Arrival and transport

Ferry routes from Britain

Island crossings in Scotland and the south, the routes to Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the Channel and North Sea crossings: crossing time, operator and where to book. A dash means the operator page we read gave no single time.

Facts last checked Nov 1, 2026. Britlens is independent: see our editorial policy.

Book ahead in summer. CalMac strongly advises booking ahead on its bookable routes, and vehicle space is limited on island ferries. Weather can cancel sailings: check the operator’s service status on the day. We give no fares.

To the islands: Scotland, the Isle of Wight, Scilly, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands

To the islands: Scotland, the Isle of Wight, Scilly, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands: crossing time, operator and booking link
RouteOperatorCrossingWho can travelPort details
Portsmouth to Guernsey on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)12 Condor Ferries — Check the operator Portsmouth
Portsmouth to Fishbourne and Portsmouth to Ryde (Isle of Wight) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)13,14 Wightlink — Check the operator Portsmouth
Southsea to Ryde (Isle of Wight) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)15 Hovertravel under 10 min Foot passengers Portsmouth
Southampton to the Isle of Wight on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)16 Red Funnel from 30 min (foot passengers) Check the operator Southampton
Liverpool to the Isle of Man on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)21 Isle of Man Steam Packet — Check the operator Liverpool
Heysham to the Isle of Man on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)22 Isle of Man Steam Packet — Check the operator Heysham
Troon to Brodick (Arran) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)29,30 CalMac 1 hr 20 min Check the operator Troon
Ardrossan to Brodick (Arran) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)31,32 CalMac 55 min Check the operator Ardrossan
Oban to Mull, Coll, Colonsay, Lismore, Barra and South Uist on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)33 CalMac 45 min to Craignure (Mull); up to 4 hr 45 min to Castlebay Check the operator Oban
Mallaig to Armadale (Skye), the Small Isles and Lochboisdale on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)34 CalMac 45 min to Armadale Check the operator Mallaig
Ullapool to Stornoway (Lewis) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)35 CalMac 2 hr 40 min Check the operator Ullapool
Scrabster to Stromness (Orkney) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)36,37 NorthLink Ferries 90 min Check the operator Scrabster (for Orkney)
Lymington to Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)14,13 Wightlink — Check the operator Lymington
Penzance to St Mary’s (Isles of Scilly) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)38,39 Isles of Scilly Travel (Scillonian III) about 2 hr 45 min Check the operator Penzance (for the Isles of Scilly)
Poole to Jersey, Guernsey and St Malo on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)12,40,41 Channel Islands and France services — Check the operator Poole
Aberdeen to Lerwick (Shetland), some sailings via Kirkwall (Orkney) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)36,42 NorthLink Ferries overnight (19:00 to 07:30 on Mondays, summer 2026 timetable) Check the operator Aberdeen (for Orkney and Shetland)
Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope (South Ronaldsay, Orkney) on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)43 Pentland Ferries just over 1 hr Check the operator Gills Bay (for Orkney)
Lerwick to Aberdeen, some sailings via Kirkwall on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)42,44 NorthLink Ferries — Check the operator Lerwick (Shetland)
Stornoway to Ullapool on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)45,46 CalMac — Check the operator Stornoway (Lewis)

To and from Ireland and Northern Ireland

To and from Ireland and Northern Ireland: crossing time, operator and booking link
RouteOperatorCrossingWho can travelPort details
Liverpool to Belfast on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)20 Stena Line 8 hr Check the operator Liverpool
Holyhead to Dublin on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)23 Stena Line 3 hr 15 min Check the operator Holyhead
Holyhead to Dublin on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)24,25 Irish Ferries — Check the operator Holyhead
Fishguard to Rosslare on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)26 Stena Line — Check the operator Fishguard
Pembroke Dock to Rosslare on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)24,25 Irish Ferries — Check the operator Pembroke Dock
Cairnryan to Belfast on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)27 Stena Line 2 hr 15 min Foot and vehicle Cairnryan
Cairnryan to Larne on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)3,4 P&O Ferries — Check the operator Cairnryan
Larne to Cairnryan on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)3,4 P&O Ferries — Check the operator Larne
Belfast to Cairnryan and to Liverpool on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)28 Stena Line — Check the operator Belfast

To mainland Europe

To mainland Europe: crossing time, operator and booking link
RouteOperatorCrossingWho can travelPort details
Dover to Calais on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)1 DFDS 1 hr 40 min Vehicles only Dover
Dover to Dunkirk on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)2 DFDS 2 hr Vehicles only Dover
Dover to Calais on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)3,4 P&O Ferries — Check the operator Dover
Folkestone to Calais on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)5,6 Eurotunnel Le Shuttle 35 min Vehicles only Folkestone and the Channel Tunnel
London St Pancras International to mainland Europe on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)7 Eurostar Site not readable Check the operator St Pancras International (Eurostar)
Newhaven to Dieppe on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)8,9 DFDS about 4 hr (5 hr on some overnight sailings) Check the operator Newhaven
Portsmouth and Plymouth to Cherbourg, St Malo, Caen and Roscoff on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)10,11 Brittany Ferries — Check the operator Portsmouth
Plymouth to France and Spain on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)10 Brittany Ferries — Check the operator Plymouth
Harwich to Hook of Holland on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)18 Stena Line from 6 hr 30 min Check the operator Harwich
Hull to Rotterdam on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)3,4 P&O Ferries — Check the operator Hull
Newcastle to Amsterdam on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)19 DFDS about 16 hr 45 min Check the operator Newcastle

Cruise terminals

Cruise terminals: crossing time, operator and booking link
RouteOperatorCrossingWho can travelPort details
Cruise terminals on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)17 Cruise lines — Check the operator Southampton
Cruise calls on the Thames on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)47,48 Cruise lines — Check the operator Tilbury (London International Cruise Terminal)
Cruise calls at Invergordon on the operator’s site (opens in new tab)49 Cruise lines Site not readable Check the operator Cromarty Firth (Invergordon)

Tips for foot passengers

  • Some Channel routes carry vehicles only: DFDS says foot passengers cannot travel on its Dover routes, and Le Shuttle carries vehicles.1,5 See each port on ports and ferries.
  • For Arran, CalMac says the train from Glasgow Central to Ardrossan Harbour takes about 45 minutes, with a short walk from Ardrossan’s station to the ferry; Troon has a shuttle bus from the station.30
  • For Lewis, CalMac says there is no train to Ullapool; take the train to Inverness and a bus from there (about 1 hour 30 minutes).45
  • For Mull, CalMac says the bus from Glasgow to Oban takes just under 3 hours, traffic permitting.50
  • If you bring a bike as a foot passenger, CalMac asks you to add it when you book.51

Flying is the other way to the northern and western isles: see domestic flights. For the Scottish Highlands by car, see getting around the Highlands.

Sources

Pages we opened and read on Nov 1, 2026, and sites we could not read. Schedules, fares and rules change: check the source before you travel.

  1. DFDS Dover to Calais (opens in new tab), DFDS.
  2. DFDS Dover to Dunkirk (opens in new tab), DFDS.
  3. P&O Ferries (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  4. P&O Ferries (official site) (opens in new tab), P&O Ferries. The site refused automated access, so we link it but state nothing from it.
  5. Le Shuttle: Folkestone to Calais (opens in new tab), Eurotunnel Le Shuttle.
  6. Le Shuttle: on the day (opens in new tab), Eurotunnel Le Shuttle.
  7. Eurostar (official site) (opens in new tab), Eurostar. The site refused automated access, so we link it but state nothing from it.
  8. DFDS Newhaven to Dieppe (opens in new tab), DFDS.
  9. DFDS UK passenger ferries (opens in new tab), DFDS.
  10. Brittany Ferries: ferries to France (opens in new tab), Brittany Ferries.
  11. Brittany Ferries UK (opens in new tab), Brittany Ferries.
  12. Condor Ferries (opens in new tab), Condor Ferries.
  13. Hovertravel (opens in new tab), Hovertravel.
  14. Red Funnel (opens in new tab), Red Funnel.
  15. Port of Southampton (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  16. Stena Line Harwich to Hook of Holland (opens in new tab), Stena Line.
  17. DFDS Newcastle to Amsterdam (opens in new tab), DFDS.
  18. Stena Line Liverpool to Belfast (opens in new tab), Stena Line.
  19. Isle of Man Steam Packet (opens in new tab), Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
  20. Steam Packet: Heysham (opens in new tab), Isle of Man Steam Packet Company.
  21. Stena Line Holyhead to Dublin (opens in new tab), Stena Line.
  22. Irish Ferries (UK) (opens in new tab), Irish Ferries.
  23. Irish Ferries: our ports (opens in new tab), Irish Ferries.
  24. Stena Line Fishguard to Rosslare (opens in new tab), Stena Line.
  25. Stena Line Cairnryan to Belfast (opens in new tab), Stena Line.
  26. Stena Line routes (opens in new tab), Stena Line.
  27. CalMac: Troon port (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  28. CalMac: Arran (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  29. CalMac: Ardrossan port (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  30. CalMac: service status (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  31. CalMac: Oban port (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  32. CalMac: Mallaig port (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  33. CalMac: Ullapool port (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  34. Scillonian III: the route (opens in new tab), Isles of Scilly Travel.
  35. Isles of Scilly Travel (opens in new tab), Isles of Scilly Travel.
  36. Condor Ferries (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  37. Poole Harbour Commissioners (opens in new tab), Poole Harbour Commissioners.
  38. Pentland Ferries (opens in new tab), Pentland Ferries.
  39. Lerwick Port Authority (opens in new tab), Lerwick Port Authority.
  40. CalMac: Lewis (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  41. Stornoway Port Authority (opens in new tab), Stornoway Port Authority.
  42. London International Cruise Terminal (opens in new tab), Port of Tilbury. The site refused automated access, so we link it but state nothing from it.
  43. London International Cruise Terminal (opens in new tab), Wikipedia.
  44. Port of Cromarty Firth (opens in new tab), Port of Cromarty Firth. The site refused automated access, so we link it but state nothing from it.
  45. CalMac: Mull (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.
  46. CalMac: Skye (opens in new tab), Caledonian MacBrayne.