Drive on at Opua, drive off at Okiato ten minutes later, and you are a short run from Russell without going round by road. Northland Ferries shuttles back and forth from 06:00 to 22:00, roughly every ten minutes in the day, and charges by vehicle length: $19.80 one way for a car under 6 metres, with everyone inside it travelling free.
Northland Ferries' standing vehicle ferry hours, with no seasonal change published; same times in January and October 2026; checked 23 October 2026 Northland Ferries – vehicle ferry timetable · 2026-10-23
Which boat do you need? If you are on foot and staying in Paihia, the Paihia–Russell passenger ferry lands you in Russell's town centre. If you have a car, a campervan or a trailer, it is this one: the vehicle ferry from Opua to Okiato, run by the same company, Northland Ferries, from a different pair of ramps.
The two differ in almost every practical way. The passenger boat runs to a printed list of sailings and takes 15 minutes; the vehicle ferry has no departure list at all, just a first and a last boat, and shuttles across in 10 minutes. Neither needs a booking.
Cost is where the vehicle ferry wins for a group. A car under 6 metres is $19.80 one way and nobody inside it pays extra, whereas on the Paihia passenger boat every adult needs their own ticket, $19.40 return.
Every fare here is one way, and the vehicle fare covers the people in it. What you pay depends on length: under 6 metres is the base rate, with steps at 6, 8 and 10 metres. A trailer counts as a separate unit, so a car towing a boat pays twice, once for each. The crew confirm the price at boarding, and a ticket can be paid on board by EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard or American Express; the operator's FAQ adds that cash is taken too.
Fares have risen this year: the archived January 2026 version of the price list had a car at $18.50 and an adult on foot at $2.50. The figures below are the ones posted in October.
| Car or ute, under 6 m | $ 19.80 |
| Motorcycle | $ 9.70 |
| Vehicle 6–8 m | $ 33.80 |
| Vehicle 8–10 m | $ 41.10 |
| Vehicle over 10 m | $ 81.70 |
| Trailer under 6 m | $ 19.80 |
| Trailer 6–8 m | $ 33.80 |
| Trailer 8–10 m | $ 41.10 |
| Trailer over 10 m | $ 81.70 |
| Adult | $ 2.70 |
| Child 5–14 | $ 1.60 |
Northland Ferries' vehicle ferry prices, one way, unchanged between 9 and 23 October 2026; read 23 October 2026 Northland Ferries – vehicle ferry pricing · 2026-10-23
The ferry crosses the narrow stretch of water between Opua, south of Paihia, and Okiato on the Russell side. The boats take cars, utes, campervans, trucks and buses; the operator only asks the largest vehicles to time their crossing with the tide.
The Opua ramp is on Beechy Street, which Northland Ferries puts about seven minutes' drive from Paihia. Join the ferry lane and edge forward as space opens up; the crew direct each vehicle on board, and once aboard the speed limit is 5 km/h. Trucks and other commercial vehicles carrying dangerous goods must declare them.
On the Russell side the ferry lands at Okiato, where the Te Araroa Bypass ends at the water. From there Russell is about ten minutes by car. The first boat of the day leaves this side, at 06:00, and the last at 21:50.
Long-wheelbase vans can scrape the ramp at low tide. Northland Ferries' advice is to cross in the four hours around high water, and the same applies to boat trailers and caravans.
Buses, truck-and-trailer units and anything needing a pilot vehicle should contact the operator before arriving, so they can come at a suitable tide.
Drivers keep any animal inside the car for the crossing. If you walk on, a dog needs a leash or a pet carrier; guide and service dogs are welcome.
If your address is in one of the five Bay of Islands postcodes Northland Ferries lists, a resident card cuts the fare; regular visitors from elsewhere can ask for a frequent user card. One card covers this ferry and the Paihia–Russell passenger boat.
Foot passengers pay $2.70, or $1.60 for a child, though Okiato is a drive from Russell itself.
Northland Ferries also runs the Hokianga crossing on the west coast, on behalf of the district council there, and the comparison shows how differently two of its ferries price the same car. On the Rāwene ferry a light vehicle pays $20 and every passenger after the driver pays $2 more; at Opua the $19.80 covers everyone aboard. The Bay of Islands discount cards do not work at Rāwene, which has its own payment system.
Hours are the other contrast. The Opua boat starts at 06:00 from Okiato and keeps going until the 22:00 from Opua, with sailings every 20 minutes at the start and end of the day and about every 10 in between.
Ten, each way, by Northland Ferries' timetable.
No. It shuttles back and forth; join the ferry lane and the crew take payment once you are aboard.
A car or ute shorter than 6 m pays $19.80 per crossing, and that covers everyone inside. Longer vehicles are charged $33.80 to $81.70.
22:00 from Opua and 21:50 from Okiato.
Yes, the operator's FAQ says the crew take cash as well as EFTPOS and most cards; Diners Club is not accepted.
Yes. A two-berth van under 6 metres pays the car rate. At low tide the rear can scrape the ramp, so aim for the hours around high water.
No. The Paihia boat carries foot passengers between the two town wharves; this one carries vehicles between Opua and Okiato.