Most travellers take the Dover to Calais ferry: it is the shortest and usually the cheapest way across. But if you live in the south-west, want to wake up in Normandy or would rather skip the summer queues in Dover, another route can save you hours on the road.
The alternatives at a glance
| Route | Crossing | Sailings | Best for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover to Dunkirk DFDS | about 2 hours | up to 11 a day | Flanders, Belgium and further east | Prices ↗ |
| Folkestone to Calais Le Shuttle (train) | 35 minutes | 2 to 4 an hour | Drivers in a hurry | Prices ↗ |
| Newhaven to Dieppe DFDS | about 4 hours | 2 a day, 3 from May to September | London and Sussex to Normandy or Paris | Prices ↗ |
| Portsmouth to Caen Brittany Ferries | about 6 hours, 7 to 8 overnight | up to 3 a day | Normandy and western France | Prices ↗ |
| Portsmouth to Cherbourg Brittany Ferries | about 5.5 hours by day | 2 direct a week, more via Guernsey | The Cotentin peninsula | Prices ↗ |
| Portsmouth to St Malo Brittany Ferries | about 11 hours overnight | 4 a week | Brittany | Prices ↗ |
| Harwich to Hook of Holland Stena Line | 6.5 hours, 8.5 overnight | 2 a day | The Netherlands and Germany | Prices ↗ |
Crossing times and frequencies as published by the operators in October 2026; they change with the season, so check the timetable when you book.
Which route suits you?
Dover to Dunkirk: the closest alternative
DFDS sails from the same port in Dover to Dunkirk, about 40 km east of Calais. The crossing takes half an hour longer, but fares are often a little lower and the port is quieter. A good choice if you are heading for Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany. Times and fares are on DFDS Dover to Dunkirk ↗, and our sister site dover-dunkirk.com covers the route in detail.
Le Shuttle: under the sea in 35 minutes
From Folkestone you drive onto Le Shuttle ↗ and are in Calais 35 minutes later. It is the fastest option with a car, but a Standard ticket costs more than the ferry. Fares, check-in and our own trip are on our Eurotunnel page.
Newhaven to Dieppe: closer to Paris
From London or Sussex, Newhaven is often closer than Dover. On the French side, Dieppe is about 200 km from Paris. The crossing takes about four hours: longer at sea, but fewer miles on the motorway. You book it with DFDS ↗, and our sister site dieppe-newhaven.com covers the route in detail.
From Portsmouth: Caen, Cherbourg and St Malo
For the West Country, the Midlands or Wales, the drive to Dover can take longer than the ferry from Portsmouth. Brittany Ferries ↗ sails to Caen (up to three times a day), Cherbourg and St Malo. These are longer crossings with cabins on the overnight sailings, and fares are higher than on the short routes. Our sister site explains the western routes in Skip Dover: the West Route playbook to France.
Harwich to Hook of Holland
Not France, but worth knowing if you live in East Anglia or are driving on to the Netherlands or Germany. Stena Line sails twice a day, with cabins on the night crossing. Times and fares are on Stena Line Harwich to Hook of Holland ↗.
Without a car
On foot, the Eurostar ↗ takes you from London St Pancras straight to Paris, Lille or Brussels. On the ferry, only P&O takes foot passengers between Dover and Calais; see our foot passenger page.
How to choose
- Where you start. Add the drive to the port to the crossing time. From Bristol, Portsmouth is often quicker overall; from Kent or London, Dover usually wins.
- Where you are going. Normandy and Brittany favour the western routes; Paris works from Calais, Dieppe and Caen; Belgium and Germany from Calais or Dunkirk.
- When you travel. On summer Saturdays and at the start of the school holidays, Dover can mean long queues at the border. A quieter port, or an early sailing, saves time.
- Your budget. Short crossings are usually the cheapest. On a long route you pay more for the ticket, and often for a cabin, but less for fuel and tolls.
- Parking. Leaving the car in England? Read our guide to parking at Dover and Calais.
Compare every route in one search
Enter your dates and see the fares for Dover-Calais and the alternative routes side by side.