Offer
France from £79 return
Dover – Calais / Dunkirk with DFDS and P&O Ferries: day trip from £79, 3 days from £119, 5 days from £149
valid until 30/12
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English Channel · DFDS · vehicles only

Dover – Dunkirk ferry

View timetable

Dunkirk is the quieter alternative to Calais: DFDS sails roughly every two hours and the crossing takes exactly two hours on almost every departure in our archive. It is half an hour longer than Calais, but in the last 30 days a car with two adults was cheaper here more often than not, and the port sits right on the motorway towards Belgium and the Netherlands. One rule matters before anything else: this route takes vehicles only.

2 hCrossing time on 96 % of sailings
8–10 ×Sailings a day from Dover on weekdays
€152Median, car + 2 adults, Dover → Dunkirk
DFDSThe only operator on the route
Timings from our own archive, not a brochureCar, van, motorhome, motorbike, bicycleBook directly with the operator, no mark-up

Timetable Dover – Dunkirk

Our archive holds 569 departures from Dover on 65 days between 20 August and 29 October 2026. The pattern is an even two-hour rhythm: 02:00, 06:00, 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 and 22:00, with an occasional 05:45 or 09:45. On weekdays that means 8 to 10 sailings, on Sundays fewer (6.8 on average). 549 of the 569 departures took exactly 2 hours. The sailings below come live from the timetable.

7-day price overviewLowest fare per person for each departure day
Loading timetable …
Departure Arrival Duration Operator Ship
05:45 09:15 150 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
08:00 11:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
09:45 13:15 150 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
12:00 15:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
14:00 17:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
16:00 19:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
18:00 21:00 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
22:00 01:00 (+1) 120 min DFDS Seaways Dover Seaways
Live data · subject to change Check availability →

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The route on the map

From Dover's Eastern Docks north-east along the French coast to the ferry port of Dunkirk at Loon-Plage. At 47 nautical miles it is longer than the Calais crossing, which is why it takes two hours rather than ninety minutes.

  • Crossing time2 h; a few sailings are scheduled at 2 h 30 min
  • DepartureDover Eastern Docks, signed from the A20 and A2
  • ArrivalPort of Dunkirk ferry terminal at Loon-Plage, west of the town, next to the A16
  • Onward from DunkirkBelgian border in under 30 minutes; Bruges, Ghent and Lille all within about an hour

Dunkirk or Calais?

Both leave from Dover's Eastern Docks. The choice comes down to time on the water against price and where you are driving to.

Dover – Dunkirk

DFDS

  • Crossing time2 h
  • Sailings a dayabout 9 each way
  • Car + 2 adults (median, 30 days)€152 out, €149 back
  • Foot passengersnot carried
  • Best forBelgium, the Netherlands, Lille, Germany via the A25/E40

Dover – Calais

P&O, DFDS, Irish Ferries

  • Crossing time1 h 30 min
  • Sailings a dayabout 30 each way
  • Car + 2 adults (median, 30 days)€189 out, €154 back
  • Foot passengersP&O Ferries only
  • Best forParis, the south and west of France via the A26/A16

Fares are medians from our archive for 17 September to 17 October 2026 (car with two adults, one way; 189 values Dover–Dunkirk, 160 values Dover–Calais). They show the tendency, not the price for your date.

What to know before you book

Three things that make this route different from Calais.

Queue of cars waiting to board a ferry

No foot passengers – not even by taxi without a vehicle booking

DFDS carries vehicles only between Dover and Dunkirk. Cars, vans, motorhomes, motorbikes and bicycles are all fine; walking on is not. If you are travelling without a vehicle, Dover – Calais with P&O Ferries is the only Channel ferry that takes foot passengers.

Ferry at its berth in the harbour

Half an hour longer, often cheaper

In the last 30 days the median fare for a car with two adults from Dover was €152 to Dunkirk and €189 to Calais. Coming back the gap was small (€149 against €154). The extra 30 minutes on board are usually made up on the road if you are heading for Belgium, the Netherlands or northern Germany.

Wake behind a ferry seen from the aft deck

Travel a few hours earlier or later

DFDS lets you travel up to four hours before or after your booked sailing on this route, subject to space. With a sailing every two hours that takes the pressure off a long drive to the coast – but space is not guaranteed in school holidays.

Practical tips for the crossing

Four things that regularly catch people out on this route.

Border controls happen before you board

French border control takes place in Dover, British control in Dunkirk – both before boarding. UK passport holders are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System at the French booth, and EU citizens need a UK ETA for the trip to England. Allow at least an hour before departure; the exact check-in deadline is on your booking.

Sundays have fewer sailings

From Dover our archive shows about 10 sailings on Wednesdays and 9 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, but only 6.8 on Sundays. If you are flexible on the day, a weekday gives you more choice of time.

Dunkirk port is not in Dunkirk town

The ferry terminal is at Loon-Plage, roughly 10 to 15 km west of the centre, directly off the A16. Satnavs set to "Dunkerque" take you into town; follow the signs for the car-ferry terminal instead.

Night sailings are an option

The 22:00 from Dover sails almost every day in our archive, the 02:00 on about half the days, and from Dunkirk there are sailings at 03:30 or 04:00. DFDS keeps its restaurant and café open around the clock, so a late crossing can save a hotel night before a long drive.

Two hours on the Channel

Passengers at the railing of a ferry
Leaving Dover the white cliffs stay in view for the first part of the crossing.
Wake behind a ferry seen from the aft deck
The route runs parallel to the French coast for the last stretch into Dunkirk.

Vehicles only on this route

Cars, motorhomes, motorbikes and bicycles

Every booking on Dover – Dunkirk includes a vehicle. A car takes up to five people in one fare; pets stay in the vehicle for the two hours.

  • Enter the exact length and height; motorhomes, vans and trailers are charged by size
  • Roof boxes and bike racks count towards height
  • Pets travel in your vehicle; you cannot visit the car deck during the crossing
  • Cyclists are carried – they board with the vehicles
Book with a vehicle →
Queue of cars waiting to board a ferry

Getting to the ferry in Dover

  1. Follow the signs for the Eastern Docks – From the M20/A20 or the A2, Dover is signed all the way to the Eastern Docks. All Channel ferries leave from here.
  2. Check-in booth – Have your booking reference and passports ready. Check-in is by vehicle; everyone in the car needs their own passport.
  3. Border controls – British exit check, then French entry control in Dover – including EES registration for non-EU passport holders. In busy periods this is where the queues are.
  4. Boarding lane – You are directed to the DFDS lane for Dunkirk. Sailings from Dover at 02:00 and then every two hours from 06:00 to 22:00.
Ferry at its berth in the harbour

The ports on this route

Location, getting there and other connections from both ports.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the ferry from Dover to Dunkirk?

Two hours. In our archive 549 of 569 sailings from Dover took exactly 2 hours; the rest were scheduled at 2 h 30 min. France is one hour ahead of the UK, so a 10:00 departure arrives at 13:00 local time.

How often does the Dover–Dunkirk ferry run?

Roughly every two hours: from Dover at 02:00 and from 06:00 to 22:00. Our archive shows 8 to 10 sailings on weekdays and fewer on Sundays. DFDS itself speaks of up to 22 crossings a day.

Can I travel Dover–Dunkirk as a foot passenger?

No. DFDS carries vehicles only on this route – car, van, motorhome, motorbike or bicycle. Foot passengers can use Dover–Calais with P&O Ferries.

How much does the Dover–Dunkirk ferry cost?

In the last 30 days the median for a car with two adults was €152 from Dover and €149 from Dunkirk, one way. The lowest values were €116 and €118. Prices depend on date, time and vehicle size.

Is Dunkirk cheaper than Calais?

Often from Dover: the median for a car with two adults was €152 to Dunkirk against €189 to Calais in the last 30 days. Coming back the two were close (€149 against €154).

Which ferry company sails Dover–Dunkirk?

Only DFDS. The Dover Seaways is the ship most often named in our archive.

Can I take my dog?

Yes. Pets travel in your vehicle and stay there for the crossing.

Where is the ferry terminal in Dunkirk?

At Loon-Plage, west of Dunkirk town, directly off the A16 motorway. Follow the signs for the car-ferry terminal rather than the town centre.

Book the Dover – Dunkirk ferry

Every DFDS sailing with live times and fares. Book directly with the operator, with no mark-up.

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