Solent to St Helier
Portsmouth to Jersey ferry
Take the steady ship from the Solent to St Helier - the crossing for motorhomes, luggage and anyone who prefers a cabin to a fast boat
- About 9 hours on the Stena Vinga, DFDS' conventional ship to St Helier
- Cabins, two lounges and a pet lounge - the long crossing done in comfort
- Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure with a vehicle, 40 minutes on foot at Portsmouth
- Passage times move with Jersey's tides and berth slots
Table of Contents
The crossing at a glance
Portsmouth - Jersey is the long, comfortable way to the biggest Channel Island: DFDS sails the conventional Stena Vinga from the Solent to St Helier in about 9 hours, with individual sailings timetabled between roughly 8 and 11 hours because Jersey's tides and berth slots set the schedule. The route is part of Jersey's 20-year contract with DFDS and carries cars, motorhomes, motorbikes, bicycles and foot passengers.
Sailings for your date - and the Poole fast-ferry alternative - are in the timetable; your booking confirmation is the final word on times.
Getting to Portsmouth and checking in
DFDS uses Portsmouth International Port, George Byng Way, PO2 8SP, straight off the M275 and shared with the Brittany Ferries sailings to France - follow the signs for your operator. Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure for vehicles and bicycles and 40 minutes before for foot passengers, and it closes promptly; DFDS recommends arriving 120 minutes early with a vehicle and 90 minutes on foot to pass the security checks. Bring a valid passport or photo ID, your booking confirmation and any vehicle or pet documents.
On board
The Stena Vinga is a proper ship for a proper crossing: seating areas with sea views, a cafeteria, a Sea Shop with duty free, a small play area for children and a choice of cabins for the nine hours. Two lounge upgrades are sold - the Premium Lounge and the Portsmouth Lounge - with reclining seats for the whole passage. Luggage is unlimited, which makes the ship the natural choice for a longer island stay. Cards work on board in pounds, and Jersey's own pound-pegged notes and coins circulate alongside sterling.
Vehicles, bikes and pets
Cars, motorhomes, motorbikes and bicycles all travel, booked by real length and height; unlike the fast craft, the conventional ship takes larger motorhomes without fuss. Pets are the strong suit of this route: DFDS runs a dog-friendly lounge with a dedicated outdoor area for a walk, and two-berth pet-friendly cabins with a sea view that take up to two animals - both must be pre-booked, and pets stay out of the public areas. Leaving your pet in the vehicle is the third option. For a direct UK - Jersey crossing no pet passport or health paperwork is required, but certain dog breeds are not permitted on the island; check gov.je before you book. Foot passengers check in with their pet inside the terminal in an approved carrier.
Arrival at St Helier and onward travel
The ship berths at the Elizabeth Terminal, St Helier, JE2 3NW, open from 06:00 until the last sailing has left; the terminal has free Wi-Fi, a café-bar before security and a baggage reclaim hall for foot passengers, and the town centre and bus station are a short walk away. Jersey is nine miles by five, so with a car nothing is more than about half an hour: Gorey and Mont Orgueil to the east, the north-coast cliffs, the west-coast surf beaches. For the return, car passengers check in at least an hour before sailing and foot passengers 45 minutes before, and the DFDS network continues from St Helier to St Malo - see the Channel Islands guide.
Tickets, fares and changes
Fares move with season, vehicle size and demand; foot passenger tickets sit well below Cabins, lounge seats and pet accommodation are added at booking, and change and cancellation terms follow your ticket type - worth reading on a route where tide-driven retiming is normal. The prices page compares the whole network.
Portsmouth - Jersey
The steady ship to Jersey
Portsmouth - Jersey is the conventional half of DFDS' Jersey network: the Stena Vinga covers the run in about 9 hours, with the exact passage time moving with Jersey's tides, berth availability and the weather. It is the crossing for vehicles of every size, heavy luggage and anyone who wants a cabin, a proper meal and a lounge seat rather than a fast-craft dash.
Foot passengers are welcome, pets travel in a dedicated pet lounge or pet-friendly cabin, and St Helier's Elizabeth Terminal lands you a short walk from the town. The quick alternative leaves from Dorset: Poole - Jersey on the Levante Jet in about 4 hours 30.
- Departure
- Portsmouth International Port
- Arrival
- Elizabeth Terminal, St Helier
- Crossing
- About 9 h, conventional ship
- Operator
- DFDS
Next departures
FAQ Portsmouth - Jersey
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the Portsmouth - Jersey crossing.
How long does the crossing take? +
DFDS aims for about 9 hours on the Stena Vinga, but the actual passage varies with the tides in Jersey, berth slot availability and the weather - individual sailings are timetabled anywhere between roughly 8 and 11 hours. Treat the times in your booking confirmation as the authoritative ones and check the timetable for your date.
Can I travel without a car? +
Yes - foot passengers are welcome on Portsmouth - Jersey, and the ship gives you seating areas, a cafeteria, a Sea Shop and, if you upgrade, the Premium Lounge or the Portsmouth Lounge. Cabins can be booked for the long crossing. Cars, motorhomes, motorbikes and bicycles all travel too, booked by their real dimensions.
When do I need to be at the port? +
At Portsmouth, check-in closes 60 minutes before departure for vehicles and bicycles and 40 minutes before for foot passengers; DFDS recommends arriving 120 minutes early with a vehicle and 90 minutes on foot. Leaving St Helier, Ports of Jersey asks car passengers to check in an hour ahead and foot passengers 45 minutes ahead. Check-in closes promptly - allow time for the security checks.
Can I take my dog? +
Yes, with advance booking, and this is the pet-friendliest route to the island: DFDS offers a dog-friendly lounge with an outdoor exercise area and two-berth pet-friendly cabins on the Portsmouth ship, or your pet stays in the vehicle. No pet passport or documentation is needed for a direct UK - Jersey trip, though certain dog breeds are not allowed into Jersey - the vehicles and pets guide and gov.je have the details.
What is the faster alternative? +
Take the Levante Jet from Dorset: Poole - Jersey does the trip in about 4 hours 30 with foot passengers welcome. Portsmouth wins on comfort, vehicle size and rough-weather days; Poole wins on the clock. For Guernsey you book Brittany Ferries instead - the Channel Islands guide explains the 2025 operator split.
Ready for the steady ship to Jersey?
Check the departures for your date and continue to the booking step.