking, Routes, Timings and Prices
Location	Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How do I book ferry tickets in Andaman? You can book through your tour operator, directly on the private operator websites, or at government ferry counters in Port Blair. For most travellers, booking with the package is easiest, because the ferries are then matched to your hotels and flight timings.

How early should I book Andaman ferry tickets? Thirty to forty-five days ahead in normal season, and sixty days for December, January and Valentine’s week. Private ferries sell out, and a missed crossing can cost you a full day of your trip.

What is the ferry ticket price from Port Blair to Havelock? Roughly ₹1,000 to ₹2,200 per person one way on a private ferry, depending on the class you choose. The government ferry is cheaper at around ₹500 to ₹700, but slower and harder to book in advance.

How long is the ferry from Port Blair to Havelock? About 1.5 to 2 hours on a private ferry. The government ferry takes longer, usually 2.5 to 4 hours.

Which ferry is best in Andaman? Makruzz, Nautika and Green Ocean are all air-conditioned, safe and take similar time. The best one is whichever has a departure that fits your plan for that day. Do not build your itinerary around a single operator.

What is the difference between the government ferry and a private ferry? Private ferries are faster, air-conditioned, have assigned seats and can be booked online well in advance. Government ferries are much cheaper but slower, more basic, and mostly sold through local counters with limited advance booking.

Is there a ferry from Havelock to Neil Island? Yes, usually one or two sailings a day, taking about an hour to an hour and a half. It is normally the calmest of the three main crossings.

Can I book Andaman ferry tickets online? Yes, for private operators. Online booking for government ferries is limited, which is why most travellers on a fixed itinerary use private ferries or let their operator handle it.

What ID do I need to board a ferry? A valid government photo ID for every passenger, with the name matching the ticket exactly. Foreign nationals need to provide passport details at the time of booking.

What happens if my ferry is cancelled due to weather? Operators usually reschedule or refund. Cancellations are rare between November and March but more likely during the June to September monsoon, which is why flexible dates matter if you travel then.

How much luggage can I carry on an Andaman ferry? Private ferries typically allow around 20 to 25 kg per person plus a small cabin bag, though limits vary by operator. Keep valuables and medicines with you rather than in checked luggage.

Can I do Ross Island and North Bay by ferry? Those are short harbour boat trips from Port Blair, not inter-island ferries. They run separately, take 15 to 30 minutes, and are usually booked locally or through your operator.

Which is better, Nautika or Makruzz? Both are air-conditioned catamarans taking about the same time on the same routes, with similar seating classes. Makruzz is the better-known name and sells out first; Nautika often still has seats when Makruzz is full. Pick whichever has a departure time that fits your day.

What is the cheapest ferry in Andaman? The government ferry, at roughly ₹400 to ₹700 per crossing compared with ₹1,000 to ₹2,200 on a private ferry. The trade-off is a longer journey, a more basic boat, and limited advance booking, which makes it hard to plan a fixed itinerary around.

What is the Andaman ferry cancellation and refund policy? It varies by operator, but the pattern is consistent: cancel well ahead and you get a refund minus a charge; cancel close to departure and the charge is much higher; cancel on the day or miss the sailing and it is usually non-refundable. If the operator cancels for weather, you are normally rescheduled or refunded.

What are the Andaman ferry luggage rules? Private ferries typically allow around 20 to 25 kg of check-in luggage per person plus a small cabin bag, though limits vary by operator. Keep valuables, medicines and phones in the cabin bag, since checked luggage is not accessible during the crossing.

How should honeymoon couples plan their ferry timings? Take the morning sailing to Havelock so you get the full first afternoon and the sunset, then a later sailing on the way back so your last island morning is spent on the beach. A higher seat class is worth the small extra cost on a honeymoon.

What is the best ferry option for families with children? Private ferry, enclosed air-conditioned cabin, lower deck, and not the earliest sailing of the day. Carry water, snacks and motion sickness medicine in your cabin bag rather than in checked luggage.

What is the total Andaman ferry travel time for a full trip? Around four to five hours of actual sailing across the three main crossings. Add roughly an hour per crossing for reaching the jetty and boarding, so plan for about half a day of travel spread over your trip.

How do I book Andaman ferry tickets online? Choose the route, date and sailing on the operator’s website, enter each passenger’s name exactly as it appears on their photo ID, and pay by card or UPI. Foreign nationals need to supply passport details. Government ferry tickets are mostly sold at counters in Port Blair rather than online.

The Short Version

Ferries are the backbone of an Andaman trip, and getting them right is mostly about order and timing.

Plan the itinerary first, then the ferries, then the hotels, then the flights. Take the morning sailing towards the beaches and a later one on the way back. Use private ferries unless your dates are genuinely flexible. Book 30 to 45 days ahead, and 60 days for peak weeks. Reach the jetty an hour early, because ferries do not wait. And never book your Havelock crossing for the same day you land.

Get those right and the rest of the trip runs itself.

Once your dates are settled, it is worth looking at the full range of Andaman tour packages, where the ferries are already booked and matched to your hotels — every duration from three nights to eight. Couples will find the Andaman honeymoon packages built around a slower ferry rhythm, with morning crossings that protect the sunsets. Families are usually better served by the Andaman family packages, which avoid the early sailings and keep hotel changes to a minimum.

Tell us your travel dates and we will send an itinerary with the ferry timings already worked out — within 10 minutes.