Public ferry crossing
Gilimanuk to Ketapang ferry
Bali’s road link to Java. The crossing is short — the strait is only a few kilometres wide — but the drive to get here is long, the queues at peak times are longer, and you land in a different time zone.
At a glance
| Departure port | Gilimanuk — Jembrana Regency, far west Bali |
|---|---|
| Arrival port | Ketapang — Banyuwangi Regency, East Java |
| Approximate crossing time | Short — commonly around forty-five minutes to an hour once under way |
| Service pattern | This is Bali’s road link to Java and runs around the clock, through the night, as a continuous service rather than on a small fixed timetable. Departure details for your date come from ASDP. |
| Time zones | Gilimanuk: WITA (UTC+8) · Ketapang: WIB (UTC+7) — one hour behind Bali |
| Operated by | ASDP Indonesia Ferry, a state ferry operator |
| Where tickets are sold | Ferizy, ASDP’s official channel, and authorised Ferizy sales points |
| Bookable on Sailtix | Not yet — this page is travel information only |
Schedules and fares can change. Check the official Ferizy/ASDP channel before travelling.
Route overview
Gilimanuk sits at the far western tip of Bali, and the ferry from there to Ketapang in Banyuwangi is how everything that cannot fly gets between the two islands. ASDP runs it as a continuous service around the clock, carrying foot passengers, motorcycles, cars, buses and a great deal of freight.
The sailing itself is brief, commonly around forty-five minutes to an hour once under way. What makes this a full day is everything either side: three to four hours by road from south Bali to Gilimanuk on a highway shared with freight, then the queue, then the crossing, then whatever you are doing in Java.
Most visitors take this crossing for one of two reasons: to reach the Ijen crater above Banyuwangi, or to pick up a long-distance train west across Java. The railway station beside the port at Ketapang is what makes the second one practical — you can step off the ferry and onto a train.
The two ports
Departure: Gilimanuk
The western end of Bali, and the island’s road link to Java. Gilimanuk is a ferry town and very little else — the terminal, a queue of freight, and the strait to Java a few hundred metres wide.
Getting to and from Gilimanuk
- From Kuta, Seminyak or Denpasar, allow somewhere between three and four hours by road along the west-coast highway, and treat that as a floor rather than a promise: this is the island’s main freight corridor.
- From Lovina and the north coast, allow around two to three hours.
- From the surf coast at Medewi it is roughly an hour.
- Fill the tank before the last stretch. Facilities thin out west of Negara.
Arrival: Ketapang
Banyuwangi’s ferry port at the eastern tip of Java, and the reason the Bali–Java crossing is a road journey rather than a flight. The railway station sits beside the terminal, which makes it one of the few ports in Indonesia where you can step off a ferry and onto a train.
Getting to and from Ketapang
- From Banyuwangi town centre it is a short drive north along the coast.
- Trains from Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Jakarta terminate at the station next to the port, so the rail leg and the ferry leg meet on foot.
- Banyuwangi has its own airport with domestic connections, a short drive from the port.
Who and what can cross
| Travelling as | Carried |
|---|---|
| Foot passengers | Yes |
| Motorcycles | Yes |
| Cars | Yes |
| Buses and coaches | Yes |
| Trucks and freight | Yes |
Everything crosses here, and most of it is freight. Long-distance buses drive aboard with their passengers, which is why a Denpasar–Java bus ticket normally includes the ferry.
How ASDP classes a vehicle
Vehicle fares are set by class, and the class is decided by what the vehicle is and how long it is. There are nine classes; IV, V and VI split into A for passenger vehicles and B for goods.
| Class | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Golongan I | Bicycles. |
| Golongan II | Motorcycles under 500cc, and hand carts. |
| Golongan III | Motorcycles over 500cc, and three-wheeled vehicles. |
| Golongan IVA | Passenger cars up to 5 metres — jeep, sedan, minibus. Most private and rental cars sit here. |
| Golongan IVB | Goods vehicles up to 5 metres: open and closed pickups, and double cabins. |
| Golongan VA | Buses over 5 and up to 7 metres. |
| Golongan VB | Medium trucks and tankers over 5 and up to 7 metres. |
| Golongan VIA | Buses over 7 and up to 10 metres. |
| Golongan VIB | Trucks and tankers over 7 and up to 10 metres, and tractor units without a trailer. |
| Golongan VII | Trucks, tankers, tractor-trailers and heavy plant over 10 and up to 12 metres. |
| Golongan VIII | The same, over 12 and up to 16 metres. |
| Golongan IX | The same, over 16 metres. |
- You must enter the vehicle registration plate number when booking — ASDP requires it under government regulation, so have the plate to hand before you start.
- ASDP staff may measure your vehicle at the port and verify its class. If the measured class does not match the one on your e-ticket, ASDP applies a penalty of 25% of the measured vehicle fare plus the difference in fare.
- If you over-declared and paid too much, a refund can be requested — but it is also reduced by a 25% penalty and bank transfer costs, and ASDP allows itself up to 30 days to pay it. Declaring the right class first time is the only outcome that costs nothing.
ASDP’s full vehicle-class reference is the authority on this, and it is where the figures above come from.
Public ferry or fast boat?
These are two different services that travellers routinely confuse, and choosing the wrong one is the most common mistake on this journey. The short version: the ferry takes vehicles, the fast boat takes time off the crossing.
| Public ferry | Fast boat | |
|---|---|---|
| Vessel | Large roll-on/roll-off public ferry | Small passenger craft |
| Vehicles | Cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks | None — passengers and luggage only |
| Crossing time | Hours, on the longer routes | A fraction of the ferry time |
| Ports | Working freight ports | Tourist harbours near where visitors stay |
| Fares | Generally the cheapest way across | Higher, and priced per passenger |
| Sold by | ASDP, through Ferizy and authorised sales points | Private operators — bookable on Sailtix |
| Weather | Keeps running in conditions that stop small boats | More often cancelled in rough seas |
Fast boat routes across the same water are listed under Sailtix routes.
Tickets, the gate and the queue
ASDP sells this crossing through Ferizy and authorised sales points, ahead of travel. Tickets carry passenger identity details, so book with the name on the document you are carrying. Foot passengers and vehicles are ticketed separately, and buses running the Denpasar–Java corridor normally include the crossing in the bus fare.
The variable on this route is not the timetable, it is the queue. At holiday peaks — the days around Idul Fitri especially, and the long weekends and the turn of the year — the approach road to Gilimanuk can back up for hours while the ferries themselves keep running exactly as they always do. If you are travelling in a peak window, move your departure to the quiet end of the day and assume the wait is the journey.
- Book through Ferizy or an authorised sales point before you drive west.
- Fill the tank before the last stretch — facilities thin out beyond Negara.
- Expect vehicle and identity checks at the gate.
- Ferry services to and from Bali stop for Nyepi and the ports close; the date changes each year.
Buying on Ferizy, step by step
Finding your crossing on Ferizy
The site is in Indonesian only. These are the six fields on its search form, in order, with what each one wants.
- Pelabuhan Asal — departure portGilimanuk and Ketapang are in the short default list. Padang Bai and Lembar are not: choose "Pelabuhan Lainnya?, Klik Disini" ("other ports, click here") to reach them. This is the step that convinces people the route does not exist.
- Pelabuhan Tujuan — arrival portThe list fills in once the departure port is chosen.
- Kelas Layanan — service classWhich class of service you are buying on that crossing.
- Jenis Pengguna Jasa — who is travelling"Pejalan Kaki" is a foot passenger; "Kendaraan" is with a vehicle. Choosing Kendaraan then asks for Golongan Kendaraan, the vehicle class.
- Jadwal Masuk Pelabuhan — port CHECK-IN time, not departureThe form asks you to "set your arrival schedule at the port". You are booking a slot to enter the port, not a sailing time — which is the single most misread thing about an ASDP ticket.
- Penumpang — passengersAdults, elderly, children and infants are counted separately.
The button on that form reads CARI JADWAL — "search schedules".
Opens ASDP’s official ticketing site in a new tab. Sailtix earns nothing from this link and is not a Ferizy sales agent — it is here because naming the official channel is the only way to keep you away from the ones imitating it.
Driving or riding across
This is a roll-on/roll-off crossing and most of what is on board has wheels. Vehicles are ticketed by class, based on type and length, and you drive aboard yourself unless you are on a bus. The crossing is short enough that the drill is quick: load, park where directed, go up.
The rental question applies here more sharply than on the Lombok route, because taking a Bali-rented vehicle to another island entirely is exactly what most rental contracts are written to prevent. Confirm with the owner before you book the vehicle onto a sailing.
- Declare the correct vehicle class when booking.
- Check that the rental agreement and its insurance permit taking the vehicle to Java.
- Foreign drivers should carry an International Driving Permit with their home licence.
- On a motorcycle, expect to be directed into a tight parking line; secure luggage before you board.
- Long-distance buses board with their passengers, so a through bus ticket usually covers the ferry.
Practical notes for foreign visitors
Gilimanuk is a ferry town rather than a destination, and the terminal is built for freight throughput. Come with your onward transport already arranged if you are on foot: there is not much waiting at the far end for someone without a vehicle or a bus ticket, and Banyuwangi is a working Javanese town rather than a tourist reception area.
The one thing that catches almost everyone is the clock. Bali is on WITA, one hour ahead of Java’s WIB. A crossing that takes under an hour can land you at a local time earlier than you departed. Check which zone any time on your ticket, your train booking or your onward plan refers to.
- Java is one hour behind Bali. Reset your expectations, and your alarm.
- Carry cash; the terminal is not reliably card-friendly.
- The railway station at Ketapang is beside the port — useful, and the main reason to use this crossing on foot.
- If Ijen is your plan, arrange the transfer and confirm current access arrangements before you cross; it is a mountain drive and a hike, usually started in the small hours.
Arriving at Ketapang
Ketapang is Banyuwangi’s ferry port at the eastern tip of Java, and it is unusually well connected for a ferry terminal. The railway station next door runs long-distance services west across Java toward Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Jakarta, and Banyuwangi’s airport is a short drive away.
For most visitors the onward destination is Ijen. That is a road transfer inland followed by a hike, typically begun very early. Access arrangements and opening conditions on the crater change, so confirm them locally rather than relying on a plan made weeks earlier.
- Trains west across Java depart from the station beside the port.
- Banyuwangi town centre is a short drive south.
- Banyuwangi airport is nearby, with domestic connections.
- Ijen: a mountain drive plus a hike. Arrange transport in advance and check current access.
Mistakes travellers make on this route
Budgeting for the crossing and forgetting the drive.
The ferry is under an hour. Gilimanuk is three to four hours from south Bali, on a freight highway. The road is the journey; the ferry is the short bit in the middle.
Reading a Java time as a Bali time.
Java runs on WIB, one hour behind Bali’s WITA. Check which zone your ticket, train booking or pickup time is quoted in.
Travelling in a national holiday peak without adjusting.
The ferries keep running; the approach road does not. Around Idul Fitri and other peaks the queue at Gilimanuk can be measured in hours. Travel at the quiet end of the day.
Taking a Bali rental car or scooter to Java without asking.
Most Bali rental agreements do not permit it and the insurance may not survive the crossing. Ask the owner first.
Arriving on foot with no onward plan.
Ketapang is a working port. Have the train, the transfer or the driver arranged before you cross.
Questions travellers ask
How long does the Gilimanuk to Ketapang ferry take?
Commonly around forty-five minutes to an hour once under way — the Bali Strait is narrow. Queueing and loading can add far more than the sailing itself, especially at holiday peaks.
How often does it run?
It operates around the clock as a continuous service rather than on a small set of daily departures, because it is Bali’s road link to Java. ASDP publishes the details for your date.
Can I take a car or motorbike from Bali to Java?
Yes. It is a vehicle ferry taking motorcycles, cars, buses and trucks along with foot passengers. The vehicle is ticketed by class, based on type and length. Check your rental agreement first — most Bali rentals are not permitted to leave the island.
Is there a time difference between Bali and Java?
Yes. Bali is on WITA (UTC+8) and Java on WIB (UTC+7), so Java is one hour behind. A short crossing can land you at an earlier local time than you left.
Can I get a train from the ferry?
Yes — the railway station sits beside the port at Ketapang, with long-distance services west across Java. It is the main reason to take this crossing as a foot passenger.
Where do I buy the ticket?
From Ferizy, ASDP’s official channel, or an authorised Ferizy sales point, before travelling. Booking for this route is not available on Sailtix.