Ferry route planner
Ferries from the UK to Europe
Ferries link Great Britain with France, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland, plus the Channel Islands. The quickest are the Dover Strait crossings to Calais and Dunkirk; the longest are the overnight cruise-ferries to the Netherlands and northern Spain, where you sleep in a cabin and drive off the next morning. The map and table below are generated from every route FerryConnect covers.
UK to Europe Ferry Routes Map
Every UK to Europe crossing on FerryConnect. Select a route on the map, or compare them in the table below.
Ferries to France
| Route | Operator | Typical crossing | Cars | Foot | Pets | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover → Calais | P&O Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries | 1h 30m – 1h 40m | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Dover → Dunkirk | DFDS | 2h | ✓ | — | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Newhaven → Dieppe | DFDS | 4h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Portsmouth → Cherbourg🌙 Overnight | Brittany Ferries | About 5h by day; about 7h 45m overnight | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Plymouth → Roscoff🌙 Overnight | Brittany Ferries | 5h 15m (day) – 11h (overnight) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Poole → St Malo | Brittany Ferries | About 6h (via Guernsey) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Portsmouth → Caen (Ouistreham)🌙 Overnight | Brittany Ferries | 6h – 7h (day) / overnight | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Portsmouth → St Malo🌙 Overnight | Brittany Ferries | 9h – 11h (overnight) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
Pets ✓ means at least one operator carries pets on the crossing under its own rules (in the vehicle, a kennel, a lounge or a pet cabin). Foot ✓ means at least one operator takes foot passengers. Rules differ by operator: see each route page.
Ferries to the Netherlands
| Route | Operator | Typical crossing | Cars | Foot | Pets | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harwich → Hook of Holland | Stena Line | 6h 30m – 8h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Hull → Rotterdam (Europoort)🌙 Overnight | P&O Ferries | 11h – 12h (overnight) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Newcastle → Amsterdam (IJmuiden)🌙 Overnight | DFDS | 15h – 16h (overnight) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
Pets ✓ means at least one operator carries pets on the crossing under its own rules (in the vehicle, a kennel, a lounge or a pet cabin). Foot ✓ means at least one operator takes foot passengers. Rules differ by operator: see each route page.
Ferries to Spain
| Route | Operator | Typical crossing | Cars | Foot | Pets | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth → SantanderSeasonal | Brittany Ferries | About 20h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Portsmouth → Bilbao | Brittany Ferries | 29h 30m – 36h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Portsmouth → Santander🌙 Overnight | Brittany Ferries | About 33h (two nights at sea) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
Pets ✓ means at least one operator carries pets on the crossing under its own rules (in the vehicle, a kennel, a lounge or a pet cabin). Foot ✓ means at least one operator takes foot passengers. Rules differ by operator: see each route page.
Ferries to Ireland
| Route | Operator | Typical crossing | Cars | Foot | Pets | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishguard → Rosslare | Stena Line | 3h 15m | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Holyhead → Dublin | Irish Ferries, Stena Line | 3h 15m | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Pembroke Dock → Rosslare | Irish Ferries | 4h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
Pets ✓ means at least one operator carries pets on the crossing under its own rules (in the vehicle, a kennel, a lounge or a pet cabin). Foot ✓ means at least one operator takes foot passengers. Rules differ by operator: see each route page.
Ferries to the Channel Islands
| Route | Operator | Typical crossing | Cars | Foot | Pets | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poole → Guernsey (St Peter Port) | Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries | About 3h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Poole → Jersey (St Helier) | DFDS | About 4h 30m | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Portsmouth → Guernsey | Brittany Ferries | About 7h – 10h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
| Portsmouth → Jersey (St Helier) | DFDS | About 9h | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Times & booking → |
Pets ✓ means at least one operator carries pets on the crossing under its own rules (in the vehicle, a kennel, a lounge or a pet cabin). Foot ✓ means at least one operator takes foot passengers. Rules differ by operator: see each route page.
Crossing times are typical ranges from operator timetables and vary by ship, direction and season; each route page shows its own sources and verification date.
Which ferry to Europe should I take?
Start from where you live and where you are going. From London and the South East, Dover–Calais and Dover–Dunkirk are the shortest crossings. From the South and West, Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth sail direct to Normandy and Brittany, and Portsmouth and Plymouth to northern Spain. From the North of England and Scotland, the overnight ships from Hull, Newcastle and Harwich to the Netherlands save a long drive south. For Ireland, Holyhead, Fishguard and Pembroke Dock sail to Dublin and Rosslare.
Short crossings vs overnight ferries
Short crossings sail often and cost less per trip, but leave more driving on the other side. Overnight sailings need a cabin and sail less often, but replace hundreds of kilometres of driving and a hotel night. Compare total journey time, door to door, rather than time at sea.
Foot passengers and pets
Not every route carries foot passengers: P&O Ferries does on Dover–Calais, but DFDS does not accept foot passengers on its Dover–France routes. Where your dog travels also depends on the operator and route: in the car, in a pet lounge, in a kennel or in a pet-friendly cabin. Our dog-friendly ferries guide compares them route by route.
UK departure ports
- Dover
- Fishguard
- Harwich
- Holyhead
- Hull
- Newcastle
- Newhaven
- Pembroke Dock
- Plymouth
- Poole
- Portsmouth
Arrival ports
UK to Europe Ferry FAQs
What is the shortest ferry from the UK to Europe?
Dover to Calais, a crossing of about 90 minutes, sailed by P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries. Dover to Dunkirk (DFDS) is the other Dover Strait route. See the table for each route’s typical crossing time.
Can I take an overnight ferry from the UK to Europe?
Yes. Hull–Rotterdam (P&O Ferries) and Newcastle–Amsterdam (DFDS) are overnight crossings, and so are the Brittany Ferries sailings to Santander and Bilbao. Some western Channel sailings to France are overnight too. Routes marked “Overnight” in the table have cabins.
Can I take my car on the ferry to Europe?
Yes. Every UK–France, UK–Netherlands, UK–Spain and UK–Ireland route in our table carries cars. Operators set their own height and length limits, so declare your vehicle size, including roof boxes and bike racks, when booking.
Checked 2026-09-29 against: P&O Ferries: routes · P&O Ferries: travelling as a foot passenger · DFDS: pet travel. Policies change; confirm with the operator before booking.