Padangbai looks simple on a map. One small east-Bali port, one strait, Lombok on the other side. Then you arrive and find two ways to cross, two departure areas, at least four places you might land, and a small army of helpful men keen to sell you a ticket you may not need.
This guide sorts that out: the slow public ferry to Lembar, the fast boats to the Gilis and north Lombok, how tickets work now, when to sail, how to keep breakfast where it belongs, and how to reach Senggigi, Mataram, or a Gili beach from the landing. Schedules and fares here shift with season, weather, and operator. Treat every number as a planning range and verify on travel day.
For the bigger Bali, Penida, and Flores map, start with my Indonesia islands overland travel hub. For the town itself (beaches, diving, food), see my Padangbai guide.
At a glance
- Public ferry: Padangbai to Lembar (southwest Lombok). Car ferry, runs around the clock, roughly every 90 minutes. Usually about 4.5 hours, sometimes 5 to 6.
- Ferry fare: Rp65,300 per adult foot passenger on the official 2026 tariff (about US$4). Sold online through ASDP’s Ferizy system, not at a port window.
- Fast boats: To Gili Trawangan, Meno, and Air, some continuing to Bangsal, Teluk Nara, or Senggigi. Mostly morning departures, about 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
- Fast boat fares: Commonly Rp400,000 to Rp675,000 one way in recent listings (roughly US$25 to $40).
- Clock: Bali and Lombok share WITA (UTC+8). No watch fiddling.
- What breaks the day: Strait swell, tout tickets, a boat that drops you on the wrong island, and landing at Lembar after dark with no plan.
Who this guide is for
Independent travelers leaving east Bali for Lombok or the Gilis without a package tour. Maybe you gave Padangbai a night or two for Blue Lagoon and the dive shops. Maybe you are coming from Ubud or Sanur and just want the crossing done. It also suits anyone stitching a longer Bali to Flores trip who is weighing the sea leg against a flight.
Want zero decisions? A bundled shuttle plus fast boat from south Bali handles pickup to beach. The landing and seasickness sections still apply.
Public ferry vs fast boat
The public ferry to Lembar
Big, slow, cheap, and run under PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry. These are working ro-ro ferries hauling trucks, scooters, and families with cardboard boxes of everything. Foot passengers ride too. Facilities vary by vessel. Some have an air-conditioned lounge; others offer plastic seats and a loud TV. Vendors usually sell noodles and drinks.
ASDP lists the 36-nautical-mile crossing at about 4 hours 30 minutes on average, with around 13 departures a day in recent schedules. Loading delays and sea state can stretch it.
Choose the ferry if you are on a tight budget, traveling with a vehicle, prefer a big hull that rolls slowly instead of slamming, or need to cross when fast boats are cancelled. During bad weather in early 2026, port authorities halted Padangbai fast boats while the ferries kept running.
The catch: Lembar is in southwest Lombok, nowhere near the Gilis. Add an hour or two of road plus a short boat if that is your goal.
Fast boats to the Gilis and north Lombok
Fast boats leave from the people’s harbor side of Padangbai (Pelabuhan Rakyat, Banjar Segara), not the ASDP ferry terminal. Recent listings show direct runs to Gili Trawangan at about 1 hour 30 minutes, with multi-stop trips to Gili Air or Meno taking 2 to 2.5 hours.
Operators come and go, so I am not ranking them. Names on booking sites include Eka Jaya, Wahana, Wijaya, Semaya, Golden Queen, Gili Gili, and D’Camel. Bigger multi-deck boats usually ride better in chop than small ones, which matters more than seat covers.
Choose a fast boat if the Gilis are the goal and you will pay several times the ferry fare to be on the sand before lunch.
The one-line version
Gilis: fast boat. Senggigi, Mataram, south Lombok, or a vehicle: ferry is fine. Rough seas forecast: ferry, or wait a day.
Tickets and touts
Old advice needs an update here. Many guides (including older notes on this site) say to buy ferry tickets at the official counter. For Padangbai and Lembar in 2026, ASDP says it runs no port ticket window. Tickets go through trip.ferizy.com, or through online-ticket service kiosks near the port entrance. Book before leaving your guesthouse, screenshot it, and check for any purchase cutoff. This system has changed before, so confirm close to your date.
For fast boats, book with the operator, a reputable platform, or your guesthouse. Many fares bundle a pickup from Ubud, Sanur, or the south. Check exactly which island or Lombok port your ticket ends at. “Gili” alone is not specific enough.
At the port:
- Ignore car-park helpers who say your boat is full or cancelled. Walk to the operator’s office or ferry gate yourself.
- Porters may grab bags. Agree a price first, or keep a hand on your strap and say no.
- Carry small cash. Padangbai ATMs are limited and sometimes run dry.
- Fast boats usually want you checked in 30 to 60 minutes early. Believe them.
What time of day to go
Morning, for fast boats. Most Padangbai departures cluster between about 8:00 and 10:30, plus a few early afternoon sailings. The strait is often calmer earlier, and a morning boat leaves daylight for finding your room without dragging a bag through dark sand.
The ferry runs all night, but night crossings suit truckers and locals who know the drill. I would take a daytime sailing that lands at Lembar by mid-afternoon. Lembar after dark, with tired legs and drivers quoting creative prices, is not where I want to start negotiating. Heading to the Gilis by ferry? Go early, because Bangsal’s public boats mostly stop around 5 p.m.
And never put a nonrefundable flight on the same day as this crossing.
Seasickness and weather
The Lombok Strait is deep, current-heavy, and squeezed between two big islands. It can be glassy. It can also be properly ugly.
Weather notes (volatile, check before you go):
- Wet season, roughly October to April, brings the most disruption. In January and March 2026, waves near 4 meters halted fast boats from Padangbai and Lombok’s Pemenang port for days.
- Dry season is not automatically flat. Southeasterly trade winds still roughen water south of Bali.
- Port officials have called winds over 15 knots and waves over 1.25 meters dangerous for fast boats. Near those numbers, expect delays or cancellation.
- BMKG, Indonesia’s weather agency, posts a Padangbai to Lembar route forecast on its maritime site. Check the night before and again at breakfast.
If your stomach complains:
- Take motion-sickness medication 30 to 60 minutes before boarding, not once you are green.
- Eat light and dry. Skip the greasy breakfast and the third coffee.
- On a fast boat, sit low and toward the back. Watch the horizon, not your phone.
- On the ferry, find deck air. It helps nausea, and frankly it helps a hot flash too, which on a sealed boat with tired AC is its own small weather event.
- Dry-bag your passport and phone. Upper decks catch spray.
If your operator cancels for weather, take the rebooking. A lost day beats the alternative.
Where you land
Lembar (ferry): Lombok’s main ferry port, in the southwest. Drivers, ojeks (motorbike taxis), and some public transport wait outside. Right for Mataram, Senggigi, and the south coast.
Gili Trawangan, Meno, Air (fast boat): Boats pull in at or near each island’s main harbor beach. Landings can mean stepping into shallow water, so wear shoes that can get wet and pack light enough to carry. No cars on the Gilis. You walk, cycle, or take a cidomo (horse cart), with some electric options appearing lately.
Bangsal and Teluk Nara (fast boat or shuttle): North Lombok mainland ports facing the Gilis. Bangsal is the public boat harbor, long known for touts. Teluk Nara, a couple of kilometers south, is calmer and used by several fast boat operators.
Senggigi (some fast boats): The west coast resort strip. Handy if you are staying there, but few operators stop, and those schedules change first.
Onward to Senggigi, Mataram, and the Gilis
Rough road bands from Lembar: Mataram about 45 to 60 minutes, Senggigi about an hour or a bit more, Bangsal about 1.5 to 2 hours. Agree taxi fares before getting in, or try a ride app if pickup works at the port that day (harbor rules change). After a 5-hour crossing, I would rather have a guesthouse-arranged driver waiting.
From Bangsal, public boats leave from the official cooperative ticket office inside the harbor, departing when full. A July 2026 local tariff listed Rp18,000 to Gili Air, Rp21,000 to Meno, and Rp23,000 to Trawangan, with faster shared boats and charters costing more. Crossings run roughly 15 to 40 minutes. If someone in the car park says the public boat is broken, smile and keep walking.
From Senggigi or Mataram, a taxi to Bangsal takes about 30 to 40 minutes or 45 to 60 minutes respectively. Local agents sell shuttle plus boat combos. Inter-island Gili boats also run, with fewer sailings in low season, so check times the evening before.
How this fits the Bali to Flores stitch
On the hub, Padangbai is the hinge where east Bali turns toward the rest of Nusa Tenggara. Three common shapes:
- Bali, Padangbai, Gilis, back to Bali. A fast boat loop with beach days. Simple exit flight.
- Bali, Padangbai, Lombok, then fly. Time on Lombok, then a flight toward Labuan Bajo for Komodo and Flores, from Lombok or back via Bali. Routes change, so check.
- Full overland east. Across Lombok, ferry to Sumbawa, a long road day, another ferry toward Labuan Bajo. It exists. It is long and weather-dependent at every crossing. Only with slack days and patience for bus windows.
Adding Nusa Penida? Do it first. Penida boats run from Sanur and Padangbai, so Penida, a Padangbai night, then Lombok can chain nicely. Just do not stack a Penida day trip, a dawn departure, and a Gili hop with no rest between. For seasons, money, and etiquette, my Indonesia travel guide sets the frame, and the flashpacker travel logistics hub covers general transit-day habits.
FAQ
How long is the ferry from Padangbai to Lombok?
About 4.5 hours to Lembar on average, with 5 to 6 not unusual. Fast boats to the Gilis take about 1.5 hours direct, 2 to 2.5 with stops.
Can I buy the ferry ticket at Padangbai port?
ASDP says this route sells online through Ferizy, with no port window. Kiosks near the entrance can help. Confirm before you go.
Is the fast boat safe?
Licensed operators run it daily, and they are the first to stop when seas build, which is a good thing. Pick a larger boat if nervous, check the forecast, and accept cancellations gracefully.
Final word
This crossing is not hard. It is fussy. Book the right boat to the right port, sail in the morning, keep meds and cash handy, and plan nothing precious for that afternoon. Then the boat becomes the middle of your day, not the story about why everything went wrong.
