Getting to Sado Island: Jetfoil or Car Ferry?
There are two types of ferries available if you want to sail to Sado Island, each with their own pros and cons. Here’s my experience with both!
Just off the coast of Niigata prefecture lies Sado Island, an ideal getaway if you want to take a break from city life and explore rural Japan. With mountains, beaches and gold mines, the island has much to offer, but limited ways to make your way there. If you want to know how to get to Sado, read on.
The best way to reach Sado Island is by ferry, and Niigata has multiple options to help travellers out. Sado Kisen provides ferries to the island from the cities of Niigata and Joetsu, each route taking travellers to a different part of Sado. While Niigata ferries are bound for Ryotsu Port, those from Joetsu (via Naoetsu Port) head to Ogi.
Both routes offer two types of ferries: the express Jetfoil and the regular Car Ferry. Each has its pros and cons, and depending on your itinerary and needs, the choice of ship can have a significant effect on your journey.
Having tried the Jetfoil as well as the Car Ferry, I’d like to share my experience with both ships, and the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Hopefully, this guide will help you make your decision on how to travel to Sado and make the most of your trip there!
Jetfoil: A quick arrival
My choice from Niigata to Ryotsu was the Jetfoil ferry, a smaller and much more compact vehicle than the Car Ferry, and my experience was similar to boarding a flight – something even Sado Kisen is proud of.
The ship has two floors for seating, with luggage storage located on the first floor. It’s behind a corner, so I didn’t notice it at first and had to lug my duffel bag all the way up to the second floor before hearing an announcement about the storage area and having to go back down with my things. Since the seat next to me was unoccupied, I was able to keep my backpack next to me instead of in the luggage rack above.
The seat layout on the Jetfoil isn’t too different from that of an airplane – the window sides had two or three seats per row while the middle section had anywhere between three and six seats in each row. Once seated, we were required to keep our seatbelt on at all times and asked to avoid walking up and down the aisles. The ferry is a non-smoking zone too, and has Wi-Fi for most of the trip aside from a short period when in the open seas.
While most of the journey was quick, we were delayed by five or ten minutes as we left Niigata Port; while we waited, the size of the Jetfoil meant we were able to feel the strength of the waves in the sea. Those waves can be strong, so if your stomach has trouble with that, the journey may be difficult. Make sure to have medicines handy just in case.
The Jetfoil takes little over an hour from Niigata to Ryotsu, and is convenient if you have limited hours on Sado and don’t want to spend a lot of time traveling. This ferry is also convenient for solo travellers and those who don’t have a lot of luggage. But as I mentioned before, it’s almost like boarding a flight, so you don’t get to stretch your legs or enjoy the view all that much, especially if you don’t have a window seat.
If a quick and simple journey is what you’re looking for, then the Jetfoil is the ferry to take. But if you want to take things slow and enjoy the ride, then consider booking the Car Ferry instead.
Car Ferry: A leisurely return
I returned to Niigata City via the Car Ferry, which took two and a half hours from Ryotsu to the mainland and was the ideal place for me to unwind after a busy day of travelling from one end of Sado to the other using the public bus.
As the Car Ferry is much slower and larger compared to the Jetfoil, there’s plenty of space and time to move around and explore the boat while also taking in the view of the deep blue sea on a clear day and watching the seagulls soar past you. They swarm the deck of the ferry right before departure, looking for (and getting) free treats from passengers while walking like models.
This ship is designed for an extended trip, with massive cubbyholes and lockers to store your luggage, blankets available for rent, a snack bar, and even a game corner nearby. The large windows and wide decks are perfect for taking photos and videos to show off on social media; on the other hand, the long journey and the open seas mean you might not have Wi-Fi (or even mobile data) for most of the trip. Even so, the Car Ferry works best for those who want a relaxing trip and have the hours to spare, especially if travelling with kids or pets.
As the name suggests, the Car Ferry can take passengers with their own cars and bikes, with a separate entrance to the main ferry from the parking lot reserved just for them. You can board the ship while in your vehicle, and get in before general passengers too! Sado Island has limited public transport, so driving a car is the best way to get around, which makes having your own vehicle even more convenient for the trip. You can leave your car in the parking lot downstairs and stretch your legs on the rest of the ship until it’s time to disembark.
There’s less chance of experiencing motion sickness from the waves thanks to the size of the ferry, but it never hurts to carry some medicine with you, especially since there’s none for sale at the port or on board the ship. You also have the choice between multiple classes of cabins, so you can choose anything from the simplicity of the second-class cabin to the luxury of the suite room.
Although I appreciated the speed and convenience of the Jetfoil when going to Sado, I preferred the relaxed pace of the Car Ferry for my return; I don’t think I’d have enjoyed either had I booked these ferries the other way around.
How to book a ferry
The booking process is simple: just head to the Sado Kisen website (available in English and Japanese) and click on “Ticket Reservations.” You can select different types of ferries for each leg of your trip, so if you want to take the Jetfoil one way and the Car Ferry the other way like I did, you can. Depending on your requirements, you won’t need to create an account or pay the fare in advance, but do be mindful of your booking requirements, especially if bringing cars or pets on board.
I completed my reservation a month in advance without any pre-payments, and was sent a confirmation email with a QR code. I then scanned it at the ticket machine on boarding day and paid for both legs of my trip in one go – saving me a lot of time on my way back.
Make sure to complete these boarding procedures well in advance to avoid any long lines or last-minute issues. Boarding for both the Jetfoil and Car Ferry starts about ten minutes before departure, but in the latter case may start earlier if you have your own car or bike. Remember to carefully read any instructions provided by Sado Kisen, especially regarding vehicles and pets.
Both the Jetfoil and the Car Ferry gave me unique experiences to take back home, and even with their individual limitations, gave me a chance to try out new modes of travel and different ways to explore the world outside my comfort zone. I hope I get a chance to board another ferry soon, because I had so much fun trying these two out!
