HomeAndaman Ferry Services

Sailing between the Heavenly Islands of Andaman has become more convenient and comfortable because of varied ferry services. Until now, these reliable and consistent ferry services have made the journeys more than pleasurable. Andaman’s prominent islands include Port Blair, Havelock, and Neil Island. The ferries require about two and a half hours to sail from Port Blair to Havelock, Havelock to Neil, and Neil to Port Blair. There will also be ferry services from Havelock to Port Blair, Neil to Havelock, and Port Blair to Neil.

What do you need to know about Private Ferry and Government Ferry?

Now that you have planned to make your trip to Andaman, your next step would be to book your tickets for the ferries that sail across its gorgeous islands. Moreover, ferries are the most dependable means of transport to move to other islands. As per your travel itinerary and preferences, you may choose to sail via government ferries or private ferries for the same. But you will be required to consider a few significant things before you set out for sailing. When you are sailing by these ferries, you will be expected to produce negative RTPCR test results at the concerned officials at the harbour, even though you have taken two doses of vaccinations. At times, hard copies of these tests done at Port Blair Airport will also be demanded. Moreover, for the children who had completed 2 years of age, the RTPCR tests are made mandatory.

Private Ferry

Sailing with opulence is something that is offered by these private ferries that are plying across the turquoise blue ocean waters of Andaman. These commercial ferries are vital for travellers visiting the archipelago. You could make use of the ferries and their various classes based on your preferences. They always manage to meet the expectations of their passengers.

With the highest number of takers, Makruzz is known to be the most popular ferry service that plies amid Port Blair, Havelock Island, Baratang and Neil Island. Currently, 3 of its fully air-conditioned vessels are operating in Andaman, namely Makruzz, Makruzz Gold and Makruzz Pearl. Among these Makruzz Gold is the largest and Makruzz Pearl is their latest addition. Meanwhile, Green Ocean 1 and Green Ocean 2 provide a varied sailing experience to the tourists, there is an open deck in the former to glance at the stunning views around and the latter happens to be a high-speed craft.

Furthermore, the latest additions to the ferry services in Andaman are Aashi 1 and Aashi 2. These spacious ferries make their voyage between Port Blair, Havelock Island and Neil Island. Sealink monohull is yet another option that tourists may opt for a cozy voyage experience in Andaman, yet their speed is comparatively lower. Also, Nautika is their recently launched catamaran with a whopping speed of 30 knots.

The brand new high-speed passenger crafts, named ITT Majestic is also popular among the tourists holidaying in Andaman. The most highlighting feature of the Australian built vessel is the massive transparent glass window panel that runs throughout its whole length. Singapore built Coastal Cruise plying in these very same sea routes could be preferred by those tourists to wish to sail on the upper deck with comfort.

Government Ferry

The government ferries that travel to the many islands are an integral mode of transport in Andaman and it is the islanders rely on them more than vacationers. Because they are owned and controlled by the Andaman Directorate of Shipping Services, they could turn out to be the cheapest yet most convenient mode of public transportation on the islands. Travellers may cruise up to Havelock Island, Rangat Island, Campbell Bay, Little Andaman, Mayabunder, and even Long Island on these low-cost ferries. With such a broad list of islands you could travel to, one can imagine the dependability of these ferry services. Furthermore, the government-operated Andaman ferry services are regarded to be the islands’ oldest mode of public transportation. Tickets for these ferries could be obtained at either the Common Service Center (CSC) or the Directorate of Shipping Services (DSS) counters near Phoenix Bay. Furthermore, because of the very same reason, you must rely on DSS ticket desks, so keep track of the time.

Are there are visible differences between private ferries and government ferries sailing in Andaman?

Yes. Government ferries differ from private ferries in many ways, including the categories of passengers who rely on them, the process of acquiring tickets, the regions they will travel to, and so on. To begin with, private ferry tickets may be bought online, whilst the other must be obtained from DSS Counters and CSC Service Counters in Port Blair city. Furthermore, it is often the islanders who rely on government ferry services in Andaman, as the fees are substantially lower than those charged by commercial boats. Also, the tickets for government ferries could be bought only 3 days prior to the travel or on that particular day

The voyage from Port Blair to Havelock Island

The exquisite journey from Port Blair to Havelock Island will require around 2 hours and 30 minutes, traversing 70 kilometres over the turquoise Andaman Sea. There are a few ways to go to the booming tourist destination, and you may pick the one that best suits your needs. If opulence and comfort are relevant to you, you select from any of those private ships. On the other side, if you want to travel on a budget, you may take the Government-run Ferry. They will depart from either the Phoenix Bay Jetty or the Haddo Jetty.

Cruising from Havelock Island to Neil Island

You could reach Neil Island from Havelock Island by boarding a ferry that crosses a water channel, spanning approximately 89 kilometres. This delightful sailing will take just 1 hour 45 minutes since you would not feel like you are travelling such big distances while taking in the magnificent scenery. Buying tickets for the private ferries once arriving at the archipelago would turn out to be a strenuous task, due to the heavy rush and low internet connectivity in the islands. As a result, make your reservations well ahead of time for your vacation.

Set Sailing to Port Blair from Neil Island

Makruzz, Green Ocean, Sealink, ITT Majestic, Coastal Cruises, Aashi and Nautika are the private ferry services that provide services in this beautiful sea route. The travel from Neil Islands to Port Blair is the shortest of the three, but the experience is no less fascinating. These boat services will traverse the 43 km journey in 2 hours and 30 minutes. You may also choose between private and government-run Andaman boats based on your travel choices. In any case, there isn’t much of a difference in their timing. Aside from the booking procedure, there are a few considerable differences between the two.