Dover to Dunkirk as a foot passenger: not possible, and what to do instead
DFDS carries vehicles only on the Dover to Dunkirk route. Without a car, motorbike or bicycle you cannot board, even with a ticket. If you want to reach France without your own transport, you have three options: P&O from Dover to Calais, the coach, or the Eurostar.
Why no foot passengers?
The Dunkirk terminal at Loon-Plage sits in the industrial port area, 15 km from Dunkirk station and the town centre, with no bus link and no walking route to the quay. DFDS has therefore set the route up as a pure drive-on service: check-in from the car, waiting in the car, driving aboard. The same applies on the way back from Dunkirk to Dover.
Option 1: P&O from Dover to Calais
From Dover, P&O Ferries carries foot passengers to Calais. The crossing takes an hour and a half. In Dover, the foot passenger terminal is at Eastern Docks; a shuttle bus takes you from the terminal to the ship. Dover Priory station is a twenty-minute walk or a short taxi ride from the port. In Calais a shuttle bus runs between the ferry terminal and Calais Ville station.
- Get to DoverSoutheastern trains from London St Pancras reach Dover Priory in just over an hour. Walk or take a taxi to Eastern Docks.
- Check in at the foot passenger terminalBe there at least 90 minutes before departure: foot passengers check in earlier than cars, and pass French passport control in Dover.
- Crossing and arrivalAn hour and a half at sea. In Calais, the shuttle bus takes you to the terminal and on to Calais Ville station for trains to Lille and Paris.
Current times, fares and the shuttle buses are on our sister site: Dover to Calais foot passengers.
Option 2: the coach
FlixBus and BlaBlaCar Bus run from London Victoria to Paris, Lille, Brussels and Amsterdam. The coach crosses via Calais on the ferry or through the tunnel; you stay on board and have nothing to arrange at the port. Allow 8 to 12 hours and a fare that is often below a train ticket.
Option 3: the Eurostar
The fastest way without a car: Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille in 1 hour 30, Paris in 2 hours 20, Brussels in 2 hours and Amsterdam in 4 hours. Dearer than the coach, but no changes and no port. Book early; fares climb as the date approaches.
The options side by side
| Ferry Dover to Calais (P&O) | Coach | Eurostar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| London to Paris | 6 to 7 hours, with changes | 8 to 10 hours | 2 hours 20 |
| Changes | Train, taxi, shuttle, ship, shuttle, train | None | None |
| Luggage | What you can carry | Suitcase in the hold | Two cases plus hand luggage |
| Bicycle | Yes, as a vehicle | Usually not | Limited, book ahead |
Questions about foot passengers
Can I travel Dover to Dunkirk as a foot passenger?
No. DFDS carries vehicles and their occupants only on this route. There is no exception, not even with a reservation.
Can I take a bicycle?
Yes. A bicycle counts as a vehicle; you check in at the booths and ride aboard with the cars. Book the bicycle in advance as your vehicle type.
Can someone drop me at the port and I continue on foot?
No, for the same reason: you cannot board without a vehicle. From Dover to Calais you can, with P&O.
Does DFDS take foot passengers to Calais?
No, DFDS Dover to Calais is vehicles only as well. On Calais, P&O Ferries is the operator for foot passengers.