Mahé to Praslin: Ferry vs Flight vs Boat (Fares & Times)

Take the Cat Cocos ferry. It runs from the Inter Island Quay in Victoria to the Baie Ste Anne jetty in 1 hour 15 minutes. An adult visitor pays SCR 890 one way in economy, about €55. Fly only if your international connection is tight. Heavy bags are no reason to fly: the ferry allows 25 kg in economy, the plane 23 kg.

Which one should you take?

Take the ferry. Fly only if your international connection is tight. The private boat suits a group that wants its own route.

On bags, the two are close. The ferry allows 25 kg in economy or 30 kg in business. Air Seychelles allows a non-resident 23 kg checked plus 5 kg hand baggage on a domestic ticket. If the Praslin flight is on the same ticket as your international flight, your international allowance applies instead.

	Ferry (Cat Cocos)	Flight (Air Seychelles)	Private boat
Price per adult	SCR 890 Coco de Mer, SCR 977 Island Hopper, SCR 1,237 Lazio Lounge, one way (Cat Cocos booking engine, 14 Nov 2026)	Return economy from SCR 2,462 on the airline's Praslin page (October 2026 dates); a short-notice return showed SCR 4,176. Check your date.	No official source. Ask for a written quote.
Time on the water or in the air	1 h 15 min (Cat Cocos)	About 15 min, says Air Seychelles; schedules block 20 min (e.g. HM3192, 19:20 to 19:40, per Planemapper)	Varies by boat
From Mahé airport to Praslin	About 3 h from landing to the 16:30 sailing (1 h 45 min to the quay), then 1 h 15 min on the water. Our assumption, see the clock below.	Same airport, no road trip to Victoria	Varies with the pickup point
Luggage	25 kg economy, 30 kg business, 32 kg per bag, 7 kg hand bag	Non-resident: 23 kg checked + 5 kg hand baggage; no bag over 32 kg	Set by the skipper
Seasickness	Possible. Cat Cocos' terms do not accept it as a reason to cancel.	No swell in the air, but weather can still disrupt flights	Possible, usually a smaller boat
Frequency	Two or three a day, by the operator's 2026 & 2027 schedule	More than 170 scheduled flights a week, says Air Seychelles	On request
If cancelled	Free change to another scheduled trip (terms, cl. 1.17.2.1)	Ask the airline	Agree it in writing before you pay

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How long is the ferry from Mahé to Praslin?

The crossing takes 1 hour 15 minutes, according to Cat Cocos' schedule page. The same page gives 1 hour 45 minutes to La Digue via Praslin and 1 hour 10 minutes direct. Praslin to La Digue is a separate 15-minute hop with its own timetable.

What are the ferry times?

Cat Cocos says it runs "multiple trips every day of the week". It posts the timetable as a picture, titled "Schedule for 2026 & 2027", on its home page and points to its Facebook page for updates. The times below are copied from that picture. The resellers SeyFerry and SeychellesBookings print the same Mahé to Praslin times.

Day	Mahé to Praslin	Praslin to Mahé
Mon	08:00, 10:30, 16:30	08:00, 14:00, 17:00
Tue	10:30, 16:30	08:00, 14:00
Wed	08:00, 10:30, 16:30	08:00, 14:00, 17:00
Thu	10:30, 16:30	08:00, 14:00
Fri	08:00, 10:30, 16:30	08:00, 14:00, 17:30
Sat	08:00, 11:00, 16:30	08:00, 17:30
Sun	11:00, 14:00, 16:30	08:00, 17:30

Schedules can change. Before you plan around a time, check it on the Cat Cocos schedule image or booking page. Trips marked with an asterisk on the operator's page stop at Praslin Jetty (Baie Ste Anne) on the way to La Digue.

What does the ferry cost, and is it cheaper to buy in advance?

Cat Cocos sells three classes: Coco de Mer (air-conditioned economy, main deck), Island Hopper (exterior upper deck, premium economy) and Lazio Lounge (business, air-conditioned cabin), per its fleet page. Its booking page shows the fare once you pick a sailing. We priced one adult visitor (12 to 62, non-resident), one way, on 14 November 2026:

Class	Mahé to Praslin
Coco de Mer (economy)	SCR 890 (865 + 25 port fee)
Island Hopper (premium economy)	SCR 977 (952 + 25)
Lazio Lounge (business)	SCR 1,237 (1,212 + 25)

Each total includes 15% VAT and the SCR 25 port fee. SCR 890 is about €55 and SCR 1,237 about €76 at the Central Bank of Seychelles mid-rate of 10 November 2026. The engine prices children (2 to under 12) and seniors (63 and over) separately; we did not price those or a return, so run your own search. Our Cat Cocos ferry guide has the other routes.

Resellers quote in euros, and they do not agree:

• SeychellesBookings (reseller): EUR 56 adult in the main cabin, EUR 27 child (2 to 11). Upper deck is +EUR 5 to 6. Business is +EUR 21 per adult and +EUR 17 per child.
• SeyFerry (reseller): "from EUR 56" one way for Mahé to Praslin, no class split.
• Weseektravel (blog): its summary table gives EUR 86 for business class and EUR 60 for the lower deck. Its text gives EUR 60 lower deck, EUR 66 upper deck and EUR 84 business. One page, two business fares.

Reseller prices include their own margins and conditions. Compare them with the operator's fare above.

On buying early: the Cat Cocos terms do not say early tickets are cheaper. They mention "special-priced tickets", which are excluded from the paid-change rule, and they say online bookings carry no service fee.

On sell-outs: the terms give no booking window either. We have no availability data, so we cannot say how often sailings sell out. Still, book ahead if you have a flight to catch, and keep the plane as plan B if your sailing is full.

Cat Cocos' terms (clause 1.13.2) say infants of up to 2 years are not charged for the trip, but need a ticket.

How much luggage can you take on the ferry?

A non-resident can take 25 kg in economy and 30 kg in business, and no single bag may weigh more than 32 kg. That is in the Cat Cocos terms, clauses 1.15.3 and 1.15.4. Residents get 23 kg and 30 kg. Hand luggage is one piece per passenger, under 7 kg, at most 50 x 30 x 20 cm, and it stays with you.

Other pages disagree. Weseektravel says Cat Cocos and Cat Rose both allow 30 kg. For Cat Cocos that is right only for business class.

What the operator does not say:

• Excess baggage price. The terms say you pay per kilo for any excess. Rates are available at the Concierge, and no amount is printed. SeyFerry and SeychellesBookings both quote EUR 3 per kilo. That is their number, not the operator's.
• Port fee in the terms. The terms do not mention one, but the booking engine adds SCR 25 on Mahé to Praslin and shows it inside the total. SeychellesBookings calls a EUR 2 port fee both "additional" and "already included" on the same page.
• Missed connections. The terms do not cover a late international flight.

What is the arrival-day clock from Mahé airport?

The tight link is not the sea. It is the road between the airport and the quay, and the check-in rules on both sides.

Cat Cocos' terms say checked bags are registered one hour before departure, and passengers must be at the boat 30 minutes before. Worked example, with the sailing time as our example:

1. Sailing: 16:30, a time the operator's timetable lists every day, used here as an example.
2. Bags registered by: 15:30, one hour before (terms).
3. Leave the airport by: 14:15. Assumption: 60 minutes by road to Victoria, so you reach the quay at 15:15, 15 minutes before the bag cut-off. This is not an operator figure.
4. Landing time: 13:30 or earlier. Assumption: 45 minutes from landing to the car for immigration and bags. That is 1 h 45 min from landing to the quay and 3 h from landing to the sailing.

Enriching Pursuits suggests at least two hours between landing and the ferry. Our clock is longer, because it counts the one-hour bag registration. A separate flight ticket to Praslin works the same way: you collect bags and clear immigration first. Ask your airline whether a through ticket changes that.

One reseller note: SeychellesBookings says passengers without luggage should be at the boat at least 45 minutes before departure. That is the reseller's wording. Cat Cocos' terms say 30 minutes.

Departure day in reverse. Worked example for an evening international flight. Every buffer is our assumption, not an operator figure.

1. International flight: 20:00.
2. At the airport by: 17:00, about three hours before. Your airline sets its own rule.
3. Leave Victoria by: 16:00, allowing about an hour by road.
4. Boat docks in Victoria by: 15:15 or earlier, which leaves time to get off and find a taxi.
5. Boat leaves Praslin by: 14:00, since the crossing is 1 h 15 min.
6. Bags registered at the jetty by: 13:00, one hour before (terms).

On the timetable above, that 14:00 boat runs Monday to Friday. On Saturday and Sunday the only Praslin departures listed are 08:00 and 17:30, so the 17:30 is too late for a 20:00 flight. For a weekend evening flight, take the 08:00 or fly. A 17:30 boat docks around 18:45, which does not work for a 20:00 flight.

When is the flight the better pick?

Fly when your international connection is tight. Air Seychelles says the flight takes about 15 minutes in a Twin Otter, and that its domestic flights are timed to connect with international arrivals and departures. Domestic flights use the Mahé airport, so you skip the road to Victoria.

Do not fly because of heavy bags. Air Seychelles' baggage page gives a non-resident 23 kg checked plus 5 kg hand baggage on a domestic ticket, and no bag may weigh over 32 kg. Excess costs SCR 110 a kilo bought online or at a sales office, and SCR 250 a kilo at the airport. On a through ticket from an international flight, the international allowance applies. The ferry's written limit is 25 kg or 30 kg.

Air Seychelles says it runs more than 170 scheduled flights a week between Mahé and Praslin. When we read its Praslin page on 14 November 2026, it showed return economy fares from SCR 2,462 for October 2026 dates. A return on 14 and 15 November showed SCR 4,176. The airline says those fares were collected in the previous 48 hours, so price your own date.

A flight avoids swell. Weather can still disrupt small aircraft, so this is not a guarantee.

A sensible mix is to fly one way and take the ferry the other. A late arrival on Mahé suits the plane. A calm morning leaving Praslin suits the boat.

What happens if the ferry is cancelled?

Cat Cocos may decline to sail when bad weather threatens safe navigation. In that case, its terms say passengers can change to another trip on the schedule without charge (clause 1.17.2.1). When Cat Cocos cancels or retimes a trip, you tell the office whether you want an alternative trip or a refund (clause 1.16.1).

Your own change is not free. Cat Cocos charges 25 SCR per ticket for one change up to an hour before departure, if there is space (clause 1.4.1). A refund needs 48 hours' notice and a doctor's note or a police report, and 25% is kept if it is approved (clauses 1.3.1 to 1.3.4). SeyFerry prints looser rules for its own bookings: a full refund if you cancel up to three working days before departure. Those are the reseller's conditions. They do not replace the operator's terms.

If a cancelled ferry puts your international flight at risk, move to the plane early in the day. Sleeping on Mahé the night before a morning flight is dull, and cheap insurance. Paradise still has a check-in desk.

What the other pages get wrong

What they say	What the source says
Rome2rio: Mahé to Praslin about 1 h 10 min, three daily sailings	Cat Cocos lists 1 h 15 min. 1 h 10 min is its direct Mahé to La Digue time. The operator's timetable has two sailings on Tuesday and Thursday.
Weseektravel: Cat Cocos and Cat Rose both allow 30 kg	Cat Cocos terms: 30 kg is business only
Weseektravel: business class EUR 86 in the table, EUR 84 in the text	The page contradicts itself. The operator's Lazio Lounge fare is SCR 1,237, about €76
SeychellesBookings: port fee EUR 2 extra and "already included"	The page contradicts itself. The Cat Cocos booking engine shows a SCR 25 port fee inside the total
Boarding gate closes 15 min before (SeyFerry), 5 min before (SeychellesBookings)	Cat Cocos terms: be at the boat 30 min before, bags registered 1 h before
Enriching Pursuits: 8:00, 10:30 and 16:30 as the Mahé to La Digue run via Praslin	Cat Cocos' timetable lists those as Mahé to Praslin departures on Monday, Wednesday and Friday

What to check before you book

Fares and times change. Before you book, confirm:

1. The fare for your class and date on the Cat Cocos booking page.
2. Your sailing time on the Cat Cocos schedule image or Facebook page.
3. Air Seychelles' fare for your date and its check-in cut-off for the domestic flight, which its airport page does not list.

Is a private boat worth it?

Only for a group that wants its own route, an early start or a custom stop. There is no official price list for private boats, so I give no price. Ask for a written quote that names the boat, the pickup point, the baggage allowance and what happens in bad weather. Our guide to taxi boats and private transfers sets the listed day-boat prices against a return ferry and lists the licence checks to make.

This site does not run boats, sell tickets or take bookings.

After you land on Praslin

The ferry arrives at the Praslin Jetty at Baie Ste Anne, per Cat Cocos. Book your first night with the jetty in mind, so you are not hauling bags across the island on arrival evening. Which island suits you, and where to sleep, are questions for our Praslin planning pages once they are live.

FAQ

How long is the ferry from Mahé to Praslin?

Cat Cocos gives 1 hour 15 minutes for Mahé to Praslin. That is the sailing time only, not the road from the airport.

How much is the ferry from Mahé to Praslin?

SCR 890 one way for an adult visitor in Coco de Mer, about €55, including VAT and a SCR 25 port fee (Cat Cocos booking engine, 14 November 2026). Island Hopper is SCR 977 and Lazio Lounge SCR 1,237.

Is it cheaper to buy a ferry ticket in advance?

Cat Cocos does not say so in its terms. They mention special-priced tickets, which are excluded from the change rule, and no service fee for online bookings. Compare the live price for your date.

How much luggage is allowed on the Mahé to Praslin ferry?

For non-residents Cat Cocos allows 25 kg in economy and 30 kg in business, with no bag over 32 kg. Hand luggage is one piece under 7 kg. The per-kilo excess rate is not in the terms. Two resellers quote EUR 3 per kilo.

How long is the flight from Mahé to Praslin?

About 15 minutes, says Air Seychelles. Timetables block 20 minutes, for example flight HM3192 at 19:20 to 19:40 on Planemapper.

Can I take the ferry straight from the airport?

Not directly. The ferry leaves from the Inter Island Quay in Victoria, so you need a road transfer first. Allow time to register bags one hour before departure.

Does Cat Cocos charge a port fee?

Yes. The booking engine adds SCR 25 on Mahé to Praslin and includes it in the total it shows, so SCR 890 is the full economy fare.