Booking, the terminal, and on board.
Ferries price by vehicle length and height as well as by passenger count. Before you book, measure your motorhome from front bumper to rear bike-rack and from nose to aerial tip. Operators charge bracketed fees, and understating your length causes problems at check-in. Adding a cabin on longer sailings is usually cheap compared to the exhaustion of arriving on the far side after a sleepless night on a reclining seat.
At the terminal
Check-in for a ferry is significantly earlier than for a tunnel: anything from 60 to 120 minutes before sailing. Turn up with passports and booking reference ready. Border checks are normally on the UK side going out; on the return from EU ports you clear UK passport control before boarding.
On board
- Your vehicle is parked on a car deck. You cannot return to it during the crossing on most routes.
- Gas bottles off, handbrake on, keep doors unlocked, required by many operators for fire safety.
- Pets on overnight crossings stay in pet-friendly cabins or on-board kennels. Book these at the same time as your ticket, they sell out.
- The fridge will run on 12V for short crossings. For overnight sailings, be aware your leisure battery will be discharged by morning.
Every route, at a glance.
The eighteen significant crossings, with operators and typical crossing times. Detail on each follows in the next chapter.
The eighteen routes, one by one.
Dover to Calais
- Crossing 90 min; check-in 90 min before departure; up to 23 sailings per day combined.
- UK terminal: Dover, CT17 9TG, M20 / A20 to Eastern Docks.
- EU terminal: Calais, 62100 Calais, A16 from Calais port.
- Busiest crossing. Book ahead in summer.
Dover to Dunkirk
- Crossing 2 hr; check-in 90 min before departure; up to 12 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Dover, CT17 9TG, M20 / A20 to Eastern Docks.
- EU terminal: Dunkirk, 59279 Loon-Plage, A16 exit 53.
- Slightly longer crossing than Calais but often cheaper and quieter.
Newhaven to Dieppe
- Crossing 4 hr; check-in 75 min before departure; up to 3 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Newhaven, BN9 0BG, A26 to Newhaven Port.
- EU terminal: Dieppe, 76200 Dieppe, N27 from Dieppe port.
- Short drive from London to Newhaven; good alternative to Dover congestion.
Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham)
- Crossing 6 hr day / 7.5 hr night; check-in 90 min before departure; up to 3 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Portsmouth, PO2 8QN, M275 to Portsmouth International Port.
- EU terminal: Caen / Ouistreham, 14150 Ouistreham, D514 from the port.
- Overnight sailing available, cabins recommended. Drops you 14 km from Caen; good gateway to Normandy and Brittany.
Portsmouth to Le Havre
- Crossing 5.5 hr day / 8 hr night; check-in 90 min before departure; up to 2 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Portsmouth, PO2 8QN, M275 to Portsmouth International Port.
- EU terminal: Le Havre, 76600 Le Havre, A29 from Le Havre port.
- Overnight sailing available, cabins recommended. Fast onward routes to Paris, Normandy and the Loire.
Portsmouth to St Malo
- Crossing 10-11 hr, usually overnight; check-in 90 min before departure; daily.
- UK terminal: Portsmouth, PO2 8QN, M275 to Portsmouth International Port.
- EU terminal: St Malo, 35400 Saint-Malo, D168 from Saint-Malo port.
- Overnight sailing, cabins recommended. Long sailing but walks you straight into Brittany with minimal driving.
Portsmouth to Cherbourg
- Crossing 3 hr fast / ~9 hr overnight conventional; check-in 90 min before departure; up to 3 sailings per day in season.
- UK terminal: Portsmouth, PO2 8QN, M275 to Portsmouth International Port.
- EU terminal: Cherbourg, 50100 Cherbourg, N13 from Cherbourg port.
- Overnight sailing available, cabins recommended. Day fast ferries most reliable in summer; overnight options in shoulder season.
Portsmouth to Bilbao
- Crossing 24-32 hr; check-in 120 min before departure; 2 sailings per week.
- UK terminal: Portsmouth, PO2 8QN, M275 to Portsmouth International Port.
- EU terminal: Bilbao, 48508 Zierbena, A8 from Bilbao port.
- Overnight sailing, cabins recommended. Skip the French drive and land directly in Spain. Book cabins well ahead.
Plymouth to Roscoff
- Crossing 6 hr day / 8-9 hr night; check-in 90 min before departure; up to 2 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Plymouth, PL1 3EW, A38 to Plymouth Millbay Docks.
- EU terminal: Roscoff, 29680 Roscoff, D769 from Roscoff port.
- Overnight sailing available, cabins recommended. Ideal for touring Brittany and the Atlantic coast from the West Country.
Plymouth to Santander
- Crossing 20 hr; check-in 120 min before departure; 2 sailings per week.
- UK terminal: Plymouth, PL1 3EW, A38 to Plymouth Millbay Docks.
- EU terminal: Santander, 39004 Santander, A67 from Santander port.
- Overnight sailing, cabins recommended. Drops you on the Spanish north coast; book a cabin.
Poole to Cherbourg
- Crossing 4.25 hr fast / ~8 hr conventional; check-in 75 min before departure; up to 2 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Poole, BH15 4AJ, A350 to Poole Port.
- EU terminal: Cherbourg, 50100 Cherbourg, N13 from Cherbourg port.
- Overnight sailing available, cabins recommended. Quieter terminal than Portsmouth; easier approach from the M27.
Harwich to Hook of Holland
- Crossing 7 hr, usually overnight; check-in 90 min before departure; 2 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Harwich, CO12 4SR, A120 to Harwich International Port.
- EU terminal: Hook of Holland, 3151 HS Hoek van Holland, A4 / A20.
- Overnight sailing, cabins recommended. Cheapest fares midweek.
Hull to Rotterdam (Europoort)
- Crossing 11 hr overnight; check-in 120 min before departure; nightly.
- UK terminal: Hull, HU9 5PQ, A63 to Hull King George Dock.
- EU terminal: Rotterdam Europoort, 3198 LG, A15 from Europoort.
- Overnight sailing, cabins recommended. The terminal is Europoort, not Hook of Holland, despite common naming.
Newcastle to IJmuiden (Amsterdam)
- Crossing 15 hr overnight; check-in 120 min before departure; nightly.
- UK terminal: Newcastle, NE29 6EE, A19 to North Shields terminal.
- EU terminal: IJmuiden, 1975 AG, N202 from IJmuiden port.
- Overnight sailing, cabins recommended. The destination is IJmuiden, not Hook of Holland; 25 min by bus or car to central Amsterdam.
Holyhead to Dublin
- Crossing 3.5 hr; check-in 60 min before departure; up to 8 sailings per day combined.
- UK terminal: Holyhead, LL65 1DQ, A55 to Holyhead Port.
- Terminal: Dublin Port, D01, East Wall Road.
- Essentially a ferry bus across the Irish Sea; frequent sailings.
Liverpool to Dublin
- Crossing 8 hr overnight; check-in 90 min before departure; nightly.
- UK terminal: Liverpool, L20 1BG, A5036 to Liverpool Gladstone Dock.
- Terminal: Dublin Port, D01, East Wall Road.
- Overnight to Dublin from the north-west; cabins recommended.
Fishguard to Rosslare
- Crossing 3.5 hr; check-in 60 min before departure; up to 2 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Fishguard, SA64 0BU, A40 to Fishguard Harbour.
- Terminal: Rosslare Harbour, Y35 PH4X, N25 from Rosslare.
- Good option for south-west Ireland tours.
Pembroke Dock to Rosslare
- Crossing 4 hr; check-in 60 min before departure; up to 2 sailings per day.
- UK terminal: Pembroke Dock, SA72 6TR, A477 to Pembroke Dock.
- Terminal: Rosslare Harbour, Y35 PH4X, N25 from Rosslare.
- Alternative south-Wales crossing; slightly longer than Fishguard.
Book direct with the operators: P&O Ferries, DFDS, Brittany Ferries, Stena Line and Irish Ferries.
Bringing things back, and the dog.
UK duty free allowances
Personal allowances when returning to the UK from any EU country. For personal use, not resale.
- Beer: 42 litres.
- Still wine: 18 litres.
- Spirits: 4 litres, or sparkling and fortified wine: 9 litres. You cannot take both at the maximum.
- Cigarettes: 200, or tobacco: 250 g.
- Other goods: up to GBP 390.
Full details are on the gov.uk duty-free guide.
Taking your dog
Microchip, rabies vaccination and a current Animal Health Certificate are required outbound. On the return leg, tapeworm treatment must be administered by a vet 1 to 5 days before boarding for the UK; keep the signed certificate. Book pet-friendly cabins or kennels at the point of booking on any overnight sailing. See our guide to travelling with your dog for the full checklist.
The questions people ask most.
How do I book a ferry with a motorhome?
Ferries price by vehicle length and height as well as by passenger count. Measure your motorhome bumper to bike-rack and nose to aerial tip before booking, because operators charge bracketed fees and understating your length causes problems at check-in. A cabin on a longer sailing is usually cheap compared to arriving exhausted.
How early do I need to check in for a motorhome ferry?
Anything from 60 to 120 minutes before sailing, depending on the route, far earlier than the tunnel. Turn up with passports and booking reference ready. Border checks are normally on the UK side going out.
Can I stay in my motorhome during the ferry crossing?
No. Your vehicle is parked on a car deck and on most routes you cannot return to it during the crossing. Turn the gas off, leave the doors unlocked for fire safety, and take what you need for the journey with you.
Can I take my dog on the ferry?
Yes. A microchip, rabies vaccination and a current Animal Health Certificate are required outbound. On the return leg, a vet must give tapeworm treatment 1 to 5 days before boarding for the UK. Book pet-friendly cabins or kennels with your ticket on any overnight sailing, as they sell out.