Jetty connection planner: how the buffers work
The planner called your connection tight and you want to know how it decided.
The planner compares the time you reach the jetty with the boat time you were given, then sorts the gap into three bands: not enough, tight or comfortable. The line between bands is your own buffer, plus a fixed 30 minute comfort margin. This page shows the rule and how to set a sensible buffer.
You can run it with the jetty connection planner. It is one of the methods behind how IslandQuest decides what to recommend.
What are the three bands?
The rule is a simple subtraction. Spare minutes equal the boat time minus the time you reach the jetty.
- Not enough: spare minutes are below your buffer.
- Tight: spare minutes reach your buffer but fall short of your buffer plus 30.
- Comfortable: spare minutes are your buffer plus 30 or more.
If the boat leaves before you arrive, the planner says that plainly. Practical implication: the buffer you choose moves every band, so choose it with care.
Why is the buffer yours to set?
The operator may ask you to be at the jetty a set time before departure. Your group may need more. A parent with a pram, a traveller with a walker or a family with six bags will take longer at the counter than two people with day packs.
So we do not hard-code a buffer. We ask for yours and tell you to start from the operator’s stated time. See how early should you arrive at the jetty for the questions to ask.
What buffers might you try?
These are planning choices, not rules. Replace them with the operator’s own advice.
| Group | A buffer to try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Two adults, light bags | The operator’s stated time | Little to queue for |
| Family with toddlers | Operator’s time plus extra | Toilet stops, prams, slow boarding |
| Older parents | Operator’s time plus extra | Slower walking and boarding |
| Large group | Operator’s time plus extra | Head count and ticket checks |
How does the verdict change with the buffer?
The numbers below are made up. They are not a timetable.
You reach the jetty at 12:00 and the boat leaves at 13:00, so you have 60 spare minutes. With a 20 minute buffer, the comfortable line is 50, so 60 is comfortable. With a 45 minute buffer, the comfortable line is 75, so 60 is tight. With a 75 minute buffer, 60 is below the buffer, so it is not enough.
Same trip, three buffers, three verdicts. That is why the honest answer to “will I make it” starts with “how long do you need”.
What does the planner leave to you?
It does not know boat times, delays or sea conditions. Some routes have reported start and finish times, for example speedboats on the Kuala Besut route reported from about 07:00 to 08:00 until about 17:00 to 17:30,[1] but those are secondary reports. Use the operator’s written time. For flights, read checking a flight against a boat cut-off.
A better fit if…
This guide suits you if you are flying or driving in on the day of the boat. It suits you less if you plan a mainland night before the crossing. In that case, read late flight, early boat: the overnight decision.
Common questions
Where does the 30-minute margin come from?
It is our own planning rule, not an official standard. We chose a margin small enough to be useful and large enough to absorb a slow queue or a small road delay. You can read it as a comfort line, and you are free to ask for more.
Why can I set my own buffer?
Because the time you need depends on your group. Bags, ticket counters, children and older relatives all change it. The operator knows when they want you at the jetty, so use that time as your starting point.
Does the planner know the boat timetable?
No. You type the departure time your operator gave you. Reported timetables exist, such as early boats from about 07:00 to 08:00 and last boats near 17:00 on one route, but they come from secondary sources and can change.
What should I do if the result is tight?
Ask about a later boat, plan an earlier arrival or consider a night on the mainland. A tight result is a prompt to look at options before you travel, not a verdict on whether you will make it.
Sources
- FerryScanner (accessed 2026-10-16)