Oban – Bluff
Ferries to New Zealand
Oban – Bluff
Ferries to New Zealand
The Oban Bluff ferry route connects Stewart Island with New Zealand. Currently there is just the 1 ferry company operating this ferry service, Stewart Island Experience. The crossing operates up to 17 times each week with sailing durations from around 1 hour.
Oban Bluff sailing durations and frequency may vary from season to season so we’d advise doing a live check to get the most up to date information.
More routes than anyone else.
Compare fares, times & routes in one place.
Change plans easily with flexi tickets.
Book e-tickets & manage trips in-app.
Live ship tracking & real-time updates.
Top-rated customer support when you need it.
Regarded as the seafood capital of Scotland, Oban is the largest town in Argyll on the west coast, offering routes to almost all of the Hebridean Islands. Inside the terminal building, you will find an excellent range of refreshments, a large waiting area and toilet facilities. The port is within easy reach from most Scottish cities, with a number of roads serving the area. If driving from Inverness, simply follow the A82 southbound, whereas if you are coming from Glasgow, head north on the A82. The Oban railway station is situated just fifty metres from the terminal alongside a few bus stops, making it even easier to travel to ‘the gateway to the isles’. In Oban, award-winning seafood restaurants come in abundance, so an exquisite meal is never too far away. The town also boasts some spectacular historic monuments, namely McCaig’s tower, an impressive circular structure overlooking the coast.
On a bulb-shaped peninsula in the South Island region of New Zealand is the small town of Bluff. Named after the broad cliffs that dominate the south-eastern skyline of town, this coastal settlement on the shores of the Bluff Harbour lagoon is built around a neatly ordered network of streets lined by manicured lawns and a patchwork of bungalows. The long Marine Parade road that arcs along the west coast offers spectacular views over the rocky shores of the clear-watered bay. It’s a route that leads to Stirling Point on the tip of a lush-green promontory where visitors can dine on the local delicacy of Bluff oysters at the nearby restaurant. The seaport in Bluff is largely dedicated to the area’s large fleet of fishing vessels, but it is also a gateway for passengers wanting to reach New Zealand’s southernmost region of Stewart Island. The ferry terminal here is nothing more than a concrete pier from which foot passengers can board the departing ships and an overnight car-park opposite the check-in building. Getting to Bluff port from the southern reaches of New Zealand is easy due to the Route 1 highway that snakes up along the coast of the peninsula and into the larger city of Invercargill. From here travellers can catch a flight from the Invercargill airport or board one of the trains that cover the distance to and from Bluff. Currently only one service operates from Bluff port. A Stewart Island Experience line makes the short trip south through the narrow channel of Bluff Harbour before crossing the Foveaux Strait to the port-town of Oban on Stewart Island.
