Cheapest Kangaroo Island ferry fares: Kangaroo Island Connect timetable

The foot passenger-only Kangaroo Island Connect ferry offers cheaper fares than the Sealink Kangaroo Island ferry. It is also faster, but runs less frequently.

Many visitors to Kangaroo Island in South Australia don’t realise that there are two different ferry services to the island. The main one is the Sealink Kangaroo Island ferry, which costs from $89 return for foot passengers or $198 for vehicles.

To book a Kangaroo Island Connect ferry ticket, step this way. To book a Kangaroo Island day tour from Adelaide, click here.

12 Kangaroo Island experiences worth booking in advance

1. Full day island highlights tour. 2. Harriet River kayaking. 3. Little Sahara buggy tour. 4. Sandboarding on the dunes. 5. Little Sahara fat-biking. 6. Vivonne Bay koala-spotting nature walk. 7. Ocean Safari wildlife cruise. 8. Quad biking adventures. 9. Food and wine hop-on, hop-off tour. 10. Half day tasting tour. 11. KI Spirits cocktail masterclass. 12. Small group Dudley Peninsula tour.

Cheapest Kangaroo Island ferry fares

However, there is a second ferry service from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw. The cheapest Kangaroo Island ferry is passenger-only, but Kangaroo Island Connect does offer the cheapest fares.

Go to the company website, and one way tickets cost from $39. However, via ticketing agency 12go, Kangaroo Island passenger ferry tickets can be found for as little as $27. You can book these cheap ferry tickets online.

As with the Sealink ferries, the cheap Kangaroo Island ferries leave from Cape Jervis at the end of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Kangaroo Island car rentals

However, there are a few catches with the Kangaroo Island connect service. The first, of course, is that you have to get from Adelaide to Cape Jervis then leave your car there. Kangaroo Island Connect offers car rentals on Kangaroo Island, although you may be better off checking deals on a comparison site.

Kangaroo Island Connect ferry timetable

Secondly, the Kangaroo Island Connect ferry doesn’t run year round. It runs daily during the peak Christmas and January holiday period. But it only runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of the late September to early May period.

Between early May and late September, there is no Kangaroo Island Connect ferry service.

The third issue is that there are only two ferries in each direction per day. According to the timetable, the Kangaroo Island Connect ferry departs from Cape Jervis 09.10 and 18.20 most of the year. The second ferry switches to 17.50 in April, however.

Coming the other way from Penneshaw to Cape Jervis, the cheapest Kangaroo Island ferry departs at 08.25 and 17.35. The second ferry switches to 17.05 in April.

Fastest Kangaroo Island ferry

However, the Kangaroo Island Connect ferry is faster than the Sealink ferry. It takes 30 minutes to cross from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw, rather than 45 minutes.

Of course, the Adelaide to Kingscote flight is even quicker.

Kangaroo Island accommodation near the jetty at Penneshaw includes couples’ favourite Kangaroo Island Seafront and the roomy Penneshaw Ocean View Apartments. You can also try glamping at the Kangaroo Island Seafront caravan park.

Best Kangaroo Island accommodation choices

For deluxe accommodation with island tours packaged in: Sea Dragon Kangaroo Island.
For self-caterers and family groups: Emu Bay Holiday Homes.
For posh camping near the ferry terminal: KI Seafront Holiday Park.
For plenty of space in Kingscote: Villas on the Bay.
For hotel service: Mercure Kangaroo Island Lodge.