You don’t need a car to take the ferry to France. Foot passengers can sail from Dover, Newhaven, Portsmouth and Plymouth, and from Jersey and Guernsey, with fares from £30 one way. But not every route takes foot passengers, and getting to and from the ports by train varies a lot. Here’s which ferries you can walk on, what they cost, and how to get there.
Which ferries to France take foot passengers?
| Route | Ferry company | Crossing | Foot fare from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover to Calais | P&O Ferries only | About 1h35 | £30 |
| Newhaven to Dieppe | DFDS | About 4h | £31 |
| Portsmouth to Caen | Brittany Ferries | 5h45 to 7h | £34 |
| Portsmouth to Cherbourg | Brittany Ferries | Around 7h45 overnight | £34 |
| Portsmouth to St Malo | Brittany Ferries | About 11h30 overnight | £34 |
| Plymouth to Roscoff | Brittany Ferries | Around 5h15 by day | £44 |
| Jersey to St Malo | DFDS | 1h55 | £40 (day trips from £32 return) |
| Guernsey to St Malo | Brittany Ferries | About 2h | £40 |
No foot passengers: DFDS’s Dover to Calais and Dover to Dunkirk, Irish Ferries’ Dover to Calais, and LeShuttle. Without a car, Eurostar’s passenger trains are the other way across from London. Fares change with the date, so check live prices.
Dover to Calais on foot
P&O Ferries is the only company that takes foot passengers from Dover, and it’s the cheapest and quickest foot crossing to France.
- Check in at the Passenger Handling Building in Dover port. Check-in closes 90 minutes before your sailing, and a bus takes foot passengers to the ship as soon as it closes. French border checks happen in Dover before you board.
- In Calais, foot passengers leave the ship 30 minutes after it arrives.
- Into town: the free Balad’in shuttle bus runs from the ferry terminal to Calais town centre, Monday to Saturday (not on bank holidays), from 07:40 to 19:06.
- Trains: Calais Ville station is in the town centre, less than 10 minutes from the terminal by car or taxi.
- Coming home: check in at the P&O desk in the Calais terminal lobby at least 90 minutes before the sailing.
- You can’t take a pet, and P&O warns that boarding may not suit larger wheelchairs.
See our Dover and Calais port guides.
Newhaven to Dieppe on foot
The easiest port in England to reach by train: Newhaven Town station is a 3-minute walk from the terminal.
- Check in inside the terminal, go through security, then take a shuttle bus to the ship.
- Luggage bigger than 56 x 45 x 25 cm goes in the baggage storage on board.
- Cabins and reclining seats are available to foot passengers, useful on the overnight sailing.
- In Dieppe, the station is about 2 km (28 minutes’ walk) from the terminal, and the town centre is 20 to 30 minutes’ walk.
- It’s the only route to France where foot passengers can bring a dog, in a kennel or pet-friendly cabin. See our guide to taking a dog to France.
See our Newhaven and Dieppe port guides.
From Portsmouth on foot
Brittany Ferries takes foot passengers on all three of its Portsmouth routes to France. Trains from London Waterloo take about 85 minutes, and Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour stations are both close to the port; a taxi costs around £5. National Express coaches run to the terminal from London Victoria and Heathrow.
- To St Malo: the best arrival on foot. A shuttle bus takes you from the ship to the terminal, which is about 10 minutes’ walk from the walled town and 25 minutes from the station. Bus line 8 runs to the centre and station for around €2.
- To Caen (Ouistreham): the Twisto bus to Caen stops about 500 yards from the terminal, for €1.60, but doesn’t run for evening ferries. A taxi to Caen station costs about €38 by day and €53 in the evening. Caen station has trains to Paris Saint-Lazare.
- To Cherbourg: foot passengers leave through the car deck, from about 30 minutes after arrival. A shuttle bus to the station costs €1.50, leaving the terminal an hour after the ship arrives, and trains run to Caen, Rouen, Rennes and Paris. A taxi into town is about €8 to €10.
- Coming back into Portsmouth: while renovation work goes on, foot passengers leave through the car deck, which may only start 30 minutes after arrival, so leave time for your train.
Brittany Ferries also sells day trips to France from Portsmouth to Caen. See our Portsmouth port guide.
Plymouth to Roscoff on foot
- Getting there: Plymouth station is about a 30 to 35 minute walk from the ferry port, or 5 to 10 minutes by taxi.
- In Roscoff: the terminal is at Bloscon harbour, about a 15-minute walk from the town centre.
- Trains: the Ligne 29 bus links Roscoff with Morlaix in about 35 minutes, and from Morlaix TGVs run to Paris, and regional trains to Rennes and Brest.
- Cycling: Roscoff is the start of La Vélomaritime (EuroVelo 4) along the Channel coast.
- The route is seasonal: in 2027 it runs from 22 March to 7 November.
From the Channel Islands on foot
- Jersey to St Malo with DFDS: from £40 one way, or a day trip from £32 return (Friday to Sunday). St Malo’s town centre is about 10 minutes’ walk from the terminal.
- Guernsey to St Malo with Brittany Ferries: from £40 one way, about 2 hours on the Voyager.
- Guernsey to Cherbourg takes foot passengers too, from 4 November 2026.
From England, you can also sail from Poole to St Malo via Guernsey on the Voyager, about 6 hours in all.
Tips for foot passengers
- Bring your passport, and allow time for the EES border checks. See our travel rules for France.
- Check the last bus: several French ports have limited buses in the evening, so plan a taxi for late arrivals.
- Carry your own luggage: on most routes you take it on board with you, so pack light.
- Bikes: book your bike with your ticket. With P&O at Dover, cyclists check in by 90 minutes before departure, like foot passengers.
- Overnight sailings: book a cabin or reserved seat on the longer crossings to Caen, Cherbourg, St Malo and Dieppe.
Book your foot passenger ferry
Foot Passenger Ferries to France FAQs
Can you go to France on the ferry as a foot passenger?
Yes. P&O Ferries takes foot passengers from Dover to Calais, DFDS from Newhaven to Dieppe, and Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Caen, Cherbourg and St Malo and from Plymouth to Roscoff. From the Channel Islands, foot passengers can sail to St Malo from Jersey and Guernsey.
What is the cheapest foot passenger ferry to France?
In October 2026 the lowest one-way foot fares we found were £30 on P&O's Dover to Calais, £31 on Newhaven to Dieppe and £34 on Brittany Ferries' Portsmouth routes.
Can you walk on the ferry at Dover?
Yes, with P&O Ferries to Calais. Check in at the Passenger Handling Building in Dover port; check-in closes 90 minutes before the sailing, and a bus then takes foot passengers to the ship. DFDS and Irish Ferries don't take foot passengers.
Can foot passengers use the Channel Tunnel?
Not on LeShuttle, which only carries vehicles. Without a car, Eurostar runs passenger trains from London St Pancras to France.
Which ferry port is easiest to reach by train?
Newhaven: Newhaven Town station is a 3-minute walk from the ferry terminal. At the French end, St Malo's ferry terminal is about 10 minutes' walk from the walled town.
Can I take my dog as a foot passenger?
Only on DFDS's Newhaven to Dieppe, using a kennel or a pet-friendly cabin. P&O doesn't let foot passengers take pets.
Can I take a bike on the ferry to France?
Yes, on the routes that take foot passengers. With P&O at Dover, check-in for cyclists closes 90 minutes before departure, the same as for foot passengers. Book your bike when you book your ticket.