Government Ferry in Andaman: practical travel guide
Andaman government ferry tickets are handled through the Directorate of Shipping Services and its STARS e-ticketing system. Start with the official dated schedule and passenger category. AWT’s private ferry search is a separate service and does not issue a government ticket.
Prepared by Andaman World Travels Private Limited
Book through DSS and STARS
Open the official portal from the link below and follow its registration or login process. Search the sailing date and destination, choose the eligible passenger category, enter accurate traveller details and review the payable amount before completing the portal’s payment process.
Keep the issued ticket and reference. If a payment is uncertain, check its status through the official system before retrying. An enquiry, payment debit or screenshot of availability is not by itself a confirmed ticket.
- DSS announced 24×7 online reservation in October 2025; ticket-counter hours and sailing releases are separate matters.
- Check the latest sailing notice: an absent future date can mean that the sailing has not been released, rather than that a year-round service never operates.
Ready with your route and documents? Open official STARS booking
Planning ahead as a tourist
Government inter-island reservations have a shorter planning window than many private cruise bookings. In AWT’s local booking experience, some tourist sailings become bookable only around four days before departure. Treat this as practical planning advice, not a fixed DSS rule: check the current sailing notice for the actual opening date.
These public services also meet island residents’ travel needs. Check availability in the non-islander category for your whole group; the vessel’s total capacity is not the tourist seat allocation. Availability can fill quickly, and vessel sizes and allocations differ between services.
If your hotel nights and island dates are fixed, avoid making the trip depend on an unconfirmed government seat. Waiting until the final days may also leave fewer private ferry choices. When your budget allows, securing a suitable private sailing earlier can make the rest of the itinerary easier to arrange.
Port Blair, Havelock, Neil and other islands
DSS serves inter-island and foreshore sectors as well as harbour and vehicle-ferry services. Select the correct service category. For Havelock or Neil, recognise the official names Swaraj Dweep and Shaheed Dweep; Port Blair may appear as Sri Vijaya Puram.
Check direction, date, vessel and every intermediate call. A government timetable for another week is not confirmation for your holiday. A harbour ticket across a short strait is not an inter-island Havelock reservation.
Continue planning: Phoenix Bay terminal checks Chatham harbour crossings
Passenger category and identity documents
The DSS charter lists photo identification for general passengers and supporting documents for concession categories, including islander status. Select only the category you can substantiate. Ask the official booking desk about accepted documents if your case is unclear.
Keep the same identity details on the booking and at boarding. Foreign travellers should check the current accepted documentation and any destination-entry conditions with the official authorities. Do not infer an entitlement or concession from a third-party fare chart.
Government fare versus total travel cost
Read the current fare for the correct category and accommodation type in STARS. A resident fare copied into a tourism article may not be the fare applicable to a visitor. Compare the complete payable amount with an actual private-ferry quotation for the same date.
Compare the non-islander total with Green Ocean and the available Makruzz or Nautika sailings for the same route and date. The saving on a government ticket may be modest; private offers and cabin choices can change the comparison. No operator is always the cheapest. Allow separately for transfers, meals or an overnight stay if the sailing time requires them. A lower ticket price can still produce a less convenient overall itinerary. Choose using arrival time and practical connections as well as fare.
Continue planning: Compare private ferry options Port Blair to Havelock options
Terminal, baggage and cancellations
Follow the terminal, reporting time and baggage rules stated for your government sailing. Do not automatically use Haddo because your previous private ferry used it. Check the latest operational notice before starting the transfer.
For a change or refund, use the government ticket’s issuing channel and current DSS rules. AWT’s private-ticket cancellation card above is not a government refund policy. Retain the ticket reference and payment information when contacting official support.
Beyond Havelock and Neil: choose the correct service
For Long Island, Rangat, Mayabunder or Diglipur, begin with DSS’s nearby-island schedule. Little Andaman is listed in a different service group. Match the destination to its actual landing point and arrange onward transport before selecting a sailing.
A service calling at several islands can suit a flexible trip but may use more of the travel day. Read the order of calls and arrival date, not only the first departure time. The published charter describes the network; the current sailing notice and ticket establish your journey.
For an overnight journey, ask which accommodation is actually sold: a seat, bunk or cabin. Confirm bedding, food, drinking water and accessibility for that vessel. A photograph of one government ship cannot establish facilities across the fleet.
Keep these details together when using STARS
Before opening the portal, prepare your route in both familiar and official island names, travel date, passenger names and eligible identity documents. Compare the selected destination and category once more before payment. Save the issued ticket offline so it is available even without mobile data.
For a payment or ticket problem, retain the booking reference, transaction date and payment status. Use the official enquiry or refund channel linked by DSS; share payment details only with the verified issuer. Check whether a refund has already been initiated before paying for a replacement.
- Sailing notice: service, vessel, direction and date.
- Ticket: passenger category, accommodation and boarding point.
- Transfer plan: reporting deadline, pickup and arrival collection.
- Return journey: its own dated availability and ticket.
Government Ferry in Andaman FAQs
Practical answers to help you plan, book and board with confidence.
Can a tourist book a government ferry?
Check the service, passenger category and availability offered by DSS for your journey. Select the visitor category that applies to you and carry the required identity documents; do not claim a resident concession without eligibility.
Why is my travel date not showing in STARS?
Check the latest DSS release notice and route selection. A date may not yet be open, or a service may not be offered. Confirm with DSS instead of assuming seats will appear at a fixed daily time.
Does the ₹100 AWT cancellation card apply to government tickets?
No. Government tickets follow DSS terms and the official issuing channel. The card describes eligible AWT private bookings.
Can I book a vehicle on an ordinary passenger ferry ticket?
Do not assume so. Vehicle-ferry services are a separate category. Confirm the specific crossing, vehicle category and ticket requirements through DSS.
Is a seat, bunk or cabin included on every government ferry?
No. Read the accommodation offered for the selected vessel. Confirm the facilities and food arrangements for a longer journey before buying; government vessels do not all have the same layout.
Official government booking and travel checks
Government tickets use the separate DSS/STARS process. Follow the current government notice and issued ticket.
Find a crossing that fits your island plan
Confirm the route, travel date and passenger details. AWT can also help arrange hotels and jetty transfers separately.
Search supported private ferries