Getting to Saint Helena, Saint Helena

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St Helena has no airport, so the only way to travel to and from the island is by ship. There is only one ship, the RMS St Helena, which is owned by St Helena Line and which is managed on its behalf by Andrew Weir Shipping Ltd.





The RMS St Helena is a passenger and cargo vessel with a passenger capacity of 128 persons. It provides a service from Cardiff in the United Kingdom, calling at Tenerife and Ascension Island, and from Cape Town. Normally there are 4 voyages from the UK, 15 voyages from Ascension and 10 from Cape Town each year. Once each year the RMS calls at Tristan da Cunha - a Dependency of St Helena.



The staff of the RMS includes both English and St Helenian personnel. There is a notably friendly relationship between the crew members and passengers and a high standard of services is maintained for clients. Berths range from budget class to first class accommodation and fares vary according to the service required.



Obtaining a berth application should be made well in advance of travel date. Bookings can be made with the Managers at Andrew Weir Shipping or with their Agents in St Helena or Cape Town. Contact information appears below. Most persons travel via Ascension Island or Cape Town. Ascension Island accommodates a military airstrip which may be used by civilian personnel as the opportunity provides.



Travel time for the RMS St Helena is 2 days from Ascension, 5 days from Cape Town and 14 days if travel is direct from Cardiff, UK. The current schedule for 2001/2002 is shown below.




At St Helena the RMS is unable to berth alongside the quay and there is as yet no breakwater. Visitors to the island are required to alight into small local boats and are ferried to the wharf landing, Skilled, friendly boatmen operate the longboats between the anchored vessel and the landing steps where visitors are greeted on arrival by the friendly smiles of the islanders.

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