Cape Town - Tristan da Cunha Shipping Schedule
Scheduled ships run from from Cape Town to Tristan da Cunha and return. All but one are vessels provided by the fishing company Ovenstones which each carry only 12 passengers. Presently these vessels are the fishing vessels MFV Edinburgh and MFV Geo Searcher (which carry out extended fishing trips to the outer islands of Inaccessible, Nightingale and Gough in the fishing season).
The final trip is the annual Gough Island relief voyage, provided from 2012 by the South African Antarctic Research and Supply Vessel Agulhas II which calls at Tristan da Cunha on its outward and return voyage and carries over 40 passengers to Tristan (42 in 2014).
Ships are booked many months in advance and you are advised to read carefully the 'Passenger Policy' below regarding priorities which may mean that berths may be cancelled at short notice.
Check carefully the visits section to plan your Tristan da Cunha voyage with care!
Find out more about the ships on our separate Ships Page.
Latest Provisional Shipping Schedule
All ships normally carry mail, cargo and passengers. All dates are provisional and to be confirmed.
The implications of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic mean that travel dates are even more provisional than usual, and no passengers are being carried except for islanders and expatriate employees in special circumstances. Much will depend on a number of external factors, including how the virus is affecting South Africa and what quarantine/isolation restrictions there are in place. We will update this page when we have more clarity.
2020
| MFV Edin- burgh |
MFV Edin- burgh |
MFV Geo Searcher |
MFV Edin- burgh |
MFV Geo Searcher |
SA Agulhas II |
MFV Edin- burgh |
MFV Edin- burgh |
MFV Geo Searcher |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETD Cape Town |
16 Jan | 12 Feb | 12 Mar | 19 Jun | 29 Aug | 17 Sep | 20 Sep | 13 Nov | 25 Nov |
| ETA Tristan |
23 Jan | 19 Feb | 19 Mar | 26 Jun | 08 Sep | 23 Sep | 27 Sep | 20 Nov | 02 Dec |
| ETD Tristan |
31 Jan | 28 Feb | 27 Mar | 06 Jul | 31 Oct | * | 09 Oct | 27 Nov | 19 Jan 2021 |
| ETA Cape Town |
06 Feb | 05 Mar | 02 Apr | 12 Jul | 07 Nov | 16 Oct | 10 Oct | 04 Dec | 26 Jan 2021 |
* There are no passengers to disembark the Agulhas II at Tristan, and no current plans for passengers to return on her. It has not yet been decided whether she will call at Tristan on the way back to Cape Town, or go straight from Gough Island. She is due to leave Gough on the 10th October 2020.
2021
| MFV Edin- burgh |
MFV Edin- burgh |
MFV Geo Searcher |
MFV Edin- burgh |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETD Cape Town |
16 Jan | 04 Mar | 25 Mar | 10 Jun | |
| ETA Tristan |
23 Jan | 11 Mar | 01 Apr | 17 Jun | |
| ETD Tristan |
30 Jan | 28 Feb | 18 Apr | 24 Jun | |
| ETA Cape Town |
06 Feb | 25 Mar | 23 Apr | 01 Jul |
Epic Journey
 |
A journey to Tristan da Cunha is always by ship. The 2810 km or 1750 mile journey from Cape Town harbour will normally take six days. A landing after the passage depends on the weather, although the Agulhas normally flies passengers ashore immediately, except in severe weather conditions. All dates are provisional. |
 |
| The Fair Cape: Tristan journeys start and end in the beautiful Table Bay Harbour Cape Town, South Africa. | Long awaited: The world's most isolated community regards the arrival of every ship as a special occasion. |
Cape Town - Tristan da Cunha Passenger Fares (Subject to confirmation)
| SA Agulhas (Updated 28th May 2014) | Single | Return | ||||
| a. Concession Rate : available to passengers with close family or official links | ||||||
| Adult : | Rand | 1200 | Rand | 2400 | ||
| Child (6 - 15 years) Children under 6 free | Rand | 600 | Rand | 1200 | ||
| b. Ordinary Rate | ||||||
| Adult | Rand | 4475 | Rand | 8950 | ||
| Child (6 - 15 years) Children under 6 free | Rand | 2250 | Rand | 4500 | ||
| MFV Edinburgh or MFV Geo Searcher | ||||||
| a. Concession Rate : Resident Islanders only | ||||||
| Adult : Medevac | US$ | 70 | US$ | 140 | ||
| Child : Medevac (2 - 15 years) Children under 2 free | US$ | 35 | US$ | 70 | ||
| Adult : Other | US$ | 87.50 | US$ | 175 | ||
| Child (2 - 15 years) Children under 2 free | US$ | 43.75 | US$ | 87.50 | ||
| b. Official Rate : Expatriate temporary residents, and any non-resident with close family or official links | ||||||
| Adult | US$ | 250 | US$ | 500 | ||
| Child (2 - 15 years) Children under 2 free | US$ | 125 | US$ | 250 | ||
| c. Tourist Rate : Passengers with no family or official links with Tristan da Cunha | ||||||
| Adult | US$ | 500 | US$ | 1000 | ||
| Child (2 - 15 years) Children under 2 free | US$ | 250 | US$ | 500 | ||
Travel Policy: Passenger PriorityPassenger spaces on vessels are limited and are allocated in the following order of priority |
||
| 1. | Medevac (Priority) |
The Chief Medical Officer must give the patient, suffering from serious illness/condition, a formal referral letter to see a consultant overseas |
| 2. | Official (Priority) |
The Administrator certifies the need for an official to attend important Island business |
| 3. | Private (urgent business) – Islander & Non Resident Islander |
The Administrator recommends that the person attend urgent private business overseas e.g. weddings |
| 4. | Medevac (non priority treatment) |
The Chief Medical Officer must give the patient suffering from a less serious illness/condition a formal referral letter to see a consultant overseas |
| 5. | Official (non priority) |
The Administrator certifies the need for an official to attend to Island business. |
| 6. | Private (non priority travel) - Resident Islander |
Holiday |
| 7. | Private (non priority travel) – Non Resident Islander |
Holiday |
| 8. | Private (non priority travel) – Visitor |
Holiday/Tourists |
| If you are in category 4 to 8 above, you may be required to give up your booking and defer your travel to another sailing for those covered by category 1-3. | ||
Notes
- All applications to visit Tristan da Cunha should be submitted to the Administrator's Office, and require the prior approval of the Island Council. Subsequent Travel Bookings and requests for concessionary fare rates must also be made via the Administrator's Office. See Arranging a Visit Page
- Passenger tickets for SA Agulhas will be issued by Table Bay Marine, Cape Town
- Passenger tickets for Edinburgh / Geo Searcher will be issued by Ovenstones, Cape Town or the Factory, Tristan da Cunha
- Close family links are understood to refer to a passenger plus spouse and dependants who have parents, grandparents, children, sisters, brothers, aunts or uncles resident on Tristan.
- For further information on the ships themselves check out the Scheduled Ships Page