Geelong To Tasmania Ferry: Everything You Need to Know About the Ferry to Tasmania

The island of Tasmania, located off the southern coast of Australia, is a unique and fascinating destination, with a rich history and stunning natural beauty. Whether you’re interested in exploring the island’s pristine beaches, rugged mountains, or charming towns, you’re sure to have an unforgettable time.

The best way to get to Tasmania is by ferry. The Spirit of Tasmania is the only ferry service that runs between Melbourne and Devonport, Tasmania. The ferry is a large, cruise-style vessel that offers a variety of amenities, including restaurants, cinema, bars, cabins, and shops.

Where Does Spirit of Tasmania Dock?

Please note that the Spirit of Tasmania is now departing from Geelong, Victoria, every night and from Devonport, Tasmania, every morning, this iconic ferry offers a scenic crossing that typically takes about “9 to 11 hours“.

Kindly be aware that the previous information stating the Spirit of Tasmania departed from Port Melbourne is no longer accurate. As of October 2022, the ferry has been relocated to Geelong. Therefore, Geelong is now the sole departure point for anyone wishing to travel to Tasmania by ferry.

How Long is the Ferry Ride from Geelong to Tasmania? Spirit of Tasmania Travel Time

Traveling from Geelong to Devonport, Tasmania aboard the Spirit of Tasmania ferry typically takes between “9 to 11 hours” approximately. However, please note that the exact duration may vary depending on the sailing schedule and weather conditions.

Duration	9 to 11 Hours approximately
Sailings	Up to 2 Times p/day
Distance	243 miles, 390 km
Operated by	Spirit of Tasmania

The ferry departs from Geelong at “6:45 PM” and arrives in Devonport at “6:00 AM” the following day.

The Spirit of Tasmania: The Only Ferry Service Between Mainland Australia and Tasmania

The ships were built in 1998 and underwent major renovations in 2015. This resulted in the latest decor for increasing comfort of passengers and also for improving onboard facilities.

A quick overview of the Spirit of Tasmania is here:

Fact	Value
Year built	1998
Vehicles per ship	500
Weight	28000 tonnes
Length	194.3 meters
Approximate sailings per year	800
Passengers per ship	1400
Builder	Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Turku, Finland

The Spirit of Tasmania is the only ferry service between mainland Australia and Tasmania. It operates two ships, the Spirit of Tasmania I and the Spirit of Tasmania II, which depart from Geelong and Devonport respectively.

The Spirit of Tasmania I and II are virtually identical. They are both roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ships, which means that you can drive your car onto one side of the ship and drive off the other. They are also both very large, weighing over 28,000 Tonnes and measuring over 194 meters long. This means that they can carry a lot of vehicles and passengers, with a capacity of 1400 passengers and 500 cars.

Spirit of Tasmania provides dedicated support for passengers with reduced medical conditions, mobility, hearing & vision impairment, medical oxygen, and guide/hearing dogs or assistance animals.

Things to do on the Ferry:

The Spirit of Tasmania ships offer a variety of amenities to keep passengers comfortable and entertained during the Tasmania journey. These include:

• Relax in a recliner or cabin: If you want to relax during the journey, you can book a recliner or cabin. Recliners on the upper decks provide breathtaking views of the ocean, while cabins offer added privacy and ample space.

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• Spirit of Tasmania Restaurants: Enjoy the delicious meal in Tasmania restaurants. Most of the people search for the Spirit of Tasmania menu but they can’t. We share the list of food on Spirit of Tasmania.

Here are the operating hours table for Tasmanian Market Kitchen:

Departure Time	Dinner	Breakfast
6:45 PM	6:00 PM – 8:30 PM	5:30 AM – Arrival
8:30 AM	Closed	7:00 AM – 10:00 AM
9:30 PM	8:00 PM – 10:30 PM	6:00 AM – Arrival
10:30 AM	9:00 AM – 11:00 AM	12:30 PM – 3:30 PM (reopens at 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM)
11:30 PM	Closed	6:30 AM – Arrival

• Have a drink at the bar: There are 3 different bars on the Spirit of Tasmania, passengers can drink all types of drinks in these Spirit of Tasmania bars.

Bar	Deck	Description
Bar 7	7	Sleek, ciders, modern bar with a selection of Tasmanian wines, beers and spirits.
The Terrace Lounge Bar	9	Bright TVs and bar snacks, modern space with comfy lounges.
Top Deck Lounge	10	Summery bar with deck chairs and sea views. Conveniently located near the Kids Play Area.

• Watch a movie in the cinema: Enjoy the ultimate movie experience on board with not 1, but 2 Spirit of Tasmania cinemas. We offer multiple screenings of the latest movie releases on every sailing. Don’t miss out on the big screen excitement! Admission prices are as follows:

Adult	$10
Pensioner	$7.50
Child (3-15 years)	$5

With any cinema ticket purchase, you can treat yourself to the delightful Choc Top for just $4.50. It’s the perfect companion for your movie indulgence.

• Kids Activities on Spirit of Tasmania: When you travel it’s difficult to handle the kids but when you travel with spirit of Tasmania, it means you don’t need to worry about kids.

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Activity	Description
Kids Play Area	A beach-themed play area with a slide, soft play pyramids, and ramp.
Game Zone	An arcade with a variety of games, including air hockey, video games, and table tennis.
Cinemas	2 cinemas that show the latest movies.
Day Sailing Entertainment	Different activities that take place during the day, such as face painting, balloon animals, and story time.
Delicious Foods	Different kinds of kid-friendly food options are available in the restaurants and cafes on board.

• Day Sailing Entertainment: There are a variety of activities that take place during the day, such as live music, art cart, roving artists, and cinema.

Spirit of Tasmania Cabins:

The Spirit of Tasmania offers a variety of cabin options to suit passengers’ requirements. Here is the list of all types of cabins:

• Deluxe Cabin
• Twin Bed Private Porthole Cabin
• 4 Bed Porthole Private Cabin
• 4 Bed Inside Private Cabin
• 3 Bed Private Accessible Cabin

Deluxe Cabin:

What do the passengers get in the deluxe cabin? All the detail is mentioned below.

Feature	Description
Bed	Queen size
Bathroom	Private shower
Windows	Twin porthole windows
Maximum occupancy	2 adults + 2 children (cot)
Other notes	Towels, soap, and bedding are provided (however, you’ll need to bring linen for the cot)
Other Features	Lamps with Bedside tables, 2 chairs with window side table, air-conditioning with adjustable controls, Television, Hanging space, Wall mirror, 230V Power point, and Fridge.

Twin Bed Private Porthole Cabin:

What do the spirit of Tasmania passengers get in the twin bed private porthole cabin? All the detail is mentioned below.

Feature	Description
Beds	2 single beds
Bathroom	Private shower
Windows	Porthole window
Maximum occupancy	2 adults
Other features	Adjustable air-conditioning, desk and chair, wall-mounted reading lights, hanging space, wall mirror, and 230V power point.
Other notes	Towels, soap, and bedding are provided.

4 Bed Porthole Private Cabin:

The following items are included in the 4-bed porthole private cabin:

Feature	Description
Beds	4 bunk beds
Bathroom	Private shower
Windows	Porthole window
Other features	Adjustable air-conditioning, desk and chair, wall-mounted reading lights, hanging space, wall mirror, Accommodates a maximum of 1 cot, and 230V power point.
Maximum occupancy	4 adults + 1 child (cot)

4 Bed Inside Private Cabin:

Passengers in the 4 beds inside private cabin will receive:

Feature	Description
Beds	4 bunk beds
Bathroom	Private shower
Windows	None
Other features	Adjustable air-conditioning, desk and chair, wall-mounted reading lights, wall mirror, hanging space, accommodates a maximum of 2 cots, and 230V power point.
Maximum occupancy	4 adults + 2 children (cot)

3 Bed Private Accessible Cabin:

The 3-bed private accessible cabin comes with the following amenities:

Feature	Description
Beds	2 lower beds and 1 upper bed
Bathroom	Private shower with handheld hose, safety rails, and shower seat with fold down function
Windows	Limited view porthole window
Maximum occupancy	3 adults
Other features	Television, Adjustable air-conditioning, desk and chair, wall-mounted reading lights, wall mirror, hanging space, and 230V power point.
Other notes	Bedding, soap, and towels are included.

All Spirit of Tasmania cabins have adjustable air-conditioning, 230V PowerPoint, desk with chair, wall-mounted reading lights, hanging space, wall mirror, Bedding, towels, and soap features.

Spirit of Tasmania Cabin Price:

Please note that the prices provided are approximate and are subject to change based on the date of travel and other factors. The accurate Spirit of Tasmania cabin price will be displayed when you proceed to book your ticket. Remember one thing that this is the cheapest ferry to Tasmania.

Cabin Type	Price	Description
Deluxe Cabin	$369	1 Queen bed, private shower, & window.
Twin Bed Private Porthole Cabin	$139	2 single beds, private shower, & window.
Four Bed Private Porthole Cabin	$139	4 bunk beds, private shower, & window.
Four Bed Inside Cabin	$119	4 bunk beds, no window.
Female or Male Shared Cabin	from $30	Bunk beds, shared bathroom and shower.

Spirit of Tasmania Geelong Terminal Ferry Terminal Tasmania

The Spirit of Tasmania Geelong terminal, known as Spirit of Tasmania Quay, is conveniently situated at “138-140 Corio Quay Rd, North Geelong VIC 3214, Australia“. Open 24/7, this terminal offers seamless access to the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service. Passengers can take advantage of free parking facilities for their vehicles.

Spirit of Tasmania Devonport Terminal Ferry Terminal Tasmania

Spirit of Tasmania Devonport terminal is located at “Esplanade, East Devonport, TAS 7310“. The terminal is open “24 hours” a day, 7 days a week. There is free parking available for passengers and their vehicles.

Spirit of Tasmania Fares

Passenger fares on Spirit of Tasmania are flexible and depend on factors like passenger type, travel date, and demand. We share the Tasmania passenger fares table, you can get the idea about fare from this table.

Passenger Type	Low Demand	High Demand
Adult	$69 – $211	$86 – $263
Pension	$59 – $179	$73 – $224
Child	$35 – $105	$43 – $132

When you travel to Tasmania by Spirit of Tasmania, it means you save money because the Spirit of Tasmania fares are cheaper than the plane. If you want to save more money by traveling on Spirit of Tasmania, we recommend booking your ticket in advance and opting for travel during low-demand periods. 

• Fares are quoted in Australian dollars.
• Please note that fares may vary based on the date and time of travel.

Note: These fares apply only to Spirit of Tasmania passenger tickets. Vehicle fares must be purchased separately.

Ferry to Tasmania with Car

The table shown below the ferry fares for different types of vehicles traveling to Tasmania. The fares vary depending on the type of vehicle, its length, and whether it is traveling during low or high demand.

Vehicle Type	Length of Vehicle	Low Demand	High Demand
Standard vehicles less than 2.0 meters wide and less than 2.0 meters high	0.01 – 6.00	$179 – $302	$224 – $377
Standard vehicles higher than 2.1 meters	0.01 – 6.00	$215 – $362	$269 – $452
Campervans/Motorhomes Less than 2 meters wide	0.01 – 6.00	$179 – $302	$224 – $377
Campervans/Motorhomes Higher than 2.1 meters	0.01 – 6.00	$215 – $362	$269 – $452
Vehicles towing caravans or camper trailers and motorhomes/campervans with or without towed unit	0.01 – 7.00	$224 – $362	$280 – $452
Each extra meter	– –	$85	$85
Each extra meter (Flexi Fares)	– –	$90	$90
Standard vehicles towing trailers and vehicles other than motorhomes/campers (i.e. boat trailer, box trailer)	0.01 – 6.00	$224 – $377	$280 – $471
6.00 – 7.00	– –	$470 – $623	$587 – $779
Each extra meter	– –	$101	$126
Each extra meter (Flexi)	– –	$115	$144
Motorbikes & Bicycles	Ride your bike or motorbike around Tassie
Motorbike	– –	$90 – $151	$112 – $189
Motorbike with sidecar/trailer	– –	$134 – $226	$168 – $283
Bicycles	– –	$19 – $29	$22 – $33

Please note that all prices listed in the table are in “Australian dollars” and are subject to potential changes.

Why Take the tassie ferry?

There are several reasons to choose the ferry as your mode of transportation when ferrying to Tasmania. Here are some of the top benefits:

1. The ferry ride offers unparalleled opportunities to capture Bass Strait’s stunning views of the Australian coastline that will leave you spellbound.

2. It’s a peaceful and relaxing way to travel. The ferry ride is a great way to enjoy the journey with peace.

3. It’s a more budget-friendly way to travel. The ferry is often more affordable than flying, especially traveling with a car.

4. The ferry departs from Devonport regularly, and it can be a more convenient way to travel if you are not located near an airport.

Choose the ferry to Tasmania and indulge in an incredible travel experience that combines relaxation, affordability, scenic beauty, and convenience.

Conclusion

Experience the convenience and affordability of the Geelong to Tasmania ferry, the perfect way to travel between these two states. With daily operations and a travel time of approximately 9 to 11 hours, this ferry provides a seamless journey for all passengers. Choose from a range of accommodation options to suit your needs, including comfortable cabins, reclining seats, and inviting lounges.

Onboard, you’ll find a host of facilities to enhance your trip, including a restaurant, bar, game center, and cinema. Delight in the variety of amenities that the Spirit of Tasmania ferry offers, ensuring a safe, reliable, and enjoyable travel experience for people of all ages and interests.

FAQ’s