![]() | COVID-19 information: Due to a new variant of COVID-19 that is spreading in the UK, many ferries have shut off non-essential travel as many countries have banned UK travellers from entry. Travel to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain, is strongly discouraged. Many ferries may also require you to get a COVID-19 test before hopping on board the ferry. If you must travel, it is strongly advised to check with your ferry operator on any changes on the routes as well as any requirements that you must follow. Wearing a mask and following social distancing guidelines is also required in public areas. |
(Information last updated 23 Dec 2020) |
As Britain is an island, ferries were the only way to get into the country prior to the advent of aviation and later the construction of the Channel Tunnel which gave a "dry foot" route from Britain to the continent for the first time since the Ice Ages. See also the Get in section of the Britain article. Below is a list of routes that are available. It may not be complete.
From the south coast
Crossing the English Channel
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/'Seven_Sister',_Transmanche_Ferry,_between_the_entrance_piers,_Newhaven,_seen_from_the_Hope_Inn_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1466194.jpg/220px-'Seven_Sister',_Transmanche_Ferry,_between_the_entrance_piers,_Newhaven,_seen_from_the_Hope_Inn_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1466194.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/UK_get_in_map.png/220px-UK_get_in_map.png)
- Dover to Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France; 105 minutes DFDS Seaways
- Dover to Calais, France; 90 minutes P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways
- Newhaven to Dieppe, France; 4 hours DFDS Seaways
- Portsmouth to Le Havre, France; 6 hours LD Lines
- Portsmouth to Caen, France; 6 hours Brittany Ferries
- Portsmouth to Cherbourg, France; 3 hours Brittany Ferries
- Portsmouth to Bilbao, Spain; 36 hours P&O Ferries
- Portsmouth to Saint Malo, France; 11 hours (9 hours during day) Brittany Ferries
- Poole to Cherbourg, France; 5 hours Brittany Ferries
- Plymouth to Roscoff, France; 6 hours Brittany Ferries
- Plymouth to Santander, Spain 24 hours Brittany Ferries
- Poole to Saint Malo, France 4.5 hours Condor Ferries
Portsmouth and Southampton act as ports for transport to the Isle of Wight; Portsmouth and Poole also have routes to Guernsey and Jersey, provided by Condor Ferries.
By coach or bus
If you are booked onto a scheduled international bus route that crosses the Channel, it may either go by ferry or through the Channel Tunnel; you don't get the choice. However, in general FlixBus and Ouibus use the tunnel, Sindbad and Transmarian use the ferry, and Eurolines use both, depending on route. Schedules can change day-to-day depending on conditions at sea and fluctuations in ticket prices between the ferry companies and Eurotunnel. You can also catch a domestic bus to any Channel port of your choosing and take the ferry as a foot passenger, but this is not possible with the Eurotunnel. If you are going on a package coach holiday, the company will always explain how you are supposed to get to and from your start point.
To Ireland and Northern Ireland
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Ulysses_(ferry)_FLICKR.jpg/220px-Ulysses_(ferry)_FLICKR.jpg)
Crossing the Irish Sea
- Fishguard, Wales to Rosslare, Ireland; 2 hours Stena Line
- Holyhead, Wales to Dublin, Ireland; 2 hours Stena Line and Irish Ferries
- Holyhead, Wales to Dun Laoghaire, Ireland; 2 hours Stena Line
- Liverpool, England to Dublin, Ireland; 6 hours P&O Ferries
- Liverpool/Birkenhead, England to Belfast, Northern Ireland; 8 hours Stena Line
- Fleetwood, England to Larne, Northern Ireland; 6 hours Stena Line
- Cairnryan (near Stranraer), Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland; 2 hours Stena Line
- Cairnryan (near Stranraer), Scotland to Larne, Northern Ireland; 2 hours P&O Ferries
- Pembroke, Wales to Rosslare, Ireland; 4 hours Irish Ferries
Isle of Man
- Douglas, Isle of Man to Belfast, Northern Ireland; 2 hours 45 Isle of Man Steam Packet Co
- Douglas, Isle of Man to Dublin, Ireland; 2 hours 55 Isle of Man Steam Packet Co
- Douglas, Isle of Man to Liverpool, England; 2 hours 45 Isle of Man Steam Packet Co
- Douglas, Isle of Man to Birkenhead, England; 2 hours 55 Isle of Man Steam Packet Co
East coast routes
Crossing the North Sea
- Newcastle to Amsterdam, The Netherlands; 16 hours DFDS Seaways
- Hull to Rotterdam, The Netherlands; 10 hours P&O Ferries
- Hull to Zeebrugge, Belgium; 8 hours P&O Ferries
- Harwich to the Hook of Holland (Hoek van Holland), The Netherlands; 7 hours Stena Line
These routes may be subject to change. It is recommended to contact the ferry operators and book ahead.