Until 17 October the Northumberland Ferries boats leave Wood Islands and Caribou eight times a day; from the 18th the timetable drops to four departures each way until the season ends on 20 December 2026. The crossing takes 75 minutes. A reserved car up to 20 feet costs $43 with all its passengers, and the same price covers the return.
Northumberland Ferries 2026 schedule, periods 15 June – 17 October and 18 October – 20 December 2026; no sailings published after 20 December; checked 9 October 2026 Northumberland Ferries – Sailing schedule · 2026-10-09
Book a round trip if you know when you are coming back. On the Wood Islands–Caribou ferry a reserved return costs exactly what a reserved single does, and the car fare already covers every person in the vehicle, so a family in a sedan pays $43, plus the fuel surcharge, for the return trip. Check in early: cars must be at the booth 40 minutes before departure.
Not sure of your plans? Then cross from Nova Scotia on standby. Northumberland Ferries lets travellers sail from Caribou to Prince Edward Island without paying, subject to space, which is allocated by vehicle type and height rather than strictly first come, first served. Leave the island later by the Confederation Bridge and the toll is paid at the bridge.
Mind the date. The boats run eight times a day from each side until Saturday 17 October 2026, then four times a day until 20 December, the last published day of the season. Northumberland Ferries Limited has worked this crossing since 1941, and in 2026, its 85th season, the ships on the strait are the MV Confederation and the MV Northumberland.
Forget per-person arithmetic for cars: on this route the vehicle fare includes everybody inside it. A low vehicle up to 20 feet long and 7 feet high pays $43, whether it carries one person or a full family. Add the fuel surcharge, $2.50 for vehicles under 20 feet and $10 for everything else.
Pay once, travel both ways. A reserved round trip costs the same as a reserved one-way fare, and a one-way booking can be turned into a return later by phone. Skip the booking altogether and a standby trip from Nova Scotia to PEI costs nothing. Leave the island by the Confederation Bridge and you pay the bridge toll there.
| Car or low vehicle up to 20 ft long and 7 ft high | $ 43 |
| Vehicle with trailer or camper, 21 to 40 ft | $ 58 |
| Vehicle with trailer or camper, over 40 ft | $ 69 |
| Motorcycle | $ 22.50 |
| Three-wheel motorcycle, or motorcycle with trailer | $ 43 |
| Bicycle | $ 11 |
| Adult, 14 to 59 | $ 11.50 |
| Senior 60+, or student with ID | $ 10 |
| Youth, 6 to 13 | $ 8 |
| Child, 0 to 5 | Free |
| Vehicle under 20 ft long | $ 2.50 |
| All other vehicles | $ 10 |
Northumberland Ferries 2026 fares, read 9 October 2026; fuel surcharge as in force since 1 August Northumberland Ferries – 2026 Fares · 2026-10-09
The ferry links the Trans-Canada Highway at Wood Islands, on PEI's south-east shore, with Highway 106 at Caribou, just outside the town of Pictou in Nova Scotia. The operator gives the crossing time as 75 minutes and publishes no distance.
The other way on and off the island is the Confederation Bridge. Northumberland Ferries points out that if you leave PEI that way rather than by boat, you pay the bridge toll.
Wood Islands is on the south-east shore of Prince Edward Island, where the Trans-Canada Highway reaches the Northumberland Strait. Drivers check in at the toll booth; foot passengers collect a boarding card there too before walking aboard.
Need to leave a car? Public parking is behind the terminal building, signed "public parking", at your own risk. Pick-up and drop-off areas exist at both terminals for anyone meeting a walk-on passenger.
Caribou is on Highway 106, just outside Pictou. Arriving from mainland Nova Scotia, this is the end where you can turn up without a ticket and go across on standby, at no charge, if there is room on the boat.
Parking is beside the terminal building: take the right turn at the junction as you enter the compound.
Vehicles must be checked in and ready to board at least 40 minutes before departure. Not there 20 minutes before? Your booking can be cancelled and you go on the wait list.
Fares depend on vehicle type and size, and a reservation can be voided if the wrong type was chosen. Anything over 7 ft high and 20 ft long has to book by phone on 1-877-762-7245.
On some MV Northumberland sailings loading is managed at low tide so that long-overhang cars, trailers, buses and big RVs do not ground on the ramp. If that is you, call 1-902-485-6580. A permanent fix is planned before 1 May 2027.
When booking online, type RENTAL in the licence-plate field.
Foot passengers younger than 14 must travel with a parent or guardian.
Travelling further east? From North Sydney on Cape Breton, Marine Atlantic's ferry to Port aux Basques in Newfoundland sails twice a day all year, so it is still running after the Wood Islands season closes.
Our page was checked against the operator's English and French schedules, which agree on every departure. They disagree only on how early foot passengers must check in, so we leave that figure out: ask when you book.
The last published sailings are on 20 December 2026. From 18 October until then there are four departures a day each way; nothing was scheduled after that date when we checked.
On standby, yes: Northumberland Ferries carries travellers from Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island at no charge when there is space. To guarantee a place you must book and pay, and a booked one-way costs the same as a booked round trip.
Yes. Reserved vehicle fares include the passengers. A low vehicle up to 20 ft long and 7 ft high is $43, plus a $2.50 fuel surcharge.
08:30, 11:45, 16:30 and 19:30 daily until 20 December 2026. From Wood Islands the times are 07:00, 10:00, 15:00 and 18:00.
$11.50 for ages 14 to 59. Seniors aged 60 and over and students with ID pay $10, youths aged 6 to 13 pay $8, and children up to 5 travel free.
Northumberland Ferries warns that at low tide, vehicles with long overhangs, trailers, buses and large RVs can hang up between the MV Northumberland and the berth, and loading is managed on those sailings. Call 1-902-485-6580 before travelling.
If your vehicle is not checked in 20 minutes before departure the booking can be cancelled and you are placed on the wait list. A $25 no-show fee applies; cancelling before departure gets a full refund.