Eight commuter crossings paid with AT HOP, two ways to Waiheke, and six Gulf islands that each keep their own calendar.
Inside the harbour, Auckland Transport contracts the commuter boats. Devonport is the short hop across the Waitematā, Birkenhead and Northcote Point share one route, and Bayswater is served on weekdays by its own boat and at weekends by the Birkenhead loop. Up the upper harbour, Hobsonville Point and Beach Haven and the weekday West Harbour boats run from the north-west; the eastern suburbs have Half Moon Bay and Pine Harbour, and Gulf Harbour on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula takes 50 minutes to the city. All are priced by AT's fare bands rather than by the operator.
Waiheke has two separate services. Fullers360 sails foot passengers from Downtown to Mātiatia with no booking, while SeaLink's car ferry leaves Half Moon Bay for Kennedy Point and is the one to book if you are driving. SeaLink also runs the long vehicle and passenger ferry to Great Barrier Island.
The other Gulf islands are day trips or residents' boats, and further north Kawau Island is reached from Sandspit Wharf. Rangitoto is a volcano a short ride from the city; Rotoroa and Tiritiri Matangi are conservation islands reached with Explore Group; and Belaire's boat to Rākino keeps a calendar of dated sailings. All of them ask for clean footwear and sealed bags before you land.