Kootenay Lake Ferry: today's sailings from Balfour and Kootenay Bay

Both terminals run ten sailings a day on the timetable below, the schedule in effect for most of the year.

This table runs from September 14, 2026 to the third week of June 2027. From the third week of June to after Labour Day both vessels run. The M.V. Balfour adds sailings between 10:40 am and 6:10 pm so departures come about every 50 minutes at peak.

DriveBC describes the service as: “Service hours (M.V. Osprey 2000): The M.V. Osprey runs the regular winter schedule except when it is down for regular maintenance. At that time the M.V. Balfour will service the run with it’s reduced capacity of 28 vehicles”

Verified on 2026-09-21 against the province’s page.

Free. The Kootenay Lake ferry is part of Highway 3A and the province charges nothing.

The crossing takes about 35 minutes, and the M.V. Osprey 2000 that covers the route on its own outside summer carries up to 80 vehicles. In summer the M.V. Balfour joins it, adding room for 19 more vehicles on its own sailings.

The Kootenay Lake ferry runs across Kootenay Lake, 35 kilometres east of Nelson on Highway 3A, between Balfour (west side) and Kootenay Bay (east side), 70 kilometres from Creston on Highway 3A.

DriveBC inland ferries feed route description, read 2026-09-21.

See the crossing on the interactive map

DriveBC keeps five cameras on the Balfour terminal and two on the Kootenay Bay landing, covering the approach roads, the loading ramp and the parking lot.

Highway and ferry cameras

8 min ago

Camera images and ferry status from DriveBC.ca, BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit.

All ferry cameras, both terminals

DriveBC reports no service notice right now, as of a reading 57 min ago.

See the operator’s own service alerts page for anything not yet reflected here.

A 55-car replacement for the M.V. Balfour is under construction by Western Pacific Marine in Nelson. The province expects completion in late 2026 and service in summer 2027. Budget $117 million.

Sailing times are Pacific Time, the time in Balfour, Nelson and Kaslo. Creston and most of the East Shore keep Mountain Standard Time all year, which matches Pacific in summer and runs one hour ahead in winter.

From Nelson, Balfour is about 35 km along Highway 3A.

From Creston, Kootenay Bay is about 70 km along Highway 3A. The alternative between Creston and Nelson, without the ferry, is Kootenay Pass on Highway 3.