Free Wynyard Quarter 'Red Boats' Ferry

Running until mid-January 2025

Wynyard Quarter
Complete

All aboard!

A temporary free ferry service was provided in response to the temporary maintenance closure of the Wynyard Crossing Bridge. Learn more below. After the bridge reopened, the ferry continued running until mid-January 2025, giving families another great reason to visit the waterfront.

Expanded ferry service

Following successful trials and weekend services, Eke Panuku ran the free 'Red Boats' ferry service seven days a week, with extended operating hours. This ran from 1 August 2024, until mid-January 2025.

Running between Te Wero Island (outside the New Zealand Maritime Museum) and Karanga Plaza (outside the Viaduct Events Centre), the service provided a frequent and fast travel option for commuters and visitors while the bridge was unavailable.

Operating times (from 1 August 2024):

Sunday-Wednesday: 7am-9pm
Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 7am-10pm

Accessibility:

While the ferry unfortunately could not accommodate bikes or e-scooters, wheelchairs were very welcome. Staff were on hand to assist, if needed.

Cost:

Free – no booking was required.

Latest updates:

Our social media channels (or this page) provided the latest information.

A map showing the ferry route (red dotted lines).

Alternative travel options

For detailed information on other available options for accessing the precinct, including driving and parking, taking the bus, or walking to the area, please visit the Wynyard Quarter website.

Background

In response to the required maintenance programme on the Wynyard Crossing Bridge, we trialled a free temporary small ferry service across Viaduct Harbour. The goal was to offer an additional means of getting from Te Wero Island to Wynyard Quarter while the bridge was unavailable.

Following the trials, ongoing weekend services were confirmed. The trials allowed us to test a range of practical elements, including health and safety, usage, and operational logistics, so we could refine the service over time.

Feedback

We gathered feedback on the service since it started, from passengers, visitors and the ferry operator, so that we could improve the service where possible.

As pat of this, we ran a survey for passengers to test their experience and gather feedback. We used both in-person interactions and digital channels for the survey, which included quantitative and qualitative questions.

Passenger feedback was generally very positive, with 95% of respondents indicating they were satisfied with the ferry service (8% satisfied, 87% very satisfied). The quality, convenience and novelty of the service was highlighted by passengers.

We also specifically asked for suggestions for improvements, which attracted comments around accessibility (e.g. boarding with strollers or wheelchairs) on the ferries, promotion of the service and scheduling.