Wineglass Bay is a two-hour round-trip walk over a granite saddle, or a twenty-minute boat ride. Most people do the walk in, discover the climb back out is the hard half, and wish they had known the water taxi existed.
Freycinet water taxis run out of Coles Bay and Swanwick Marina to Wineglass Bay, Hazards Beach, Honeymoon Bay and Schouten Island. They are transfers, not tours: your boat, your time, your route.
What a Freycinet water taxi costs in 2026
Fares are per boat, from about $197 all-in for a Coles Bay transfer.
The figure includes the operator's rate, our commission, the platform fee and the card surcharge. There is no per-person ticketing and no fee added at checkout.
| Trip | Typical time | Indicative all-in fare | |---|---|---| | Coles Bay to Wineglass Bay | 20-25 min | from $197 | | Coles Bay to Hazards Beach | 15-20 min | from $197 | | Swanwick Marina to Honeymoon Bay | 10-15 min | from $197 | | Coles Bay to Schouten Island | 40-50 min | quoted on distance | | Coles Bay to Bicheno Gulch | 60+ min | quoted on distance |
Across a group of eight walkers, the Wineglass return leg is roughly $25 each — for most people the best $25 they spend in Tasmania.
The walk-one-way, boat-back plan
This is the trip to book:
- Drive to the Wineglass Bay car park and walk over the saddle to the beach. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours at a comfortable pace, with the lookout on the way.
- Spend as long as you like on the sand. It is one of the great beaches on earth and almost nobody stays.
- Meet the boat at your booked pick-up window and run back around the Hazards to Coles Bay, seeing the peninsula from the water on the way.
Two things to get right: book the pick-up window before you leave the car park (phone coverage on the beach is patchy to non-existent), and allow buffer — the boat has a 15-minute grace window, then waiting time applies at $5 per minute.
The reverse also works: boat in, walk out. Slightly harder legs, same scenery, and it gets you onto the beach early before the day walkers arrive.
Every Freycinet landing point
- Coles Bay jetty — the main departure point, parking and cafés nearby.
- Swanwick Marina — deep-water access, good in a blow.
- Wineglass Bay — beach landing, no jetty.
- Hazards Beach — beach landing, the western side of the peninsula circuit.
- Honeymoon Bay — sheltered, short hop, good for families.
- Schouten Island — drop-and-collect for campers and walkers.
- Bicheno Gulch — north-coast connection, weather dependent.
- Brooke Street Pier, Constitution Dock, MONA Ferry Pier and Bellerive Wharf for Hobart-side Derwent transfers.
Waterside venues in the pick-up boxes include Freycinet Marine Farm, Freycinet Lodge, The Bay Restaurant and Saffire Freycinet.
Weather, tides and what a beach landing means
Freycinet faces the Tasman Sea, and easterly swell shuts the Wineglass landing. Skippers assess on the day and will move you to Hazards Beach or reschedule rather than attempt a landing that is not safe. A weather cancellation by the operator is refunded in full — you never carry the risk of the forecast.
Beach landings mean the bow noses onto sand and you step down into ankle-deep water. Practicalities:
- Wear shoes you can get wet, or carry them.
- Dry bag anything that matters — phones, cameras, spare layers.
- Pack a windproof layer even in February; the run around the Hazards is cool at speed.
- Skippers help with bags and packs, and carry appropriately sized life jackets for kids.
Cancellations and refunds
Water taxi bookings cancel free up to 2 days before pickup. Inside that window tiered charges apply because the operator has held the boat. Operator or weather cancellations are refunded in full. Refunds default to wallet credit and can be cashed out to your original card any time from the wallet page.
Booking a Freycinet water taxi
Open the booking engine and start typing "Coles Bay", "Wineglass" or "Swanwick" — the landing points appear. Set your passengers, your date and your pick-up window, and a live fare with available boats comes back in seconds. Pay online and the QR boarding pass arrives by email and SMS.
If a boat is not free at your slot, the request is broadcast to every eligible Tasmanian operator rather than dead-ending on a contact form. That is the whole point of Water Taxis Australia — one engine, the entire national fleet.
Hours: 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, seven days. Same-day bookings close at 9:00 pm.
More reading
Questions we hear a lot
How much is a water taxi to Wineglass Bay?+
From about $197 all-in for the transfer, and that is the finished price — the operator rate, our commission, the platform fee and the card surcharge are already included. Longer runs to Schouten Island or full peninsula drops are quoted on distance and time.
Can I walk to Wineglass Bay and get a boat back?+
Yes, and it is the single best way to do Freycinet. Walk over the saddle from the Wineglass Bay car park (about 1 to 1.5 hours down to the sand), then take the water taxi back to Coles Bay instead of climbing back over. Book the pick-up window before you set out — mobile coverage on the beach is unreliable.
Where does a Freycinet water taxi depart from?+
Coles Bay jetty and Swanwick Marina are the main departure points. Landings include Wineglass Bay, Hazards Beach, Honeymoon Bay, Schouten Island and Bicheno Gulch further north.
Do water taxis run to Wineglass Bay year round?+
Boats operate year round within the 6:00 am to 10:00 pm service window, but Freycinet is exposed and easterly weather closes the Wineglass landing. Skippers make the call on the day and a weather cancellation is refunded in full.
Is there a jetty at Wineglass Bay?+
No. It is a beach landing — the boat noses onto the sand and you step off into shallow water. Wear shoes you can get wet, and pack anything valuable in a dry bag. Skippers do this dozens of times a week and will help with bags.
How many people fit on a Freycinet water taxi?+
Typically 8 to 12 passengers per vessel. Larger walking groups are handled with multiple runs or a charter vessel — the booking engine shows only boats that can carry your group.
Can a water taxi take us to Schouten Island for camping?+
Yes, as a drop-and-collect. Book both legs at the time of booking with the collection date and time set, and carry everything you need — there are no facilities and no way to change the plan once you are ashore.
Ready to lock in your trip on the water?
Live fare, instant confirmation, one clean receipt. If the operator can't cover your slot we issue an automatic full refund — no phone calls, no forms.
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