Cook Strait Ferry by Motorhome: Wellington to Picton Guide

Last reviewed 11 October 2026

Taking a motorhome across Cook Strait is easy when you know three things: which entrance to drive to, when check-in closes, and what to do if the weather turns. Treat ferry day as a big travel day. Don't plan a long drive straight before it, keep your essentials in one bag, and stay somewhere close the night before an early sailing.

Two operators carry motorhomes between Wellington in the North Island and Picton in the South Island, in both directions: Interislander and Bluebridge. Their terminals and check-in lanes are different, so always follow the instructions on your own booking and the operator's current website.

The quick answer

• Drive to the vehicle check-in, not the passenger terminal. Each operator has its own vehicle entrance.
• Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure for both operators. Aim to arrive well before that.
• You can't go back to your vehicle during the crossing. Pack a small bag before you join the queue.
• Turn off your gas bottles before you drive on board.
• Book early. Vehicle space sells out first, especially on weekends, school holidays and over summer.
• Stay close the night before. Campable has a private host about 9 minutes from the Wellington terminal, more within half an hour, and hosts in the Marlborough vineyards near Picton.
• Landing late? Check your host's arrival times and message them before you sail.

1. Drive to the right vehicle entrance

Don't follow map directions or signs for the passenger terminal. With a motorhome, you need the vehicle check-in for the operator you booked.

Wellington: Interislander (Kaiwharawhara)

Follow the pink signs and road markings to the Kaiwharawhara vehicle check-in.

Heading south on SH1: take the Aotea Quay off-ramp and move into the right-hand lane. Follow Aotea Quay south to the roundabout, take the third exit and head north. Before the overbridge, take the left exit signed Motorway North / Interislander, then move into the right lane and follow the signs to the terminal.

Coming from Wellington city: head north on Aotea Quay in the left lane. Before the overbridge, take the left exit signed Motorway North / Interislander, then move into the right lane and follow the signs.

There are several lane changes, so look at the official map before you set off: Interislander Wellington vehicle check-in.

Picton to Wellington: Interislander (Waitohi)

Coming into Picton on SH1, turn left into Kent Street, which becomes Lagoon Road. The vehicle check-in is on your right, just after the NPD Picton Fuelstop. Follow the pink signs and road markings. This is separate from the passenger terminal on Auckland Street.

Official map: Interislander Picton vehicle check-in.

Bluebridge

Bluebridge uses its own terminals: 50 Waterloo Quay in Wellington and 1 Lagoon Road in Picton. Don't assume the Interislander entrance is right for a Bluebridge booking. Check your booking and Bluebridge's check-in information for the vehicle route.

2. Arrive on time and get ready for the vehicle deck

Both operators close check-in one hour before departure. Treat that as a deadline, not a target. Allow extra time for city traffic, roadworks, a fuel stop and finding the right lane in a big vehicle.

You can't get back to your vehicle during the sailing, so before you join the queue, put everything you'll need for about three and a half hours into a small bag:

• Medication
• Phone, charger and booking details
• Warm layers
• Water and snacks
• Anything the kids need

Before you drive on:

• Secure cupboards, doors and anything loose inside the motorhome
• Turn off all gas bottles and LPG tanks. Bluebridge says you must do this before driving on board
• Turn off any alarm that the ship's movement could set off
• Put the handbrake on and leave the vehicle in gear
• At night, switch off your headlights as you approach the ramp so you don't dazzle the crew
• Follow the crew's directions

Hiring a campervan or motorhome? Check that your rental company allows its vehicles on the ferry before you book. Interislander notes that some don't.

Travelling with a dog or other pet

You can take your pet on both ferries, but not into the passenger lounges. Tell the operator when you book, and again at check-in.

Interislander: your pet can stay in your motorhome at no extra charge, as long as it is safe and comfortable. You tick an animal declaration when you book. At check-in, staff give you a hanger for your rear-view mirror. Leave water for your pet. If conditions allow, the crew may take you down during the sailing to check on it, so listen for the announcement.

Bluebridge: pets stay in your vehicle, in one of Bluebridge's hire kennels, or with you in a dog-friendly cabin, which you book ahead and which only some sailings have. Dogs must be on a lead outside the cabin.

Certified assistance dogs can travel in the passenger areas on both.

Before you board, feed, water and exercise your pet. Interislander lists a dog exercise area near each terminal: Cashmere Park, opposite 19 Onslow Road in Khandallah, for Wellington, and the Auckland Street dog exercise area in Picton.

Full rules: Interislander travelling with pets | Bluebridge travelling with pets

3. What if the weather is rough?

Cook Strait weather can change fast. Rough conditions can mean a bumpy crossing, a delay or a cancellation, and the operators won't sail if it isn't safe. Changes are sent to your booking contact details and posted on each operator's service alerts page.

Check your messages and the operator's service alerts before you leave your campsite, and again before you drive to the terminal. A sailing still showing on your itinerary doesn't mean it's going.

If you get seasick:

• Ask a pharmacist about a motion-sickness remedy before you travel, and follow the directions
• Eat something light beforehand, and go easy on greasy food and alcohol
• Ginger snacks help some people
• Sit near the middle of the ship, where you'll feel the movement least
• Look at the horizon rather than down at a phone or book
• Get fresh air only where the crew says it's safe. Outside decks may close in rough weather

Useful links: Interislander's Cook Strait weather guide and the MetService marine forecast for Kāpiti and Wellington.

4. Where to stay the night before (and after)

An early sailing is much less stressful when you've only got a short drive to the terminal.

Near the Wellington terminals

These are the Campable hosts closest to the Wellington ferry terminals, nearest first. Prices and ratings are live.

Khandallah Super Parking Spot is the closest: a private powered site at the top of a host's driveway, about 9 minutes' drive from the ferry terminal. Guests regularly book it for early-morning sailings.

"Perfect spot for our early morning ferry. Literally less than 10 minutes with a spot for fuel." Kelly, March 2025

It takes one vehicle a night, up to about 7 metres, and the street is narrow, so it suits small to medium vans best. Book early.

The others are further out, so leave more time on ferry morning. The host at 207 Bing Lucas, above Tawa, says Wellington city is 15 minutes away. The host at Makara Country Escape says about 30 minutes, and recommends vans up to about 7 metres for the road in.

Near Picton

Arriving in the South Island late in the day? The closest Campable hosts to Picton are in the Marlborough vineyards, about half an hour's drive from the terminal.

Lemon grove, olive trees & vineyards at Rapaura is the nearest, a short walk from the Herzog cellar door, with more wineries, a brewery and cafés within a few kilometres. It suits small to medium self-contained motorhomes and campervans.

Heading south towards Blenheim instead? The Duck Pond at Fairhall and Clairvale Garden & Vineyard at Hawkesbury are also within about 35 minutes of the ferry.

Landing late in the day

A late sailing can put you in Picton or Wellington well into the evening, and a delay can make it later still. Before you book a stay for the night you land:

• Check the host's arrival times on the listing
• Message the host with your sailing time, and again if the ferry is running late
• Pick a stay with a short, simple drive from the terminal. Finding a farm gate in the dark after a long day is no fun

Browse more: Campable stays in Wellington | Campable stays in Marlborough

5. Book early, and plan for disruption

Book your motorhome's crossing as soon as your dates are firm. Vehicle space fills quickly, especially on weekends, in school holidays and over summer, and it often sells out before foot-passenger places do. You book the ferry with Interislander or Bluebridge. Campable's road-trip planner allows for the crossing when it plans your route and your stays either side.

When you book, enter your vehicle's true length and height, including any bike rack, trailer or anything else attached.

How far ahead should you book?

There's no official lead time that guarantees a place. For December to February and Easter, many travellers book several months ahead, especially for a particular sailing or a longer vehicle. Outside those times there's usually more choice, but don't assume a sailing has room just because it isn't summer.

What happens if your sailing is cancelled?

Interislander says it will make all reasonable efforts to put you on the next available sailing. How long that takes depends on the cause, how many people are affected and how full the following sailings are. A major disruption in peak season can create a backlog of several days, so build some slack into your plans.

Protect the rest of your trip:

• Don't book an international flight, cruise or non-refundable tour straight after the ferry
• Keep some flexibility in your stays and know the cancellation terms before you pay
• If your sailing is cancelled, wait for confirmed rebooking details before driving to the terminal
• Keep receipts for any extra costs, and check the operator's process for rebooking, refunds or compensation
• Don't buy a second ticket with the other operator without checking what happens to your original booking
• Contact Campable if the disruption affects a Campable booking

Official guidance: Interislander FAQs | Interislander before you book | Bluebridge check-in

6. Ferry-day checklist

• Confirm your operator, sailing time, booking number and the right vehicle entrance
• Check service alerts and the weather before you leave your overnight stop
• Allow plenty of time for traffic and finding your way, especially in Wellington
• Have your booking confirmation and photo ID ready
• Make sure your vehicle's length, height and extras are correct on the booking
• Pack your onboard bag before you join the check-in queue
• Secure cupboards and loose items, and turn off the gas
• Keep the first drive after you arrive short. A delay can change your whole day

7. Ask Josephine to plan it for you

Not sure where to stay before the ferry, or whether a site suits your vehicle? Ask Josephine, Campable's AI travel assistant. She can help you find a private-host site for the night before and for your first night after you land.

Try asking:

• "I'm taking a 7-metre motorhome on an early ferry from Wellington. Where can I stay the night before?"
• "I'm arriving in Picton late in the afternoon. Find me somewhere to stay that suits my motorhome."
• "My sailing has been delayed. How do I change my Campable booking?"

Always confirm sailing changes with the ferry operator and check a site is available before you travel.

Quick questions

How long is the crossing? About three and a half hours.

Can I stay in my motorhome during the sailing? No. Everyone leaves the vehicle deck, and you can't go back until the ship has docked.

How early do I need to be there? Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure for both Interislander and Bluebridge.

Do I need to turn the gas off? Yes. Turn off all gas bottles and LPG tanks before you drive on board.

Can I take my dog? Yes, on both ferries. Your dog stays in your motorhome, or in a kennel or dog-friendly cabin if the operator offers one. Dogs can't go in the passenger lounges. Tell the operator when you book.

Is it the same going from Picton to Wellington? Yes. The check-in times and the rules on board are the same. Only the terminals differ.

Plan the crossing, then enjoy the trip

A little planning takes the stress out of the ferry between Wellington and Picton. Know your entrance, give yourself time, be ready for rough seas, and stay somewhere that makes sense for your sailing.

Find a Campable stay near Wellington or near Picton, and ask Josephine to help you plan the rest of your road trip.