Ibiza to Formentera ferry: timetable, prices and companies

Ibiza Connects · Updated on October 16, 2026 · 9 min read

Crossing to Formentera is probably the easiest boat trip in the Mediterranean: you leave from the centre of Ibiza Town, have a coffee on deck and half an hour later you're on another island. Even so, there are a few things worth knowing before you head to the port: which company to choose, when it's worth taking a car, what discounts exist and what happens when the wind gets up. It's all here, with information for the 2026 season.

Ibiza to Formentera ferry: the essentials

Formentera has no airport: the only way in is by boat. More than a million people a year pass through la Savina, according to the Balearic Port Authority, so everything runs like clockwork: ticket offices, bike and scooter hire right on the quay and bus stops at the exit.

Frequencies, times and prices come from the ferry companies' websites and two comparison sites (Ferryhopper and Directferries), checked in October 2026. Timetables are subject to operational changes: check the company's website the day before.

Ferry companies and how they differ

Four companies run between Ibiza and Formentera. They all make the same crossing, but they don't all offer the same thing.

Which to choose? If you're going for the day and want to make the most of it, any of the fast boats first thing. On a tight budget, look at Aquabus first. With a vehicle, Baleària or Trasmapi, the ones with car ferries.

Rough prices and discounts

Prices vary by season and time of day, and the companies run offers constantly. As a guide, in October 2026:

Discounts available:

• Balearic residents: around 75% off the passenger fare, and more for Formentera residents (Aquabus advertises 89%). You must prove residence when you buy and when you board.
• Children and seniors: Trasmapi and Aquabus advertise up to 45% off for children (aged 2 to 13 with the former and 4 to 13 with the latter) and for over-60s. Babies travel free: with Aquabus, under-4s.
• Advance booking: Trasmapi advertises up to 15% off if you book 15 days ahead.
• Groups: more than 10 people, with a group fare.

Buy online or at the ticket office? Outside August you can buy at the quay with no problem. In summer, buying online saves you the queue and is sometimes cheaper. Read the conditions: with some companies bookings can't be cancelled and changing details costs extra.

With a car, scooter or bike

Bike: the most Formentera way to get around. You can take it on the ferry (free on some offers) or hire one at la Savina, right by the quay. The island is almost flat apart from the climb up to La Mola, and it has a network of waymarked green routes.

Scooter: very handy for an island 20 kilometres from end to end. Trasmapi has included motorbikes up to 125 cc free in its Formentera Day Pass offer. If you're not bringing one, there's hire at the port.

Car: think twice. Formentera has its own vehicle cap, in force from 1 June to 30 September (Law 7/2019). Cars not registered in Formentera need an authorisation, applied for at formentera.eco, with a daily charge. The 2026 season has already ended and the portal reopens on 20 April 2027, when that year's rules are published. Outside those dates, you can cross with your car without any paperwork.

Also, if your car is coming from mainland Spain, remember that Ibiza has its own limit from June to September; we explain it in the ferry to Ibiza from mainland Spain.

Is it worth taking the car? For a day trip, almost never: the vehicle ticket costs far more than the passenger one, beach parking is regulated and vehicle access to ses Illetes is paid in season. For a stay of several days on Formentera in spring or autumn, it can make sense. How to get around the island without one is in Formentera day trip from Ibiza.

From San Antonio, Santa Eulalia and Playa d'en Bossa

The regular service leaves from Ibiza Town port, but in season there are other ways to get there without going through the capital:

• From Figueretes and Playa d'en Bossa: Aquabus runs its own route stopping at these beaches and carrying on to Formentera. It's separate from the Ibiza Town one: if your ticket is from the port, you can't board at Playa d'en Bossa, or vice versa.
• From Santa Eulària and Es Cana: in summer, excursion boats to Formentera leave from the east coast. They take much longer than the regular ferry because they follow the coast, but you avoid going into Ibiza Town.
• From San Antonio: there are full-day trips that sail down the west coast to Formentera and return in the afternoon. More a cruise than transport; see the options in Ibiza boat trips.

These sailings depend on the season and each operator, so confirm times at the port or on the operator's website.

Winter timetables and bad weather

The Formentera ferry runs all year, because it's the island's only link: residents, students, workers and goods all travel on it. From November to March the companies keep daily sailings, though fewer than in summer (over 30 a day between them, according to the 2026 timetables).

What does change in winter is the sea. Between Ibiza and Formentera lies the es Freus strait, shallow and with currents, and when a strong easterly or westerly storm comes in some sailings are delayed or cancelled. If you're going in winter:

• check the day's forecast and the company's website before leaving home;
• choose a bigger boat if you get seasick;
• don't leave it to the last boat back, especially if you're flying the next day.

Getting to Ibiza's Formentera ferry terminal

The terminal for boats to Formentera is in Ibiza Town port, on the La Marina side, a few minutes' walk from the centre and Dalt Vila. Don't confuse it with Es Botafoc, the breakwater on the other side of the bay where the big mainland ferries dock.

Many of the island's bus routes end at the CETIS station by Can Misses, not at the port. Check the stop before you get on in Ibiza bus routes: the 2026 network. And if you're going with friends, sharing a car to the port with someone from the app works out cheap.

When you arrive at la Savina: at the exit from the quay you'll find bike, scooter and car hire, taxis and the Formentera bus stops, with routes to Sant Francesc, es Pujols, La Mola, Cala Saona or ses Illetes depending on the line.

Tips to get it right

1. Arrive 20 minutes early. That's what the companies ask; in August, with a queue at the ticket office, make it 30.
2. Check the last boat back before you buy. If you're staying to watch the sunset on Formentera, choose a company with a late return.
3. Go out on deck if you can. As you leave the port you get one of the best views of Dalt Vila from the sea, and crossing es Freus you'll see the islets and the turquoise water of ses Illetes.
4. Bring your ID or passport. You may be asked for it when boarding, and always if you have a resident discount.
5. Don't count on wifi or a socket. Half an hour flies by, but download the Formentera bus timetables beforehand.

Sources and official information

• Formentera.es (Consell de Formentera) · Where it is and how to get there
• Formentera.eco · Vehicle authorisation (1 June - 30 September)
• Ports de Balears · Port of la Savina
• Trasmapi · Routes, timetables and offers
• Aquabus Ferry Boats · Routes and discounts
• Bus Formentera · Routes and timetables 2026
• Ferryhopper · Ibiza-Formentera timetables (comparison site, October 2026)
• Directferries · Ibiza-Formentera (comparison site, July 2026)