Your guide to the Moorea - Tahiti ferry

Everything you need to know to get from point A to point B 🛳️

Jul 02, 2024

Not a day goes by where I don’t see questions on Facebook and Reddit about how to catch the ferry from Moorea to Tahiti. And fair enough, it’s confusing! There are multiple companies with different schedules, conflicting information, changing websites. I know the pain of getting stuck at the quay for 5 hours because I didn’t realise certain ferries weren’t running that day.

So my public service is to put everything I know about the different ferries into one place to help you navigate the 30-60 minute voyage between these two fair isles.

Here are all the FAQs I’ve collected over time, and a guide to each ferry. Everything is correct as of 1/4/25, if you notice an error or something out of date let me know in the comments and I’ll update it.

And, if you find this article helpful, consider subscribing or buying me a coffee to say thanks!

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FAQs

Click below to jump to each question.

Do I need to book ahead if I have a car?

If you have a car it’s highly recommended to book in advance. The Vaearai and Tauati are your best bet, and think about booking outside of commuting hours

Do I need to book ahead if we’re just passengers?

No, just rock up at the quay to buy a ticket and walk on.

How early do I need to arrive?

If you have a vehicle, at least 30 minutes before departure. If just passengers, 15 minutes before departure is plenty of time.

If you need to buy tickets, add an extra 15 minutes to this time.

How many ferries are there?

There are 5 boats that travel between Mo’orea and Papeete:

The Aremiti 5
The Aremiti 6 (passenger boat, limited car spaces)
The Terevau (passenger boat, limited car spaces)
The Tauati
The Vaeara’i

How long does each ferry take?

The Aremiti 5 - 30 minutes
The Aremiti 6 - 30 minutes
The Terevau - 30 minutes
The Tauati - 45 minutes
The Vaeara’i - 60 minutes

Where do I find the schedules?

How do I buy tickets?

All boats will have a booking office at each quay. Make sure you arrive with plenty of time as there is sometimes a line.

You can also book each ferry online via their website:

What is the cost as a passenger?

One way prices range between 1000XPF and 2030XPF.

Aremiti - Adult one way ticket costs 2030XPF
Terevau - Adult one way ticket costs 1350XPF
Tauati - Adult one way ticket costs 1000XPF
Vaeara’i - Adult one way ticket costs 1300XPF

Check the website for full ticketing costs, including children and seniors.

What is the cost if I have a bike, scooter or motorbike?

Aremiti - Bike ticket 270XPF, scooter ticket 1480XPF
Terevau - Bike ticket 250XPF, scooter ticket 1200XPF
Tauati - Scooter ticket costs 1000XPF, no ticketing info for bikes (I think these are free to transport)
Vaeara’i - Bike ticket 200XPF, scooter ticket 1000XPF

What is the cost if I have a car?

Aremiti - 4.1m car 5440XPF, 4.11-4.7m car 5940XPF, 4.71-5.2m car 6640XPF
Terevau - 4.3m car 4900XPF, 4.31-4.7m car 5070XPF, 4.71-5.2m car 5630XPF
Tauati - flat rate of 4500XPF
Vaeara’i - 4m car 4000XPF, 4-4.5m car 4200XPF, 4.5-5m car 4790XPF

Is the cost of my passenger ticket included when I purchase a car or scooter ticket?

No, you need to purchase both a passenger ticket and a vehicle ticket.

Can I pay by card?

Most vendors will accept card as well as cash. They may not take AMEX.

Can I take luggage on the ferry?

Yes, luggage is included in the cost of your ticket. There will be a person close to where you board who will take your baggage to load onto the boat. If there are multiple ferries docked at the same time, check the baggage car is going onto the same ferry as you with one of the staff.

When you disembark, the baggage will be dropped at a designated point for each ferry.

Is there food on the boat?

Each boat has a little cafe with sandwiches, snacks, sweet treats, coffee, cold drinks etc. The Vaea’rai has hot and cold meals, as well as a bar with Hoa beer on tap.

Can I find food at the quay?

The quay at Papeete has a little cafe upstairs where you can wait with a cold beer or juice and a meal. My suggestion is to try the poisson cru with coconut milk or the sashimi.

At the Mo’orea quay, there are two little stands, one selling fruit and another selling cakes and snacks. Try the banana doughnuts (beignets).

Can I find a taxi at the quay?

Both quays will usually have a line of taxis ready to take passengers.

Is there other transport I can take?

Moorea has a bus that departs from the quay and travels to Haapiti, however the schedule is a bit of a mystery.

Tahiti has a number of buses that can be caught a short distance from the quay.

There are also a number of car rental places close by each quay.

Are there boats at night? What happens if I miss the last ferry?

There are no night time boats, so if you need to be somewhere urgently, I recommend not planning on taking the last boat just in case something happens. As far as I’m aware there are no water taxis or private charters, so if you miss the last boat, you’re stuck.

I have an early morning flight, will I make my flight if I take the first ferry?

Be conservative, as you may hit traffic going towards the airport in Tahiti making what is usually a 15 minute drive a lot, lot longer. If in doubt, plan to stay the night before you fly out.

Are there ferries that go to the other islands e.g. Bora Bora?

Yes! There is the Apetahi Express (3 trips per week) and the Vaeara’i (2-3 trips per month).

Help! I don’t speak French or Tahitian!

Don’t panic! Many of the staff will have enough English to help you out.

Do you have a question that I haven’t answered here? Ask me in the chat below! 👇

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