These are the main Ferry and cross country train ports in the United Kingdom.
Aberdeen
Jamieson’s Quay, Aberdeen, Scotland AB11 5NP.
NorthLink Ferries runs a nightly route from Aberdeen to Lerwick in Shetland, making a stop at Hatston in Orkney. The ferry leaves in the early evening and gets in the next morning.
Sea-Cargo offers a dedicated freight service linking Aberdeen with Norway and continental Europe, providing smooth and efficient transport for all kinds of cargo.
Belfast
Victoria Terminal 4, West Bank Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT3 9JL.
The port is home to major ferry operators like Stena Line and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, offering routes from Belfast to destinations such as Cairnryan in Scotland and the Isle of Man.
The Belfast–Isle of Man route runs seasonally with several sailings each week, while Stena Line provides regular services to Liverpool and Cairnryan.
Cairnryan
Loch Ryan Port, Belfast Way, Cairnryan, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland DG9 8RG.
The Cairnryan to Larne route is run by P&O Ferries, offering several sailings each day.
The Cairnryan to Belfast route is run by Stena Line, with up to six sailings each day.
Cork
Ringaskiddy Terminal, Ringaskiddy, County Cork, Republic of Ireland.
Brittany Ferries is the main operator from Cork Ferry Port, offering trips to Roscoff. There are usually up to two sailings each week, with the journey taking about 15 hours.
Douglas
Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 2RF.
Douglas Ferry Port is the main gateway to and from the Isle of Man, linking the island with England, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Offering up to 27 sailings each week, it serves destinations like Liverpool, Belfast, Dublin, and Heysham. Crossing times range from just under three hours to nearly four, depending on the route and season.
Dover
Dover Ferry Terminal Travel Centre, Eastern Docks, Dover, Kent CT16 1JA.
Calais is a major port city in France, providing quick access to Paris and other nearby destinations.
Dunkirk is less than an hour’s drive from Bruges in Belgium and offers convenient access to the rest of Europe.
Boulogne is a large fishing port in France, offering limited facilities but conveniently located near a tourist information office.
Dublin
Terminal 2, Alexandra Rd, Dublin Port, Dublin, D01 WD28, Ireland.
The Dublin-Holyhead Wales ferry route is among the busiest, with several daily sailings run by operators like Irish Ferries and Stena Line. The trip usually takes between 2 and 3.5 hours, depending on the type of ferry.
Folkstone
EuroTunnel UK Check-in Booth, Terminal Service Ring Rd, Folkestone, Kent CT18.
The EuroTunnel, or Channel Tunnel, is a 31.5-mile underwater passage linking Folkestone in the UK with Calais in France, providing a quick and convenient route between the two countries.
It runs between Folkestone and Calais, taking only 35 minutes to cross. There are up to 62 trips each day, with departures every half hour during busy periods.
Fishguard
Fishguard Harbour, Goodwick, Wales SA64 0BU.
Stena Line operates the port, offering two daily ferry trips to Rosslare, Ireland year-round aboard the Stena Nordica.
Guernsey
White Rock, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 2LL.
Condor Ferries and Manche Iles Express offer routes to destinations like Jersey, St. Malo, Poole, and Portsmouth, with services available for both passengers and vehicles.
Condor Ferries offers fast services that can get you from Poole in as little as 3 hours, while traditional ferries from Portsmouth might take about 10 hours.
Harwich
Parkeston, Harwich, Essex CO12 4SR.
Hook of Holland is a well-known route served by Stena Line and DFDS Seaways, providing a scenic trip to The Netherlands.
Felixstowe: The port offers connections to Felixstowe via foot ferry and water taxi services that link directly to Ha’penny Pier in Harwich.
The Netherlands – Rotterdam and Amsterdam: Ferries from Harwich to Hook of Holland offer access to these major Dutch cities, with the trip taking around 7 hours.
Heysham
Passenger Terminal, South Quay, Heysham, Lancashire LA3 2XE.
Heysham Ferry Port provides an easy link to Douglas on the Isle of Man, with ferries running every day of the week. In the summer, express services join the regular schedule, cutting travel time to as little as two hours.
Holyhead
Holyhead Ferry Port, Stena House, Station St, Holyhead, Wales LL65 1DQ.
Dublin, Ireland is the main destination, offering up to 10 daily crossings throughout the year. The ferry ride takes just over 3 hours, with ticket prices typically starting at €36.
Hull
King George Dock, Hedon Road, Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire HU9 5PR.
Amsterdam, Netherlands: Hull ferries offer connections to Amsterdam, with routes available through Rotterdam.
Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the main destination for Hull ferries, with up to seven crossings each week throughout the year. The journey takes between 11 and 11.5 hours.
Zeebrugge, Netherlands: Hull ferries run routes to Zeebrugge, offering quick and convenient access to continental Europe.
Jersey
Elizabeth Terminal, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3NW.
The ferry from Guernsey to Jersey (St Helier) is a popular inter-island route, taking about an hour to sail.
The St Malo, France to Jersey (St Helier) route offers a quick crossing of around 1 hour and 55 minutes.
The Portsmouth to Jersey (St Helier) route offers a handy connection between the island and the UK mainland.
Poole to Jersey (St Helier) is another UK mainland route, with a crossing time of around 4 hours and 30 minutes.
Kirkwall
Hatston Quay, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland KW15 1RQ
Kirkwall Ferry Port connects travelers to Aberdeen on the Scottish mainland and Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. These routes make it easy to reach both destinations, with NorthLink Ferries providing reliable and comfortable service for a smooth journey.
Lerwick
Holmsgarth Road, Shetland Islands, Scotland ZE1 0PR.
Aberdeen, Scotland: This popular route offers up to two sailings a day during the summer months.
Kirkwall, Orkney: Services run occasionally on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands is served by the Smyril Line, offering one sailing each week.
Hanstholm, Denmark is served by the Smyril Line, offering one sailing each week.
Liverpool
Dublin (Ireland):
Gladstone Branch Dock No.3, Liverpool Freeport, Bootle, Cheshire L20 1BG.
P&O Ferries operates 1 to 2 crossings daily, with each trip taking around 8 to 9 hours.
Belfast (Northern Ireland):
Stena Line, 12 Quays Terminal, Tower Road, Birkenhead, Cheshire CH41 1FE.
Stena Line operates several sailings each day, with most journeys taking around 8 hours, depending on the specific service.
Douglas (Isle of Man):
Landing Stage Terminal, Off St Nicholas Place, Princes Parade, Cheshire L3 1DL.
The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company operates around two sailings daily, each taking about 2 hours and 45 minutes, making it the quickest from Liverpool.
Newcastle
Albert Edward Dock, Royal Quays, North Shields, Durham NE29 6EE.
Newcastle to the Hook of Holland, The Netherlands DFDS ferry.
Newhaven
Ferry Port, Railway Approach, Newhaven, Sussex BN9 0DF.
The main route runs from Newhaven to Dieppe, France, offering up to three sailings a day, with the journey taking about four to five hours.
Pembroke
Pembroke Ferry, Pembroke Ferry, Pembroke Dock, Wales SA72.
The Pembroke ferry schedule for the route to Rosslare, Ireland includes:
Irish Ferries runs the service with about two sailings a day and thirteen each week. The trip takes roughly 4 hours and 1 minute. The first ferry leaves Pembroke at 02:45, while the last one departs around 16:45.
Plymouth
Plymouth Ferry Terminal, Plymouth Port, Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon PL1 3EW.
Plymouth ferry port mainly serves routes to Roscoff in France and Santander in Spain, with several sailings each week run by Brittany Ferries.
Portsmouth
Continental Ferryport, George Byng Way, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO2 8SP.
Portsmouth has plenty of ferry routes to France, Spain, and the Channel Islands (Guernsey & Jersey), with several operators running frequent sailings.
Portsmouth to Caen: A popular route with a journey time of approximately 6 hours.
Portsmouth to St Malo: Another key connection, ideal for travellers heading to Brittany.
Portsmouth to Cherbourg: Offers a convenient crossing to Normandy.
The Portsmouth to Santander route takes around 33 hours and offers a scenic journey for those heading to northern Spain.
Portsmouth to Bilbao: A longer journey, providing access to the Basque region.
Channel Islands:
Portsmouth to Jersey (St Helier): A direct route catering to both passengers and freight.
Portsmouth to Guernsey: Another vital connection to the Channel Islands.
Poole
New Harbour Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 4AJ.
Poole’s ferry routes link to a variety of destinations, such as:
Channel Islands, Guernsey and Jersey. France, Cherbourg and St Malo.
Ferries from Poole run about four times a day, adding up to around 14 trips each week. For booking details and schedules, check out ferry service sites like Brittany Ferries or Openferry.
Rosslare
Rosslare Europort, Ballygillane Big, Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford, Ireland Y35 PH4X.
Rosslare Ferry Port has several routes linking Ireland with Wales, France, and Spain with multiple operators run daily sailings.
The Rosslare to Pembroke route, run by Irish Ferries, offers about two sailings daily, with the trip taking roughly four hours. It links Ireland to South Wales, making it a favourite option for those traveling to the UK.
The Rosslare to Fishguard route, run by Stena Line, offers the quickest link between South Wales and Ireland, with around four sailings each day and a crossing time of about 3 hours and 30 minutes.
The Rosslare to Cherbourg route links Ireland with France, offering convenient access to the French mainland. Since frequency and travel time can vary, it’s best to check the current schedule in advance.
The Rosslare to Bilbao route links Ireland with Spain, offering a longer trip that usually takes about 28 hours. It’s an important connection for travellers heading to the Iberian Peninsula.
The Rosslare to Santander route, much like the Bilbao service, offers a direct connection to Spain and is a key option for travellers bound for the north of the country.
Scrabster
Queen Elizabeth Pier, Scrabster, Caithnes, Scotland KW14 7UT.
The Scrabster–Stromness ferry links Scotland to the Orkney Islands, with NorthLink Ferries running the service. The trip takes about 90 minutes, sailing from Scrabster, near Thurso on Scotland’s north coast, to the charming town of Stromness in Orkney.
Stromness
Stromness Ferry Terminal Ferry Road, Stromness, Scotland.
The Scrabster–Stromness ferry links Scotland to the Orkney Islands, with NorthLink Ferries running the service. The trip takes about 90 minutes, sailing from Scrabster, near Thurso on Scotland’s north coast, to the charming town of Stromness in Orkney.
Troon
Troon Ferry Port 100 Port Ranald Dr, Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland.
Troon has several ferry routes:
The Brodick to Troon route, run by Caledonian MacBrayne, operates around three times a day and takes roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The Belfast to Troon route, operated by SeaCat, takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The Larne to Troon route, run by P&O Irish Sea Ferries, operates from March to October and takes around 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Tarbert to Claonaig: A walk-on, first-come service available at the island’s north end.
An alternative route to Tarbert/Clonaig requires reservations and runs from October to March.
Weymouth
Custom House Quay, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 8DX.
Weymouth runs ferry routes mainly to the Channel Islands and France, operated by Condor Ferries, with trips to Jersey and Guernsey.
Daily crossings from Weymouth to Jersey (St Helier) take about 3 hours and 25 minutes.
The ferry from Weymouth to Guernsey (St Peter Port) takes around 2 hours and 10 minutes.
The ferry from Weymouth to St Malo, France, runs all year and takes about 5 hours and 15 minutes.
Direct Ferries is a great website to check for ferry crossing times and destinations.
Please check the ferry/train times before setting off. Page correct when written in December 2025.