UPDATED: Scoot Ferries have announced the start date for their new high-speed foot passenger ferry service between Cowes and Portsmouth, with all systems set to go on the 5th November – two years ahead of the date originally announced when Scoot Ferries was launched earlier this year.
Two new 41-passenger 20m orange and grey high speed catamarans will operate on the Cowes to Portsmouth route and will complete the crossing in under 35 minutes.
Departing from Trinity Landing in Cowes and arriving to The Millennium Pontoon at The Camber, Portsmouth, passengers will benefit from a complimentary 5-minute Scoot Shuttle bus service to whizz them direct to the Hard Bus and Rail Interchange and Gunwharf Quays. The timetable has been specially designed to connect with the train times to London Waterloo and London Gatwick airport.
The soon-to-be introduced new ticketing system will eventually enable through ticketing right from Cowes to London and beyond – simplifying getting to work and to the airport even more.
Every passenger will enjoy their own now infamous ‘full suspension’ seat and benefit from complimentary wifi, underfloor heating and air-conditioning when temperatures hot up. Both vessels have easy access for reduced mobility passengers. There is also ample space for bikes and dogs to travel for free.
Reinforcing Scoot’s intention that the service is to become a true lifeline for everyone needing to travel from and to the Isle of Wight, the Cowes to Portsmouth route will operate from early in the morning to late at night, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Both the Cowes to Portsmouth and existing Yarmouth to Lymington routes will operate a normal timetable on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, with a reduced service operating on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
As with its Yarmouth to Lymington route, Scoot is recommending customers pre-book for a cheaper ticket price up to 5 minutes before on most sailings, but with free amendments and refunds as long the Scoot Team have been contacted in advance of the original booking.
The Cowes to Portsmouth route will initially launch with three ticket options
• PriorityScooter ticket for pre-booked passengers
• OnBoardScooter ticket for non-prebooked passengers
• AnyTimeScooter multi-ticket option which offers cheaper travel for regular Scooters and which is transferable between friends, families and colleagues.
Return tickets are priced the same whether a passenger is travelling back on the same day or up to 30 days later.
Zoẽ Ombler, CEO of Scoot Ferries Ltd, is full of praise for her team who have been working hard to look after customers on the popular Yarmouth to Lymington route and to bring Cowes – Portsmouth to fruition in such record time:
“From the moment we announced the launch of Scoot back in July, we have consistently been overwhelmed by the level of support from our customers and businesses for what we’re doing. To be able to launch our Cowes to Portsmouth route so far in advance of our original plans is testament to how hard our team has worked over the last four months and we hope to keep exceeding the expectations of everyone who stands to benefit from our improved transport links to and from the Isle of Wight.
“We launched Scoot with the aim being to offer greater opportunities for island residents in particular, whether for business or pleasure and hope we can rely on the continued support and backing of everyone on both sides of the Solent to ensure we deliver on this promise.”
UPDATE @ 12:30 – Scoot Ferries have this lunchtime confirmed the pricing for tickets on the new Cowes-Portsmouth route.
Pre-booked tickets will be priced at £12.25 for a single and £22.50 for a return trip. Return tickets will be priced at £13.25 for a single and £24.50 for a return.
More information is set to be released at www.scootferries.co.uk.
