Sandbanks Ferry

Sandbanks Ferry

Sandbanks Ferry
4.5
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  • The_Concierge_8
    Trinidad and Tobago3,813 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The most amazing experience riding the ferry on the top of a double decker Purbeck Breezer bus!
    Riding this ferry was the highlight of our ride on the Purbeck Breezer No. 50 bus from Swanage to Bournemouth. The bus ride is spectacular and should be an activity in itself. You can never be sure how long the journey will take you so be patient as it all depends on the line of traffic queueing to pay for the ferry and then waiting to board the amazing chain ferry for the short ride over to Sandbanks. I have never been on one of these on top of a double decker bus in my life. Certainly one for the memory box!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 24, 2024
  • eric
    Ickenham, United Kingdom174 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Short trip
    Interesting experience and relatively painless. Shortish queue but in tourist season, I think we were just lucky that day. No frills trip across the bay (about 5 minutes) and saved us a fair bit of driving time. The staff we interacted with were friendly and all went smoothly.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 7, 2024
  • Karen C
    Shillington, United Kingdom359 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good value for money
    Used the Chain Ferry a couple of times whilst staying at Sandbanks and enjoyed the journey each time. Amazing value for money at only £1 return (pay from Sandbanks to Shell Bay but not the other way) for foot passengers. Great views during the crossing and not long to wait for the ferry due to the regularity of the crossings.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 16, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,488 reviews
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859
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427
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108
Poor
26
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MrsSAJennings
London, UK497 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
For a small fee you can experience a small trip across the opening of Poole Harbour at Sandbanks.
Queuing times are very quick and the trip takes about 5 minutes to make.
The ferry is attached to a chain which makes the trip across stable .
Due to Covid you are not allowed out of you vehicle at the moment but that doesn’t spoil the experience or views.
Written August 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

w0tcha
Ampthill, UK581 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
If you are in the area, you've really got to do the chain link ferry. Yes it costs £5 per car each way (pay on exit at Studland side) and it is only a matter of minutes to complete the crossing, but it is still worth it. If you are going from Poole to Purbeck, it saves you quite a long drive.

Loading and unloading is all very efficient. One disappointment is you have to remain in your cars, so unless you are in the front few rows of cars you won't see much during the crossing. A tip might be to leave your car and board the open-top bus which goes back and forth (oh and sit upstairs of course) to get a better view.
Written July 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stewart C
Chatham, UK1,105 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
We used the Sandbanks ferry after a day out in the Swanage area returning to our accommodation in Poole. We chose to use the ferry, rather than the perhaps more direct route via the roads to amuse our grandchildren. The ferry is a ‘chain’ ferry, meaning that it operates by pulling on a continuous chain moored either side of the mouth to Poole Harbour, and moving it across and you can hear the chain passing through the machinery. There is a fee payable for using it, for a private car we paid £5, and it runs frequently throughout the day. Unfortunately, passengers are not allowed to alight from their vehicles whilst on the ferry so we missed the views, but nevertheless, we all enjoyed our short nautical journey and it gave the grandchildren another holiday experience.
Written September 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

A K Swanage
3 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2020
We purchased a pass for ferry travel yesterday at a cost of £170. Today we are told that as from tonight all ferry crossings will be suspended for an indefinite period. Why sell passes to local residents whilst knowing that the ferry service is going to be stopped?

This service ceased to operate for two months last winter and a further 3 months during the summer. During these times we held on to our books of tickets instead of taking refunds to try to support the service.once the service was reinstated we found that ticket books were now being sold at a cheaper price than the one we had paid for in advance.

Key workers rely on this service, are working very hard under difficult circumstances and do not need the added stress of a longer journey to work I feel very let down by this company, the least they could do for local people is to keep the service running.as some recompense for the disruption we suffered last year.
Written April 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bob
St. Neots, UK298 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
We have used the ferry before, several years ago, and it is very busy in peak season and times. However, we decided to use it on the morning of 6/10/2022 to save the long and time consuming drive to get from Studland to Sandbanks on our way home from our holiday. We only had to wait a few minutes to drive on and the crossing here was worth the £5 fare to avoid the long drive. Friendly staff and they just waved us on to park where we wanted to as we were only 4th in the queue.
Written October 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tad666
Essex, England393 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
If you are just visiting Studland then Sandbanks Chain Ferry is what you should be using, for me I was 6 mile from the ferry so to travel to Studland I would have had to drive 15 mile to get to Studland. I know it cost a £5 note each way but that 30 mile round trip could take over two hours depending on traffic. Use it as it is an experience.
Written June 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fauchards
WGC - Hertfordshire222 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Staying in Poole for a few days, we took the ferry to visit Swanage, quicker and more scenic than inland.
Queue was short and did not have to wait long for ferry which was on its way back. Trip is short, quick and well organized for on and off loading.
When you disembark, you then join a queue to pay for your trip, £5 one way for a car. Other ferries I have been on they collect the money on ship. Since you are sitting there its much easier and quicker this way - just a suggestion.
Otherwise it was a lovely trip and we used it later that day when we returned.
Written April 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Blossomrouge
116 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Couples
we had to wait a little while as the ferry was over the other side. We had bought fish n chips in Poole to eat over on studland and watch the sun go down. It was £4.50 one way for a car (I think this is possibly the most expensive crossing for such a short distance)
It would have been good to know roughly how long until we would be travelling over as the fish n chips were nearly cold by time we had parked up and sat on studland beach. (We could have eaten them in the car instead). That aside the crossing was smooth and well organised.
Written August 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mojoblue717
Manchester, UK3,335 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
The best way to travel from Sandbaks to Studland Bay,and then Corfe Castle/Swanage avoiding a probably 25/30 mile trip round Poole Harbour. Quite busy when we went, probably even busier in mid-Summer, costs £4.75 for a standard car. Well organised, Ferry takes a lot more vehicles than imagined, even buses, trip takes less than 10 minutes
Written June 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jazz Gumbo
London, UK883 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
Incredibly efficient & well run service, very simple hop on hop off with payment made at Studland side (which can cause hold up at busy times. A remarkable piece of engineering to enjoy. If you have the time its an enjoyable shortcut but I would imagine at peak times there could be some wait.
Written August 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Sandbanks Ferry - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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