Channel ferries - frequently asked questions

Start from your French destination, not from the map of England. Paris and the north-east: Dover for frequency or Le Havre for the shortest onward drive. Normandy: Caen or the Cherbourg crossings. Brittany and the west: St Malo overnight or Roscoff in season. Jersey and Guernsey: the Channel Islands guide. The route guide compares them all.

The Eurotunnel shuttle from Folkestone crosses in about 35 minutes and takes vehicles only - you sit in your car on the train. The ferries take from 90 minutes, usually cost less at comparable times, carry foot passengers on some routes, and give you restaurants, deck air and a break from driving. The train side of the choice is covered on channeltunnel.net; this site covers the ferries.

Not everywhere. On Dover - Calais, foot passengers travel only on selected P&O sailings - from Dover at 09:45, 13:40 and 16:40 - with check-in closing 90 minutes before departure, a shuttle-bus transfer to the ship, and no pets allowed. Newhaven - Dieppe and Plymouth - Roscoff carry foot passengers on regular sailings, and the DFDS Jersey routes welcome them too; Dover - Dunkirk carries none at all. On the other western routes, whether foot tickets are offered shows in the booking step.

Follow the check-in deadline in your booking confirmation - it closes before departure on every route. As orientation: Brittany Ferries asks vehicles to check in at least 45 to 60 minutes ahead and pet travellers about 90 minutes ahead, and Dover foot passengers face a 90-minute deadline. Summer Saturdays fill the lanes, so add margin then.

Three things, in this order: a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at twelve weeks or older and at least 21 full days before travel, and an animal health certificate from a vet, issued within ten days of entry into the EU - a new one for every trip. GB-issued pet passports are no longer valid for EU entry. On board, pets usually stay in the vehicle; some ships offer kennels or pet cabins - book them with the ticket. Route-by-route details: the vehicles and pets guide.

Yes - every route on this site is a car ferry, and motorhomes, caravans, motorbikes and bicycles travel too. Book by the vehicle's real length and height: fares rise with size, the loading plan depends on the figures, and mis-declared vehicles can be re-priced at check-in. Gas bottles for camping are generally limited in number and must be turned off - declare them when booking. The vehicles and pets guide collects the rules by route.

Since Brexit, France applies EU customs limits to arrivals from Great Britain: duty-free allowances for alcohol and tobacco, and food rules that bar meat and dairy products from personal imports into the EU. Coming back, Great Britain has its own allowances. Check the official customs pages before you load the car - the rules sit with the authorities, not with the ferry line.

You need a valid passport, checked before boarding in both directions, and EU rules on passport validity apply for entry into France. Since late 2025 the EU has been phasing in its Entry/Exit System, which registers non-EU travellers biometrically at the border - at Dover this happens at the port before departure. Allow extra time on your first crossing under the new system, and follow the signs at check-in.

Rough weather cancellations are decided by the operator on the day. The Dover short sea usually recovers within hours because the next boat is close; on the western routes a cancelled overnight sailing can shift your plan by a day, and the operator will rebook you on the next available crossing under your ticket's conditions. On the day, the operator's status page and your booking confirmation are the authoritative word.

Fares are per crossing and move with route, date, vehicle size and - on the night boats - cabin category. Foot passengers pay least, midweek and shoulder season price lowest, and early booking matters most on the western overnight routes. The prices page explains the pattern and shows live from-prices per route.