⛴️Dover Ferries

Everything important you need to know about ferries from the port of Dover in the UK.

Including, where they sail to, the ferry operators, the schedules and more.

Where do ferries from Dover go to?

Ferries from Dover go to two ports in France, Dunkirk and Calais.

Here is a summary table of the routes on offer from Dover to France:

Ferry Route	Sails	Route Operator(s)
Dover to Calais	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	P&O Ferries Irish Ferries DFDS Ferries
Dover to Dunkirk	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	DFDS Ferries

View more details about each route and operator

For more detail of each route from Dover, and to easily compare options and operators, then take a look at our dedicated Ferries from Dover information tool.

What are the benefits of getting the ferry from Dover?

Here are the benefits of getting the ferry to France from Dover:

• Shortest Crossing – at only 90 minutes the Dover to Calais ferry is the shortest ferry crossing to France.
• Flexible Ferry Options – with multiple crossings per day, per operator, you have the opportunity to buy a fully flexible ticket and potentially get on an earlier of later ferry depending on availability.
• Cheapest Ferry Crossing – The Dover to Calais ferry route is consistently the cheapest way to cross the channel throughout the year.

What are the downsides of getting the ferry from dover?

Here are some of the downsides of getting the ferry to France from Dover:

• Driving to Dover – The route to Dover by car is straightforward but is also one of the busiest in the UK and likely to involve travelling on the M25, M26 and M20. Ensure you give yourself plenty of time to complete the drive.
• It can be very busy – Dover is the busiest international passenger and ferry port in England and the UK and as such at times, especially peak travel times like the summer holiday, will be very busy and while it is very organised you could face long queues.

Where is the ferry port in Dover?

The ferry port of Dover is in the county of Kent in the South East of England.

It is best reached by car via the M20 motorway.

Can you get a train or Bus to Dover Ferry Port?

You cannot get a train or a bus directly to the ferry port, but you can get them to Dover Priory station which is approximately 1 mile from the port.

You can walk that final mile to the port or get a taxi from the station.

Is Dover A good choice for a ferry to France?

With its quick crossing time and high frequency of crossings each day, Dover is a good choice for the ferry to France. Especially if you are exploring the North of France and heading into Belgium and beyond.

Is Dover a good chocie for Neurodiverse families?

While everyone’s needs are different, taking the ferry from Dover offers these benefits to a Neurodiverse family:

• Short ferry crossing.
• Flexible ticket options.
• Large range of crossing per day.

However, you should also consider these points before booking a ferry from Dover:

• Limited private or quiet spaces on board the ferries – many of the ferries from Dover do not include cabin options.
• Busy port and crossing.
• Can be a challenging drive if you don’t live in, or near, the South East of England.

Have we taken the ferry from Dover?

We haven’t taken the ferry from Dover as a family due to the location and drive time for us, when Portmouth is much closer to home. Additionally, we find the more relaxed, but longer, crossing from Portsmouth a better choice for us as a starting point to our holiday.

However, our eldest (currently 15 years old), has taken the ferry from Dover as part of a school trip. She reported that the ferry trip itself was fine and quick, but there was a lot of waiting around at the port.

More Travelbetter Support For Ferry Travel

At Travelbetter we firmly believe, based on our own experience, that ferry travel is a great option for neurodiverse families.

To learn more about why, read about some of experiences with ferry travel, and access some helpful guides and tools to support your own ferry travel visit our ferry travel guides and tools hub.

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We hope you found this guide to Dover Ferries useful,

Happy and Safe Travels – the Travelbetter team.