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Dover – Calais / Dunkirk with DFDS and P&O Ferries: day trip from £79, 3 days from £119, 5 days from £149
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English Channel · Calais → Dover

Calais – Dover Ferry: 90 minutes across the Channel

Compare every crossing of the day – P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways and Irish Ferries. Live timetable and current fares.

approx. 90 minTime at sea
approx. 34×Sailings per day each way
from €792 adults with a car
33 kmShortest crossing of the Channel
P&O · DFDS · Irish FerriesNo booking surchargeA sailing roughly every 45 minutesPets welcome on board

Timetable Calais – Dover

7-day price overviewLowest fare per person for each departure day
Loading timetable …
Departure Arrival Duration Operator Ship
01:40 02:10 90 min P&O Ferries P&O Liberte
02:30 03:10 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
03:50 04:20 90 min Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore
04:00 05:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
04:30 05:00 90 min P&O Ferries Spirit of France
06:00 07:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
06:05 06:45 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
06:15 06:45 90 min P&O Ferries P&O Pioneer
06:30 07:00 90 min Irish Ferries Oscar Wilde
07:35 08:15 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
08:00 08:30 90 min P&O Ferries P&O Liberte
08:00 09:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
08:50 09:20 90 min Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore
09:05 09:45 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
09:50 10:20 90 min P&O Ferries Spirit of France
10:00 11:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
11:10 11:40 90 min Irish Ferries Oscar Wilde
11:20 12:00 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
12:00 12:30 90 min P&O Ferries P&O Pioneer
12:00 13:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
12:50 13:30 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
13:20 13:50 90 min P&O Ferries P&O Liberte
13:35 14:05 90 min Irish Ferries Isle of Inishmore
14:00 15:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
14:20 15:00 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
15:00 15:30 90 min P&O Ferries Spirit of France
15:55 16:25 90 min Irish Ferries Oscar Wilde
16:00 17:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
16:35 17:15 100 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
17:15 17:45 90 min P&O Ferries P&O Pioneer
19:00 19:30 90 min P&O Ferries P&O Liberte
Live data · subject to change Check availability →

The route on the map

From Calais straight across the Strait of Dover to England – at 33 kilometres the narrowest point of the Channel, and therefore the fastest ferry link to the island.

  • Sea crossingapprox. 33 km across the Strait of Dover
  • DeparturePort de Calais, directly on the A16
  • ArrivalDover Eastern Docks, straight onto the A20 for London
  • Onward from DoverCanterbury 30 min, London about 2 hrs

How much does the crossing cost?

Put your trip together and we calculate with the live daily fare of each sailing. Prices are for a one-way crossing.

Live price calculator – configure your crossing
Adults
2
Children
0
Vehicle
Pick a date – we calculate with live daily prices.

What costs what – every item explained

How the total price adds up

Passengers
Adultlive daily price
Child (4–15 yrs)approx. 50% of the adult fare
Child under 4free
Vehicles
No vehicle included
Car +50 €
Car + trailer +85 €
Motorhome +95 €
Motorcycle +25 €
surcharge on top of the passenger fare
Typical low-season prices at a glance
Foot passenger (P&O Ferries only)from €26
Car including 2 passengersfrom €79
Motorhome including 2 passengersfrom €119
Motorcycle including riderfrom €45
Flexible ticket (amendable)from €25 extra

Ferry or Eurotunnel?

Both get you to England in roughly the same total time – the difference is price, vehicle height and what you can do along the way.

Calais–Dover ferry

P&O Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries

  • Crossing90 minutes
  • Price (2 adults + car)from approx. €79
  • Vehicle heightno limit – roof boxes and motorhomes included
  • On boardrestaurants, shops, open decks, cliff views
  • Foot passengerspossible (P&O Ferries only)
  • Petsin your vehicle or in the on-board kennels

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle

Car train through the Channel Tunnel

  • Crossing35 minutes
  • Price (2 adults + car)usually €160–250
  • Vehicle heightmax. 2.55 m – too low for many motorhomes
  • On boardyou stay in your vehicle, no service
  • Foot passengersnot possible
  • Petsstay in the vehicle

Count check-in and border control for the tunnel exactly as you would for the ferry – door to door, the 55-minute advantage shrinks considerably.

The ports on this route

Both terminals sit right beside the motorway – the drive from the main road to the car deck rarely takes more than half an hour.

Port de Calais

France’s busiest passenger port, straight off the A16. Check-in, passport and customs control all happen before boarding.

Dover Eastern Docks

The ferry port sits below the white chalk cliffs, with a direct ramp onto the A20 towards Canterbury and London.

White chalk cliffs of Dover

The white cliffs

On a clear day the cliffs are visible from the French coast – the approach into Dover is the finest part of the crossing.

Three operators, one route

P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways and Irish Ferries all sail Calais–Dover. That keeps departures frequent and, outside the school holidays, keeps fares genuinely competitive.

Ferry off the port of Dover

P&O Ferries

The largest operator on the route with the sister ships Spirit of Britain and Spirit of France, plus the newer hybrid vessels P&O Pioneer and Liberté. The only operator here that carries foot passengers.

Ferry leaving the port of Calais

DFDS Seaways

Sails Calais–Dover several times an hour and also runs Dunkirk–Dover, which suits drivers coming from Belgium and the Netherlands.

Irish Ferries

On the route since 2021 and often the lowest entry fare, though with fewer daily sailings than the other two.

Who gains most from taking the ferry

Three kinds of trip where the ferry beats the tunnel – with the details that actually matter before you book.

Vehicles driving onto the ferry in Calais

Motorhome and trailer

There is no height limit on the ferry: roof box, bike rack, awning or pop-top are all fine. You are charged by length and height, so measure before booking – corrections at the terminal are expensive. Gas bottles must be turned off during the crossing.

Passenger at the railing in the sunshine

Travelling with a dog

To enter Great Britain your dog needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and – coming from the EU – an Animal Health Certificate from a vet; the EU pet passport alone is no longer accepted. Dogs also need a tapeworm treatment given by a vet between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival. Allow around four weeks of preparation.

Sun deck of a Channel ferry

Motorcycle and on foot

Motorcycles are lashed down first and roll off first. As a foot passenger you can only travel with P&O Ferries – DFDS and Irish Ferries do not carry foot passengers on this route. A shuttle runs to the terminal from Calais-Ville station.

Insider tips for the Channel crossing

What the live data and practical experience show – to keep the crossing smooth and affordable.

No ETA, no boarding

Almost everyone who is not a British or Irish citizen now needs an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the United Kingdom – EU citizens included, and equally travellers from the US, Canada, Australia or Japan. Since 25 February 2026 it is enforced without exception: operators must refuse to carry passengers without one. It costs £20 per person, including children and babies, is valid for two years and is applied for through the UK ETA app or on GOV.UK. Approval usually comes within minutes, but do not leave it until you are at the terminal. If you hold a visa or UK settled status, you do not need an ETA.

As at August 2026. Always check the current rules on gov.uk.

Allow generous time for border control

British border control takes place in Calais, before you board, and every passport is checked. In peak season and on holiday weekends the approach lanes back up badly. Plan for considerably more time than the stated check-in deadline.

A flexible ticket pays off on this route in particular

Because so many ferries run, a flexible fare often lets you take an earlier sailing if you reach the terminal ahead of time. The extra cost is worth it as soon as traffic is unpredictable.

Weekday, hour and lead time together save the most

Three levers work in combination: departures before 6am or after 8pm are markedly cheaper than the middle of the day, Tuesday to Thursday beats any weekend, and booking three to four weeks ahead usually costs far less than a last-minute fare. The fare search above shows the difference immediately.

Dogs stay in the vehicle on this route

There are no pet cabins here: dogs spend the 90 minutes in the vehicle or in the on-board kennels. The planning matters more than the crossing – Great Britain requires a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, a tapeworm treatment given by a vet 24 hours to 5 days before arrival, and an Animal Health Certificate if you are coming from the EU.

Declare vehicle height correctly

A roof box or bike rack counts towards overall height. Understate it and you pay at the terminal, which costs considerably more than declaring it when booking.

Alternative: Dunkirk–Dover

DFDS also sails from Dunkirk, about 45 minutes east of Calais by road. The crossing takes around 100 minutes instead of 90, but fares are often lower and the port is far calmer – especially in high season.

Impressions from the crossing

Sun deck of a Channel ferry
Ninety minutes on deck: time for a coffee in the fresh air before the cliffs appear.
White cliffs of Dover
The white cliffs of Dover – the landmark shows on the horizon long before you dock.
Harbour entrance with breakwater
In between the breakwaters: the last few minutes before berthing.
Cargo ship on the English Channel
The Channel is one of the busiest waterways in the world – freighters keep you company the whole way over.

Across the Channel with a dog

Pets travel with you – in your own car

On Calais–Dover, dogs and cats travel in your own vehicle (a small fee per crossing, roughly €15–25 depending on the operator). What takes preparation is not the crossing but the British entry rules – done properly, taking a dog across the Channel is completely straightforward.

  • Your pet stays in the vehicle for the 90-minute crossing
  • Microchip and a valid rabies vaccination are compulsory
  • Into Great Britain: tapeworm treatment by a vet 24 hours to 5 days before arrival (dogs)
  • From the EU: Animal Health Certificate from a vet, around four weeks lead time
  • Add your pet when booking – not at the port
Book with your dog →
Hund/dog on tour

Getting to the terminal

  1. A16 to the Port de Calais exit – signposted “Ferry / Car Ferry”; about two hours from Brussels, three from Paris.
  2. Check-in and border control – arrive 60 to 90 minutes before departure with a vehicle, 90 to 120 in high season. French exit checks come first, then British entry control – both before boarding.
  3. Boarding and crossing – park on the car deck; access to the vehicle decks is closed while the ship is at sea.
  4. Arrival in Dover – from the terminal straight onto the A20: Canterbury in 30 minutes, London in about two hours. Remember – from here you drive on the left.
Ferry leaving the harbour

The ports on this route

Location, getting there and other connections from both ports.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Calais–Dover ferry take?

The crossing itself takes about 90 minutes. With check-in and border control, allow around three hours in total.

How much does the Calais–Dover ferry cost?

Foot passengers from around €26, a car with two passengers from around €79, motorhomes from around €119 one way. Across 29 days sampled in August and September 2026, the cheapest sailing of the day for two adults with a car ranged from €42 to €156, with a median of €76. The timetable above shows the live fare for each sailing.

Which operators sail Calais–Dover?

P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways and Irish Ferries run the route in parallel – together around 34 sailings a day in each direction, up to 46 at peak times.

Do I need a passport?

Yes, unless you are a British or Irish citizen travelling on other accepted documents. A valid passport is required to enter the United Kingdom; national ID cards are no longer accepted from EU citizens. The check happens in Calais, before boarding.

Do I need an ETA for the ferry to Dover?

Almost certainly, yes. Anyone who is not a British or Irish citizen and does not hold a visa or UK immigration status needs an Electronic Travel Authorisation – that includes EU citizens as well as travellers from the US, Canada, Australia and Japan. Since 25 February 2026 it has been enforced strictly: without an ETA the operator will refuse to carry you. It costs £20 per person, is valid for two years and is applied for online or through the UK ETA app.

Can I take my dog?

Yes, but there are no pet cabins: dogs stay in the vehicle or in the on-board kennels. To enter Great Britain a dog needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a tapeworm treatment given by a vet between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival. Coming from the EU you also need an Animal Health Certificate from a vet – allow around four weeks.

Ferry or Eurotunnel – which is better?

The tunnel is faster at 35 minutes, but for two adults with a car it usually costs €160–250 against roughly €79 for the ferry. Vehicle height often decides it: Le Shuttle takes a maximum of 2.55 m, while the ferry has no height limit. If you want a proper break with a restaurant and an open deck, the ferry wins.

Can I travel as a foot passenger without a car?

Yes, but only with P&O Ferries. DFDS and Irish Ferries do not carry foot passengers on this route. A shuttle runs from Calais-Ville station to the ferry terminal.

How do I cross with a motorhome?

On the ferry there is no height restriction – you are charged by the length and height of the vehicle. Measure carefully before booking, roof fittings included; corrections at the terminal cost considerably more. Gas bottles must be closed during the crossing.

What is the cheapest way to book?

Book three to four weeks ahead, travel Tuesday to Thursday and pick a departure before 6am or after 8pm. Combined, those three choices regularly beat a short-notice weekend booking by a wide margin.

When do I need to be at the terminal?

With a vehicle 60 to 90 minutes before departure, 90 to 120 minutes in high season. On foot, 60 minutes is enough. On holiday weekends, earlier still is safer.

Book your crossing to England

Every sailing from P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries compared – you book directly with the operator, with no surcharge.

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