Ferry to the UK from The Netherlands / Hollland
Three direct crossings to the UK from the Netherlands
If you want to travel by ferry to the UK from the Netherlands, you have three different routes to choose from. These routes take you to the south, centre, or north of England. The northernmost crossing also brings you closer to Scotland.
Dunkirk or Calais for shorter crossing
There are several short crossings from France to England via ‘the Channel'. With 1.5 to 2 hours, this is a quick and cheap crossing. The train through the channel tunnel can also be an interesting choice.
Ferry Map: ferry routes UK - NL + Dover crossings
Use the interactive map to find the right crossing and ferry company. You can zoom in and out and view the routes in the ports.
The ferry map provides a clear overview of how to reach different parts of the United Kingdom from the Netherlands. The two southernmost crossings on the map are from Dunkirk and Calais in France, which are about a 3.5 to 4-hour drive from the Netherlands. The actual crossings from Holland to the UK leave from Amsterdam to Newcastle, and from Rotterdam to Hull + Harwich (Hook of Holland)
Crossings to the UK from Holland
Ferry Guide Netherlands to the UK
Ferries from the Netherlands to the UK
There are three ferries sailing from the Netherlands to England, with indirect access to Scotland. These routes are Hook of Holland to Harwich, Rotterdam to Hull, and Amsterdam to Newcastle. The ferry to Harwich takes you the furthest south, while the ferry to Newcastle takes you the furthest north. Hull is an interesting destination for those travelling to central England.
Travel tip: The Harwich ferry is the fastest crossing
The daytime ferry service between Hoek van Holland and Harwich is the fastest crossing from The Netherlands to England. It takes 6,5 hours. You can also book this as a night cruise, after which you can start your day fresh the next day. But it only makes sense if you live close to it. The ferries from Hull to Rotterdam and IJmuiden to Newcastle are beautiful and comfortable ferry rides too.
Ferries from the Netherlands to the UK via France
In addition to direct departures from the Netherlands, you can also travel to England via France. Although this requires a drive to France first, the ferry crossings are much shorter. This is a great option for tourists heading to southern England or London.
There are two ferry routes across the Channel between France and England. Two ferry companies operate from Calais to Dover, and DFDS runs a ferry between Dunkirk and Dover. The Dunkirk crossing takes about half an hour longer, but the departure port is easier to reach from the Netherlands.
From Utrecht, a city in the centre of the Netherlands, the travel times by car are as follows:
- Duration by car from Utrecht to Dunkirk: approximately 3 hours 15 minutes
- Duration by car from Utrecht to the port of Calais: approximately 3 hours 30 minutes
Three ferry companies sail to England from the Netherlands. These are P&O ferries, Stena Line and DFDS. The ferries from France to Dover are from P&O ferries and DFDS.
By boat to England from the Netherlands can be done in 6.5 hours. This is how long the shortest crossing takes between Hoek van Holland and Harwich (day trip). The longest crossing, on the other hand, takes more than 16 hours (night sailing). This one goes between Amsterdam and Newcastle.
On average, the Hook of Holland – Harwich crossing is the cheapest crossing between the Netherlands and England. Stena Line offers a very affordable Ferry & Train ticket per person for a single journey (£49) with this ticket you can travel for free by train to Greater Anglia train stations in England.
The shortest distance you can travel to England by ferry is 122 miles as the crow flies. This is the crossing Hook of Holland – Harwich.
Depending on whether you bring a car and book a cabin, the costs for the ferry to England vary considerably. As a foot passenger, you can join a single journey between Calais and Dover for €36 and Hook of Holland-Harwich for €51. A family in a standard camper back and forth between Amsterdam and Newcastle can add up to more than €1000.
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Any update on the possibility of Newcastle – Norway ferry coming back please?
You would think with more and more people looking for ‘plane free travel/holidays', this route would be coming on line sooner rather than later.
Personally, I don't want to have to travel south as I ‘up north' !!
thank you for any info.
Hi Very Snowy!
Thanks for your question, in this article you can find more info on the ferry from Newcastle to Norway: https://ferrygogo.co.uk/plans-for-ferry-between-newcastle-and-norway-in-2026/
So as you can read here: https://bergencruiseline.no/ it seems that is a plan in progress, but sailings will only start in 2026.
Best regards,