DFDS sails to France from two English ports, with Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk and Newhaven to Dieppe, plus Jersey to St Malo from the Channel Islands. From Dover alone it has up to 54 sailings a day, and car fares started at £73 one way in October 2026.
DFDS is a Danish company, founded in Copenhagen in 1866. This guide compares its four routes to France and covers check-in, fares, what’s on board, pets, foot passengers and the ships, so you can work out which DFDS crossing suits your trip.
DFDS routes to France compared
| Route | Crossing | Sailings | Car fare from | On foot | Check-in closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dover to Calais | About 1h40 | Up to 30 a day | £99, car and up to 5 | No | 1 hour before |
| Dover to Dunkirk | 2h | About 10 a day, every 2 hours | £99, car and up to 5 | No | 1 hour before |
| Newhaven to Dieppe | About 4h | Usually 1 or 2 a day | £73, car and 4 | Yes, from £31 | 45 minutes before |
| Jersey to St Malo | 1h55 | Up to 1 a day | £145, car and 2 | Yes, from £40 | 1 hour before |
Fares are the lowest we found in October 2026. They change with the date, time and how busy the sailing is, so check live prices and times for your trip.
Which DFDS route should you take?
- Quickest crossing, most sailings: Dover to Calais.
- For Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Lille: Dover to Dunkirk lands you 10 to 15 minutes closer by road.
- For Paris, Rouen and Normandy, or from Sussex and the south: Newhaven to Dieppe. Dieppe is the closest Channel ferry port to Paris by road.
- On foot, by train or with a pet in a cabin: Newhaven to Dieppe, with Newhaven Town station a 3-minute walk from the terminal.
- From Jersey to Brittany: Jersey to St Malo.
DFDS Dover to Calais
DFDS says the crossing takes 100 minutes, with up to 30 sailing times a day. Its first sailing is at 00:10 and its last at 21:10. Car fares started at £99 one way for a car and up to 5 people in October 2026. It’s vehicles only: DFDS doesn’t take foot passengers from Dover.
The ships on the route are the Côte d’Opale, the longest ferry on the Channel at 214 m, and the sisters Côte des Dunes and Côte des Flandres, which carry 1,500 passengers each. DFDS lists its Dover Seaways, Delft Seaways and Dunkerque Seaways on both its Dover routes.
See our Dover to Calais guide for times, P&O and Irish Ferries compared, and both ports.
Check DFDS Dover to Calais fares
DFDS Dover to Dunkirk
DFDS is the only company sailing Dover to Dunkirk. It runs like a shuttle, with a sailing about every 2 hours, day and night, about 10 a day each way, and the crossing takes 2 hours. Fares started at £99 one way for a car and up to 5 people. It’s vehicles only.
The Dover Seaways, Delft Seaways and Dunkerque Seaways sail the route. DFDS’s Dunkirk terminal is at Loon-Plage, west of the city and a short drive from Belgium. See our Dover to Dunkirk guide and Dunkirk port guide.
On both Dover routes, DFDS lets you travel up to 4 hours either side of your booked sailing, subject to space, which takes the stress out of traffic on the M20.
Check DFDS Dover to Dunkirk fares
DFDS Newhaven to Dieppe
The crossing takes about 4 hours, and up to 5 hours on some overnight sailings, with usually 1 or 2 sailings a day, often at 11:00 and 23:00 from Newhaven. Car fares started at £73 one way for a car and 4 people, and foot passengers from £31.
- Everyone gets a reclining lounge seat, and you can book a cabin, including pet-friendly cabins, for an extra charge.
- It’s the only DFDS route to France that takes foot passengers from England, and Newhaven Town station is a 3-minute walk from the terminal.
- DFDS offers 20% off for passengers with a disability, students aged 18 to 27, young people aged 18 to 25 and people over 60.
- The ships are the Seven Sisters and Côte d’Albâtre.
See our Newhaven to Dieppe guide, and the Newhaven and Dieppe port guides.
Check DFDS Newhaven to Dieppe fares
DFDS Jersey to St Malo
From the Channel Islands, DFDS sails Jersey to St Malo in 1 hour 55 minutes on the fast ferry Tarifa Jet. There’s up to one sailing a day, and the sailing days change from week to week, with fewer sailings in winter and some cancelled in bad weather. In October 2026 fares started at £145 one way for a car and 2 people, and £40 on foot. Check-in closes 1 hour before departure. Pets are welcome, but to take a pet into St Malo you must travel with a vehicle.
DFDS check-in times
| Route | Check-in closes |
|---|---|
| Dover to Calais and Dover to Dunkirk | 1 hour before departure |
| Newhaven to Dieppe | 45 minutes before departure |
| Jersey to St Malo | 1 hour before departure |
These are the latest times, not when to arrive. At Dover, DFDS advises allowing 120 minutes before check-in closes, for border and security checks, which take longer at busy times. The French passport checks happen at Dover before you board, so you drive straight off in France.
On board DFDS from Dover
Food and drink
- 7 Seas Restaurant (open 24/7): hot and cold dishes at affordable prices, with sea views.
- Lighthouse Café (open 24/7): wraps, snacks, coffee and cake.
- Horizon Restaurant: pizza, pasta, lasagne and salads, on afternoon and evening sailings from April to August and in UK school holidays.
- DFDS also lists Harry Ramsden’s fish and chips, curries, vegetarian dishes and cooked breakfasts.
Premium Lounge and Priority Boarding
On selected crossings you can upgrade to the Premium Lounge, a quieter space with complimentary drinks and snacks. Priority Boarding gets you among the first on and off the ship.
Shopping
DFDS says its duty-free shop saves up to 50% on UK high street prices, on perfume, cosmetics, sweets, electronics, wine and spirits. You can pre-order with Reserve & Collect, there’s an ATM on board, and DFDS also runs a duty-free shop at the port in Calais for bigger buys to take home.
Children and Wi-Fi
- The Pirates’ Island play area.
- Jack’s Treasure Hunt, an app game around the ship with the ship’s mascot.
- Free Wi-Fi, which DFDS says uses long-range directional Wi-Fi to stay fast at sea.
Pets on DFDS
| Route | Where your pet travels | Cost each way |
|---|---|---|
| Dover to Calais or Dunkirk | In your vehicle only | £15 per pet |
| Newhaven to Dieppe | In your vehicle, in one of 3 kennels, or with you in a pet-friendly cabin | £20 per pet in a vehicle; £30 per dog in a kennel; £20 per pet in a cabin, plus the cabin |
| Jersey to St Malo | Welcome on board; you need a vehicle to take a pet into St Malo | Check when booking |
- DFDS only carries pets that are at least 16 weeks old, and only assistance dogs are allowed in public areas.
- You can’t stay in your vehicle during the crossing, but you can ask at the Guest Service Centre to visit your pet.
- Leave fresh water, food, absorbent bedding and good ventilation, and lock the car with the alarm switched off. Cats and other small pets should be in a secure carrier.
- Your dog needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and an animal health certificate issued no more than 10 days before entering France. Coming back, it needs tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 hours and 5 days before arriving in Great Britain.
If you want your dog with you from Dover, P&O has a Pet Lounge and Irish Ferries a Pet Den. See our P&O Ferries guide.
Foot passengers with DFDS
DFDS takes foot passengers on Newhaven to Dieppe and Jersey to St Malo, but not from Dover. At Newhaven you check in inside the terminal, go through security and take a shuttle bus to the ship. Large luggage goes in the baggage storage on board, cyclists are welcome, and you can even bring a pet. Newhaven Town station is a 3-minute walk away. From Dover, the only ferry for foot passengers is P&O Ferries.
DFDS ships
| Ship | Route | Passengers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d’Opale | Dover to Calais | 1,000 | 214 m |
| Côte des Dunes | Dover to Calais | 1,500 | 186 m |
| Côte des Flandres | Dover to Calais | 1,500 | 186 m |
| Dover Seaways | Dover to Dunkirk and Calais | 1,000 | 186 m |
| Delft Seaways | Dover to Dunkirk and Calais | 1,000 | 186 m |
| Dunkerque Seaways | Dover to Dunkirk and Calais | 1,000 | 186 m |
| Seven Sisters | Newhaven to Dieppe | See the fleet guide | |
| Côte d’Albâtre | Newhaven to Dieppe | See the fleet guide | |
| Tarifa Jet | Jersey to St Malo | Fast ferry | |
See our DFDS fleet guide for every ship’s facilities, specifications and live positions.
DFDS vs P&O and Irish Ferries from Dover
| DFDS | P&O Ferries | Irish Ferries | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossing | 1h40 | About 1h35 | About 1h30 |
| Car fare from | £99, up to 5 people | £48 offer (Standard normally £110), up to 9 people | £100, up to 5 people |
| Also sails to | Dunkirk | Calais only | Calais only |
| Foot passengers | No | Yes | No |
| Dog with you | No, in your vehicle | Pet Lounge | Pet Den |
| Check-in closes | 60 min | 90 min | 60 min |
| Flexibility on the day | Up to 4 hours either side of your sailing, subject to space | Up to 4 hours either side on Standard and Flexi tickets; any sailing on Fully Flexi | Check your ticket |
Choose DFDS if you want the option of Dunkirk or a later check-in than P&O. For foot passengers or a dog beside you, look at P&O; for the Pet Den, Irish Ferries. See Dover to Calais compared.
About DFDS
DFDS was founded in 1866 and is based in Copenhagen, where it’s listed on the stock exchange. It has around 15,000 full-time employees in more than 20 countries. It carries 5.25 million passengers a year, though most of its business is freight: trailers on its ferries, plus road and rail transport.
Besides its routes to France, DFDS runs ferry routes around Europe, including Dunkirk to Rosslare in Ireland, and links Europe with Türkiye and North Africa. Its Dover terminal handles both freight and passengers.
Other ferry companies to France: Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth and Plymouth, and P&O Ferries from Dover. See every ferry company to France.
DFDS FAQs
Where do DFDS ferries go in France?
DFDS sails Dover to Calais (about 1 hour 40 minutes), Dover to Dunkirk (2 hours), Newhaven to Dieppe (about 4 hours) and Jersey to St Malo (1 hour 55 minutes).
How many DFDS ferries a day go from Dover?
Up to 54 a day between its Calais and Dunkirk routes: DFDS says up to 30 sailing times a day to Calais, and Dunkirk has about 10 a day each way, every 2 hours.
Can you be a foot passenger with DFDS?
Yes on Newhaven to Dieppe (from £31 one way in October 2026) and Jersey to St Malo (from £40). DFDS doesn't carry foot passengers from Dover to Calais or Dunkirk.
What time does DFDS check-in close?
1 hour before departure at Dover, for Calais and Dunkirk, and on Jersey to St Malo; 45 minutes before on Newhaven to Dieppe. DFDS suggests allowing 120 minutes at Dover before check-in closes, for border and security checks.
Can I take my dog on DFDS?
Yes. From Dover, pets stay in your vehicle, at £15 per pet each way. Newhaven to Dieppe has the most options: in your vehicle (£20), one of 3 kennels (£30) or a pet-friendly cabin (£20 plus the cabin), and it's the only DFDS route to France where foot passengers can bring a pet. DFDS only carries pets at least 16 weeks old.
Can I change my DFDS sailing on the day?
On the Dover routes DFDS lets you travel up to 4 hours either side of your booked sailing, subject to space, which helps if you're held up on the way to the port.
What is the DFDS Premium Lounge?
A quieter lounge on selected Dover crossings, with complimentary drinks and snacks. You can also add Priority Boarding to be among the first on and off the ship.
Who owns DFDS?
DFDS is a Danish company founded in 1866, based in Copenhagen and listed on the Copenhagen stock exchange. It runs passenger and freight ferries and logistics in more than 20 countries.
Is DFDS or P&O better from Dover to Calais?
It depends on what you need. DFDS sails to Dunkirk as well as Calais and its check-in closes later (60 minutes against 90); P&O takes foot passengers, has a Pet Lounge and lets up to 9 people travel on a car fare. Compare both for your date.