Compare Dover to Calais Ferry Prices

Enter your travel dates, passenger details and vehicle information below to compare current Dover to Calais ferry prices.

Dover is already selected. Choose Calais, add the correct passengers and vehicle, then enter your dates to see current sailings. Search results, availability and bookings are provided by Direct Ferries. My Favourite Voucher Codes may receive a commission if you complete a booking, at no extra cost to you.

Popular ferry operators for Dover to Calais

Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries and DFDS all serve this short Channel route. The figures below give a quick indication of frequency, crossing time and the example prices displayed by Direct Ferries when checked in July 2026. They are a starting point, not a quote for your journey.

Price and timetable note: operator figures and example prices were checked against Direct Ferries in July 2026. “From” prices are based on recent searches, can exclude service fees and may not apply to your dates, vehicle or passenger group. Timetables also change. Run a live search before deciding.

The crossing in practical terms

P&O Ferries describes its crossing as taking approximately 90 minutes and currently advertises up to 11 departures a day. Irish Ferries also gives a typical port-to-port time of around 90 minutes and advertises up to 10 sailings per day. DFDS lists its journey at about 100 minutes. These are scheduled crossing times rather than promises about the complete trip through check-in and border controls.

Sources: P&O Ferries route information, Irish Ferries route information and DFDS route information.

Build the right booking before comparing the fare

The lowest number on the first results screen can be misleading when the journey details are incomplete. Start with the crossing you actually intend to make. Add every passenger, use the correct ages and include the full vehicle size.

Roof boxes, rear bicycle racks, trailers and caravans can change the height or length used for the booking. A motorhome should not be entered as a standard car simply because both fit in one parking space at home. If the information is wrong, the fare may change or the booking may need correcting at the port.

Irish Ferries, P&O or DFDS: where do the differences matter?

There is no single operator that suits every crossing. Frequency and journey time are easy to compare, but onboard arrangements and ticket conditions can affect the choice too.

Calais or Dunkirk for the onward drive?

Calais is not automatically the right arrival port simply because the sea crossing is shorter. DFDS also sails from Dover to Dunkirk, which is useful to keep in mind for journeys towards Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of northern France.

Compare the complete drive. Calais may offer the more direct route for one itinerary; Dunkirk can remove road miles from another. Ferry price, arrival time, fuel, tolls and the distance to the final stop all belong in the calculation.

The Port of Dover route guide confirms that P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries serve Calais, while DFDS operates to both Calais and Dunkirk.

Prepare for Dover before the day of travel

Read the confirmation as soon as it arrives. Names, dates, ports, registration details and the return crossing are easier to correct before travel than at check-in.

• Use passenger names that match the travel documents.
• Confirm the registration, vehicle category and overall dimensions.
• Add pets, trailers, caravans, roof boxes and bicycle racks.
• Note the operator’s check-in deadline rather than relying on a general arrival time.
• Keep the confirmation available offline in case mobile reception is poor.
• Review live sailing and traffic information before leaving home.

Check-in requirements are not universal. DFDS currently states that check-in for its Dover–Calais and Dover–Dunkirk services typically closes 60 minutes before the scheduled departure. P&O has different requirements for some passenger types, including foot travellers. The instruction on the booking confirmation takes priority.

Sources: DFDS check-in guidance and P&O foot-passenger check-in guidance.

Passports, France entry rules and pet documents

British citizens should use current government advice rather than the requirements remembered from an earlier trip. GOV.UK explains the passport rules for France, the conditions for short visits to the Schengen area and the circumstances in which a visa may be needed.

Pet travel has a separate preparation list. Microchip, vaccination and animal-health-document requirements need to be completed within the correct timescales. Operator permission to carry the pet does not replace the border rules.

Check the GOV.UK entry requirements for France and government pet-travel guidance shortly before departure.

When a ferry promotion is genuinely useful

Offers on this route can be tied to a day return, a short break, selected dates or a specific passenger-and-vehicle combination. A bold starting price is not much help when the return date falls outside the offer or the ticket cannot be changed.

Run the ordinary search first. Then compare the relevant promotion using the same journey. If the offer lowers the trip you already planned, it has done its job. If it requires an unsuitable departure or a shorter stay, move on.

View current Direct Ferries offers

Why this page is on My Favourite Voucher Codes

We provide the route information and tracked links, but Direct Ferries supplies the live search results and completes the booking. Prices and availability can move quickly, so the result shown for your own passengers, vehicle and dates is the one that matters.

You can read more about My Favourite Voucher Codes and how we assess the offers listed on the site.

My Favourite Voucher Codes donates 20% of its monthly profits to charity, with users choosing the recipient through a monthly vote. There is no extra charge for booking through one of our affiliate links. Our charity page records the wider donation work, while the current charity poll shows the organisations open for voting.

Dover to Calais ferry FAQs