Solent to St Peter Port
Portsmouth to Guernsey ferry
Cruise from Portsmouth to St Peter Port, or take the Poole fast ferry when the hour matters
- Brittany Ferries' conventional sailings, up to six a week
- The steady ship for vehicles, luggage and rough-weather days
- Quick alternative near by - Poole to Guernsey high-speed in about 3 hours
- Guernsey chose Brittany Ferries in the 2025 operator split
- All details without guarantee
Table of Contents
The crossing at a glance
Portsmouth - Guernsey is the workhorse of the island's UK connection: a conventional Brittany Ferries ship, up to six sailings a week, carrying the cars, freight and luggage that keep a small island supplied. It is the steady counterpart to the Poole fast ferry, which does the same job in about three hours when the weather plays along.
Sailings for your date - and the fast-ferry alternative - are in the timetable.
Getting to Portsmouth and checking in
Portsmouth International Port hangs off the M275, about two hours from London, shared with the Caen, St Malo and Cherbourg sailings - check the departure board for your lane. The check-in deadline in your booking confirmation applies, with extra margin for vehicles and pets.
On board
The conventional ship is the point of this route: proper lounges, food, deck space and room for every vehicle size, on a hull that shrugs off weather that keeps the fast craft in port. Some rotations run overnight - where they do, cabins are bookable with the ticket. Cards work on board in pounds; Guernsey uses its own pound-pegged notes, which your English cash covers.
Vehicles, bikes and pets
Cars, motorhomes, motorbikes and bicycles all travel, booked by real length and height. Pets are carried with advance booking, and the Common Travel Area keeps the paperwork light: no EU animal health certificate for a direct UK-to-Guernsey crossing - that only becomes relevant if you continue to St Malo and France.
Arrival at St Peter Port and onward travel
St Peter Port lands you below the town itself: Castle Cornet guards the harbour mouth, the High Street climbs directly behind the quay, and the whole island fans out within twenty minutes' drive - the south-coast cliff paths, the west-coast bays, the German occupation sites. The harbour is also the springboard for the smaller islands: seasonal boats reach Herm and Sark in under an hour, and the inter-island service links to Jersey. The Channel Islands guide maps the whole network.
Tickets, fares and changes
Fares follow season and vehicle size, with the binding total in the booking step. On a route with a handful of sailings a week, booking early matters more than on the mainland crossings - and check the change terms of your ticket type, because weather retiming is part of island life. The prices page compares the network.
Portsmouth - Guernsey
The steady route to St Peter Port
Portsmouth - Guernsey is the conventional half of the island's UK lifeline: Brittany Ferries sails it up to six times a week with a proper ship - the choice for vehicles, luggage and days when the fast boats stay in port. Since the 2025 operator split, Guernsey's services run under Brittany Ferries while Jersey sails with DFDS.
The quick alternative leaves from further west: Poole - Guernsey high-speed in about 3 hours, the fastest UK-to-islands crossing of all.
- Departure
- Portsmouth International Port
- Arrival
- St Peter Port, Guernsey
- Crossing
- Up to 6 sailings a week
- Operator
- Brittany Ferries
Next departures
All details without guarantee. The operator's departure time and your booking confirmation are authoritative. Direct Ferries →
FAQ Portsmouth - Guernsey
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the Portsmouth - Guernsey crossing.
How long does the crossing take?+
The Portsmouth sailing is a conventional crossing of several hours - some rotations run overnight - while the Poole fast ferry does the trip in about 3 hours. Take Portsmouth for vehicles, heavy luggage and steadier seas; take Poole when the hour matters. Both land at St Peter Port.
Who actually operates the route?+
Since the 2025 operator split, Brittany Ferries serves Guernsey while DFDS holds Jersey's contract - Condor continues as Brittany Ferries' sister brand. For a Guernsey trip you book Brittany Ferries; for Jersey, DFDS; for both islands, add the inter-island boat. The Channel Islands guide explains the split.
Can I take my car and my dog?+
Yes - cars, motorbikes and bicycles travel on the conventional ship, and pets are carried with advance booking. Guernsey is inside the Common Travel Area, so a direct UK crossing needs no EU paperwork; UK citizens travel with photo ID rather than a passport, and non-UK nationals should carry theirs.
Where do I arrive?+
St Peter Port is one of the prettiest arrivals in the islands: the harbour sits directly below the town, with Castle Cornet on the breakwater and the High Street a short walk away. Guernsey is small enough that nowhere is more than about twenty minutes' drive.
Can I hop onwards from Guernsey?+
Plenty - and that is Guernsey's quiet strength. Seasonal boats from St Peter Port reach Herm and Sark in well under an hour, the inter-island service links to Jersey, and the southern route continues to St Malo in Brittany. An island-hopping week books piece by piece from here.
Ready for St Peter Port?
Check the departures for your date and continue to the booking step.