Prices
Ferry to England: Prices & Costs
How much does the ferry to England cost? Every route and operator compared in pounds
- Every fare compared - from £42 (Dieppe - Newhaven) to £164 (Amsterdam - Newcastle) for car and driver
- Saving tips: book early, travel midweek and use the low season
- Short Channel crossing, North Sea overnight ferry and western Channel at a glance
Ferry to England: all prices compared
All routes compared
Ferry to England: all prices compared
England has three approach corridors and the costs differ a lot: the short Channel ferries to Dover are the cheapest, the North Sea overnight ferries the most comfortable, and the western Channel from France takes you furthest south and west. The table shows the entry fare per route for a one-way crossing with car and driver.
There is no fixed fare on any route: every crossing is priced dynamically, and the price for your date is built from four components.
| Component | What it depends on |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | length and height; roof box, racks and trailer count |
| Passengers | how many travel and how many the fare already includes |
| Sailing | day of the week, time and season |
| Cabin | only on the overnight North Sea ferries and to Newhaven |
| Route | Operator | from (car + driver) | Crossing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dieppe - Newhaven | DFDS | £42 | approx. 4 hrs |
| Caen - Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries | £52 | approx. 6 hrs |
| Cherbourg - Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries | £54 | approx. 3-8 hrs |
| Roscoff - Plymouth | Brittany Ferries | £54 | approx. 6 hrs |
| Saint-Malo - Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries | £71 | approx. 9-11 hrs |
| Calais - Folkestone | Eurotunnel | £75 | 35 min (train) |
| Calais - Dover | Irish Ferries / P&O / DFDS | £82 | 90 min |
| Dunkirk - Dover | DFDS | £82 | approx. 2 hrs |
| Le Havre - Portsmouth | Brittany Ferries | £88 | approx. 10 hrs (overnight) |
| Hook of Holland - Harwich | Stena Line | £92 | approx. 7 hrs / overnight |
| Cherbourg - Poole | Brittany Ferries | £95 | approx. 4.5 hrs |
| Rotterdam - Hull | P&O Ferries | £160 | approx. 11 hrs (overnight) |
| Amsterdam - Newcastle | DFDS | £164 | approx. 17 hrs (overnight) |
Cheapest low-season sailing per route; Stena Line publishes its own entry fare. Prices change constantly with demand and are much higher in summer.
Reading from-prices: what the entry fare includes
Operators' headline fares are a guide, not a comparison, because they include different numbers of people. The table above uses car and driver throughout; the operators advertise with other occupancies. As of August 2026, converted from euros.
| Route | Operator | Entry fare | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calais and Dunkirk - Dover | DFDS | £98 | one car and up to five people, one way |
| Dieppe - Newhaven | DFDS | £118 | one car and two people, one way |
| Hook of Holland - Harwich | Stena Line | £92 | one car including driver, one way |
Travelling as a family of four therefore changes the maths: what is already inside the Channel fare is added per person on the other two routes. Always calculate with your actual party, otherwise the seemingly cheapest route ends up dearer. All entry fares are subject to availability and for one way; a return booked together is usually cheaper than two singles.
Short Channel crossings: the cheapest tickets
The shortest and cheapest way to take a car to England is across the Channel. These routes sail several times a day, need no cabin and suit a spontaneous trip: Dieppe - Newhaven is the cheapest car ferry of all, Calais - Dover has the highest frequency with three operators, Dunkirk - Dover is often the calmer alternative, and the Eurotunnel shuttle is not a ferry but the fastest crossing at 35 minutes.
North Sea overnight ferries: cabin included
From the Netherlands you sail overnight straight to northern or eastern England. The fare is higher, but you save a hotel night and the long drive through Belgium and France; the cabin is part of the crossing on Amsterdam - Newcastle and Rotterdam - Hull, and on Hook of Holland - Harwich you can choose between the day sailing and the night ferry.
Western Channel from France: Brittany Ferries to the south coast
From Normandy and Brittany, Brittany Ferries sails directly to Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth. These routes save the drive through northern France and land you close to Devon, Cornwall and the south coast; Caen - Portsmouth is the cheapest of them, Saint-Malo - Portsmouth the longest.
Driving into London: Congestion Charge and ULEZ
If you drive into central London after the crossing, two daily charges apply that have nothing to do with the ferry: the Congestion Charge in the central zone (£18 per day when paid on the day or in advance, £21 if paid within three days afterwards; weekdays 7:00-18:00, weekends and bank holidays 12:00-18:00) and the Ultra Low Emission Zone ULEZ across almost all boroughs (£12.50 per day for cars, motorbikes and vans up to 3.5 t that do not meet the emission standard, every day of the year except Christmas Day). Both are charged per vehicle and day. Park at a suburban station and take the train, and you pay neither. As of August 2026.
How to find cheap ferries to England
- Book early: the best fares appear 2 to 4 months ahead, especially on the DFDS and P&O overnight ferries.
- Travel midweek: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are cheaper than Friday to Monday on almost every route.
- Use the low season: October to March (except Christmas and New Year) has the lowest fares; April, May and September are a good compromise.
- Book the return with the outbound: most operators discount a return booking against two singles.
- Compare operators: three companies sail Calais - Dover and their prices differ, so compare Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries, DFDS and Brittany Ferries before every booking.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ - ferry to England prices
The key questions about fares and how to save, answered briefly.
Which ferry to England is the cheapest? +
The short Channel crossings from northern France. Dieppe - Newhaven starts at around £42 with car and driver, Calais - Dover at around £82. The North Sea overnight ferries such as Amsterdam - Newcastle or Rotterdam - Hull cost more but include a cabin and save you a night in a hotel.
How can I save on the ferry to England? +
Four levers matter most: book early (the best fares appear 2 to 4 months ahead), travel midweek (Tuesday to Thursday is cheaper almost everywhere), use the low season from October to March and book outbound and return together. If you travel by motorhome, enter the exact dimensions, as a few centimetres can change the price band.
Does a bigger vehicle cost more? +
Yes. Fares are set by vehicle length and often height, not just by the number of passengers. A standard car gets the lowest band, motorhomes, caravans and high vans move up a band. On the overnight ferries the cabin is a separate item.
Are the prices on this page in pounds? +
Yes. The operators quote in euros on the continental side; we convert at the European Central Bank reference rate of 2 September 2026 and round to whole pounds. The booking window shows the exact price for your date and currency.