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Large port

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Seasonal route

United Kingdom

244 ports

ports: 244
Operators: 61
McInroy's Point to Hunter's Quay: 20m
Aberdeen to Lerwick: 12h 30m

CalMac, Shetland Islands Council Ferries and 57 other companies sail between 234 ports in the United Kingdom. Ferries also sail to the United Kingdom from 18 ports in four countries, mostly Calais, Dublin and Dunkirk. The main crossing, from McInroy's Point to Hunter's Quay, takes 20 minutes and runs 43 times a day; the longest within the United Kingdom, from Aberdeen to Lerwick, takes 12½ hours. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only. Some lines are seasonal.

Ferries to the United Kingdom

25 routes

France

Diélette to AlderneyManche Iles Express55mMonthly, May to mid-September Carteret to St HelierManche Iles Express1h 5m7 a month, mid-April to late September Diélette to St Peter PortManche Iles Express1h 10m6 a month, April to September Granville to St HelierManche Iles Express1h 25m9 a month, mid-April to late September Calais to DoverDFDS · Irish Ferries · P&O Ferries1h 30m31 a day Cherbourg to AlderneyAlderney Ferry Services1h 30mTwice a week, April to September St Malo to St HelierDFDS1h 50m8 a week Dunkirk to DoverDFDS2h10 a day St Malo to St Peter PortBrittany Ferries2h4 a week Dieppe to NewhavenDFDS4hTwice a day Cherbourg to PortsmouthBrittany Ferries5h 45m6 a week Caen to PortsmouthBrittany Ferries6h3 a day Roscoff to PlymouthBrittany Ferries6h 45m6 a week, late March to early November St Malo to PortsmouthBrittany Ferries8h 30m6 a week

Ireland

Greencastle to MagilliganLough Foyle Ferry15m17 a day, early April to mid-September Dublin to HolyheadIrish Ferries · Stena Line3h 30m8 a day Rosslare to FishguardStena Line3h 30mTwice a day Rosslare to PembrokeIrish Ferries4h 1mTwice a day Dublin to DouglasIsle of Man Steam Packet Company5h 15mTwice a week, late March to September

Netherlands

Hook of Holland to HarwichStena Line6h 30mTwice a day Rotterdam to HullP&O Ferries11hDaily Amsterdam (IJmuiden) to NewcastleDFDS16h 45mDaily

Spain

Santander to PlymouthBrittany Ferries22hTwice a week, late March to early November Santander to PortsmouthBrittany Ferries28h 30mTwice a week Bilbao to PortsmouthBrittany Ferries32h 45mTwice a week, late March to early November

Destinations in the United Kingdom

7

England84 ports Cornwall14 ports Devon9 ports Isle of Wight5 ports Lake District19 ports

Guernsey3 ports

Isle of Man1 port

Northern Ireland5 ports

Scotland141 ports Firth of Clyde19 ports Inner Hebrides29 ports Loch Lomond and the Trossachs8 ports Loch Ness2 ports Orkney21 ports Outer Hebrides11 ports Shetland19 ports

Ferry companies in the United Kingdom

Calls at Kennacraig, Port Askaig, Wemyss Bay and 50 other portsCars on some sailings

5m–7h 30m

From Calais, Dunkirk, Amsterdam (IJmuiden) and two other portsCars

1h 40m–16h 45m

From Dublin, Hook of Holland and RosslareCars

2h 15m–8h

Brittany Ferries

From Caen, Santander, St Malo and three other portsCars

1h–32h 45m

From Calais and RotterdamCars

1h 35m–11h

Shetland Islands Council Ferries

Calls at Laxo, Whalsay, Toft and 14 other portsCars

7m–5h

From Calais, Dublin and RosslareCars

1h 30m–4h 1m

Calls at Fishbourne, Portsmouth Harbour, Lymington and two other portsCars on some sailings

22m–45m

Calls at East Cowes, Southampton and West CowesCars on some sailings

28m–1h

Calls at Tingwall, Rousay, Kirkwall and 17 other portsCars on some sailings

20m–3h 35m

NorthLink Ferries

Calls at Aberdeen, Lerwick, Kirkwall and two other portsCars

1h 30m–14h 30m

Isle of Man Steam Packet Company

From DublinCars

2h 45m–5h 15m

Windermere Lake Cruises

Calls at Bowness-on-Windermere, Lakeside, Brockhole and three other portsFoot passengers only

15m–40m

Western Ferries

Calls at McInroy's Point and Hunter's QuayCars

20m

Calls at Bodinnick, Fowey and PolruanCars on some sailings

5m

Argyll and Bute Council

Calls at Cuan, Luing, Port Appin and five other portsCars on some sailings

5m–10m

Coniston Launch

Calls at Coniston, Torver, Sunny Bank and BrantwoodFoot passengers only

10m–55m

Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company

Calls at Dartmouth, Kingswear, Torquay and two other portsFoot passengers only

5m–1h 45m

Fal River Cornwall

Calls at Falmouth (Cornwall), St Mawes, Trelissick and three other portsFoot passengers only

20m–1h 35m

Bristol Ferry Boats

Calls at Castle Park, Bristol City Centre, Wapping Wharf and seven other portsFoot passengers only

35m–1h

Dartmouth Lower Ferry

Calls at Dartmouth and KingswearCars

5m

Ullswater 'Steamers'

Calls at Glenridding, Howtown and Pooley BridgeFoot passengers only

1h

Calls at Gosport, Portsmouth Harbour, Lymington and five other portsFoot passengers only

4m–3h

Cruise Loch Lomond

Calls at Balmaha, Luss, Inchcailloch and three other portsFoot passengers onlySeasonal

30m–1h 15m

Calls at Ballycastle and Rathlin IslandCarsHigh speed

30m

Cowes Floating Bridge

Calls at East Cowes and West CowesCars

3m

King Harry Ferry

Calls at Trelissick and PhilleighCars

5m

Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips

Calls at Martin's Haven, Skomer, Skokholm and GrassholmFoot passengers onlySeasonal

10m–1h 35m

Pentland Ferries

Calls at Gills Bay and St Margaret's HopeCars

1h 10m

Calls at Liverpool and SeacombeFoot passengers only

10m

Glenelg Skye Ferry

Calls at Glenelg and KylerheaCarsSeasonal

15m

Calls at Southsea and RydeFoot passengers onlyHigh speed

10m

Isle of Sark Shipping

Calls at St Peter Port and SarkFoot passengers only

35m

Calls at Keswick, Ashness Gate, Lodore and three other portsFoot passengers onlySeasonal

10m–40m

Calls at Corran and ArdgourCars

5m

Calls at Falmouth (Cornwall) and FlushingFoot passengers only

10m

Dartmouth Higher Ferry

Calls at Dartmouth and KingswearCars

3m

Western Isles Cruises

Calls at Mallaig, Inverie and Tarbet (Loch Nevis)Foot passengers only

30m–1h 30m

Isles of Scilly Travel

Calls at St Mary's and PenzanceCars

2h 45m

Highland Ferries

Calls at Cromarty, Nigg, Fort William and CamusnagaulCars on some sailings

10m

Lough Foyle Ferry

From GreencastleCarsSeasonal

15m

Alderney Ferry Services

From CherbourgFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h 30m

Caldey Island Boats

Calls at Tenby and Caldey IslandFoot passengers onlySeasonal

20m

French Brothers

Calls at Runnymede, Windsor, Maidenhead and Windsor RacecourseFoot passengers onlySeasonal

10m–1h 30m

Greenslade Pleasure Boats

Calls at Poole, Brownsea Island and WarehamFoot passengers onlySeasonal

20m–1h 10m

Kintyre Express

Calls at Campbeltown, Ballycastle and Port EllenFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

3h–3h 15m

Calls at St Mawes and Place (Roseland)Foot passengers onlySeasonal

10m

Loch Katrine Cruises

Calls at Trossachs Pier and StronachlacharFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h

Maid of the Forth

Calls at South Queensferry, Inchcolm, Inchkeith and InchmickeryFoot passengers onlySeasonal

30m–1h 30m

Cruise Loch Ness

Calls at Fort Augustus and Urquhart CastleFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

45m

Manche Iles Express

From Granville, Carteret and DiéletteFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

55m–1h 25m

Islands Unlimited

Calls at St Peter Port, Alderney and St HelierFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

1h–1h 10m

Calls at Leverburgh, St Kilda, Tarbert (Harris) and Shiant IslesFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h 30m–3h 30m

Calls at Arisaig, Eigg, Muck and RumFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h–2h 15m

Anstruther Pleasure Cruises

Calls at Anstruther and Isle of MayFoot passengers onlySeasonal

1h

Calls at Morston and Blakeney PointFoot passengers onlySeasonal

30m

The Lundy Company

Calls at Ilfracombe, Lundy and BidefordFoot passengers onlySeasonal

2h

Jura Passenger Ferry

Calls at Tayvallich and CraighouseFoot passengers onlyHigh speedSeasonal

50m

Calls at Sandwick and MousaFoot passengers onlySeasonal

15m

Hamble–Warsash Ferry

Calls at Hamble and WarsashFoot passengers only

7m

Calls at Tarbet (Sutherland) and Handa IslandFoot passengers onlySeasonal

10m

Questions

Where do ferries to the United Kingdom leave from?

From 18 ports, mostly Calais, Dublin and Dunkirk. In France: Calais, Dunkirk, Caen and seven other ports. In Ireland: Dublin, Rosslare and Greencastle. In the Netherlands: Amsterdam (IJmuiden), Hook of Holland and Rotterdam. In Spain: Santander and Bilbao.

Which ferry companies sail in the United Kingdom?

CalMac: Kennacraig, Port Askaig, Wemyss Bay and 50 other ports. DFDS: from Calais, Dunkirk, Amsterdam (IJmuiden), Dieppe and St Malo. Stena Line: from Dublin, Hook of Holland and Rosslare. Brittany Ferries: from Caen, Santander, St Malo, Cherbourg, Bilbao and Roscoff. P&O Ferries: from Calais and Rotterdam. Shetland Islands Council Ferries: Laxo, Whalsay, Toft and 14 other ports. Irish Ferries: from Calais, Dublin and Rosslare. Wightlink: Fishbourne, Portsmouth Harbour, Lymington, Yarmouth and Ryde. And 53 other companies.

Can I take my car on a ferry in the United Kingdom?

Partly. Some sailings take cars, others foot passengers only.

Do ferries in the United Kingdom run all year?

Yes. CalMac, DFDS and 35 other companies sail all year round; some lines are seasonal.