All possibilities to reach Amsterdam by ferry
Let's dive into your options right away. The cheapest way to cross the channel by ferry is simply the shortest connection: from Dover to Calais or Dover to Dunkirk. But that doesn't bring you to Amsterdam. You would need to drive (5 hours, on busy routes) all the way to Amsterdam.
Let's dive into your options right away. The cheapest way to cross the channel by ferry is simply the shortest connection: from Dover to Calais or Dover to Dunkirk. But that doesn't bring you to Amsterdam. You would need to drive (5 hours, on busy routes) all the way to Amsterdam.
That's not a convenient and relaxed way to start your holiday. If you want to end up in Amsterdam right away you have to use the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. The other ferries that travel between the UK and The Netherlands bring you quite close so those are really good alternatives here.
Especially if you want to travel low budget and you want to reach Amsterdam as cheaply as possible you need to check out the prices of this connection. (Harwich-Hook of Holland)
Let's first have a look at all crossings on the map with ferry routes. We'll explain them in a better way later on. There is much to read on this page so be sure to scroll down!
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Map with all ferry routes to Amsterdam
The ferry map gives a good impression of how you can get to Amsterdam from different regions within the UK.
Things you need to know before your book your crossing:
You don't need a car in Amsterdam
In Amsterdam, you don't really need a car. But if you are planning to see more from the Netherlands, it might be handy to bring one. Public transportation is pretty good in The Netherlands and the country is small. A train from Rotterdam to Amsterdam only takes 41 minutes. So you can drive to the departure port of the ferry crossing and leave your car there.
Train to Amsterdam
Do you live in or around London? Then also consider the direct Train connection to Amsterdam. We don't like to say it (as a ferry website), but this is a very good connection. (You'll be redirected to Trainline.com a train booking website)
Compare ferry tickets to Amsterdam
Our online booking module makes it easy to find and book your desired ferry crossing to Amsterdam from the UK. Especially handy if you want to find the cheapest connection on the day you want to go to Amsterdam.
Travel tip: From Dover to Calais is the fastest crossing
When you calculate the travel time from the moment the ferry departs, From Dover to Calais is with 6 hours and 30 minutes the quickest route from the UK to Amsterdam. Keep in mind though you have to drive over busy routes, not the most fun drive.
Also on this page
All ferry options to Amsterdam
Direct ferries from which you can drive to Amsterdam
UK ⇔ France ⇔ Amsterdam
Ferry to Amsterdam from UK duration
From Dover to Calais is the shortest and most ‘functional' crossing. The three ferries that sail during the night offer much more entertainment and you save on an extra overnight stay in Amsterdam.
The shuttle is the train for cars that drives through the Channel tunnel. It is a more expensive alternative to the ferry but it has a one-hour time advantage compared to the Calais-Dover ferry. You can check the prices here.
: 11 hours
: 13 hours, 30 minutes
: 17 hours
When you compare the travel times for foot & public transport passengers, you can see that bringing your car often has only a limited time advantage. This is mainly due to the transfer busses that take you directly to the center of Amsterdam. You almost always have to park a car on the edge of the city and then continue with public transport.
The Eurostar is the fastest and greenest connection for those who can easily travel to London St Pancras. The prices for this train, which by the way cannot accommodate cars, are usually quite attractive. (Trainline)
We go into more detail about the ferry routes:
The DFDS ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam
Newcastle to Amsterdam with DFDS is a perfect crossing from the North of the UK. Honestly, people from Scotland or North England should not look any further. But if you depart somewhere between Leeds and Birmingham, the ferry from Hull might also be nice.
Also, read our complete guide on this route: From Newcastle to Amsterdam.
For people departing from the south of England, we advise you to look at the ferry from Harwich, Dover, or consider the Eurostar.
More about this ferry Newcastle to Ijmuiden connection or more guidance for taking the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam.
- DFDS bus – €8,-
DFDS has a transfer from the harbor to Amsterdam. This is the most convenient option if you don't have a car. The bus stops near Amsterdam central station from where you can get on a tram to your accommodation. Book this bus connection in advance! - Public transport – 1h 20 mins.
Bus 358 brings you to Haarlem Railway Station. From here you can buy a ticket to Amsterdam Sloterdijk or Amsterdam Central Station. - Taxi – €60 or more
A Taxi is always possible but relatively expensive - Car – 40 minutes
From Hull to Rotterdam with P&O Ferries
Hull-Rotterdam is an ideal crossing for people living in, for example, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, or Sheffield. Hull is quite easy to reach and also the connection from Rotterdam to Amsterdam is pretty ok. By car, it is roughly a 1,5 hour's drive.
- P&O ferries transfer bus 1,5 hours+
You can book a transfer bus to both Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Book this in advance with P&O! Please note that there is no public transport from and to the terminal.
The bus departs at 08:30 (Mon-Fri) and 09.45 (Sat-Sun). It stops in Amsterdam near the Central Station (De Ruijterkade 151). You will be picked up for your return journey from the same location at 17:00. - Taxi to Amsterdam – €150 or more
A taxi is possible but relatively expensive. - Car – 1,5 hours
Harwich-Hook of Holland
Hook of Holland is 53 miles or 85 km away from Amsterdam. If you go by car, this ferry is great. However, the public transport connection from the ferry harbour to Amsterdam is not super. There are a lot of choices to make and it takes at least 1,5 hours to get to Amsterdam. Most of the time this will be more though.
- Public transport – 1,5 to 2,5 hours
The best connections can be found on the Dutch public transport website https://9292.nl/en
Use: Stationsweg 10, Hoek van Holland as the departure address. - Taxi to Amsterdam – €150 or more
A Taxi is possible but relatively expensive - Car – 1 hour 10 mins.
More information
Dover-Calais / Dover-Dunkirk
The shortest crossings from the UK to the European continent can be found in the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel. This crossing is ideal for people that want to travel by car to Amsterdam and live in the south of England.
- Public transport – 5 to 6 hours
Public transport from Calais is possible but far from ideal because you have to switch 3 times. In Lille, you can board the high-speed train to Amsterdam. From Dunkirk, it is not possible to travel by public transport since the ferry is not suitable for foot passengers. - Car – 4 hours 30 mins.
More information
To Amsterdam with the ferry and your own car
Amsterdam is known for its bikes and is not really a car-friendly city. You can easily drive through it by car, but due to the high parking rates of €7.50 per hour, parking in the city is very discouraged. So if your accommodation does not have parking, you may need to reconsider going by car. Also useful to know: old diesel cars are not allowed in the city centre.
Luckily it is not impossible to take the car with you. There are large parking spaces on the outskirts of the city where your car can stand for a maximum of 96 hours at a favourable rate. (From here you can easily travel to the centre of Amsterdam).
On the map you find some P+R parkings. These are suitable for longer parking. More information can be found on Amsterdam's website.
- Monday to Friday before 10.00: €8 for the first 24 hours. Thereafter €1 per 24 hours.
- Monday to Friday after 10.00, in the weekends and during official holidays: €1 per 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only one ferry sails to Amsterdam. This is the DFDS ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. Strictly speaking, it's not Amsterdam, but we consider IJmuiden close enough.
Two other ferry companies sail to Holland from England. These are P&O ferries, and Stenaline. Amsterdam can be reached within 2 hours from these ports.
The best crossing totally depends on where you travel from in the UK. Overall we would say that both Newcastle-IJmuiden and Harwich – Hook of holland are popular choices.
On average, the Harwich-Hook of Holland crossing is the cheapest crossing between the England and Amsterdam. Stenaline offers a very affordable Ferry & Train ticket of €51 per person for a single journey (or £49) with this ticket you can travel for free by train to Greater Anglia train stations in England.
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