Ferry to Germany from the UK
Select departure from “UK” to compare ferry routes to your destination. For Germany, the Netherlands and France are the best crossings.
Ferry to Germany from the UK
Many travellers search for a direct ferry connection from the UK to Germany, but unfortunately, no such route currently exists. Instead, you’ll need to travel via ferry connections to the Netherlands or France and then continue to Germany by car or train.
Travel Routes to Germany
To help plan your journey, this page provides guidance and information for tourists heading to Germany. You can also consult the ferry map for an overview of routes between the UK, the Netherlands, France, and onward to Germany.
Map: ferry routes to Germany from the UK
About these crossings
Step 1: Get a Ferry to Holland or France First!
To reach Germany, your first step is to travel via France or the Netherlands by ferry, then continue your journey by car.
Route Options
Via the Netherlands:
- Take a ferry to Rotterdam, Hook of Holland, or Amsterdam (IJmuiden).
- Continue your journey to Germany by car or train.
Via France:
- Take the ferry from Dover to Calais or Dover to Dunkirk.
- Drive or take a train from France to Germany.
- From Poole, Plymouth or Portsmouth to France with Brittany Ferries
Step 2: Get to Germany from the Ferry Ports
Once you arrive at your ferry port, reaching Germany is straightforward, depending on whether you travel via the Netherlands or France.
From the Netherlands
- From Amsterdam or Rotterdam, it’s about a 2-hour drive to the German border.
- This makes it a short and convenient journey, especially for destinations in western Germany.
From France
- If you’re travelling via Dover to Dunkirk or Calais, the drive to the Maastricht–Aachen border area takes about 4 hours.
- This is a slightly longer trip but offers a scenic route through northern France and Belgium.
- Want to see all the crossing from the UK to France – might be handy if you live more to the southwest of England and want to travel to Germany. You can find the crossings from Poole, Plymouth and Portsmouth here as well.
Choose Your Route
Select the route that best suits your starting point and destination in Germany. With both options offering smooth and well-connected roads, your journey into Germany will be easy and enjoyable.
Ferry maps
Prices and availability for this crossing
When you fill in the details in the booking module below you can find a sailing schedule and timetable as well and the tool let's you easily compare ferries to the continent.
I am planning a trip to Europe. Why was ferry boat service from the UK to Germany stopped? Was it economic? political?
Hi Larry,
Thanks for the question. A lot of the ferries from the UK to Northwestern Europe have ceased operations in the past 20 years. Mainly due to a combination of additional environmental & fuel legislation and low-cost airlines. We do however see greener passenger ferries emerge and a renewed interest in sailing from the UK to Germany and Scandinavia. Hopefully this leads to re-establishing a new ferry to Northwestern europe from the UK. You can also find more about the disappearance of ferries between the UK, Germany & Scandinavia here: https://ferrygogo.co.uk/historic-ferry-crossings-from-the-uk-to-scandinavia/
In the meantime you could use the ferries from and travel from there to Germany. From most of the Dutch (Holland) ports, you'll be in Germany in about 2 hours driving.
Newcastle to Amsterdam
Hull to Rotterdam
Harwich to Hook of Holland
Dover to Calais.
Hope this helps and answers your question.