Option 1: drive and ferry
The classic route. Pick up the car in Adelaide, head south on the South Eastern Freeway, then Main South Road to Cape Jervis. The drive is 110 km and takes around 90 minutes in clear traffic. Add 15 to 30 minutes if you are leaving Adelaide between 7 and 9 am.
Aim to be in the Cape Jervis terminal car park 45 minutes before your sailing. The 45-minute crossing lands at Penneshaw on the east end of the island, and from there you have your own car for the trip. Full details on the ferry page.
Cost: around $440 for two adults and a car return at peak season, plus around $25 in fuel from Adelaide to Cape Jervis return. Fill up at Cape Jervis before crossing, KI fuel runs $0.40 per litre more.
Option 2: Rex flight to Kingscote
Rex runs multiple daily 40-minute flights from Adelaide Airport to Kingscote (KGC). Standard fares from $169 one-way. Once on the island you pick up a hire car at the airport. No car comes across with you.
This is the fastest option for solo travellers, weekend couples and anyone flying in from interstate who can connect through Adelaide Airport in the same day. See the flights guide for the route detail.
Option 3: day tour from Adelaide
If you have a single day and no flexibility, a packaged day tour does the lot. Pickup from central Adelaide accommodation around 6:30 am, coach to Cape Jervis, ferry across, 6 to 7 hours on the island visiting the headline sights, ferry back, drop-off in Adelaide around 8:30 pm.
It is, in the words of one frequent visitor, a HECK of a long day. You will see Seal Bay, Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, eat a packed or hosted lunch, and skip everything central or northern. For most people a day tour is fine for a first taste; if you can stretch to one overnight, do.
Operators and pricing are on the day tours page.
The honest comparison
- Cheapest for two people with a car: ferry.
- Cheapest for one person without a car: ferry as a foot passenger, around $108 return.
- Fastest: Rex flight, around 3 hours door to door.
- Most relaxed: day tour, no driving and no planning.
- Best for a 3-day-plus trip: ferry with your own car.
Practical tips from Adelaide
A few things worth knowing before you leave the city.
- Cape Jervis fuel is your last cheap fill. The pump there is around the Adelaide rate, the pumps on KI are not.
- The South Eastern Freeway has a notorious downhill section near Crafers. Stay in low gear, the speed limit drops, and the cameras are not subtle.
- Adelaide Airport regional terminal is a 5-minute walk from the main terminal. Allow extra time if you are arriving on a domestic flight first.
- Coach plus ferry combos through SeaLink are convenient but inflexible. If your plans change, the refund window is short.
Ready to book? Lock in either leg here: