UBA calendar, 2 November 2026 – 2 April 2027, transcribed day by day (base: weekdays December to March)
Changes, delays and cancellations UBA reserves the right to change times and fares without notice, and the skipper may alter or cancel a trip for safety reasons. Late-morning and late-afternoon shuttles can run late when crowds are heavy. Cancellations are shown in red on the 'UBA direct' page of UBA's website.
Return tickets and fixed sailings A return booking needs both an outbound and a return sailing time. Each ticket is valid for one date and one sailing. Show the e-ticket on your phone and be at the boarding point at least 15 minutes before departure. Without a ticket you can still buy at the office for the next boat, if there is space.
Bikes and scooters Bikes are charged for and carried subject to space. Unload everything (panniers, baskets, child seats), empty and unhitch trailers, and nothing over 25 kg. For e-bikes, e-scooters and skateboards, take the battery off and keep it with you; models with a built-in battery are refused.
Wheelchair users Wheelchair access is possible at both jetties but awkward at low tide. UBA's French route page and FAQ ask for the request to be made at the ticket desk 72 hours before departure (the English route page still says two hours), and the FAQ suggests calling +33 5 57 72 28 28 to check it can be done.
Map – Arcachon–Cap Ferret Boat
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (13+), single, Classique fare | €10.20 |
| Adult, return, Classique fare | €17.40 |
| Adult, single, Flex fare | €12.20 |
| Adult, return, Flex fare | €19.40 |
| Child (4–12), single, Classique | €8.20 |
| Child (4–12), return, Classique | €13.40 |
| Child (4–12), single, Flex | €9.20 |
| Child (4–12), return, Flex | €14.40 |
| Infant (0–3) | Free |
| Bike, single (Classique or Flex) | €7 |
| Bike, return (Classique or Flex) | €12 |
| Dog or cat, stated supplement | €2 |
Two ticket types. Classique: changeable up to 15 minutes before departure for €5 per ticket, non-refundable. Flex: free changes up to 15 minutes before, subject to space. On Flex refunds, the route page says 'up to 1 day before departure', but UBA's terms and FAQ give no fee up to 2 working days before and a 100% charge from 1 day to the day itself, so go by the terms. Adults are 13 and over, children 4 to 12 inclusive, under-4s free. Dogs and cats: €2 supplement; guide dogs free. E-bikes, trailers and tandems have their own prices, shown in the booking tool. Pay by card (not American Express), cash or ANCV holiday vouchers (up to €50 per booking, at UBA sales points). The UBA Pass (€49 adult, €39 child, valid one year) gives reduced fares on this line. All fares in euros (EUR).
The Union des Bateliers Arcachonnais (UBA) runs a foot-passenger shuttle between Arcachon and Cap Ferret. Boats leave from the Thiers jetty on Place Thiers in central Arcachon and land at the Bélisaire jetty on Allée de Bélisaire, Lège-Cap-Ferret, 30 minutes later. Both jetties are open all year, with boarding by gangway from a floating pontoon.
UBA's booking calendar shows sailings up to 2 April 2027, and the timetable on this page follows it date by date. On weekdays four boats leave Arcachon and five leave Cap Ferret, the first at 07:00; in November there is a sixth, early-evening boat from Cap Ferret. Saturdays, Sundays, 11 November, 19 December to 3 January and 13 to 28 February get extra daytime sailings, but no 07:00 boat. There are no sailings on Christmas Day or New Year's Day.
Tickets come in two types. Classique costs €10.20 single or €17.40 return for an adult (13 and over); you can change it up to 15 minutes before departure for €5, and it is non-refundable. Flex costs €12.20 or €19.40 and can be changed free of charge. Refund rules for Flex are inconsistent: the route page says up to one day before, while UBA's terms and FAQ say no charge up to two working days before and a full charge after that, so plan on the stricter rule. Children aged 4 to 12 pay less, under-4s travel free, and a bike costs €7 single or €12 return.
Every ticket is for a set date and sailing, and a return booking needs both times chosen in advance. From November to April the Thiers office opens only 10:45–15:30 (longer in the Christmas and February holidays) and the Bélisaire office 09:15–12:00 and 13:45–18:15, so for boats outside those hours buy online and show the e-ticket on your phone. Be at the jetty 15 minutes before departure.
Arcachon station is a 15-minute walk from the Thiers jetty. On the Cap Ferret side, TransGironde bus 601 from Bordeaux stops at Rue de la Plage, and there is a car park within 500 metres of the jetty. Dogs on a lead and cats in a closed basket pay a €2 supplement; guide dogs travel free.
- Be at the landing a few minutes before departure; vehicle boarding can close before the posted time.
- Check the operator's notices on the day — high river levels, wind, fog, works or maintenance can change or suspend crossings.
- Find out how you pay before you travel: some river ferries are free, others sell tickets on the quay, on board or online.