Mannum Ferry, SA: Cost, crossing time and timetable

The Mannum Ferry on the Murray River, South Australia, doesn’t operate to a timetable. Crossings take about seven minutes and the Mannum Ferry is free of charge.

The Mannum Ferry in South Australia harks back to the era when there were no bridges across the Murray River. These days, most vehicles cross by road. But there are still a few Murray River ferry crossings in South Australia.

Mannum, South Australia, doesn’t have a bridge across the river. This doesn’t matter all that much as pretty much the entire town is on the western bank. But if you do want to cross, that’s where the Mannum Ferry comes in.

Which Mannum ferry should I take?

There’s not one Mannum Ferry, but two. The Mannum ferries are cable ferries, and run parallel to each other. There’s no real point in having a preference between the downstream ferry and upstream ferry, as they both load and unload at the same place. Take whichever one is available.

For what it’s worth, the downstream Mannum ferry – the Swan – is bigger than the upstream ferry.

The Mannum Ferry crossing the Murray River in Mannum, South Australia. Photo by John Montesi.

Murray River ferry crossing stats

The downstream ferry is 30 metres long, with capacity for 12 standard vehicles and 101 foot passengers. The upstream Mannum ferry – called the Pelican – is 18 metres long. It accommodates eight standard vehicles and 67 passengers.

These South Australian car ferries depart from the Mannum Ferry Terminal on Randell Street, Mannum. They cross to the Cowirra Ferry Terminal on the eastern bank of the Murray River.

Mannum Ferry timetable and crossing time

The Mannum Ferry crossing time is short – times vary depending on how many people and cars are being loaded up. But budget around seven minutes. There are rarely any substantial queues for the ferry.

Because the crossing is so short and at least one of the two ferries operates 24 hours a day, there is no Mannum ferry timetable. Ferries depart when they’re full, or when they’ve waited a reasonable time for any more cars to come.

How much does the Mannum ferry cost?

There is no charge to use the Mannum ferry – the crossing is free. If staying in Mannum, budget accommodation options include the Mannum caravan park. More information about the Murray River ferries, including the Tailem Bend ferry in Tailem Bend and Wellington ferry in Wellington, is available at the South Australian Government website.

While in Mannum, you can take a cruise on the Proud Mary. Mannum accommodation picks include the Mannum caravan park and the three star Mannum Motel.

Book your Mannum accommodation

The best places to stay in Mannum are:

For a decent, inexpensive, riverbank motel: Mannum Motel.
For romantic villas: Riverview Rise Retreats.
For a good quality holiday park with lots of facilities for children: Big4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Mannum.