Timetable published on both cronullaferries.com.au (checked live 18 September 2026) and Transport for NSW's BUNC PDF (creation date 13 September 2026, unchanged since it took effect 1 January 2025) - the two sources match exactly, so this is treated as the confirmed year-round Monday-Friday pattern.
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~29 min
Operator
Cronulla Ferries
Map – Bundeena Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, one way | $9.40 |
| Child 4-15, one way | $4.70 |
| Concession (pensioner/senior/student/unemployed with card), one way | $4.70 |
| Family (2 adults + 2 children), one way | $26.00 |
| Weekly pass, unlimited crossings | $65.00 |
| 10-ride ticket, bought on board | $80.00 |
| Freight - surfboard, pushbike or similar bulky item, one way | $4.70 |
Cronulla Ferries is a small, independently owned operator, not part of the Opal network: fares set by the operator (last increased 15 December 2025, as directed by the NSW Ministry of Transport, and still current when checked 18 September 2026) are paid on board only, since online pre-booking is not available for the scheduled Bundeena run. The crew accepts cash, EFTPOS and credit cards (a card surcharge applies) but not Opal. A surfboard, pushbike or other bulky item travels for the same $4.70 as a child fare. Frequent riders can buy a $65 weekly pass or a 10-ride ticket from the crew for $80, both cheaper per trip than paying one way each time. All fares in Australian dollars (AUD).
The Bundeena ferry is a small, family-run crossing of Port Hacking, linking Cronulla railway station to the village of Bundeena at the northern gate of the Royal National Park - the second-oldest national park in the world. Cronulla Ferries has run the route since well before Sydney's Opal network existed and still does not take it: fares are paid on board in cash, EFTPOS or credit card, not by tapping an Opal card. The regular boat is the MV Curranulla, a 1939 timber vessel built for Port Hacking's shallow, choppy water, which the operator markets as the oldest commuter ferry in Australia still working to a fixed timetable; a second vessel, Tom Thumb III, runs the daily school service and the operator's separate scenic river cruises rather than the timetabled Bundeena run. The crossing itself takes under half an hour and runs hourly, every day of the year, with a deliberate midweek midday gap (no 12:30pm departure from Cronulla, and no return an hour later) outside school holidays. Because Bundeena has no rail line and the road route around the national park is long, the ferry is the fastest way in for the many bushwalkers, cyclists and beachgoers heading for the Coast Track or Jibbon Beach - surfboards and bikes travel for a small freight fee rather than free. Rough seas do occasionally force a cancellation: in July 2026 a dangerous swell shut the crossing for a day and Cronulla Ferries arranged a replacement bus with Transport for NSW, and the operator maintains a standing bad-weather bus plan for when that happens again. Tickets cannot be booked ahead - passengers simply pay the crew when boarding - and regular riders can buy a weekly pass or a 10-ride ticket on board instead of paying the one-way fare each trip.
- Arrive at the terminal a few minutes before departure; vehicle boarding usually closes earlier.
- Check the operator's service alerts before travelling — weather, tides and river levels affect services.
- Confirm accepted payment methods and whether a booking is required for vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
$9.40 one way for an adult, $4.70 for a child (4-15) or concession card holder, paid to the crew on board - cash, EFTPOS or credit card (a small card surcharge applies). A family of two adults and two children pays $26 one way.
No. Cronulla Ferries does not take online bookings for the scheduled Bundeena service - tickets are sold on board when you get on, so just turn up before the scheduled departure time.
No. This is an independent private ferry, not part of Sydney's Opal network - Transport for NSW's own route listing confirms 'Opal card not accepted'. Pay the crew directly instead.
About 29 minutes each way across Port Hacking - the operator's timetable shows a consistent half-hour gap between the Cronulla departure time and the Bundeena arrival time in both directions.
Yes. Cronulla Ferries charges a $4.70 freight fee for a surfboard, pushbike or similar bulky item, the same as a child fare, on top of your own passenger ticket.
Yes, it operates year-round on an hourly timetable seven days a week. The only seasonal change is one extra late weekend/public holiday return (6:30pm from Cronulla) that runs 1 September to 31 May and is cut in June-August.
Port Hacking can get rough enough to stop the crossing - it happened for a day in July 2026 due to dangerous swell. Cronulla Ferries arranges a replacement bus with Transport for NSW and posts the details on its news page when this happens.
The Public Wharf on Tonkin Street, directly behind Cronulla railway station, making it an easy walk from the train. On the other side it docks at Bundeena Wharf on Brighton Street.