The Complete Guide: How to travel to Waiheke Island and get around when you’re here
Insider tips on the best way to visit Waiheke Island
There are common questions that people ask when planning a trip to Waiheke Island:
How do you get to Waiheke Island?
How do you get around Waiheke?
How much does a ferry ticket cost?
What does the bus cost?
How do I visit The Heke Brewery / Distillery / Restaurant on Waiheke Island.
We answer these and more here - read on . . .
Unless you can use a private plane, helicopter or boat, you have two ferry options for getting to Waiheke island! Your first option is to get the Fullers passenger ferry which arrives to Matiatia Ferry Terminal, Waiheke. Your second option is to walk on, or drive on to the SeaLink car ferry, which arrives at Kennedy Point, Waiheke.
Waiheke Island is the perfect day out, weekend (or week-long!) escape - bring your best friend, luggage, and kids, and yes even the family pet with you. That’s right, dogs are welcome on board both the Fullers Passenger Ferry (as long as you keep your pup on a leash, and sit outside) and SeaLink Car Ferry (your pup must stay in the car at all times). And they are very welcome to come to The Heke with you - dogs are welcome on leash at any time, anywhere in the restaurant & bar at The Heke (book here).
Once you are here, there are numerous options to choose from to help you get around the island. Using your HopCard, jump on the local AT buses to go all over the island, or in summer you can buy a ticket for transport with your ferry ticket and use the Fullers Hop On Hop Off Bus that stops at all the key areas including right at the gate of The Heke! See below for more explanation. The local bus meets each ferry as it arrives at Matiatia Ferry Terminal on Waiheke. E-bikes, cars and scooters can also be hired - explore the island in your own time.
You could even charter a private tour, a taxi, or a red double decker bus for you and your mates.
Only have a few hours on your hands? Oneroa Village is a mere 2km walk from Matiatia Ferry Terminal. Explore the village, pop down to Oneroa beach for a swim, and then grab some lunch before walking back down to the ferry. There are also plenty of walking tracks on Waiheke that start at Matiatia Ferry Terminal. So chuck on your walking shoes, pack your drink bottle, and tour some of New Zealand’s natural beauty on foot. When it’s time for a drink, a beer flight, a whisky tasting and a great lunch head over to The Heke :-)
THE ‘HEKE
64 Onetangi Road. Four acres of beautiful gardens & The 'HEKE Kitchen, a relaxed restaurant where chefs prepare your food over glowing wood fires.
The 'HEKE is the new home for our growing craft distillery and craft brewery on Waiheke Island. Check our menu!
Now - let’s iron out the travel details so you can plan your trip. Read our post below on all the info you need to travel to Waiheke island, and how to get around once you’ve arrived.
How to Get to Waiheke Island…
Fullers Passenger Ferry
Departs from Auckland or Devonport and arrives at Matiatia Ferry Terminal, Waiheke island
The Fullers passenger ferry is the most popular way to travel to Waiheke island. It departs from Auckland ferry terminal or Devonport ferry terminal.
It takes 40-45 minutes from Auckland depending on whether it stops at Devonport first. The sailing can also take longer during busy periods or rough weather.
There is a bar and cafe onboard where you can buy snacks like cookies and chips, toasted sandwiches, pies and a range of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks.
Fullers Ferry Prices (accurate as at August 2023 )
Adult Ticket Options
Auckland to Waiheke Island (Return/Roundtrip) is $55 online / $59.50 at the terminal
Off-peak return deal - adult $29.50
Terms & Conditions: Depart Auckland City anytime from 1pm until last sailing of the day. Return from Waiheke Island to downtown Auckland anytime from 7pm. Available everyday BUT must be purchased online at least one day prior to sailing.
Our tip: The Heke is open most days for late lunch and early dinner bookings, so we think this is a great option to avoid the early crowds. Check before you book.Waiheke Hop-On Hop-Off - adult $89 (Ferry ticket and hop on hop off bus tour all day).
Child Tickets
Auckland to Waiheke Island (Return/Roundtrip) is $26
Waiheke Hop-On Hop-Off - child $45
Terms & Conditions: Child must be 5-15 years old. Children under 5 years old travel for free.
Family Tickets
Family return (ferry tickets for 2 adults, 2 children aged between 5-15 years) $122.50
Family hop-on-hop-off (ferry tickets and bus passes for 2 adults, 2 children aged between 5-15 years) $195
Disclaimer: This is all meant for helpful info only and things change so check on the company websites for the most accurate info, The Heke team won’t be held accountable for any misinformation accidentally published here.
Group Options
If you have a group, then there is a great option to buy a Flexi-Pass.
Flexi-Pass 10 Trip : $166 / $97.50 (student) / $77 (child) - this is $33.20* per return trip but it can only be used by a maximum of 4 people per trip -
*(If four people are travelling together and you buy one Flexi-Pass, then it is $41.50 per person return - with 2 trips still left over to use within 12 months - for ‘free’ - compare this to standard $59 pp fare. If you have more than four people, then the maths still works. Buy multiple Flexi Passes, and use four per ticket, with two trips remaining with a 12-month expiry date. Even if you cannot use the extra two tickets, you can gift them to someone else and still be a lot better off).
Timetable
The Waiheke ferry follows a timetable which changes depending on the season of the year, and public holidays.
You can check out the latest Fullers timetable here to get the ferry from Auckland to Waiheke Island, here. But come back and keep reading because there are local tips about travel to, and around Waiheke Island here.
What can you bring on the passenger ferry?
Children, and all the luggage that comes with them! Prams, car seats and anything else your little cherubs might need can be brought onto the ferry. Children under the age of 7 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children between 7-12 must have an unaccompanied minor form filled out by a parent or guardian at check-in.
Dogs/cats/guinea pigs/hamsters. Large pets must be kept in the outside area at all times, unless you have a guide or assistance dog. For other smaller pets such as cats and rabbits, an appropriate travel cage should be used and the door must be kept shut at all times - to keep your guinea pig escaping and ending up on my lap while I’m enjoying my rosé from the bar.
Suitcases and bags. There is no baggage or weight limit but you must be able to carry it on the ferry yourself.
Bikes. Bikes are allowed on board, make sure you let the crew member know when you are boarding so they can help you store the bike safely. Large groups with bikes will need to book a car space on the SeaLink ferry.
Surfboard. If you think that you can find waves big enough to surf on Waiheke, then by all means bring along your surfboard! Again, make sure you mention it to a crew member on board so they can help you store it safely.
What can you not bring on the passenger ferry?
You can’t bring kayaks, motorcycles, large animals, the kitchen sink, or the BBQ. Leave any other large item(s) that cannot be stored safely at home. Disclaimer: This is all meant for helpful info only and things change so check on the company websites for the most accurate info, The Heke team won’t be held accountable for any misinformation accidentally published here.
An alternative option is to take the SeaLink car ferry (see below).
Fullers 360 Experiences and Cruises
Website: https://www.fullers.co.nz/
Email: enquiries@fullers.co.nz
Phone: 0800 FULLERS
SeaLink Car Ferry
SeaLink operates a drive-on, drive-off car ferry. It is an alternative way to get to Waiheke Island, and handy if you want to take a car or larger items with you. You are also able to walk onto the ferry without a car, if you so wish.
The SeaLink ferry is located at Half Moon Bay in East Auckland, and Hamer Street which is located next to Wynyard Quarter in Auckland’s CBD.
It takes 45-60 minutes depending on the weather and the vessel you are on. There is a lounge on board which includes a licensed cafe and bar, Sky TV, power outlets and complimentary WiFi. Toilets are also located on deck. Once you arrive at the terminal, you can either wait in your car and someone will scan your barcode from your email confirmation, or you can check in at the reception area.
Cost
The cost of the SeaLink ferry is dependent on the time of day, how many passengers there are, and what type of vehicle you are taking.
Book the ferry and find out the exact cost of your trip here:
https://www.sealink.co.nz/book
Timetable
The SeaLink Waiheke ferry operates on a timetable which changes depending on the season of the year, and public holidays. You can check out the latest SeaLink timetable here:
Half Moon Bay, Auckland to Kennedy Point, Waiheke
https://www.sealink.co.nz/timetables-fares/waiheke/half-moon-bay-waiheke
Hamer St, Auckland to Kennedy Point, Waiheke
https://www.sealink.co.nz/timetables-fares/waiheke/hamer-waiheke#timetables
Once you’ve arrived…
How to Get Around Waiheke Island
Catch a Bus on Waiheke Island
The local bus network on Waiheke is great value. It connects the walk-on ‘Fullers Ferry’ that arrives at Matiatia Harbour on Waiheke Island, and the vehicle and ‘Sealink’ ferry, with all suburbs and the most popular beaches, shops, and restaurant areas.
If you just want to get up to Oneroa village you can jump on a bus, and if you’d like to head all the way to Onetangi beach you can get there too. The buses on Waiheke are frequent, cheap and economical.
Recently most of the buses on Waiheke were replaced with fully electric buses, so they are quiet, eco-friendly and not polluting the island’s roads. All of Waiheke Island falls within a single zone, so if you're paying with an AT HOP card, you can take up to five buses within four hours on the island, and as long as there are no more than 30 minutes between trips, you'll pay only one one-zone fare. For adults that's currently $2.20*.
Wondering how to pay for the bus in Waiheke Island? Buses don’t take cash or debit or credit cards. You must use an AT HOP card to get around on the bus services. If you do not have an AT HOP card you can buy one from a vending machine at the Downtown Ferry Terminal, and also from the ferry building at Matiatia.
Here is a link to the official PDF of the bus routes and timetables for Waiheke Island - download it if you like but come back to read the rest of this good info! The ‘Fullers Hop on Hop off’ bus service (see below) has a separate ticket that you need to buy from Fullers at the ferry terminal, or online from their website.
Fullers ‘Hop on, Hop off’ bus tours
The Hop on, Hop off bus lets you tour the island at your own pace, and is the most affordable way to travel around the island. Your return ferry fare is included in the price! The bus stops at 16 locations around Waiheke. You can purchase a one or two-day pass. The two-day pass must be used on consecutive days. Read about how to buy and book the Hop On Hop Off bus service on Waiheke Island.
One-day pass: Adult ($89), Child ($45), Family of 2 adults and 2 children ($195)
Other Waiheke Bus Routes
The 50A and 50B Bus run alternately to provide a connection approximately every 15 minutes from 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week (and less frequently outside of these times) with Oneroa, Surfdale, Ostend and Onetangi.
The 501 Bus runs every 45-60 minutes throughout the day, and more frequently at peak times. Provides a connection to Oneroa, Surfdale, Jellicoe Parade, Wellington Road, Donald Bruce Road and Kennedy Point Ferry Terminals, 7 days a week.
The 502 Bus runs every 30 minutes from 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week, and less frequently outside of these times. The 501 bus also provides a connection to Oneroa, Blackpool, Palm Beach, Ostend and Ōmiha (Rocky Bay).
The 503 Bus from Labour Weekend to Anzac Day, when the island is at its busiest, the 503 service helps take people from the Matiatia Ferry Terminal to Oneroa Village. The 503 runs from 10am to 2pm, one-way only.
Again Disclaimer: This is all meant for helpful info only and things change so check on the company websites for the most accurate info, The Heke team won’t be held accountable for any misinformation accidentally published here.
Waiheke Island Bus Network Map. To get to The Heke catch either 50A, 50B or 504 bus.
Private Bus/Charters
Enjoi Tours
Ananda Tours
Waiheke Executive Transport
https://www.waiheketransport.co.nz/group-transport/
Fullers operate custom bus charters
https://www.fullers.co.nz/services/custom-groups-and-charters/
Robbies Fun Bus
https://www.tourismwaiheke.co.nz/explore/wine-tours/robbies-fun-bus-waiheke/
Waiheke freedom tours
https://waihekefreedomtours.co.nz/getting-around-waiheke-island/
Private taxi
https://www.waihekeshuttles.co.nz/
http://www.waihekelocal.co.nz/travel/waiheke-taxis/waiheke-express-taxis/
https://waiheketaxi.co.nz/tours.php
Car hire
https://www.waihekecarrental.co.nz/
https://www.waihekerentalcars.co.nz/
https://www.waiheke.co.nz/directory/listing/beetle-car-hire
Scooter hire
Walk
You can always walk around the island if you wish! You can walk up from the ferry terminal to Oneroa village, where there are cafes, bars, and shops to explore. From there you can walk down to one of the numerous beaches that surround Oneroa.
Alternatively, you could walk around the Te Ara Hura walking track network. This collection of walks is the perfect way to explore Waiheke Island and discover its natural beauty. Explore the coastline, pass through native bush and visit historic sites.
There are plenty of other walks available from the Waiheke ferry terminal. Check out some walking tracks here https://www.fullers.co.nz/experiences-tours/walking-tracks/
How to Get to The ‘HEKE
The 'HEKE is at 64 Onetangi Road, directly opposite the golf course, on the golden ‘kilometre’ of Onetangi Road.
To get here from the ferry by bus or car, you will pass Wild Estate (800m) -> Stonyridge (500m) -> Tantalus (400m) -> Postage Stamp (200m) -> THE HEKE! You can walk from one to the other if you visit more than one.
With a Car: Just navigate to 64 Onetangi Road. We have a car park.
Without a Car: When you get off the ferry at Matiatia Wharf you can taxi, rent a car, electric bike, scooter, or catch the bus.
Bus: You can use your AT HOP card on Waiheke buses. There is a regular bus stop close to our gate. Get on the bus to Onetangi and ask the driver for THE HEKE on Onetangi Rd.
The Fullers Hop On Hop Off stops close by too. Just walk east along Onetangi Road until you see our sign, straight across the road from the golf course.
