King Harry Ferry
Connecting St Mawes and the Roseland with Feock, Truro and Falmouth.
- Route :: Feock - Philleigh
- Runs :: 7 Days a week all year round
- Journey time :: 5 mins
- Phone :: 01872 862312
- Bikes :: Bike Friendly
Established in 1888, it connects St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula with Feock, Truro and Falmouth by avoiding the alternative 27 mile route through Truro & Tresillian.
Each year the King Harry Ferry saves many road miles, therefore reducing carbon emissions. It carries 300,000 cars every single year.
LIVE Status - King Harry Ferry
08:49 AM, Thu 21 Nov
- Green / running
- Amber / disruption
- Red / not running
All sailings subject to tide, weather and circumstances
One of only five chain ferries in England, it departs every 20 minutes from each side, 7 days a week and the ferry is a key transport link for visitors and locals alike.
The King Harry Ferry
The King Harry Ferry offers its passengers the chance to avoid miles of congested roads and once aboard you can get out and enjoy the slow river crossing which takes in one of Cornwall’s deepest and most beautiful rivers – the Fal River.
The iconic ferry with its glass side, chain viewing windows and touch screen information display is combining state of the art technology with a traditional friendly service.
Our ferry has captured the hearts of hundreds of people around the world prompting poems to be written, songs to be sung, and a cult-following of passionate 'Ferry Watchers.'
One of only five chain ferries in England, the King Harry Ferry supports an average of 200 commuter trips, 150 local businesses and up to 650 vehicle crossings each day.
The chains take the strain...
In order to guide the 350 tonne ferry back and forth in all weather conditions, the ferries 270m long chains have to be incredibly strong and tough.
With up to 80 crossings a day, 364 days a year, the chains undergo a huge amount of wear and have to be replaced regularly, not ideal when they cost over £16,000 a pair!
Each chain weighs the same as a humpback whale and their combined strength is enough to lift ten double-decker buses.
After entering the ferry over small ‘jockey wheels' at each end the chain is fed onto the main ‘drive wheels' which pull the ferry across the river. These large wheels are over 2m in diameter and are driven by hydraulic motors, which in turn are powered by one of the ferries three diesel engines.
The big blue ferry that’s really GREEN...
The new £2.8 million ferry has been built with minimal environmental impact as a primary design criteria.
As a result the new ferry runs on ultra efficient diesel engines that have cut emissions by over 75% and reduced noise pollution by over 80%.
In 1887, Colonel Arthur Tremayne of Carclew, gathered together some friends with the idea of forming a company to run a steam-driven ferry bridge across the Fal River in place of the old barge-like, man-propelled ferry which was then being used.
The Fal Mussel Card Local has changed: Key changes...
You can manage your Fal Mussel Card Local online. From here you can top up your account, cancel lost/stolen cards, check your usage and see how much each journey costs. The new changes also mean that the more you use your Fal Mussel Card Local, the cheaper it gets!
For more information on the changes, please see our handy guide here for more information about all the changes...
The King Harry Ferry is operating as normal, please see live ferry status below for live information.
