Operator portrait
DFDS
From the Dover short sea to the Sussex crossing and the Jersey contract - DFDS sails more of the Channel map than anyone else.
- Four corridors, one operator - each with its own rules
- Prices shown live at the booking step
Table of Contents
The corridor generalist
The Danish shipping group DFDS sails more of the Channel map than any other operator, and each patch works differently. On the Dover short sea it runs both exits - Calais in the shared three-operator rotation, and the two-hour, vehicles-only Dunkirk crossing with up to 22 sailings a day and restaurants open around the clock. In the middle sits Newhaven - Dieppe, the four-hour Sussex route on the Côte d'Albâtre - one of the Channel's friendliest crossings for foot passengers and cyclists, with kennels and pet cabins on board.
The Jersey contract
Since 28 March 2025, DFDS also carries the Channel Islands' biggest island: Jersey awarded it a 20-year contract covering passengers and freight, ending six decades of Condor service. The fleet mixes a conventional ship on Portsmouth - Jersey with the fast Levante Jet on Poole - Jersey - about 4 hours 30, tides permitting - plus the St Malo link on the French side.
Practicalities worth knowing
The rules change with the corridor, so read the route rather than the brand: foot passengers yes on Dieppe and Jersey, no on Dunkirk; pets in the vehicle on the short sea, in cabins or kennels on the Sussex route. Check-in deadlines sit in your booking confirmation, and on the Dover routes the EU Entry/Exit System adds its biometric stop at the port. Departures for every DFDS route are in the timetable, and booking runs through the same booking step as the rest of this site.
FAQ DFDS
Frequently asked questions
Questions about DFDS.
Which routes does DFDS sail?+
Four corridors: Dover - Calais (shared with P&O and Irish Ferries), the vehicles-only Dover - Dunkirk run, the Sussex crossing Newhaven - Dieppe, and the Jersey services from Portsmouth, Poole and St Malo under the island's 20-year contract.
Can I travel with DFDS on foot?+
It depends on the route - that is the practical DFDS quirk. Newhaven - Dieppe carries foot passengers on regular sailings and the Jersey routes welcome them too; Dover - Dunkirk takes vehicles only, and on Dover - Calais the foot-passenger service belongs to P&O.
How does DFDS handle pets?+
Pets are welcome across the network, with the rules varying by route: in your vehicle on the Dover crossings, with kennels and pet cabins available on Newhaven - Dieppe, and with advance booking on the Jersey routes. The GB-to-France paperwork applies on the French routes; Jersey stays paperwork-free inside the Common Travel Area.
What is the Levante Jet?+
The Levante Jet is the fast craft on Poole - Jersey, about 4 hours 30 with tide- and weather-dependent timings - part of the fleet DFDS brought to Jersey when its 20-year contract began on 28 March 2025.
Crossing with DFDS?
Compare the routes and check the departures for your date.