Ferry route guide
Java to Bali by ferry
The overland way into Bali, and the only way to arrive with a vehicle. A train to Banyuwangi, a short ferry across the strait, and then a long drive east — in that order, and it is the last part people forget.
At a glance
| 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. |
| 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
Java connects to Bali by one public ferry corridor: Ketapang, in Banyuwangi at Java’s eastern tip, to Gilimanuk at Bali’s western tip. ASDP runs it continuously, day and night, with foot passengers, motorcycles, cars, buses and freight aboard. The sailing is commonly around forty-five minutes to an hour.
What makes this route attractive is the rail connection. Long-distance trains from Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Surabaya run to the station beside the port at Ketapang, so the transfer from train to ferry is a short walk. For travellers crossing Java overland, that turns Bali into the end of a rail journey rather than a separate flight.
The part to plan for is the Bali side. Gilimanuk is the far west of the island, three to four hours by road from Kuta, Seminyak or the airport, and rather closer to Lovina on the north coast. Arriving by ferry means arriving with a long drive still to go — which is fine if it is expected and painful if it is not.
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 and connections
Tickets are sold by ASDP through Ferizy and authorised sales points, before travel, against passenger identity details. Buy the crossing in advance rather than assuming a walk-up at the gate, particularly if you are connecting from a train.
Buses running the Java–Denpasar corridor board the ferry with their passengers, so a through bus ticket normally covers the crossing and continues to Denpasar on the far side. For a traveller without a vehicle, that is the simplest single booking.
- Book through Ferizy or an authorised Ferizy sales point ahead of travel.
- Allow real time for the train-to-ferry transfer; the station is beside the port, not inside it.
- A through bus to Denpasar usually includes the ferry.
- 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.
Bringing a vehicle into Bali
Vehicles cross on their own ticket, priced by class according to type and length. The crossing is short and the loading routine, so the vehicle side of this journey is the straightforward part.
If the vehicle is rented on Java, confirm that the agreement covers taking it to Bali and that the insurance follows it. Inter-island permission is not something to assume in either direction.
- Declare the correct vehicle class when booking.
- Check rental terms and insurance for inter-island use.
- Carry an International Driving Permit alongside your home licence if you are a foreign driver.
- Expect to leave the vehicle deck during the crossing.
Practical notes for visitors
Both ports are working freight terminals. Ketapang is the more useful of the two for a foot passenger because of the railway station next door; Gilimanuk has very little local transport of its own, so an onward plan matters more than an early arrival.
Set your watch forward when you land. Java is on WIB (UTC+7) and Bali on WITA (UTC+8), so Bali is an hour ahead. Any onward booking made on the Bali side is in a different zone from the ticket that got you there.
- Bali is one hour ahead of Java.
- Arrange onward transport from Gilimanuk before you cross if you are on foot.
- Carry cash for both terminals and the road.
- Do not plan a same-day flight out of Denpasar — the drive from Gilimanuk alone is three to four hours.
From Gilimanuk into Bali
Gilimanuk is the start of Bali’s west-coast highway. Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and Ngurah Rai airport are three to four hours away; Lovina and the north coast are nearer at roughly two to three hours; the surf coast at Medewi is about an hour.
If arriving slowly is the point — and on this route it often is — the north-coast road to Lovina and the west-coast run to Medewi are both far better first days in Bali than a four-hour push to Kuta.
- Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu, airport: three to four hours.
- Lovina and the north coast: two to three hours.
- Medewi: about an hour.
- Long-distance buses continue to Denpasar directly from the ferry.
Mistakes travellers make on this route
Booking a same-day connection out of Denpasar.
Landing at Gilimanuk leaves three to four hours of driving before south Bali. Treat the ferry day as a travel day.
Expecting the train and ferry to connect like a metro.
The station is beside the port, which is convenient. Buy the ferry ticket in advance and allow time for the walk, the check and the queue.
Reading Bali times as Java times.
Bali is an hour ahead. Everything you book on the Bali side is WITA.
Questions travellers ask
Is there a ferry from Java to Bali?
Yes — the ASDP public ferry from Ketapang in Banyuwangi, East Java to Gilimanuk in west Bali. It runs around the clock and carries vehicles as well as foot passengers.
Can I travel from Java to Bali by train and ferry?
Effectively yes. Long-distance trains terminate at the station beside the ferry port at Ketapang, so the transfer is on foot, followed by the crossing to Gilimanuk. From there Bali is a road journey.
How long is the crossing?
Commonly around forty-five minutes to an hour under way. Queues and loading vary far more than the sailing does.
How far is Gilimanuk from Kuta or the airport?
Three to four hours by road, sometimes more. Lovina on the north coast is closer at around two to three hours.
Can I bring a vehicle?
Yes — cars, motorcycles, buses and trucks all cross, ticketed by vehicle class. Confirm inter-island permission for any rental first.
Where do I buy the ticket?
Through Ferizy, ASDP’s official channel, or an authorised Ferizy sales point, ahead of travel. Booking is not available on Sailtix.