Cars queued up in Picton on Tuesday, as people try to get on the last few ferries to Wellington.

More than 100 people desperately trying to get home are stuck in limbo in Picton as they wait to see if they will make it on a ferry before the service shuts down.

The last passenger ferry will leave the Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferries terminal at 7pm on Wednesday. From then on, all ferries will only be used for essential services such as cargo and transport vehicles.

Police were asking the crowd who were hoping to get from Picton to Wellington on Tuesday morning to disperse, despite them being "forced into this situation" according to Pam Corbett, one of those trying to get on a ferry.

BRYA INGRAM/STUFF Traffic coming into Picton on Tuesday morning.

Corbett said people with bookings were not guaranteed to make it onto a ferry as passengers were not being given priority as the queue continued to grow.

READ MORE:

* Coronavirus: Full coverage

* Coronavirus: 28 cases in New Zealand after 8 new positive tests

"We arrived here about 1am (on Tuesday) and slept in our cars like most of the others here," Corbett said.

BRYA INGRAM/STUFF Mike Wren was trying to get to North Island.

Eight trucks had been let through since she arrived, with official on site saying the economy was the priority.

"I understand that, but all we are trying to do is get home per the Prime Minister's directive to do so immediately – passengers should have priority," Corbett said.

"We've had the police here asking us to disperse because we aren't social distancing and saying we should know better, which is really unhelpful. We are being forced into this situation.

Ross Giblin/Stuff Travellers waiting to get on the InterIslander ferry in Wellington before non-essential travel is banned on Wednesday.

"I said goodbye to my 93-year-old father yesterday from 2 metres away and here I am being forced into a situation where I can't reasonably self-isolate."

Leeanna Travis, from New Mexico, had been travelling the South Island since January 5 with her husband Jack Travis.

"We've been travelling and staying in Airbnb's. We're clueless because we haven't been watching the news," she said.

BRYA INGRAM/STUFF Not great news for the hundreds of people hoping to travel.

The couple was supposed to stay in an Airbnb in Wellington next.

"I understand the ferry is closing. So we found that out and because we can't get a ticket we decided we would stay here [in Picton]," she said.

"Our Airbnb host has been incredible and we'll be staying here for four weeks."

BRYA INGRAM/STUFF Richard Hermans waits for a ferry at the Picton ferry terminal.

Mike Wren, from the United Kingdom, had been in New Zealand for a couple of months and had planned to stay a further two months.

He booked a ferry ticket for Tuesday after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's announcement on Saturday.

Wren said he was worried about being on the ferry and in contact with other people and would isolate in his van at his parents for two weeks as they are elderly.

Brya Ingram People queuing for ferries in Picton on Tuesday.

"My parents are in their 80s so we don't really know what to do there because we are supposed to be in isolation," Wren said.

"We will probably stay in our van for a couple of weeks."

A police release said an influx of people who did not have tickets for a crossing were turning up to both the Interislander and Bluebridge Ferry terminals, causing congestion and delays.

"Police staff in Picton are asking anyone who is not booked on a ferry crossing this morning to not turn up to the terminal," the release said.

Waikawa retiree Annette Best said she was "absolutely gobsmacked" to find "well over 50" campervans parked around Nelson Square, the large roundabout on State Highway 1 near the ferry terminal, about 11.30pm on Monday.

"I couldn't even guess how many, I've never seen anything like it. They were all parked up at the RSA and the Crow Tavern too, it was chocka," Best said.

RNZ New Zealand is heading into lockdown. As of Tuesday it is level three - mass gatherings are banned, public venues including cinemas, libraries, restaurants and bars will be shut and there'll be no school for most children.

"When we came around the corner there was a huge bus hanging out onto the road, I guess there was just nowhere else for it to go. They must have been waiting for the ferry, I bet they were desperate to get home."

Best said it was not uncommon to find a few cars or the occasional truck parked there waiting for the ferry overnight.

"But this was chaotic ... I don't know how they got on for toilets. It was unreal. It's a very strange time.

RICKY WILSON/STUFF A crowd of about 100 people is in limbo at the Bluebridge ferry terminal in Picton. (File photo).

"But I'm really glad they've closed everything down, it's the best thing. It's horrible I can't see my grandchildren, but to be safe, you've got to stick by the rules."

Richard Hermans, a vet from Rotorua, had been travelling the South Island for work since January.

He had a ferry booked home on Friday and had hoped to get one on Tuesday instead.

"I'm disappointed they didn't have a plan for this, it's nobody's fault but it's a shame," Hermans said.

"Hopefully I'll get a space on a ferry today. My situation is not unique, but I am surprised at the lack of information. Just last night I got an email reminding me of my booking for Saturday."

KiwiRail Group Chief Executive Greg Miller urged Interislander passengers to be patient "as we work through the significant increase in people, including students, wanting to take our ferries to make their way home for the Level 4 self-isolation period".



KiwiRail was applying physical distancing principles and its ships were operating at capacity.



"We appreciate this is a stressful time, but we would urge everybody to remain calm."



KiwiRail was working with police and "other stakeholders" to look at options to help people to get home before the level 4 lockdown started, he said.

Key information: Sign up to get Stuff's daily coronavirus situation report email newsletter. It's a quick summary of the essential updates from New Zealand and around the world on Covid-19.