{"id":100540,"date":"2026-11-04T13:55:10","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T13:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/?p=100540"},"modified":"2026-11-04T14:08:29","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T14:08:29","slug":"how-to-get-to-st-helena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/how-to-get-to-st-helena","title":{"rendered":"How to Get to St Helena: By Sea and Air (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<head><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n            \"headline\": \"How to Get to St Helena: By Sea and Air (2026)\",\n            \"description\": \"How to get to St Helena in 2026: Airlink flights from Johannesburg, cargo ship cabins from Cape Town, what happened to the RMS St Helena and what to see.\",\n            \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/how-to-get-to-st-helena\",\n            \"image\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/11\\\/how-to-get-to-st-helena-cargoholidays.jpg\",\n            \"datePublished\": \"2026-11-04\",\n            \"dateModified\": \"2026-11-04\",\n            \"inLanguage\": \"en-GB\",\n            \"author\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\"\n            },\n            \"publisher\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\",\n                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n            \"mainEntity\": [\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Can you still sail to St Helena?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Yes, but not on a passenger liner. The RMS St Helena stopped serving the island in 2018. Today you can book a cabin on some cargo ships from Cape Town, join an expedition cruise that stops there, or arrive by private yacht.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How do you fly to St Helena?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Airlink flies a weekly Saturday service from Johannesburg to St Helena Airport, and runs a monthly flight between St Helena and Ascension Island.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How long is the cargo ship voyage to St Helena?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Around 10 nights from Cape Town on the freighter routes offered in 2026, depending on the ship&rsquo;s other ports.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"What happened to the RMS St Helena?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"She was retired in February 2018 after the airport opened and later sold. Terra Nova Expeditions planned to use her for Antarctic cruises, but in 2026 it replaced her with another ship, Terra Nova Adventurer, for the 2026&ndash;28 seasons.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How many steps are on Jacob&rsquo;s Ladder?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"699 steps, rising about 183 metres from Jamestown to Ladder Hill. They were built in 1829.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"What currency is used on St Helena?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"The St Helena pound, which is pegged to sterling. Bring cash, as card acceptance is limited.\"\n                    }\n                }\n            ]\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"VideoObject\",\n            \"name\": \"St. Helena &ndash; A remote island in the Atlantic | DW Documentary\",\n            \"description\": \"DW documentary following the RMS St Helena voyage from Cape Town.\",\n            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/i.ytimg.com\\\/vi\\\/Egzd7PsmNTo\\\/hqdefault.jpg\",\n            \"embedUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\\\/embed\\\/Egzd7PsmNTo\",\n            \"uploadDate\": \"2017-08-01\"\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"VideoObject\",\n            \"name\": \"Saint Helena: Breathtaking nature in one of the most remote places on earth\",\n            \"description\": \"Documentary on the unique wildlife of St Helena.\",\n            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/i.ytimg.com\\\/vi\\\/rq_v0flJiEQ\\\/hqdefault.jpg\",\n            \"embedUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\\\/embed\\\/rq_v0flJiEQ\",\n            \"uploadDate\": \"2022-04-20\"\n        }\n    ]\n}<\/script>\n<\/head><div class=\"ch-post\"><p class=\"ch-updated\">Last updated: 4 November 2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>Today you reach St Helena mainly by air, but you can still sail there.<\/strong> Since the island&rsquo;s airport opened in 2017, a weekly Airlink flight from Johannesburg has replaced the famous Royal Mail Ship. For travellers who want the sea journey, a small number of cargo ships from Cape Town still sell passenger cabins, and expedition cruises call a few times a year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ch-key\"><strong>Quick answer<\/strong><ul><li>Fastest: Airlink, Johannesburg to St Helena, every Saturday<\/li><li>By sea: a freighter cabin from Cape Town, about 10 nights<\/li><li>The old RMS St Helena: retired in 2018<\/li><li>Plan: at least a week on the island, flights are weekly<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2>Where St Helena is, and why it is so hard to reach<\/h2>\n<p>St Helena is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic, around 1,900 km west of Angola and 2,400 km north of Tristan da Cunha. About 4,500 people live there. Its capital, Jamestown, fills a narrow valley between steep cliffs, which is why the island had no airport until 2016&ndash;2017 and relied on a single ship for everything from food to mail.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/how-to-get-to-st-helena-infographic-cargoholidays.jpg\" alt=\"Infographic comparing flights, cargo ship berths and cruises to St Helena\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Infographic comparing flights, cargo ship berths and cruises to St Helena\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">The four ways to reach St Helena in 2026.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Option 1: fly with Airlink<\/h2>\n<p>Airlink has flown to St Helena since October 2017. The main route is a weekly Saturday flight from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo; the outbound trip takes about six and a half hours and returns the same day. Airlink also runs a monthly flight between St Helena and Ascension Island, and has added seasonal flights from Cape Town.<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong>Fares:<\/strong> one-way flights from Johannesburg were selling from around &pound;430&ndash;&pound;500 for 2026 dates<\/li><li><strong>Stay length:<\/strong> with one flight a week, most visits last 7 or 14 days<\/li><li><strong>Wetter:<\/strong> wind shear at the airport can delay flights, so allow spare days<\/li><\/ul>\n<h2>Option 2: sail on a cargo ship from Cape Town<\/h2>\n<p>This is the route for <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/freighter-travel-from-cape-town\/\">freighter travellers<\/a>. Specialist agents list a small number of passenger cabins on cargo ships serving St Helena, with voyages from Cape Town of around 10 nights and fares from roughly &euro;1,400 per person in 2026. Cabins are few, so they sell out early.<\/p>\n<p>The island&rsquo;s regular supply is now carried by the freight-only container ship MV Helena, which took over the route in 2018. It does not take passengers, so a freighter cabin means booking a ship on a wider route that calls at Jamestown.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cargo-Ship-Travel-Cargoholidays9-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Container ship sailing at sunset on a calm sea\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Container ship sailing at sunset on a calm sea\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">A freighter cabin is now the only way to arrive at St Helena by working ship.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Watch: the voyage to St Helena by sea<\/h3>\n<div class=\"ch-video\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/Egzd7PsmNTo\" title=\"St. Helena &ndash; A remote island in the Atlantic | DW Documentary\" loading=\"lazy\" allow=\"accelerometer; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2>What happened to the RMS St Helena?<\/h2>\n<p>The RMS St Helena was one of the last Royal Mail Ships. She carried passengers, cargo and mail from Cape Town to St Helena and Ascension, about every three weeks, with a five-night crossing each way. She made her final voyage from St Helena to Cape Town in February 2018. After years as a supply ship elsewhere, she was bought by Terra Nova Expeditions to be refitted for Antarctic cruising. In 2026 the company swapped in a different ship, Terra Nova Adventurer, for its 2026&ndash;28 Antarctic seasons, after the RMS St Helena was held up in the Gulf.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ch-table\"><table><thead><tr><th><\/th><th>RMS St Helena (until 2018)<\/th><th>Today<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Passagiere<\/td><td>Up to 156<\/td><td>Airlink flights; a few freighter cabins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fracht<\/td><td>Carried with passengers<\/td><td>MV Helena, freight only<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>From Cape Town<\/td><td>5 nights<\/td><td>About 10 nights by freighter<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Frequency<\/td><td>About every 3 weeks<\/td><td>Weekly flight; occasional freighters<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>\n<h2>Option 3: an expedition cruise<\/h2>\n<p>Small expedition ships include St Helena on South Atlantic voyages between South America, Antarctica, Ascension and West Africa. Stops usually last one or two days. It is a good way to see the island, but not to stay.<\/p>\n<h2>What to see on St Helena<\/h2>\n<ul><li><strong>Jacob&rsquo;s Ladder:<\/strong> 699 steps, built in 1829, climbing 183 metres from Jamestown to Ladder Hill<\/li><li><strong>Longwood House:<\/strong> where Napoleon lived in exile from 1815 until his death in 1821<\/li><li><strong>Jonathan:<\/strong> a Seychelles giant tortoise at Plantation House, thought to have hatched around 1832<\/li><li><strong>Diana&rsquo;s Peak:<\/strong> the island&rsquo;s highest point and cloud forest<\/li><li><strong>Whale sharks:<\/strong> they gather offshore, usually from around December to March<\/li><li><strong>The wirebird:<\/strong> a plover found only on St Helena<\/li><\/ul>\n<figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/how-to-get-to-st-helena-v2-steps-infographic-cargoholidays.jpg\" alt=\"Infographic of key facts about St Helena\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Infographic of key facts about St Helena\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">St Helena in six facts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AdobeStock_366761264-1024x476.jpeg\" alt=\"Cargo ship on the open ocean under a pastel sky\" width=\"1024\" height=\"476\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Cargo ship on the open ocean under a pastel sky\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">The South Atlantic crossing from Cape Town takes around ten nights by freighter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>Watch: the wildlife of St Helena<\/h3>\n<div class=\"ch-video\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/rq_v0flJiEQ\" title=\"Saint Helena: Breathtaking nature in one of the most remote places on earth\" loading=\"lazy\" allow=\"accelerometer; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n<h2>Best time to visit St Helena<\/h2><p>St Helena has a mild climate all year, kept in check by the south-east trade winds. Jamestown is warm and dry, while the central hills are greener, cooler and often misty.<\/p><div class=\"ch-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Months<\/th><th>Why go<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Dec&ndash;Mar<\/td><td>Warmest weather, whale shark season, wirebird nesting<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Apr&ndash;May<\/td><td>Calm, quieter, good hiking<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Jun&ndash;Sep<\/td><td>Cooler and windier; humpback whales pass the island<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Oct&ndash;Nov<\/td><td>Spring flowers in the uplands, settled weather<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><h2>Where to stay<\/h2><p>Most visitors stay in Jamestown, close to the wharf, shops and Jacob&rsquo;s Ladder. There are a small hotel, guesthouses and self-catering cottages there and in the country districts. With few beds and one flight a week, book your room as soon as you have a seat on a flight or ship.<\/p>\n<h2>Combine St Helena with Ascension and Tristan<\/h2>\n<p>St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha form one British Overseas Territory, but they are not linked by regular ships. Ascension is reached with Airlink&rsquo;s monthly flight. Tristan da Cunha has no airport at all, and is reached only by ship from Cape Town: see our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/how-to-get-to-tristan-da-cunha\/\">how to get to Tristan da Cunha<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Tips before you go<\/h2><ol><li><strong>Book flights early:<\/strong> one plane a week means limited seats.<\/li><li><strong>Bring cash:<\/strong> the St Helena pound is pegged to sterling and card use is limited.<\/li><li><strong>Hire a car early:<\/strong> there are few hire cars on the island.<\/li><li><strong>Pack layers:<\/strong> Jamestown is warm, but the uplands are cool and misty.<\/li><li><strong>Get flexible insurance<\/strong> that covers weather delays. See our <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/reiseversicherung-fur-frachtschiffe\/\">travel insurance guide<\/a>.<\/li><\/ol>\n<h2>H\u00e4ufig gestellte Fragen<\/h2><div class=\"ch-faq\"><h3>Can you still sail to St Helena?<\/h3><p>Yes, but not on a passenger liner. The RMS St Helena stopped serving the island in 2018. Today you can book a cabin on some cargo ships from Cape Town, join an expedition cruise that stops there, or arrive by private yacht.<\/p><h3>How do you fly to St Helena?<\/h3><p>Airlink flies a weekly Saturday service from Johannesburg to St Helena Airport, and runs a monthly flight between St Helena and Ascension Island.<\/p><h3>How long is the cargo ship voyage to St Helena?<\/h3><p>Around 10 nights from Cape Town on the freighter routes offered in 2026, depending on the ship&rsquo;s other ports.<\/p><h3>What happened to the RMS St Helena?<\/h3><p>She was retired in February 2018 after the airport opened and later sold. Terra Nova Expeditions planned to use her for Antarctic cruises, but in 2026 it replaced her with another ship, Terra Nova Adventurer, for the 2026&ndash;28 seasons.<\/p><h3>How many steps are on Jacob&rsquo;s Ladder?<\/h3><p>699 steps, rising about 183 metres from Jamestown to Ladder Hill. They were built in 1829.<\/p><h3>What currency is used on St Helena?<\/h3><p>The St Helena pound, which is pegged to sterling. Bring cash, as card acceptance is limited.<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ch-related\"><strong>Verwandte Anleitungen<\/strong><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/passenger-freighter-cruises\/\">Passenger-freighters you can book like a cruise<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/cargo-ship-to-south-africa\/\">Frachtschiff nach S\u00fcdafrika<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/how-to-book-a-cargo-ship-voyage\/\">So buchen Sie eine Reise mit einem Frachtschiff<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/cargo-ship-travel-cost\/\">Wie viel kostet eine Reise mit einem Frachtschiff?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"ch-cta\"><strong>Sail the South Atlantic by cargo ship<\/strong><p>Tell us your month and we&rsquo;ll check which freighters from Europe or Cape Town have a cabin free.<\/p><a class=\"ch-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/anfrage-fur-eine-frachtschiffreise\/\">Angebot f\u00fcr eine Reise anfordern \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<p class=\"ch-sources\"><em>Sources: Airlink and St Helena Government flight schedule announcements; Skyscanner fare data, 2026; Cargo Ship Voyages listings, 2026; Wikipedia, RMS St Helena; Maritime Executive and Cruise Industry News on the RMS St Helena and Terra Nova Adventurer (August 2026). Checked November 2026.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<style>\n.ch-post{font-family:inherit;line-height:1.7;color:#1f2937;max-width:820px;margin:0 auto}\n.ch-post h2{font-size:1.6em;margin:1.8em 0 .6em;color:#0b2545;border-bottom:3px solid #f5a623;padding-bottom:.25em}\n.ch-post h3{font-size:1.15em;margin:1.4em 0 .3em;color:#0b2545}\n.ch-post p{margin:0 0 1em}\n.ch-post ul,.ch-post ol{margin:0 0 1.2em 1.3em}\n.ch-post li{margin:.35em 0}\n.ch-post .ch-updated{font-size:.9em;color:#6b7280;margin-bottom:1.2em}\n.ch-post .ch-key{background:#fff7e8;border-left:5px solid #f5a623;border-radius:10px;padding:1em 1.3em;margin:1.4em 0}\n.ch-post .ch-key strong{color:#0b2545;font-size:1.1em}\n.ch-post .ch-key ul{margin:.5em 0 0 1.2em}\n.ch-post .ch-table{overflow-x:auto;margin:1.2em 0 1.6em}\n.ch-post table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;font-size:.95em}\n.ch-post th{background:#0b2545;color:#fff;text-align:left;padding:.65em .8em}\n.ch-post td{padding:.6em .8em;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb;vertical-align:top}\n.ch-post tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#f6f8fb}\n.ch-post .ch-video{position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;border-radius:12px;margin:1em 0 1.8em;background:#0b2545}\n.ch-post .ch-video iframe{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0}\n.ch-post .ch-faq{background:#f6f8fb;border-radius:12px;padding:1em 1.4em;margin:1em 0 2em}\n.ch-post .ch-faq h3{margin-top:1em}\n.ch-post .ch-related{border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:12px;padding:1em 1.4em;margin:1.5em 0}\n.ch-post .ch-related strong{color:#0b2545}\n.ch-post .ch-cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0b2545,#13315c);color:#fff;border-radius:14px;padding:1.6em 1.8em;margin:2.2em 0;text-align:center}\n.ch-post .ch-cta strong{display:block;font-size:1.35em;margin-bottom:.4em;color:#fff}\n.ch-post .ch-cta p{color:#dbe4f0;margin:.2em 0 1.1em}\n.ch-post .ch-btn{display:inline-block;background:#f5a623;color:#0b2545 !important;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;padding:.8em 1.6em;border-radius:999px}\n.ch-post .ch-btn:hover{background:#ffbb45}\n.ch-post .ch-sources{font-size:.85em}\n.ch-post em{color:#4b5563}\n<\/style>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Flights, cargo ship cabins and cruises to St Helena in 2026, plus what happened to the RMS St Helena.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":100537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single3.php","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[356,357],"tags":[361,1155,1940,1943,1941,1942],"yst_prominent_words":[210,8],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100540"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100540"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100606,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100540\/revisions\/100606"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100540"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=100540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}