The Dover Calais ferry route connects England to France and is provided by 3 operators. DFDS, P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries operate on this route. The ferry crossing from Dover to Calais takes approximately 1hr 30 mins.
There are around 287 weekly and 35-40 daily ferry sailings from Dover to Calais. P&O Ferries provide up to 12 daily sailings, DFDS Seaways provide up to 15 daily sailings and Irish Ferries provide up to 14 daily sailings. Ferry timetables often increase during the high season.
Sailings depart around the clock with the earliest ferry departing at approximately 00:10 and the last ferry leaves port around 22:50. Ferry schedules can vary by operator and season.
The fastest ferries from Dover to Calais are available with P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries and DFDS Seaways. Dover Calais is the fastest ferry crossing from England to France.
There are no cabins on ferries from Dover to Calais. However, you can add an exclusive quiet lounge to your booking with complimentary food and drinks.
The price of a ferry from Dover to Calais can vary between £60 and £252 depending on the operator, season and whether you are travelling with a vehicle. The average price of a foot passenger is £204, prices can range from £60 and £420. The average price with a car is £182. Car prices can range from £99 and £229. Prices may vary for other vehicle types. All ferry prices can change from season to season.
Prices subject to change, pricing representative of searches over last 30 days.
The cheapest ferry tickets from Dover to Calais start from around £30 for foot passengers or cyclists. The cheapest tickets are typically available during off-peak sailing times. The size of the vehicle you are travelling in, or not, will also impact the final ticket price.
Foot passenger are available with P&O Ferries, only select P&O sailings will accept foot passengers.
Foot passengers can take a direct train from London to Dover, with the fastest journey via the southeastern high speed train in just over 1 hour. In Calais, regular trains travel from Calais Ville to popular French destinations such as Lille, or the capital city, Paris, for a longer stay. Calais is situated north west of France close to Normandy and very close to the border with Belgium. Brussels is just a few hours drive from Calais for those who want to cross the border and visit one of Europe's most influential capital cities.
Save up 50% on high street prices from your favorite brands with Duty Free on ships operating the Dover Calais route. Facilities found on ships operating this route include foreign currency exchange and a selection of bars, restaurants and coffee shops to enjoy during the trip.
Priority boarding is available with all operators on this route if you want to beat the queues and get comfortable for the trip.
| Dover - Calais Route summary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Departure Country | UK | |
| Destination Country | France | |
| No. of Operators | 3 | |
| Operators | DFDS Seaways, Irish Ferries & P&O Ferries | |
| Average Price | £178* | |
| Average Daily Sailings | 32 | |
| Average Weekly Sailings | 221 | |
| Average Sailing Duration | 1h 30m | |
| First Ferry | 00:10 | |
| Last Ferry | 23:50 | |
| Distance | 32 nautical miles | |
* Prices subject to change, pricing is taken from last 30 days, last updated 2023-08-01.
"VERY IMPRESSED "
At first I was very sceptical about using Direct ferries,but my experience has been very good. I would recommend them and hopefully,I'll use them again.
'C Class' travelled on C Class
Read More Read Less"Vive La France"
Excellent experience despite being diverted to Dunkerque from Calais due to industrial action. No big deal and all the staff were very helpful and welcoming even at passport control! Happy to to take this route again and certainly use DFDS to get to France which will be a regular occurrence moving forward.
'C Class' travelled on C Class
Read More Read Less"Perfect"
Pay the extra and travel DFDS, way better than P&O. If you can travel on a Monday for a quiet boat with barely any children on board. Food was good and facilities were clean
'C Class' travelled on C Class
Read More Read Less"All good!"
Loading was efficient, cast off on time, every area of the ship was super clean, nice coffee and fresh sandwiches.
'C Class' travelled on C Class
Read More Read LessThe English town and port of Dover is in the county of Kent in the south east of England. The town lies on the English Channel coast at its narrowest point between England and France. This narrow stretch of the English Channel is called the Strait of Dover.
In and around the town there are many things for visitors to see and do. In memory of the spot where Bleriot landed following the first cross channel flight in 1909, the Bleriot Memorial is an outline of the aircraft flown set into the ground. Also, and overlooking the town, is Dover Castle which is the largest castle in England. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout its history.
The Port of Dover is the world's busiest passenger port, with 16 million travellers, 2.1 million lorries, 2.8 million cars and motorcycles and 86,000 coaches passing through it each year. It is the main port of departure for travellers from the UK to France and beyond into mainland Europe. Services are operated by P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways to Calais.
The port of Dover is easily accessible from London by taking the Southeastern Line from London Bridge. Stay on this train for 12 stops and you will reach Dover Priory station in around 1 hour and 40 minutes. Alternatively, passengers arriving from Canterbury can get the 15 bus every 20 minutes from Canterbury Bus Station, which takes around 45 minutes.
The French city of Calais is located in the Nord-Pas de Calais department of north west France and is the closest port in France to England. The Strait of Dover, which lies across the English Channel on the UK mainland, is around 32 km from Calais and on a clear day the famous White Cliffs of Dover can be seen from Calais as can the Calais coast from the cliffs. Calais has been an important maritime hub for commerce and tourism between France and England for many years and the town itself is divided into two parts.
The old town, Calais-Nord, is located on a manmade island that is surrounded by canals and harbours. The modern town, St-Pierre, is located to the south of the old town. The city is moving away from just being home to the busy port and is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination. It has a long and rich cultural heritage, several museums and a lively nightlife. A popular attraction in the city are its Belfries which are siege towers that were built to protect the city from marauders and are today declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ferry Timetables between 04/12/2023 and 10/12/2023
| Operator | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Sailing Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFDS Seaways | 00:10 | 01:40 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 01:25 | 02:55 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat |
| DFDS Seaways | 01:40 | 03:10 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
| Irish Ferries | 02:55 | 04:25 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Mon, Sun |
| P&O Ferries | 03:10 | 05:00 | 1 hour 50 minutes | Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
| Irish Ferries | 04:40 | 06:10 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
| DFDS Seaways | 04:40 | 06:10 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
| Irish Ferries | 06:15 | 07:45 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 06:55 | 08:30 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
| DFDS Seaways | 07:40 | 09:10 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 07:50 | 09:20 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 08:25 | 10:00 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Everyday |
| DFDS Seaways | 09:10 | 10:40 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 09:30 | 11:00 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 10:05 | 11:40 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
| DFDS Seaways | 10:40 | 12:10 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 11:05 | 12:35 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 12:05 | 13:50 | 1 hour 45 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 12:45 | 14:15 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| DFDS Seaways | 12:55 | 14:25 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 13:45 | 15:20 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Everyday |
| DFDS Seaways | 14:25 | 15:55 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 14:25 | 15:55 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 15:25 | 17:00 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Everyday |
| DFDS Seaways | 15:55 | 17:25 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 16:00 | 17:30 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 17:25 | 19:05 | 1 hour 40 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 17:35 | 19:05 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| DFDS Seaways | 18:10 | 19:40 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 19:05 | 20:40 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun |
| Irish Ferries | 19:10 | 20:40 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| DFDS Seaways | 19:40 | 21:10 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 20:45 | 22:15 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun |
| P&O Ferries | 20:45 | 22:25 | 1 hour 40 minutes | Everyday |
| DFDS Seaways | 21:10 | 22:40 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat |
| Irish Ferries | 22:15 | 23:45 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
| P&O Ferries | 22:40 | 00:15 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Everyday |
| Irish Ferries | 23:50 | 01:20 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Everyday |
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