Questions about Bookings
Having problems making your booking? Already booked but need to amend your sailing? Get help with your booking questions here.
Frequently asked questions
Having problems making your booking? Already booked but need to amend your sailing? Get help with your booking questions here.
Log in to your account on our homepage and then select Amend Booking from the left-hand menu.
Select Show All Bookings, then choose the booking you want to change and click Amend.
Work through the sections as needed:
Click through any sections you don’t want to change and once you’re done, select Make Change or pay for any added extras.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
If you change your sailing time or travel details, then the new booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are then free to amend. Economy tickets can then be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
Log in to your account on our homepage and then select Amend Booking from the left-hand menu.
Select Show All Bookings, then choose the booking you want to change and click Amend.
Work through the sections as needed:
Click through any sections you don’t want to change and once you’re done, select Make Change or pay for any added extras.
If you change your travel date and/or time or change from an Economy Ticket to a Standard ticket, the amended booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are free to amend. Economy tickets can be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
Log in to your account on our homepage and then select Amend Booking from the left-hand menu.
Select Show All Bookings, then choose the booking you want to change and click Amend.
Work through the sections as needed:
Click through any sections you don’t want to change and once you’re done, select Make Change or pay for any added extras.
If you change your travel date and/or time or change from an Economy Ticket to a Standard ticket, the amended booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are free to amend. Economy tickets can be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
Log in to your account on our homepage and then select Amend Booking from the left-hand menu.
Select Show All Bookings, then choose the booking you want to change and click Amend.
Work through the sections as needed:
Click through any sections you don’t want to change and once you’re done, select Make Change or pay for any added extras.
If you change your travel date and/or time or change from an Economy Ticket to a Standard ticket, the amended booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are free to amend. Economy tickets can be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
Log in to your account on our homepage and then select Amend Booking from the left-hand menu.
Select Show All Bookings, then choose the booking you want to change and click Amend.
Work through the sections as needed:
Click through any sections you don’t want to change and once you’re done, select Make Change or pay for any added extras.
If you change your travel date and/or time or change from an Economy Ticket to a Standard ticket, the amended booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are free to amend. Economy tickets can be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
Log in to your account on our homepage and then select Amend Booking from the left-hand menu.
Select Show All Bookings, then choose the booking you want to change and click Amend.
Work through the sections as needed:
Click through any sections you don’t want to change and once you’re done, select Make Change or pay for any added extras.
If you change your travel date and/or time or change from an Economy Ticket to a Standard ticket, the amended booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are free to amend. Economy tickets can be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
The amendment fee is lower online, than by other methods, which reflects the self-service element of amending in this way. However, there are still internal costs associated with online amendments.
Our Standard tickets can be amended for free online.
Our amendment fees have remained the same for a number of years. The increased fee is due to the higher costs associated with the administration of amendments.
Our Standard tickets can be amended for free or refunded up to 24 hours before the scheduled sailing with only a £5.00 cancellation charge, making Standard the ideal choice for customers whose plans may change after booking.
Tickets changed from an Economy ticket to a Standard ticket are non-refundable.
That’s OK. You can update the passenger numbers for free if you’ve booked a Standard or Economy ticket online by logging in to your account or by calling our Contact Centre team on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
If you are driving a car or a van, you won’t be charged. Motorcycles are also exempt.
The only vehicles to be charged will be the oldest and most polluting ones – taxis, private hire vehicles and older buses, coaches and lorries (HGVs).
The charging zone boundary can be seen at goodmalit854124.eu.org/caz. Unfortunately, if your vehicle is subject to the charge there is no route you can take to avoid the zone when leaving the Wightlink’s terminal.
You may wish to consider travelling by Wightlink’s Lymington-Yarmouth route instead.
Smaller motorhomes look likely to be treated as vans and won’t be charged. Larger motorhomes, on the scale of lorries, may be charged.
You should enter the registration number on Portsmouth City Council’s website to find out: www.travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/schemes/charging-clean-air-zone
If you are driving a car or a van, you won’t be charged. Motorcycles are also exempt.
The only vehicles to be charged will be the older taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches and lorries (HGVs).
The charge will be £10 a day for older taxis and Private Hire Vehicles, and £50 a day for older HGVs, buses and coaches.
You will only be charged once per day no matter how many trips into the zone you make.
The charge won’t be issued automatically, so you’ll need to be aware if your vehicle is subject to the charge and pay it online within the payment window. You won’t receive a notification or reminder to tell you that you’ve driven through the zone in a vehicle that qualifies for the charge and need to make payment.
If you are driving a car or a van, you won’t be charged.
The only vehicles to be charged will be the older taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches and lorries (HGVs). Motorcycles are also exempt.
You can find out if you’ll be affected by putting your registration number into this website: www.travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/schemes/charging-clean-air-zone
Portsmouth City Council was identified by the UK government as one of over 60 local authorities with air pollution levels higher than legal limits. It was told to make improvements as soon as possible.
The council believes that a package of measure that don’t involve charging measures, even with the natural reduction in polluting vehicles over time, won’t be enough to achieve the necessary level of improvement in air quality. Therefore, the UK government has required the council to implement a charging Clean Air Zone.
Portsmouth City Council is introducing the Clean Air Zone as some areas of the city centre have levels of pollutants, like nitrogen dioxide, that are likely to remain above safe legal limits unless action is taken now.
Standard Tickets, if cancelled up to 24 hours before the scheduled sailing time, will be refunded less a £5.00 cancellation fee.
Our Economy Tickets, any Standard Tickets cancelled within 24hrs and tickets paid in full or in part with Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner Codes are non-refundable.
Booking fees and amendment fees are non-refundable.
You can request your refund by completing our online form here or by contacting our Contact Centre with your Booking Reference Number.
Refunds can take up to 28 days to show on your bank statement.
You must contact your holiday provider direct to make amendments to your travel arrangements. They will then contact us to authorise the amendments. If the amendment is within 2 hours of your scheduled sailing time, and your holiday provider is not available, we will do our best to help you make any requested changes subject to availability and restrictions. If there are any additional costs, payment will be required in full when amending before the booking can be secured.
Don’t worry! If you booked with us directly you can correct any errors within one hour of the booking being created by going online to ‘My Bookings’, selecting the correct booking and click ‘Modify’ for free.
If you change your sailing time or travel details, then the new booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are then free to amend.
Economy tickets can then be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
If you prefer, you can complete the Booking Enquiry Form, call our Contact Centre or visit our Customer Service Point at the port and let us sort it out for you. Standard tickets are free to amend. Economy tickets will be charged a £25.00 amendment fee.
Let us know as soon as possible. If your vehicle is a different size to the vehicle booked you can amend the details online, by using the Wightlink App for free if you have booked a Standard ticket or for an amendment fee if you have booked an Economy ticket. If you call our Contact Centre or visit our Customer Service Point at the port, we will be happy to amend the booking but there will be an amendment fee for Economy tickets.
If you arrive at our car ferry port with a vehicle that is over the length or height booked, you will need to amend your ticket to the correct vehicle size. This may mean you pay a difference in price. Any difference in price must be paid before travel.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
That’s OK. If you’re booking online just add TBC in the Vehicle Registration field. You can update the details free of charge online by logging in to your account or by calling our Contact Centre team on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
Yes, click ‘Add booking’, then enter the booking number and the last name of the lead passenger on the booking.
Log in to your account on our homepage and then select Amend Booking from the left-hand menu.
Select Show All Bookings, then choose the booking you want to change and click Amend.
Work through the sections as needed:
Click through any sections you don’t want to change and once you’re done, select Make Change or pay for any added extras.
If you need to speak to a member of our Contact Centre team, call us on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
If you change your sailing time or travel details, then the new booking may cost more than your original Standard or Economy ticket. Any increase in cost must be paid when you change your booking.
Standard tickets are then free to amend. Economy tickets can then be amended online for a £15.00 amendment fee.
Children must be 12 or over to travel unaccompanied on our ferries and FastCats and may be asked for proof of age. If your child is under 12 then a responsible adult must be with them at all times. If proof of age cannot be provided, we may refuse travel until an adult is able to accompany them.
E-Bikes are not permitted in our on-board lounges and should be stowed on the car decks of our car ferries or the bike store on the FastCats as per our current practice where they can easily be monitored by our deck patrols and CCTV.
Bikes are free of charge to take on board but must be booked in advance when travelling our FastCat due to limited space when you buy a foot passenger ticket.
Electric bikes are fully legal in the UK and built to recognised safety standards. There is a lack of legislation and testing of Lithium-ion batteries on personally owned small e-vehicles. There is also a growing number of reports from local and national fire services of fires caused by the batteries on this type of vehicle.
This ban will remain in place until there is better understanding and legislation of their use.
E-bikes, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are not affected by the ban as they are legally approved for use in the UK. E-bikes, like all bicycles, are not permitted in the lounges onboard ferries.
No. These electric vehicles are exempt as they are fully legal in the UK and are built to recognised safety standards and less prone to being modified. However, we do not allow these vehicles to be charged inside our customer buildings or on board our ships and E-bikes, like all bicycles, are not permitted in the lounges onboard ferries.
We don’t allow any small e-vehicles to travel on our ships or FastCats or enter our customer buildings due to the growing number of reports from local and national fire services of fires caused by the batteries on this type of vehicle.
This is because there is a lack of legislation and testing of the lithium-ion batteries used on non-approved vehicles. The batteries on these vehicles also tend to be situated under the board where users stand on e-scooters and e-skateboards, which makes then more susceptible to damage form hitting kerbs or other surfaces.
This ban will remain in place until there is better understanding and legislation of their use.
E-bikes, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are not affected by the ban as they are legally approved for use in the UK. E-bikes, like all bicycles, are not permitted in the lounge’s onboard ferries.
That’s OK. You can update the passenger numbers for free if you’ve booked a Standard or Economy ticket online by logging in to your account or by calling our Contact Centre team on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
We have introduced Customer Service Points at each of our ports which will be open only when the service allows between sailings. You will be able to purchase and amend tickets as you would have previously at our ticket offices. However, you will still need to apply for Season Tickets and Multilink Passes online.
Any payments made at our Customer Service Points will need to be by card as we do not accept cash.
Bookings and amendments fees may be charged at Customer Service Points.
You can add a new card by choosing ‘Pay by card and save it for next time’ when paying. You can’t update old card information, but you can remove cards you no longer use by updating your details.
Infants aged 4 and under travel for free but must be included on your ticket when you make your booking, we need to make sure we count everyone travelling!
Children aged 5-15 years travel at the child rate.
Children must be 12 or over to travel unaccompanied on our ferries and FastCats and may be asked for proof of age. If your child is under 12 then a responsible adult must be with them at all times. If proof of age cannot be provided, we may refuse travel until an adult is able to accompany them.
We offer several convenient ways for you to book a sailing with us.
You can book in advance online free of charge at goodmalit854124.eu.org or by using the Wightlink App, or, for a £5.00 booking fee for Economy vehicle tickets, you can call our Contact Centre team on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
If you’re at our port you can book and pay for your ticket using our Ticket Vending Machines. Bookings cannot be made within an hour of travel.
We always recommend you book in advance to ensure space on your chosen sailing. During holiday periods and festivals, it is essential. Also, the further in advance you book, the more likely you are to pay a lower price.
If you’re travelling as a foot passenger, you can purchase your ticket on the day of travel. However, we recommend booking in advance during our busier periods. We also strongly recommend booking in advance for the 11:05 sailing from Yarmouth, as passenger numbers on this service are restricted.
There are several ways to pay that make booking with us easy.
Online bookings can be paid for using PayPal, PayPal in Three, credit and debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. If you call our Contact Centre or book at our Customer Service Point or use the Ticket Vending Machines at the port, we will accept credit and debit cards.
If you want to pay in part or in full using Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner Codes, you can book online using the special link from Tesco or by following the Tesco link in our Offers & Discounts section. Simply add your code in at the payment stage when requested.
Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner codes cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounted or promotional fare.
A 50p Ryde Pier supplement will be added to your ticket price if you’re travelling on our FastCat service to or from the Isle of Wight for Adults, Seniors, Students and one adult only in a Family ticket.
Call our Contact Centre team on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
It’s important we know your correct vehicle size and type when booking as it may affect the ticket price and the space available on board our car ferries. The vehicle’s size is the true maximum length and height, including any tow-bars, overhanging items and roof loads (e.g. a top box or bicycles).
Take a look at our Vehicle Guides to see which vehicle type you should book.
If you arrive at our car ferry port with a vehicle that exceeds the length or height booked, you will need to amend your ticket to reflect the correct vehicle size. This may result in an additional fare being payable. Any difference in price must be paid before travel, and you may not be able to travel on your originally booked sailing.
That’s OK. If you’re booking online just add TBC in the Vehicle Registration field. You can update the details free of charge online by logging in to your account or by calling our Contact Centre team on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help.
There could be several reasons for this. It could be:
If you’re still unsure call our Contact Centre on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm for more help, we’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Children must be 12 or over to travel unaccompanied on our ferries and FastCats and may be asked for proof of age at the port. If proof of age cannot be provided, we may refuse travel until an adult is able to accompany them.
If your child is under 12 then a responsible adult must be with them at all times.
We understand that sometimes you may need to drop younger children off or pick them up on the Island or mainland, so we offer an Escorted Child discount card.
Call us on 0333 999 7333 to get a discount card and complete the application form. You’ll need to provide proof of the birth certificate of the child you travel with and provide a passport-sized photo for the accompanying adult.
Please read the rules on the form carefully to make sure it’s the right ticket for the journeys you make. Remember, you will need to be travelling with the child (either for your outward or return journey) and the discount can only be used to make a round trip on the next sailing.
With the App, you just need to show your boarding pass to board. You don’t need to get a printed ticket. Just show your QR code when you check in.
Yes, you can add Priority Boarding, subject to availability, any time up to one hour before your booked sailing time. You can do this online by logging in to your account or you can call our contact Centre team on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm or weekends 9am to 5pm.
As long as the car is no longer than 5m and no higher than 2.4m and is not towing any trailers, its fine. However, if you can change the vehicle registration online before arrival it will speed up the check in process when you arrive.
Yes, as long as you cancel at least one hour before the scheduled sailing time. Please be aware we are unable to refund Priority Boarding if you pay with Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner codes or if you fail to check in at least 30 minutes before your scheduled sailing.
Yes, you can. If you no longer need Priority Boarding, you can cancel up to one hour before your scheduled sailing time and receive the Priority Boarding refund. Please be aware we are unable to refund Priority Boarding if you pay with Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner Codes.
Sorry, no. Priority Boarding is for cars only.
Sorry, something went wrong. If you call our Contact Centre or complete the Contact Us form on our website, we will investigate as quickly as possible for you.
If you have a Multilink Vehicle Pass you can book Priority Boarding for a car up to 5m long and no higher than 2.4m high and without any trailers but you will need to pay the Priority Boarding fare separately, not from your pass.
Not at the moment. You can book Accessible Travel & Customer Assistance or Priority Boarding, but not both.
You can use your Blue Badge discount to purchase your ticket, but the discount will not be applied to the Priority Boarding price.
No. Discounts on ticket prices will not be applied to the Priority Boarding price.
Priority Boarding is available to customers booking travel directly with Wightlink online or by calling our Contact Centre and travelling in a car no longer than 5m and no higher than 2.4m and is not towing any trailers.
There are several ways to pay that make booking with us easy.
If you pay online or choose to call our Contact Centre, we will accept credit and debit cards
You can also use Tesco Clubcard Reward Partner Codes or customer service vouchers. Please be aware we are unable to refund Priority Boarding if you pay with Tesco Clubcard Voucher Codes
We recommend you book Priority Boarding in advance as the number of spaces available is limited on each sailing.
Priority boarding can be booked for cars up to 5 metres in length and 2.24 metres in height and on sailings between 07:00 and 19:00. You’ll need to check in on time (at least 30 minutes before your scheduled sailing) to ensure your priority spot on board.
If you choose to travel on an alternate sailing to the one booked, Priority Boarding may not be offered, and the Priority Boarding cost will not be refunded.
Unfortunately, Priority Boarding is not available on cars with trailers of any kind
You can also make your booking as normal and then call our Contact Centre on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm or, if you have a Business Pass, you can call the Sales Team on 02392 855 260.
You can enjoy Priority Boarding on most of our car ferries on our Portsmouth- Fishbourne route.
When booking online you’ll get the option to add Priority Boarding to each leg of your journey, if it’s available.
Priority boarding can be booked for cars up to 5 metres in length and 2.24 metres in height and on sailings between 07:00 and 19:00. You’ll need to check in on time (at least 30 minutes before your scheduled sailing) to ensure your priority spot on board.
Unfortunately, Priority Boarding is not available on cars with trailers of any kind.
You can also make your booking as normal and then call our Contact Centre on 0333 999 7333 Monday to Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 9am-5pm or, if you have a Business Pass, you can call the Sales Team on 02392 855 260.
The service will be available between 07.00-19.00 on most of our Portsmouth-Fishbourne car ferries.
If you choose to travel on an alternate sailing to the one booked, Priority Boarding may not be offered, and the Priority Boarding cost will not be refunded.
Priority Boarding is a service that allows you to be one of the first cars on and/or off our car ferries. It’s available on most of our car ferries on our Portsmouth to Fishbourne route.
Priority boarding can be booked for cars up to 5 metres in length and 2.24 metres in height and on sailings between 07:00 and 19:00. You’ll need to check in on time (at least 30 minutes before your scheduled sailing) to ensure your priority spot on board.
If you choose to travel on an alternate sailing to the one booked, Priority Boarding may not be offered, and the Priority Boarding cost will not be refunded.
Unfortunately, Priority Boarding is not available on cars with trailers of any kind.
There are no planned Government changes to the UK ETS in 2027 but here’s what you need to know for 2028 and beyond.
What is the 2028 review and why is it happening?
A whole-system review of the UK ETS must be published by the end of 2028. This is a mandatory requirement under Phase 1 of the scheme (2021–2030) and will assess how well the scheme has performed overall.
Will more ships be brought into the UK ETS?
Possibly. The current size threshold for ships covered by the scheme is 5,000 gross tonnes (GT). In 2028, this threshold will be reviewed to consider whether it should be lowered — potentially to as low as 400 GT — which would bring significantly more vessels into the scheme.
What does this mean for customers travelling in 2027?
There are no planned changes to the ETS levy for customers travelling by vehicle on our Portsmouth–Fishbourne car ferry service in 2027.
Yes, the ETS levy applies to all vehicles regardless of fuel type, including electric vehicles. We understand this may feel counterintuitive, but the Emissions Trading Scheme is based on the emissions produced by the vessel itself, rather than the individual vehicles we carry on board. Our ferries burn fuel to operate, and it is these vessel emissions that the levy is designed to address. We have plans to convert our ferries to electrical power, but shore supply through the National Grid is not available to us at our ports to enable us to implement these plans.
We recognise that many of our customers choose electric vehicles to reduce their environmental impact, and we respect and support that choice. However, as the levy is a government-led initiative applied at a vessel level, we are unable to offer exemptions based on the type of vehicle being transported.
The ETS Levy is applied consistently across all ferries operating on our Portsmouth–Fishbourne route. This ensures a fair, transparent, and simple approach for customers.
Our ferries are operated interchangeably across sailings, with the majority of crossings undertaken by Victoria of Wight and St Clare, both of which fall within the criteria for the ETS levy. Because vessels are rotated operationally, applying the charge selectively by individual ship would be complex, unclear, and potentially confusing for customers.
By applying the levy uniformly, we can offer clear and consistent pricing across the route, without customers needing to worry about differences between individual sailings.
Any income received from the ETS levy on St Faith sailings will be used to offset the overall ETS costs Wightlink incurs across the route. As we have already made clear, Wightlink does not profit from the ETS levy — the total cost to Wightlink exceeds the amount charged to customers.
This approach allows us to manage our fleet efficiently while meeting regulatory requirements and maintaining a clear and consistent customer experience.
If you wish to avoid the ETS levy, you can travel on our Lymington to Yarmouth route, where the charge does not apply.
The Victoria of Wight is a hybrid ship that runs on electric and diesel engines and still produces emissions, although less than the St Clare. We are unable to operate the Victoria of Wight as fully electric as we do not have the grid capacity at Gunwharf to charge her, although this is still something we are investigating. It has been a focus of our campaign with the Government that it feels incorrect that the cleanest vessel on the Solent, on a per passenger basis, is caught by the ETS scheme. Despite highlighting this fact, no exemption has been granted to us for our ships.
Our Portsmouth – Ryde FastCats and Wight Class ferries that run on our Lymington – Yarmouth route do not currently meet the criteria for ETS charges and so there will be no levy on these two routes.
The ETS levy is applied to vehicle tickets only on our ferry routes. Foot passenger numbers on our ferry services are significantly lower than on our FastCat service, which remains the primary choice for those travelling on foot between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
To avoid customer confusion and to enable tickets to be used by foot passengers on both routes across our 24×7 service, we wanted to implement a consistent position regarding the ETS levy.
Applying the ETS levy to foot passenger ferry tickets would disadvantage these passengers in comparison to those travelling on the catamaran. The levy is therefore applied only to vehicles, where the overall cost impact is more proportionate to the ticket price. If you travel as a foot passenger, we encourage you to consider our FastCat service, which offers a frequent and convenient crossing and is not subject to the ETS levy.
Wightlink will not make any profit from the ETS levy charge to customers. This is a government initiative and the total cost to Wightlink exceeds the amount charged to customers.
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme is a government initiative designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It sets a limit on the amount of carbon businesses can produce, requiring companies to purchase allowances for their emissions to encourage investment in cleaner, greener alternatives. In Wightlink’s case electrical shore power is not available through the National Grid to provide an alternate power source for our vessels.
From 1st July 2026, the ETS was extended to include ferry operators like Wightlink, meaning we are now required by law to purchase carbon credits to cover the emissions produced by our vessels.
Carbon credits are purchased at fortnightly government auctions, with each credit covering one tonne of CO2 emitted. To calculate our costs, we use the known fuel consumption of our vessels and the number of sailings we operate to estimate our total emissions. We then use government forecasts for carbon credit prices to calculate the levy.
This means the ETS levy you are charged is based entirely on the actual cost of purchasing these government-mandated carbon credits. Wightlink does not profit from this charge.
If you are a business with an account with us, please contact your Wightlink Business Manager for more information.
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a Government scheme designed to reduce carbon emissions. It requires businesses that produce emissions above a certain threshold to buy allowances for each tonne of CO2 they emit. We fully support the move to decarbonisation, but our ports don’t currently have the electrical power supply we’d need to run fully electric vessels, so right now there’s no way for us to avoid the ETS charge. We have lobbied the Government extensively regarding this fact.
From 1 July 2026, the ETS scheme will be extended to include larger domestic maritime vessels, including some ferries operating on UK routes. Ferries on our Portsmouth-Fishbourne route fall within the scope of the scheme, so we must pay the Government for the emissions they produce.
The ETS levy is applied across all ferries on our Portsmouth-Fishbourne route as we operate our ferries interchangeably across services, with most sailings undertaken by Victoria of Wight and St Clare, both of which fall within the ETS levy criteria.
Despite our intense lobbying over the last 18 months to the Government regarding the ETS, no exemption has been provided for ferries serving the Isle of Wight. This has included working with the Chamber of Shipping, writing to the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation, joint representation to Government with Isle of Wight Chamber and more than 35 local business, direct engagement with local IOW MP’s and raising issues through parliamentary routes, including Prime Ministers Questions.
We fully support the move to decarbonisation, but our ports don’t currently have the electrical power supply we’d need to run fully electric, ETS-compliant vessels.
This means the ETS levy is a real extra cost to the business that we need to recover. We’ve kept it as low as we can and applied it fairly based on vehicle size, so it covers our added costs without going further.
Each single crossing will be charged by vehicle type:
The ETS levy will appear as a separate line item on your booking. The levy is based on the length of the vehicle you book. Any extras added to your booking — such as a trailer or extra space at the rear of the vehicle to allow a wheelchair ramp — will not affect the levy charge. Only a change in the actual vehicle length will affect the levy amount applied.
No, the ETS levy is only applied to vehicles.
No, the ETS levy will only apply to vehicle bookings on the Portsmouth-Fishbourne service.
The UK ETS scheme currently applies to larger domestic maritime vessels, which covers the ferries operating on our Portsmouth – Fishbourne route.
Our Portsmouth – Ryde FastCats and Wight Class ferries that run on our Lymington – Yarmouth route do not currently meet the criteria for ETS charges and so there will be no levy on these two routes.
The ETS levy will apply to bookings from 1 July 2026. It will be included in all vehicle bookings made from 6 May 2026 for travel from 1 July 2026 on our Portsmouth – Fishbourne route.
Bookings made before the 6 May 2026 to travel from 1 July 2026 and then amended, will not be charged the ETS levy.
No, the levy will only apply per vehicle per crossing.
We recommend any changes to your booking are made before travel and any outstanding balance is paid before you arrive at the port. If there is a difference in the ETS levy charge and you are due a refund, we will action this automatically without you having to contact Wightlink.
We recommend any changes to your booking are made before travel and any outstanding balance is paid before you arrive at the port. If you arrive in a vehicle longer than your booked vehicle, you will be required to pay any outstanding balance including any increase in the ETS levy charge at check in before you can travel.
Economy tickets are non-refundable, but we will refund the ETS levy charge to you automatically without having to contact Wightlink if you cancel your booking.
You can cancel a Standard ticket up to 24 hours before the date and time of travel for a full refund, this will include the ETS levy charge too. The refund will be automatically actioned without you having to contact Wightlink.
If you cancel a standard ticket within 24 hours of the date and time of travel, we will not refund the cost of the ticket, but the ETS Levy will be refunded to you automatically without contacting Wightlink.
If you’ve booked a Standard ticket and would like to cancel one leg of the journey, as long as you cancel up to 24 hours before the date and time of travel, we will refund that leg of the ticket cost and the ETS levy charge applied to that leg.
If you cancel a standard ticket or any part thereof within 24 hours of the date and time of travel, we will not refund the cost of the ticket, but the ETS Levy will be refunded to you automatically without contacting Wightlink.
Economy tickets are non-refundable, and we will not refund the cancelled leg of the journey, but we will refund the ETS levy charge to you automatically without having to contact Wightlink.
If the sailing has been cancelled due to circumstance within our control, for example, a mechanical issue and we cancel your booking, we will refund your ticket cost and the ETS levy charge to you automatically without having to contact Wightlink.
If the sailing is cancelled due to circumstances outside of our control, for example, weather or a broken-down vehicle, we will refund the ETS levy but may not refund the ticket cost.
Yes, the refund will be automatically refunded to you without having to contact Wightlink.
Yes, the ETS levy will be applied including any amend fees and must be paid before you travel.
Yes, the refund will be automatically refunded to you without having to contact Wightlink. Please be aware refunds may take up to 30 days to process if we experience severe disruption.
No. If the move is made by Wightlink, there will be no ETS levy to pay.
No, if you buy a Gift Voucher there will no ETS levy charged but if the person receiving the Gift Voucher makes a booking on our Portsmouth-Fishbourne route, the ETS levy will then be charged.
Yes, the ETS levy will still be charged. Tesco Partner Rewards vouchers cannot be used to pay the ETS levy charge. You will have to pay the ETS levy using a debit or credit card before travelling.
Yes, the ETS levy will still be charged on NHS discount vehicle bookings as this is a Government levy that is applied and paid to the Government.
Yes, the ETS levy will still be charged on Accessible Travel discount vehicle bookings as this is a Government levy that is applied and paid to the Government.
Yes, the ETS levy will still be charged on Sponsorship Account discount vehicle bookings as this is a Government levy that is applied and paid to the Government.
If you booked your journey before 1 July 2026 to travel after that date, and you later amend your booking, the ETS levy will be automatically applied by our system and cannot be removed at the time of amendment. However, if this applies to you, please contact us at [email protected] and we will refund the ETS levy charge.
The ETS levy is applied on all vehicle bookings on our Portsmouth-Fishbourne service. You will not be charged the ETS levy when you purchase a Multilink Book, but you will be charged each time you make a booking with your pass. This ensures that you only pay the ETS levy when you are about to travel.
The ETS levy will appear as a separate line item on your booking and must be paid before the booking is be confirmed either online or by calling the Contact Centre.