Red Funnel has unveiled a new late-night Red Jet charter service, giving Isle of Wight residents, businesses and visitors greater flexibility to travel between Southampton and West Cowes outside the standard timetable.
The new charter service has been designed with local customers in mind, offering a practical solution for a wide range of travel needs – from group travel, to late-night events, hospitality and special occasions.
While Red Jet already operates late-night sailings for major fixtures and events, the introduction of a charter service allows additional crossings to be made available where demand requires, helping to keep the Island connected with added flexibility.
While each sailing will be chartered in advance, tickets will be made publicly available via the Red Funnel website, meaning anyone can book and benefit from these additional services.
The first late-night Red Jet charter under the new service is scheduled for Saturday 23rd May, with a midnight departure from Southampton following the end of the normal timetable. Tickets will be available to book online.
Neil Chapman, Operations Director at Red Funnel, said:
“Living on the Island myself, I know how important it is for people here to have reliable and flexible travel options – especially later in the evening when getting home can be more challenging.
“We already operate late-night sailings around major events, and this charter gives us more flexibility to increase frequency where it’s needed. Whether it’s a business hosting an event, a group travelling together to catch an early flight, or people enjoying a night out, we want to make those journeys easier and give people more choice.
Article continues below this advertisement “We’re really proud to be able to offer this, and just as importantly, to deliver it with the same care, safety and professionalism our crews bring to every crossing. Special thanks to our Red Jet crews for being flexible and helping to make this possible.”
Richard Quigley, MP for Isle of Wight West, said:
“The late-night crossing will make a real difference to Islanders. We all know what it’s like to go to the theatre or a gig in Southampton and have to leave early to catch the last Red Jet. This new service will let people enjoy a night out to Southampton or even get back from London the very same night. I’m really pleased to have worked with Red Funnel to get this over the line and I really look forward to seeing how the charter service progresses”
Additional late-night charter sailings will be introduced in response to demand and operational availability. Red Funnel is now inviting enquiries for future dates and scheduled sailings will be published on the Red Funnel website.
More information about the new late-night Red Jet charter service, including how to submit an enquiry, will be available at www.redfunnel.co.uk/redjetcharter
So the question is, what is the magic number of passengers to make it viable? Will it be dynamic pricing to match the dynamic timings, can I book a late night train from london in two weeks time and be confident that there will be a sailing then?
British Rail use to run a wonderful service
trains met boats, nowdays the services are 3rd world
at 1st world prices.
No. It’s a charter service open to group bookings. Quigley does not understand this or is in with the ferry operators.
When it works..
Yes whats the guarantee if coming from London late, will the ferry wait the five minutes or will we be stranded in Southampton again… plus if manage to get the later ferry, how does one get from Cowes to say Niton ? Will SV be putting on late night buses… or just Friday nights..?
BUILD A TUNNEL, then no worries about time !!
The island would be buzzing with a tunnel or a bridge
businesses would be thriving.