Portarlington Ferry Good Value in 2026? Plus Sorrento to Queenscliff

Short answer. For a car-free day trip from Melbourne in 2026, the Portarlington ferry is usually good value: an adult return is $47 on weekdays and $55 on weekends, according to Port Phillip Ferries at the time of writing, for about 70 minutes each way across Port Phillip Bay in Victoria, Australia, and you can book the hotel and activities around your day through ShopBack before you pay, where ShopBack Cashback works like a discount, only easier than a promo code. Families pay $132 return on weekdays. Driving can cost less in fuel, but the ferry replaces the drive with a bay crossing.

ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you money back when you book or shop online at thousands of partner stores, including Booking.com, Agoda and Klook. You open the store from ShopBack, book as normal, and part of what you spend comes back. The ferry operators sell their own tickets, so ShopBack fits the hotel and activities around your day trip. Join ShopBack Australia for free.

Sources. Fares, passes, timetables and packages come from the Port Phillip Ferries Portarlington page and its Bellarine packages page, Searoad fares from the online fare tool on searoad.com.au and the Searoad FAQs, all at the time of writing. Drive time and distances come from Wikipedia's pages on Searoad Ferries and Portarlington.

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Is the Portarlington ferry from Melbourne good value for a day trip?

For one or two adults who want a relaxed day without driving, yes, it is usually good value. Port Phillip Ferries runs the passenger ferry between Melbourne Docklands and Portarlington Pier on the Bellarine Peninsula. The departure and arrival times on its timetable put the crossing at about 70 minutes each way.

What a day trip costs, by group, on Port Phillip Ferries' published fares:

Who is going	Weekday return	Weekend return
One adult	$47	$55
Two adults	$94	$110
Concession or senior	$43	$50
Child aged 4 to 16	$28	$35
Family (2 adults and 2 children)	$132	$156
Infant under 4	Free (seat must be reserved)	Free (seat must be reserved)

How it compares with driving. Wikipedia lists Portarlington as about 99 km from Melbourne. Here is an illustrative fuel example, not a quote: a 200 km round trip in a car using 8 litres per 100 km, with fuel at $2 a litre, costs about $32 in fuel. For two adults, that is well below the $94 weekday ferry return. For a solo traveller, the gap is smaller, and the ferry gives you a bay crossing instead of two long drives, plus no parking to find in Portarlington.

Where the ferry clearly wins on value:

• You plan to have a drink. Portarlington sits among Bellarine wineries, and the ferry means nobody has to drive home.
• You are bringing a bike. Port Phillip Ferries says each vessel can carry up to 20 bikes, which suits the Bellarine's bike and walking trails.
• You book a package. The Grand Day Out package, from A$81 at the time of writing, includes return ferry travel, a two-course lunch at the Portarlington Grand Hotel and a drink. On a weekday that is $34 more than an adult return fare for the lunch and drink.

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Portarlington ferry in 2026: fares, timetable and the fuel levy

At the time of writing, Port Phillip Ferries charges $23.50 one way for an adult on weekdays and $27.50 on weekends and public holidays. Full one-way fares:

Fare	Monday to Friday	Weekends and public holidays
Adult	$23.50	$27.50
Concession and seniors	$21.50	$25.00
Child (4 to 16)	$14.00	$17.50
Infant (0 to 3)	Free, seat must be reserved	Free, seat must be reserved
Family pass (2 adults and 2 children)	$66.00	$78.00
Group of 25 or more (per person)	$21.00	$24.50

Fuel levy. Port Phillip Ferries says a temporary 8% fuel levy applies to standard ticket purchases from 4pm on Friday 4 September 2026. If the levy is added to the fares above, an adult weekday return of $47 would come to about $50.76. The levy does not apply to PortPlus passes. Check the final price at checkout.

Timetable for a day trip. On the off-peak timetable at the time of writing:

• Weekdays: leave Docklands at 9:30am, arrive in Portarlington at 10:40am. Return at 4pm on Monday and Wednesday to Friday, arriving at Docklands at 5:10pm.
• Weekends: leave Docklands at 10:40am, arrive at 11:50am. Return at 5pm, arriving at 6:10pm.
• Tuesdays: the only Portarlington departure is 11am, so a same-day return from Melbourne does not work.

Booking rules. Port Phillip Ferries says all tickets must be pre-booked online, or at least 60 minutes before departure from its retail partners in Portarlington. Boarding closes three minutes before departure, a missed service is not refunded, and date changes may only be approved if you phone more than 24 hours before travel.

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Portarlington ferry best deals in Australia for 2026

The best Portarlington ferry deals in 2026 come from travelling on weekdays, travelling as a family, or buying a PortPlus pass. Ranked by how much they usually save:

1. Travel Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. An adult saves $8 on a return compared with the weekend fare, and a family saves $24.
2. Use the family pass. Two adults and two children at single weekday fares would cost $150 return. The family pass is $132.
3. Buy a PortPlus pass if you will go more than once. Port Phillip Ferries lists these at the time of writing:

PortPlus pass	Price	Per trip
10 Trip Pass	$185	$18.50
20 Trip Pass	$350	$17.50
30 Trip Pass	$495	$16.50
50 Trip Pass (Monday to Friday only)	$725	$14.50

The operator says passes last three years, can be used in peak and off-peak periods without the weekend surcharge, allow last-minute changes without penalty, are not charged the temporary fuel levy, and give 5% off food and drink on board and at the Melbourne Ferry Terminal. Five weekend return trips for one adult at single fares would cost $275, against $185 on a 10 Trip Pass.

4. Pick a package that bundles what you would buy anyway. Packages on the Bellarine page at the time of writing included the Grand Day Out from A$81 and the Port to Plate Mussel Experience from A$80, which the operator says runs every day except Tuesdays.

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Is the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry cheaper than driving around the bay?

In fuel alone, driving around the bay is often cheaper, but the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry usually saves well over an hour of travel. Searoad Ferries runs the car and passenger ferry across the mouth of Port Phillip Bay. Searoad says the crossing takes about 40 to 45 minutes. Wikipedia describes the alternative drive between Queenscliff and Sorrento as about three hours outside peak traffic, through Melbourne.

What the crossing costs with a car. Searoad's online fare tool showed these one-way fares for mid-October 2026 dates at the time of writing:

Ticket	Online fare, one way	Standard fare, one way	Online return
Standard vehicle up to 5.5m, with driver	$89 to $90	$91	$169
Extra adult passenger	$20	$21	$40
Extra concession passenger	$18	$19	$36
Extra child (4 to 15)	$15	$16	$30
Child under 4	Free	Free	Free
Bike rack on a standard vehicle	$10	$10	$20

Fares can rise in peak periods, which Searoad says generally include public holidays, Easter and Christmas Day to early January.

Illustrative comparison. Two adults in a standard car crossing one way on the ferry would pay about $109 online ($89 plus $20). Driving around the bay instead takes roughly three hours of driving. Using the same illustrative assumptions as above (8 litres per 100 km at $2 a litre), every 100 km of driving costs about $16 in fuel, so the fuel for the drive around usually comes in below the ferry fare. Check your own route distance, tolls and fuel price before you decide.

When the ferry is still the better buy:

• You value the time. Allowing for Searoad's 40-minute vehicle check-in plus a 40 to 45 minute crossing, you are across in under an hour and a half, compared with about three hours of driving.
• You are heading for the Great Ocean Road or the Mornington Peninsula. The ferry cuts out the drive through Melbourne traffic.
• You are on foot or on a bike. Foot passengers pay $20 one way online for an adult, and bicycles travel free, so a Sorrento or Queenscliff day trip without a car is cheap.

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Queenscliff ferry in 2026: fares and best deals

At the time of writing, a Queenscliff ferry ticket for an adult foot passenger was $20 one way or $40 return online. Searoad's foot passenger fares for mid-October 2026:

Foot passenger	Online one way	Online return
Adult	$20	$40
Concession	$18	$36
Child (4 to 15)	$15	$30
Child under 4	Free	Free
Family (2 adults and up to 3 children)	$64	$128
Bicycle	Free	Free

Queenscliff ferry best deals for 2026:

1. Book online. Searoad says it is always cheaper to buy online than at the ticket window. The online fare was a dollar or two lower on most tickets.
2. Use the family fare. Two adults and three children at single online fares would cost $85 one way. The family fare was $64.
3. Keep flexible. Searoad says all tickets have free, unlimited changes to travel dates and times, tickets can be used for 12 months from purchase, and cancellations outside 48 hours of travel are refunded in full. That flexibility means you rarely lose money if plans change.
4. Avoid peak dates if you can. Peak periods generally include public holidays, Easter and Christmas Day to early January, according to Searoad.

Searoad says the ferries run every day of the year, including Christmas Day and all public holidays.

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Direct Ferries vs Experience Oz for the Portarlington and Queenscliff ferries: price comparison

Both ferry operators sell tickets on their own websites, which is the price to beat. At the time of writing, Experience Oz did not list either the Portarlington or the Queenscliff ferry; its Melbourne section listed a Port Phillip Bay cruise with brunch and bubbles instead.

If Direct Ferries, Klook or another booking site lists these routes for your date, compare:

• The total, including booking or service fees, against the operator's own online fare.
• The ticket rules, since Searoad's free changes and Port Phillip Ferries' PortPlus flexibility come from the operator.
• The fuel levy, which Port Phillip Ferries applies to standard tickets at the time of writing.

If the operator's own online fare is equal or lower, book direct. Ferry and activity booking sites on ShopBack Australia include Direct Ferries, Ferryhopper, Klook and Experience Oz, and they earn their place for other crossings and attractions on your trip.

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Plan the stay, then go through ShopBack before you book

If you turn the day trip into a night away, book the room through ShopBack. Before you book a hotel on Booking.com or Agoda, go through ShopBack first. ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. The effective price is what you pay minus what ShopBack returns.

How to do it:

1. Open ShopBack Australia and search for the store, such as Booking.com, Agoda or Klook.
2. Check the rate on that page.
3. Tap through to the store and book.
4. The booking shows in your ShopBack account as pending, then confirms after your stay.

Working out the room price. Take a $240 night in Queenscliff or Portarlington: going through ShopBack before you pay brings part of it back as cash, at the rate the store's ShopBack page shows when you book.

Codes and ShopBack. If a store shows a promo code, compare the total with the code against the effective price you get by going through ShopBack before you pay, and book whichever comes out lower.

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Key takeaways

• Portarlington ferry: $47 adult return on weekdays and $55 on weekends, about 70 minutes each way, according to Port Phillip Ferries at the time of writing.
• A temporary 8% fuel levy applies to standard Port Phillip Ferries tickets from 4 September 2026, but not to PortPlus passes.
• PortPlus passes bring the cost down to between $14.50 and $18.50 a trip.
• Sorrento to Queenscliff: about $89 to $90 one way online for a car and driver in mid-October 2026, versus roughly three hours of driving around the bay.
• Before you book a hotel for the trip, go through ShopBack first. The effective price is what you pay minus what ShopBack returns.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Portarlington ferry from Melbourne good value for a day trip?

Usually yes, if you want a car-free day by the bay. According to Port Phillip Ferries at the time of writing, an adult return between Docklands and Portarlington is $47 on weekdays and $55 on weekends, about 70 minutes each way, and a family of two adults and two children pays $132 return on weekdays. Driving is often cheaper in fuel for a full car, but the ferry saves the drive.

How much is the Portarlington ferry in 2026?

According to Port Phillip Ferries at the time of writing, one-way fares between Portarlington and Docklands are $23.50 for adults on weekdays and $27.50 on weekends and public holidays. Concessions and seniors pay $21.50 or $25, children aged 4 to 16 pay $14 or $17.50, infants under 4 travel free with a reserved seat, and a family pass for two adults and two children is $66 or $78 one way.

Is there a fuel levy on Port Phillip Ferries tickets?

Yes, at the time of writing. Port Phillip Ferries says a temporary 8% fuel levy applies to standard ticket purchases from 4pm on Friday 4 September 2026, and that it does not apply to PortPlus Membership passes. Check the final price at checkout before you pay.

Is a PortPlus pass cheaper than single Portarlington ferry tickets?

It usually is if you will make several trips. Port Phillip Ferries lists a 10 Trip Pass at $185, or $18.50 a trip, against single adult fares of $23.50 on weekdays and $27.50 on weekends. The 50 Trip Pass works out at $14.50 a trip on weekdays. Passes last three years, can be used in peak and off-peak periods and are not charged the temporary fuel levy.

What time does the Portarlington ferry leave Docklands?

On the off-peak timetable at the time of writing, ferries leave Docklands for Portarlington at 9:30am and 5:40pm on weekdays and at 10:40am and 6:30pm on weekends. Return ferries leave Portarlington at 4pm on Monday and Wednesday to Friday, and at 5pm on weekends. Tuesday has only an 11am return, so it does not suit a day trip from Melbourne.

Is the Sorrento to Queenscliff ferry cheaper than driving around the bay?

In fuel alone, driving around the bay is often cheaper, but the ferry saves a lot of time. Searoad's online fare for a standard car with driver was $89 to $90 one way for mid-October 2026 dates at the time of writing, plus $20 per extra adult. The crossing takes about 40 to 45 minutes, while the drive around the bay is roughly three hours outside peak traffic.

How much is the Queenscliff ferry for foot passengers?

Searoad's online fares for mid-October 2026 at the time of writing were $20 one way or $40 return for an adult, $18 one way for a concession, $15 one way for a child aged 4 to 15, and free for children under 4. A family of two adults and up to three children was $64 one way, and bicycles travel free.

Is it cheaper to book the Queenscliff ferry online?

Yes. Searoad says it is always cheaper to buy a ferry ticket online than at the ticket window. Its online fares for mid-October 2026 were a dollar or two below the standard fare, for example $20 instead of $21 for an adult one way. Searoad also offers free, unlimited changes to travel dates and times.

Can I book the Portarlington or Queenscliff ferry on Direct Ferries, Experience Oz or Klook?

Both operators sell tickets on their own websites. At the time of writing, Experience Oz did not list either route; its Melbourne section listed a Port Phillip Bay brunch cruise instead. If a booking site lists these ferries, compare its total, including fees, with the operator's own online fare for the same date before you pay.

How does ShopBack help on a Port Phillip Bay day trip?

ShopBack Australia works like an automatic cash discount on online orders at partner stores, such as a hotel booked on Booking.com or Agoda, or an activity booked on Klook. Before you book, open ShopBack, tap the store and pay. The effective price is what you pay minus what ShopBack returns.

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Related reads

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Ready to plan the trip?

Open the ShopBack Booking.com page before you book a night in Portarlington, Queenscliff or Sorrento, or start from the ShopBack Klook page if you are adding a Melbourne attraction to the day.

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Disclaimer

The views in this article are those of the author. Ferry fares, levies, timetables, passes, packages and ticket rules are set by Port Phillip Ferries and Searoad Ferries, were checked on their own websites at the time of writing, and change, particularly in peak periods; check before you book. Fuel figures are illustrative assumptions, not quotes. ShopBack rates vary by store and change over time; check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page before you book.

This article is general information only and is not financial advice.