⛴️Portsmouth Ferries

Everything you need to know about Portsmouth Ferries. Including, where they sail to, from which ports in Portsmouth, the operators, the schedules and more.

Where Do Ferries From Portsmouth Go To?

Ferries from Portsmouth go to France, Spain, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Wight.

Here is a quick summary of the ferry routes on offer from Portsmouth:

Portsmouth Ferries to France

Route	Sails	Operator
Portsmouth to Caen	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fri, Sa, Sun	Brittany Ferries
Portsmouth to Le Havre	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	Brittany Ferries
Portsmouth to Cherbourg	We, Th	Brittany Ferries
Portsmouth to Saint-Malo	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	Brittany Ferries

Portsmouth Ferries to Spain

Route	Sails	Operator
Portsmouth to Santander	Mo, Fr	Brittany Ferries
Portsmouth to Bilbao	Th, Su	Brittany Ferries

Portsmouth Ferries to The Channel Islands

Route	Sails	Operator
Portsmouth to Guernsey	Mo, Tu, We, Fr, Su	Condor Ferries
Portsmouth to Jersey	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa	DFDS Ferries

Portsmouth Ferries to the Isle of wight

Route	Sails	Operator
Gunwharf to Fishbourne	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	Wightlink Ferries
Gunwharf to Ryde	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	Wightlink Ferries
Southsea to Ryde	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	Hovertravel

Portsmouth Ferries to Gosport

Route	Sails	Operator
Gunwharf to Gosport	Mo, Tu, We, Th, Fr, Sa, Su	Gosport Ferries

View more detailed Portsmouth ferries route information

If you want to learn more about, and compare, each ferry route and operator available from Portsmouth take a look at our dedicated Portsmouth Ferry Route Information Tool.

Can you get a Car Ferry from Portsmouth to the the Isle of Wight?

You can get a car ferry from the city of Portsmouth to the Isle Of Wight but not from the International Ferry Port where you catch the ferries to France, Spain and the Channel Islands.

Instead, you need to catch the ferry from the Gunwharf ferry terminal in Gunwharf Quays.

What are the Foot Passenger Ferry options to the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth?

You can travel as a foot passenger on the Gunwharf car ferries to the Isle of Wight, but you also have the exciting option of taking the hover craft from Southsea common to Ryde.

How many ferry ports are there in Portsmouth?

There are three ferry ports in Portsmouth, Portsmouth International Port, Gunwharf Ferry Terminal, and Southsea Harbour.

Port Addresses

Here are the addresses of each port in Portsmouth to help you plan your trip.

Portsmouth International Port

Portsmouth International Port
George Byng Way
Portsmouth
PO2 8SP

Gunwharf Quay Ferry Terminal

Gunwharf Car Ferry Terminal
Gunwharf Rd
Portsmouth
PO1 2LA

Southsea Hover Craft Terminal

Southsea Hovercraft Terminal
Clarence Esplanade
Southsea
Portsmouth
PO5 3AD

Is there much to do in Portsmouth?

There is lots to do in Portsmouth and it is a great place to spend time before your ferry.

Here are just a few of the things you can do.

Go discount shopping at Gunwharf Quays
Go up the Spinnaker Tower for great views, a coffe and a cake
Visit the historic dockyard featuring HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Experience
Walk along the sea front at Southsea
Visit the aquariam at Southsea

For more information on the great things to do in Portsmouth take a look at the Visit Portsmouth website.

How To Get To Portsmouth (Ferry Port)

Portsmouth is one of the UK’s busiest ferry ports and is well connected by road, rail and coach services, making it easy to reach from almost anywhere in the country. Whether you’re travelling by car, train or coach, there are plenty of convenient options available.

Driving To Portsmouth

For most travellers, driving is the easiest way to reach Portsmouth International Port and the other ports. The main port sits just off the M275, which provides direct access into the city from the national motorway network.

Driving From the North of England

If you’re travelling from the Midlands, Northern England or Scotland, your route will normally follow:

M6 (where applicable)
M40 or M1
M25 (around London)
A3 or A3(M)
M275 into Portsmouth

The A3(M) provides the final approach into Portsmouth before joining the M275, which leads directly towards the ferry terminals.

Driving From London

Portsmouth is around 75 miles from central London and is usually reached via the following route:

A3
A3(M)
M275

This is generally the quickest and most direct route from London and the South East.

Driving From South West England

If you’re travelling from Devon, Cornwall, Dorset or Somerset, the usual route is:

M5 (where applicable)
A35 or A303 (depending on your starting point)
M27
M275

The M27 runs along the south coast before connecting directly with the M275 into Portsmouth.

Travelling By Train

If you’re travelling as a foot passenger, Portsmouth is well served by direct rail services from many parts of southern England.

The recommended station for most ferry passengers is Portsmouth & Southsea, which has regular direct trains from:

London Waterloo
London Victoria
Brighton
Gatwick Airport
Southampton
Cardiff (via Salisbury)

From Portsmouth & Southsea station, the ferry port is around a 20-minute walk or a short five-minute taxi ride. Taxis are normally available outside the station entrance.

Travelling By National Express Coach

National Express operates direct coach services to Portsmouth from destinations across the UK.

One of the most convenient options for ferry passengers is the Portsmouth International Port stop, allowing you to step off the coach just a short walk from the ferry terminal. Direct services operate from London Victoria and a number of other UK towns and cities.

National Express also serves several other locations within Portsmouth, including:

Portsmouth The Hard Interchange
Portsmouth Harbour
University of Portsmouth (Cambridge Road)

These stops are all connected to the ferry port by local buses or a short taxi journey if required.

Local Buses and Taxis

If you’re already in Portsmouth, both First Bus and Stagecoach operate regular services that stop close to Portsmouth International Port. Taxis are also readily available throughout the city and from Portsmouth & Southsea railway station, with the journey to the port typically taking less than ten minutes.

Planning Your Journey

Whichever way you choose to travel, it’s worth allowing a little extra time, particularly during school holidays and peak summer weekends when roads around the south coast can become busy.

If you’re travelling with children, plenty of luggage or pets, driving is usually the most convenient option. Foot passengers, meanwhile, often find the combination of direct trains or National Express coaches makes Portsmouth one of the easiest ferry ports in the UK to reach.

Is Portsmouth a good choice for Ferry travel?

Overall, with its comprehensive ferry options and ease of access we believe that Portsmouth is a great choice for ferry travel from the UK to the Isle of Wight, The Channel Islands and Mainland Europe.

In fact, we have travelled from Portsmouth International Port over 15 times in the last 10 years. Each time it has gone very well, been low demand, low stress and a great start to our holiday.

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 Portsmouth Ferries useful,

Happy and Safe Travels – the Travelbetter team.