P&O Ferries sails from Dover to Calais up to 12 times a day with the P&O Pioneer, the P&O Liberté and the Spirit of France. The crossing takes about 90 minutes. P&O is the only operator on the route that also takes foot passengers and cyclists, and it has a Pet Lounge where your dog can join you.
P&O Ferries Dover to Calais at a glance
| Ships | P&O Pioneer, P&O Liberté and Spirit of France |
| Sailings | Up to 12 a day in each direction |
| Crossing time | About 90 minutes |
| Check-in | 60 minutes before departure with a car; 90 minutes on foot, by bike or with a dog in the Pet Lounge |
| Foot passengers | Yes, on three sailings a day each way |
| Pets | £15 per pet each way; in the car or, for dogs, in the Pet Lounge |
Tickets and prices
P&O prices every sailing separately, so the same car can cost a lot more on a Saturday in August than on a Tuesday in November. You choose between three ticket types:
- Standard. The cheapest fare, not refundable, with fees to cancel or change.
- Standard Flexi. No amendment fees; you only pay any difference in price.
- Fully Flexi. Fully refundable, and you can take any departure on the day, subject to space.
Car fares start from £63 one way for a car with up to 9 people on a Standard ticket, from £100 with Standard Flexi and from £179.50 with Fully Flexi (October 2026); how much you pay depends on your vehicle, the sailing and how early you book. On foot it is far cheaper: see our foot passenger page. Our guide to the cheapest ferry to France shows how to compare P&O with DFDS and Irish Ferries for your date.
⚠️ P&O must pass every passenger’s details to the authorities, so enter all names exactly as in the passports. Check your confirmation email: you may have to add Advance Passenger Information up to 24 hours before departure.
Timetable
P&O Ferries sails Dover to Calais throughout the day in both directions. Departure times change with the seasons, so instead of a printed table we keep one live overview: see today’s P&O Ferries departures on our timetable page. Delays and cancellations appear on our sailing updates page. Mind the time difference: France is one hour ahead, so you arrive in Calais 2 hours 30 minutes after leaving Dover by the clock.
Check-in with P&O Ferries
1. Check-in
In both the port of Dover and the port of Calais, follow the P&O Ferries signs to the check-in booths. Have your booking reference and every passport ready. You get a boarding card with your lane number to hang on the rear-view mirror. With a car, check-in closes 60 minutes before departure; with a dog for the Pet Lounge, 90 minutes.
2. Border control
Then comes the border control. From Dover the French border police check your passports, so in Calais you drive straight off the ship. From Calais you pass the French exit check and UK Border Force, who also check the UK ETA of travellers without a British or Irish passport. Security staff may pick out vehicles for a search.
3. Boarding
Park in your lane and wait until boarding is announced. Staff guide you all the way to your spot on the car deck. The car deck closes at sea, so take what you need for the crossing before you go upstairs.
Please note: the check-in times on this page are an indication to help you estimate how much time to allow for your journey. Always follow the official information from the operator you travel with or the company you booked with.
On board P&O Ferries
In our test the P&O Pioneer was the most comfortable ship on the route: modern, very stable and with the best facilities for children and pets. The Pioneer and the Liberté are P&O’s newest ships, built specially for this route; the Spirit of France dates from 2012. What you find on board:
- 🍴 Restaurants and café
- 🛒 World Duty Free
- 📶 Free WiFi
- 🛋️ Club Lounge (extra fee)
- 🐕 Pet Lounge for dogs
- 🧒 Children’s play area
- 💱 Bureau de change
- 🔇 Quiet lounge
Photos on board P&O Ferries
These photos are from our test crossings on the P&O Pioneer and the Liberté in May 2024. How P&O scored against the others is in our ferry comparison.
Questions about P&O Ferries Dover to Calais
Can I take my dog on P&O Ferries?
Yes, for £15 per pet each way. Pets stay in the car, but dogs can also travel in the Pet Lounge with their owners; check in 90 minutes before departure for the Pet Lounge. Foot passengers cannot bring pets, apart from guide and hearing dogs.
Can I travel as a foot passenger with P&O?
Yes. P&O is the only operator on Dover to Calais that takes foot passengers, on three sailings a day in each direction. Times, prices and the day-trip plan are on our foot passenger page.
What is the P&O Club Lounge?
A quieter lounge on board with comfortable seating, which you can add to your booking for an extra fee.
How many P&O sailings are there from Dover to Calais?
Up to 12 a day in each direction. See today’s times on our timetable.
Other operators on the route
Besides P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries also sail the Dover Calais ferry route, and with a car you can take Le Shuttle through the tunnel. Compare the ferry companies or look at the other operators:
- About 100 minutes
- Vehicles only
- From £114 (car and up to 5 people)
- Up to 20 sailings a day
- About 90 minutes
- Day returns from £55
- 35 minutes, from Folkestone
- Vehicles only
- From £59 (Day Trip)
Book P&O Ferries from Dover
See the departure times and fares of P&O Ferries for your date, or check how the three operators compare.