Ferries continue to be a major method of transportation between Europe and the UK, linking France and Belgium with England. The shortest and fastest crossing being between Dover and Calais.
The Channel is busy with ferry crossings carrying a variety of cargo and mixture of freight, business and leisure passengers. Some ferries only take lorries, some will not take foot-passengers. The best rates are usually to be found by booking several weeks in advance.
English Channel Ferries for Passengers from Dover to France
One of Europe's busiest ports, Dover is the gateway to Europe for more passengers travelling by foot or car than any other British port. Over a million passengers went via Dover in September 2010, with 261 thousand cars, 6,700 coaches and 177 thousand lorries. Dover docks saw 1,617 ferries in September 2010.
Several ferry companies run regular services from Dover and a number of passenger ferries will be leaving every hour, the port is busy around the clock, day and night.
Dover passenger routes are:
- Dover to Dunkerque
- Dover to Calais
- Dover to Boulogne
How Much Does It Cost to Take a Ferry From Dover to France?
There are many ferries sailing the Channel, twenty-four hours, so it is a competitive market which offers good prices. Norfolk Line currently offer sailings to France from #19 GBP for a car and four people, for a one way journey.
Ferries to France from Portsmouth, UK
As suggested by the name, Portsmouth is one of England's biggest ports. More than two million passengers and over six hundred thousand vehicles passed through Portsmouth in 2009, excluding freight. It is a departure point not just for France but for ferries to the Channel Islands and to Spain.
The Portsmouth continental ferry port was opened in 1976 and a new terminal building will be completed in spring of 2011. The new building makes use of environmental technology such as using sea water to warm the building in winter and flush the toilets.
Regular ferries from Portsmouth to France take these routes:
- Portsmouth to Le Havre
- Portsmouth to Quistreham
- Portsmouth to Cherbourg
- Portsmouth to St Malo
Cross Channel Ferry Routes Between England & France
The British Isles, surrounded by water and very close to Europe is inevitably well served by ports and ferries. Newhaven, Poole and Plymouth on the south coast of England all have long standing ferry services to France.
- Newhaven to Dieppe
- Poole to Cherbourg
- Plymouth to Roscoff
A proposed ferry service to be run by Euroferries linking Ramsgate in Kent and Boulogne has never materialised, it was expected in 2009 and new launch dates were not met in 2010. There are frequent ferries between Ramsgate and Belgium.
Ferry Services Between France, England & the Guernsey & Jersey
In addition there are crossings from Weymouth, Pool and Portsmouth to Guernsey from where ferries continue to the French ports of Carteret, Granvelle and St Malo with a stop at Jersey.
P & O Cross Channel Ferries and other Ferry Companies with Services to France
- Condor Ferries
- L D Lines
- P & O Ferries
- SeaFrance
- Norfolk Line
- Transmanche Ferries
- Brittany Ferries
Ferry Crossings Between Europe & the UK
There are crossings to other European countries including Spain and the Netherlands from Great Britain and Ireland, further details of some ferry services are in the article about European ferry sailing from the east coast of England and Scotland.
Sources:
European Rail Timetable, Summer 2010 edition June – December 2010, published by Thomas Cook Publishing, UK
Deborah Percy - BSc. MA. Managing Director of a heating & plumbing business. Interest in maths, science & research. Mother of 3, including twins.
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