Arriving in Dover harbour, with the White Cliffs behind the breakwater
Dover to Dunkirk Ferry
DFDS sails up to 11 times a day each way. The crossing takes 2 hours and a car with up to five people costs from £99 one way. You need a vehicle: this route does not carry foot passengers.
You book with our partner DirectFerries.
Sailings today
Live · updated 22:37France +1 h
Dover → Dunkirk
No more sailings today.
Dunkirk → Dover
| Dep | Arr | Check-in by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23:59 | 00:59 | 22:59 | Boarding |
Where the ferry to France leaves and arrives
From Dover Eastern Docks to the Loon-Plage terminal, 15 km west of Dunkirk town. The Calais route is shown for comparison.
The Dover to Dunkirk crossing, step by step
What the journey looks like from the A20 in Dover to the A16 in France, photographed on a crossing with the Delft Seaways.
Dunkirk or Calais?
Calais is closer to Dover and has far more sailings. Dunkirk has one operator and lies 40 km further east, which saves about half an hour of driving if you are heading to Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany. You cannot travel on this route without a vehicle; P&O carries foot passengers from Dover to Calais. The third option is the tunnel from Folkestone: 35 minutes, and you stay in the car. See all routes side by side, the Calais ferries on calais-dover.com and the tunnel on chunnel.co.uk.
The full comparison, with prices by season| Dover to Dunkirk | Dover to Calais | |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing | 2 hours | 1 hour 30 |
| Sailings a day | up to 11, DFDS | up to 30, three operators |
| Driving on to Brussels | about 1 hour 45 | about 2 hours 15 |
| Foot passengers | no | yes |
| Operators at the port | one (DFDS) | three |
The two ports
For each port the address, the approach and what to expect at check-in.
Dover, Eastern Docks
CT16 1JA · A2 or A20, follow “Port”Check-in booths under the cliffs, then French passport control and the waiting lanes. Allow 90 to 120 minutes in the school holidays.
Dover port
Dunkirk, Loon-Plage
Port 5625, 59279 Loon-Plage · A16 junction 53One operator and short queues. Terminal building with toilets, a duty free shop and a dog exercise area next to the terminal building.
Dunkirk portDriving on from Dunkirk
Toll-free on the A16 and the Belgian motorways. Driving times without traffic, from the Loon-Plage terminal.
Questions before this crossing
How long is the ferry from Dover to Dunkirk?
2 hours. Times on the ticket are local: France is 1 hour ahead of the UK, so a 10:00 departure from Dover arrives at 13:00 French time, and a 10:00 departure from Dunkirk arrives at 11:00 UK time.
Can I travel as a foot passenger?
No. DFDS carries vehicles and their passengers only on this route. Without a car, take Dover to Calais with P&O, which does carry foot passengers.
How early do I need to be at the port?
Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure. In Dover, allow 60 to 90 minutes outside the holidays and 90 to 120 minutes in the school holidays, because French passport control is at Dover. In Dunkirk, allow 75 to 90 minutes outside the holidays, and 90 to 120 minutes in the school holidays and on Fridays and Saturdays. The full walk-through is on check-in step by step.
Can I take my dog?
Yes, with an animal health certificate from your vet, issued within 10 days of travel, and a microchip and rabies vaccination. Pets stay in the vehicle during the crossing (see the pet rules), so walk your dog before check-in; both terminals have an exercise area next to the terminal building.