Dover to Dunkirk sailing updates: delays and cancellations today
The board below shows today’s sailings from the timetable. A sailing that is cancelled or retimed is announced by DFDS on its own updates page and by email to everyone booked. This page brings those sources together, with what to expect in a storm, a strike or a breakdown.
Today’s sailings
Sailings today
Live · updated 09:55France +1 h
Dover → Dunkirk
| Dep | Arr | Check-in by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | 13:00 | 09:00 | Boarding |
| 12:00 | 15:00 | 11:00 | Next |
| 14:00 | 17:00 | 13:00 | |
| 16:00 | 19:00 | 15:00 | |
| 18:00 | 21:00 | 17:00 | |
| 20:00 | 23:00 | 19:00 | |
| 22:00 | 01:00 | 21:00 |
Dunkirk → Dover
| Dep | Arr | Check-in by | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 | 13:00 | 11:00 | Next |
| 14:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 | |
| 16:00 | 17:00 | 15:00 | |
| 18:00 | 19:00 | 17:00 | |
| 20:00 | 21:00 | 19:00 | |
| 23:59 | 00:59 | 22:59 |
The board follows the timetable and changes when DFDS drops or adds a sailing. A half-hour delay on the day is not always shown; check the sources below for that.
Official sources for delays
| Source | What you find there |
|---|---|
| DFDS travel updates | Changes per route, usually updated within the hour |
| DFDS Live Updates on X | Short notices on delays, weather and port congestion |
| Port of Dover | Congestion and traffic measures on the Kent side, such as Operation Brock and TAP on the A20 |
| National Highways | The A2, M2, M20 and A20 to Dover |
What delays or cancels a sailing
| Cause | How often | What DFDS does | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm, usually a south-westerly of force 9 or more | A few times each winter | Holds sailings back or combines them; rarely cancels a whole day | Turn up on time; your ticket is valid for the next sailing with space |
| Fog in the Strait of Dover | Mostly autumn and winter | Slower in and out of the harbours, delays of 15 to 60 minutes | Nothing; the sailing goes ahead |
| Technical problem with a ship | Rare | Runs with fewer ships; some sailings drop out | Check the updates page, come for the next sailing |
| Queues at French passport control in Dover | School holidays, Fridays and Saturdays | Long lanes before the booths; the ship usually does not wait | Arrive 90 to 120 minutes before departure |
| Strikes in France or the UK | A few days a year, mostly announced in advance | Revised timetable or diversion via Calais | Follow DFDS in the days before you travel |
| Operation Brock on the M20 | Peak holiday weekends | Lorries held on the M20; cars use the contraflow | Allow extra time on the A20 and A2 |
Your rights when a sailing is delayed or cancelled
Ferries between the UK and the EU fall under Regulation 1177/2010, kept in UK law after Brexit. If your sailing is cancelled or delayed by more than 90 minutes you can choose between a refund and re-routing, and for long delays you are entitled to compensation of 25 to 50 percent of the fare, plus meals where the wait justifies it. In severe weather the compensation lapses, not the re-routing. Keep your ticket and the DFDS notices if you want to claim.
How to limit the damage
- Book Flexi if your plans are tightYou can then move to another sailing or day free of charge, including Calais.
- Sail in the daytimeIf a sailing is held back, you still have options the same day; in the evening you do not.
- Check the weather in the morningThe weather page shows wind and wave height by the hour; above force 8 things get uncertain.
- Take food and drinkEastern Docks has a small terminal and the Dunkirk terminal only a kiosk with sandwiches and coffee. A long wait is easier with something in the car, especially with children.
Questions about sailing updates
Is the ferry sailing today?
If the board at the top shows sailings, they are in today’s timetable. For delays as they happen, look at the DFDS updates page.
I have an email saying my sailing is cancelled. What now?
Your booking automatically moves to the next sailing with space. If you want a different sailing or a refund, arrange that with DirectFerries or DFDS using your booking reference.
Can I sail via Calais if Dunkirk is cancelled?
Often yes: during a long disruption DFDS rebooks you onto Dover to Calais, its other route from the same port. Ask at the booth.