Port Blair to Baratang Ferry: The New Direct Sea Route (2026-27)
From 1 October 2026 you can reach Baratang from Port Blair by sea. Makruzz runs MV Makruzz Pearl direct — departing 5:45 AM, arriving 7:45 AM, Rs 2,300 in Premium. Until now Baratang meant one of two things: a government vessel, or the pre-dawn road convoy up the Andaman Trunk Road. This is the first private ferry on the route.
At a glance:
| Departs | 5:45 AM, Haddo Jetty, Port Blair |
| Arrives | 7:45 AM, Baratang |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Operator | Makruzz — MV Makruzz Pearl (Premium class only) |
| Fare | Rs 2,300 + Rs 50 PSF (Rs 2,400 during 15 Dec – 15 Jan) |
| Runs | Daily, 1 October 2026 – 15 June 2027 |
| Return | No direct Baratang → Port Blair ferry. You continue to Havelock at 12:00 |
Check live seats for your date at BookYourFerry.com — bookings for October onward are already open.
The thing to understand before you book
This isn’t a return trip. Makruzz sails Port Blair → Baratang in the morning and Baratang → Havelock at midday. There’s no direct sailing back to Port Blair, and none to Neil Island either.
So the ferry doesn’t give you a Baratang day trip. It gives you a one-way leg — Port Blair in the morning, roughly four hours on Baratang, then Havelock by early afternoon. If you want to end the day back in Port Blair, you’d need the road route or a government sailing instead.
Read that as the design rather than a limitation. Makruzz has built the two sailings to work as a single day: you land at 7:45 AM, see Baratang, and step off at Havelock at 1:30 PM with your onward trip already underway.
Compare that with the road. A road day trip spends roughly six hours in a vehicle to deliver the same few hours on Baratang, and returns you to exactly where you started. The ferry converts that dead mileage into forward progress — you finish the day on Havelock, checked in, with the afternoon still yours.
Timings and what the day looks like
| Leg | Departs | Arrives | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Blair → Baratang | 5:45 AM | 7:45 AM | 2 hrs |
| (time on Baratang) | ~4 hrs 15 min | ||
| Baratang → Havelock | 12:00 PM | 1:30 PM | 1.5 hrs |
That four-hour window between arrival and onward departure is the whole design of the service, and it’s enough to actually see Baratang rather than glimpse it.
The limestone caves fit comfortably. That’s the boat trip through the mangrove creek plus the boardwalk to the cave mouth — what most visitors come for, and the one thing to prioritise if you only do one.
The mud volcano is achievable, but only if you move. Arrange transport before you land rather than negotiating at the jetty, do the caves first, and keep an eye on the clock. It’s a genuine option, not a comfortable one.
This timing comes from Mr. Giri, a tour planner at Tropical Andaman Tours who runs the Baratang circuit regularly — not from a timetable. For what’s actually at each stop, our sister site has a full Baratang Island travel guide covering the limestone caves, mud volcanoes and Parrot Island.
Baratang has no tourist accommodation. That’s what makes the 12:00 PM departure non-negotiable rather than merely inconvenient — there is no hotel to fall back on if you miss it. Your remaining option would be road transport out, and the Andaman Trunk Road runs on convoy timings you can’t negotiate with.
So treat the midday sailing as a hard deadline. Be back at the jetty with time in hand, not to spare.
What it costs
| Regular season | Peak (15 Dec – 15 Jan) | |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | Rs 2,300 | Rs 2,400 |
| Port Service Fee | Rs 50 | Rs 50 |
| GST | 18% on base fare | 18% on base fare |
MV Makruzz Pearl is a single-class vessel — 250 Premium seats, no Deluxe or Royal. Whatever you pay, everyone’s in the same cabin.
Makruzz is the only Andaman operator that charges a peak surcharge, and only between 15 December and 15 January. Nautika and Green Ocean hold one fare all season, though neither serves Baratang. Full fare comparisons across operators are in our Andaman ferry prices guide.
Sea route or road convoy?
Most Baratang travel still happens by road, and that’s the comparison worth making honestly.
By road you leave Port Blair around 4:00 AM to join a convoy up the Andaman Trunk Road, which passes through the Jarawa Tribal Reserve under strict rules — no stopping, no photography, no interaction. It’s the cheaper option, usually sold as a day-trip package, and it puts you back in Port Blair the same evening.
By sea you leave at 5:45 AM, skip the road entirely — no convoy, no permit, no fixed re-entry window — and arrive rested rather than after three hours in a shared vehicle. You pay considerably more, and you end the day in Havelock rather than Port Blair.
The honest summary: the road route is cheaper and returns you home; the sea route is more comfortable and moves you north. Pick by which of those matters to your itinerary.
No permit is needed if you arrive by ferry. We confirmed this directly with Makruzz. The road journey crosses the Jarawa Tribal Reserve, which is why it runs in permitted convoys on fixed timings; the sea route doesn’t enter the reserve at all, so none of that applies. You board at Haddo Jetty with a ticket and photo ID, the same as any other Andaman ferry.
How to book
- Search your date on BookYourFerry.com. Baratang sailings appear for travel dates from 1 October 2026 — bookings opened in June, so October and November are already selling.
- Book well ahead. One daily sailing on a single-class vessel means limited inventory. Two to three weeks is sensible; three to four for the December–January stretch.
- Enter names exactly as on your photo ID — they’re checked at the jetty.
- Print the ticket. Every Andaman operator rejects phone screenshots.
- Reconfirm the day before (03192-236677). Worth doing on any route with no second sailing.
Compare live fares and seats for Port Blair to Baratang at BookYourFerry.com
Check-in at Haddo Jetty
A 5:45 AM departure means an early start — plan to be at the jetty by about 5:00 AM.
- Arrive 45–60 minutes before departure. Counters close 15–30 minutes out.
- Carry the printed ticket and original photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, driving licence or voter ID). Foreign nationals need passport plus the Restricted Area Permit.
- Luggage: 25 kg on Makruzz, stowed in the hold and X-ray screened. Keep documents and anything fragile in your cabin bag.
- Single-use plastic is banned across the islands.
Haddo Jetty is 15–20 minutes from Port Blair airport by taxi. Our Haddo Jetty guide covers the terminal layout, parking and where the counters actually are — useful at 5:00 AM in the dark.
Where this fits in a trip
The natural shape is a northbound run: Port Blair → Baratang → Havelock, all in one day, arriving Havelock at 1:30 PM with the afternoon intact. From Havelock you have the full Havelock to Neil and Havelock to Port Blair network to continue or come home.
What doesn’t work is treating Baratang as a hub. There’s no ferry from Baratang to Neil, and none back to Port Blair. Every Baratang sailing points the same way — north.
If your plan needs a Port Blair return the same day, the road convoy remains the only option, and our Andaman ferry booking guide covers the alternatives across the wider network.
FAQ: Port Blair to Baratang Ferry
Is there a ferry from Port Blair to Baratang?
Yes, from 1 October 2026. Makruzz runs MV Makruzz Pearl daily, departing Haddo Jetty at 5:45 AM and arriving Baratang at 7:45 AM. It’s the first private ferry on the route — previously Baratang was reachable only by government vessel or the road convoy through the Jarawa reserve.
How long does the Port Blair to Baratang ferry take?
Two hours, departing 5:45 AM and arriving 7:45 AM. That compares with roughly three hours by road, plus the wait to join a convoy on the Andaman Trunk Road. The sea route also avoids the vehicle crossing at Middle Strait entirely.
How much is the Port Blair to Baratang ferry ticket?
Rs 2,300 in Premium class, plus Rs 50 Port Service Fee and 18% GST on the base fare. Between 15 December and 15 January a Rs 100 peak surcharge applies, taking it to Rs 2,400. MV Makruzz Pearl is Premium-only, so there’s no cheaper or higher class.
Can I return from Baratang to Port Blair by ferry?
No. Makruzz runs Port Blair to Baratang in the morning and Baratang to Havelock at 12:00 PM — there’s no direct sailing back to Port Blair, and none to Neil Island. Plan to continue north to Havelock, or arrange road transport for the return.
Do I need a permit to visit Baratang by ferry?
No. The permit requirement applies to the road route, which crosses the Jarawa Tribal Reserve in convoy. The ferry doesn’t enter the reserve, so no permit is needed — just your printed ticket and original photo ID at Haddo Jetty. Confirmed directly with Makruzz.
How much time do I get on Baratang?
About four hours and fifteen minutes — arriving 7:45 AM, departing 12:00 PM. The limestone caves fit comfortably. The mud volcano is achievable too, but only if you arrange transport in advance and keep moving; leave it out if you’d rather not watch the clock.
Can I stay overnight on Baratang?
No — Baratang has no tourist accommodation, which is why the ferry is built as a through-journey rather than a base. You arrive at 7:45 AM, spend the morning there, and leave for Havelock at 12:00 PM. Plan to sleep in Havelock or Port Blair.
When does the Baratang ferry run?
Daily from 1 October 2026 through 15 June 2027, matching Makruzz’s season schedule. It doesn’t operate during the monsoon months. Bookings opened in June 2026, so October and November dates are already selling.
Which operators run to Baratang?
Makruzz only, on MV Makruzz Pearl. Nautika, Green Ocean and ITT Majestic don’t serve the route at all. Government vessels also connect Baratang on select days — those are cheaper but book through the STARS portal just two days ahead, with a tourist quota that sells out quickly.
Planning the wider trip? Start with the Andaman ferry booking guide, compare fares across every operator in our ferry prices guide, or check the full network timetable on the Andaman ferry schedule. If plans change, the cancellation policy sets out what a date change costs.
Updated July 2026. Timings and fares verified against Makruzz’s published 2026-27 season schedule. Permit position confirmed directly with Makruzz. On-the-ground detail — the through-journey design, what fits in the Baratang window, and the absence of accommodation — from Mr. Giri, tour planner at Tropical Andaman Tours.