Irish Ferries is the newest of the three companies on Dover to Calais. It started in June 2021 and now runs up to 20 sailings a day, with the quickest crossing of the three at about 1 hour 30 minutes. Its Pet Den lets you stay with your dog, and its Club Class lounge serves French cheese and wine.
Irish Ferries is best known for its sailings between Ireland, Britain and France, and is part of the Dublin-based Irish Continental Group. On Dover to Calais it carries cars, vans, motorhomes, motorcycles and coaches, but not foot passengers.
Irish Ferries at a glance
| Route | Dover to Calais, since June 2021 |
|---|---|
| Crossing time | About 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Sailings | Up to 20 a day; up to 10 from Dover on the day we checked |
| Car fare from | £100 one way for a car and up to 5 people |
| Foot passengers | No, vehicles only |
| Pets | In your vehicle, or with you in the Pet Den |
| Check-in closes | 60 minutes before; 90 with a pet; 2 hours for coaches |
| Lounge | Club Class, £29 per person each way |
| Ships | Isle of Inishmore, Oscar Wilde |
Irish Ferries Dover to Calais sailing times
Irish Ferries’ departures from Dover are spaced roughly every 2 hours 20 minutes, round the clock. In early October 2026 they were:
00:20, 03:00, 05:20, 07:50, 10:15, 12:35, 14:55, 17:20, 19:40 and 22:00 (UK time). The 03:00 wasn’t sailing on the day we checked.
France is an hour ahead, so the 10:15 from Dover arrives in Calais at about 12:45 French time. Irish Ferries’ times sit between P&O’s, so between the two companies there’s a ferry about every hour. Times change, so check live times for your date.
Check Irish Ferries times and fares
Irish Ferries check-in times
| Travelling with | Check-in closes |
|---|---|
| A car, van, motorhome or motorcycle | 60 minutes before departure |
| A pet | 90 minutes before departure |
| A coach | 2 hours before departure |
At Dover, French passport checks happen before you board, so you drive straight off in Calais. Coming back, Irish Ferries points out that border control in Calais comes after check-in, so allow time for both. Irish Ferries mentions short- and long-stay parking near its check-in area at Dover; see our Dover port guide for directions.
Irish Ferries Club Class lounge
Club Class costs £29 (€33.50) per person each way on both Dover to Calais ships, and includes:
- a lounge with sea views;
- complimentary soft drinks and snacks;
- fresh baguettes, French cheeses and wine;
- 10% off in the shop;
- free Wi-Fi.
It’s the same price as P&O’s Club Lounge. The French cheese and wine make it a good way to start or end a trip to France.
Food, shopping and children on board
What’s on board depends on the ship:
| Isle of Inishmore | Oscar Wilde | |
|---|---|---|
| Places to eat | Boylan’s Brasserie, Café Lafayette, Druids Delights | Food Market, Café Lafayette |
| Bar | O’Flaherty’s | O’Flaherty’s (seasonal) |
| Children | Children’s play area, Cyber Zone | Adventure Island soft play |
| Shop | Duty-free prices, with Click & Collect | |
| Club Class | Yes, £29 per person each way | |
| Pet Den | Yes | |
| Wi-Fi | Free | |
Both ships also have a lounge and restaurant for lorry drivers. On the Isle of Inishmore, the outer decks 9 and 11 have panoramic sea views.
Pets and the Irish Ferries Pet Den
Irish Ferries gives you two options with a pet:
- In your vehicle for the crossing.
- The Pet Den: pre-book this indoor area, with an outdoor walkway, to stay with your pet during the crossing. Pets must be on a lead and supervised, and restricted breeds muzzled.
- If you’re travelling by motorcycle, your pet must use the Pet Den or a kennel.
- Up to 5 pets per booking.
- Check in at least 90 minutes before departure with a pet.
- 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 home, it needs tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 hours and 5 days before arriving in Great Britain.
P&O’s Pet Lounge is the other way to keep your dog with you on Dover to Calais; with DFDS, pets stay in your vehicle.
Irish Ferries ships on Dover to Calais
- Isle of Inishmore: on Dover to Calais since the route launched in June 2021, after many years on Irish Sea routes.
- Oscar Wilde: the former P&O Spirit of Britain, renamed when Irish Ferries brought her onto Dover to Calais in June 2024. She’s 213 m long and carries up to 2,000 passengers.
See our Isle of Inishmore and Oscar Wilde guide for facilities, specifications and live positions.
Irish Ferries vs P&O and DFDS
| Irish Ferries | P&O Ferries | DFDS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossing | About 1h30 | About 1h35 | 1h40 |
| Car fare from | £100, up to 5 people | £48 offer (Standard normally £110), up to 9 people | £99, up to 5 people |
| Foot passengers | No | Yes | No |
| Dog with you | Pet Den | Pet Lounge | No, in your vehicle |
| Lounge | Club Class, £29 | Club Lounge, £29 | Premium Lounge |
| Check-in closes | 60 min | 90 min | 60 min |
Choose Irish Ferries for the shortest crossing, a later check-in than P&O, or to keep your dog with you in the Pet Den. On fares, compare all three for your date: each can be cheapest on a different sailing. See Dover to Calais compared, or our P&O Ferries and DFDS guides.
About Irish Ferries
Irish Ferries is a division of Irish Continental Group plc, the Irish maritime transport group, and is registered in Dublin. It runs eight ferries, with up to 16 sailings a day across the Irish Sea and overnight sailings between Ireland and France, as well as Dover to Calais. It carried over 657,000 cars between Ireland, Britain and France up to November 2024.
Other ferry companies to France: Brittany Ferries, P&O Ferries and DFDS. See every ferry company to France.
Book Irish Ferries Dover to Calais
Irish Ferries FAQs
Does Irish Ferries sail from Dover to Calais?
Yes. Irish Ferries started sailing Dover to Calais in June 2021 and now runs up to 20 sailings a day with two ships, the Isle of Inishmore and the Oscar Wilde. The crossing takes about 1 hour 30 minutes.
How early do I need to check in with Irish Ferries at Dover?
Check-in closes 60 minutes before departure with a car, van, motorhome or motorcycle, 90 minutes before with a pet and 2 hours before with a coach. In Calais, border control comes after check-in, so allow time for both.
Can you be a foot passenger with Irish Ferries from Dover?
No. Irish Ferries carries vehicles only between Dover and Calais. The only ferry company that takes foot passengers on the route is P&O Ferries.
What is the Irish Ferries Pet Den?
A pre-bookable indoor area with an outdoor walkway where you stay with your pet during the crossing, instead of leaving it in your vehicle. Pets must be on a lead and supervised, and restricted breeds muzzled. Motorcyclists must use the Pet Den or a kennel.
How much is Irish Ferries Club Class?
£29 (€33.50) per person each way on Dover to Calais. It includes sea views, complimentary soft drinks and snacks, fresh baguettes, French cheeses and wine, 10% off in the shop and free Wi-Fi.
Which ships does Irish Ferries use on Dover to Calais?
The Isle of Inishmore, which has sailed the route since it launched in 2021, and the Oscar Wilde, the former P&O Spirit of Britain, which joined in June 2024.
Who owns Irish Ferries?
Irish Ferries is a division of Irish Continental Group plc, the Irish shipping group. It's registered in Dublin.