Ferry Hull to Rotterdam
Hull to Rotterdam by ferry
The Hull to Rotterdam ferry is one of the most practical overnight crossings from England to the Netherlands, especially if you are starting from Yorkshire, the Midlands, the North of England or Scotland. The ferry sails overnight to Rotterdam Europoort, so you leave Hull in the evening and arrive in the Netherlands the next morning.
This route is particularly useful if you are travelling with your own car, campervan or motorhome. From Rotterdam Europoort you can continue towards Rotterdam, The Hague, Amsterdam, Belgium or Germany without first having to drive through southern England or make a short Channel crossing.
It can also work well for travellers coming from Ireland via Britain. For example, you can travel from Dublin to Holyhead, drive across to Hull, and then take the overnight ferry to the Netherlands.
There are three direct ferry routes from England to the Netherlands: Hull–Rotterdam, Newcastle–Amsterdam and Harwich–Hook of Holland. Hull–Rotterdam is usually the most logical choice if you want an overnight crossing from central or northern England and are heading to the Netherlands, Germany or further into Europe.
Hull-Rotterdam Route Map
About this crossing
The Hull to Rotterdam ferry is operated by P&O Ferries. The route is normally served by the sister ships Pride of Rotterdam and Pride of Hull, both large overnight ferries with cabins, restaurants, bars and onboard entertainment.
The crossing is not a short hop across the Channel. It is a proper overnight ferry: you board in Hull in the evening, settle into your cabin, and arrive the next morning at Rotterdam Europoort. The terminal is around 35 to 40 kilometres from central Rotterdam, so this route works best if you are travelling by car or using P&O’s coach transfer.
In our experience, Hull–Rotterdam feels more like a classic night ferry than a basic transport crossing. There is time to eat, walk around the ship, visit the bar or show lounge, and then sleep through most of the North Sea crossing before driving off in the Netherlands the next morning.
Tickets
Tickets for the Hull to Rotterdam ferry can be booked online in advance on the P&O Ferries website. Prices are dynamic, so the fare can change depending on the sailing date, cabin choice, vehicle type and how full the ferry is.
For this route, it is worth booking early if your dates are fixed. The cabin is an important part of the journey, and the best-value cabin options can sell out. This matters even more if you are travelling with a car, campervan, motorhome or pet.
On board the Hull to Rotterdam ferry
The ferries on this route are cruiseferry-style overnight ships. That means the onboard experience is part of the journey: you do not just sit in a lounge and wait to arrive. You board in the evening, find your cabin, have time for dinner or drinks, and then sleep through most of the crossing.
On board you can expect cabins, restaurants, bars, a show lounge, shops, a cinema, casino, arcade-style games and a children’s play area. In our own crossing, the ship had a real night-ferry atmosphere: lively enough in the evening, but most passengers still head to their cabins fairly early because arrival is the next morning.
- For car travellers: Hull–Rotterdam is a comfortable way to avoid a long drive to Dover or the south coast before crossing to Europe.
- For families: the cabin matters more than on a short ferry, because this is where you sleep and reset before the next day’s drive.
- For onward travel: Rotterdam Europoort is well placed for the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, but it is not in Rotterdam city centre.
- For mini-cruise travellers: the ferry can also work as a short break to Rotterdam or Amsterdam, especially with the coach transfer included or added.
The photos in our Hull–Rotterdam travel report give a more realistic idea of the cabins, restaurants, entertainment areas and boarding process.
Ferry Schedule from Hull to Rotterdam
The departure and arrival times are nearly the same every day. However, there are slight differences in the schedule on weekends.
Timetable Hull to Rotterdam ferry
For the crossing from England to Rotterdam, P&O Ferries uses a daily schedule with the following arrival and departure times. all the times in the schedule are in local time.
- Departure Hull: 20:30
- Arrival Rotterdam: 08:30 (or sometimes at 9:00)
Timetable Hull Rotterdam
| Ferry company | Departure Hull | Arrival Rotterdam | Days | Sailing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P&O | 20:30 | 08:30 | Mo, Tu, Wed, Th, Fr, | 11h |
| P&O | 20:30 | 09:00 | Sa, Su | 11h30m |
The return from Rotterdam to Hull sails on the following daily schedule.
- Departure Rotterdam: 21:00
- Arrival Hull: 07:30
Timetable Rotterdam Hull
| Ferry company | Departure Rotterdam | Arrival Hull | Days | Sailing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P&O | 21:00 | 07;30 | Mo, Tu, Wed, Th, Fr, | 11h |
| P&O | 21:00 | 08:00 | Sa, Su | 11h30m |
How far in advance should you arrive?
You need to check in at least 1.5 hours before departure. For a 9:00 p.m. departure, check-in closes at 7:30 p.m., and for an 8:30 p.m. departure, check-in closes at 7:00 p.m. Arriving well in advance is important to ensure a smooth journey, especially on busy days like weekends and during peak season. P&O is quite strict on the British side of the check-in. Once on board, you can enjoy one of the restaurants while you wait.
Practical information for Hull–Rotterdam
There are a few practical things to keep in mind before booking the Hull to Rotterdam ferry. This is an overnight crossing to Rotterdam Europoort, not directly into Rotterdam city centre, so your onward travel plans matter.
Luggage and pets
You can bring a reasonable amount of luggage, especially if you are travelling by car. As with most overnight ferries, it is best to take everything you need for the night from your vehicle before leaving the car deck, as access to vehicles is usually restricted during the crossing.
Pets are allowed on this route, but you need to book the correct pet option in advance. Depending on availability and your booking, pets may travel in a pet-friendly cabin or in designated onboard kennels. Make sure your pet meets the entry requirements for travel to the Netherlands, including microchip, rabies vaccination and the correct travel documents.
Getting to the port of Hull
The address for the Hull ferry terminal is:
- Hull Ferry Terminal 1, King George Dock, Hedon Road, Hull, HU9 5QA
From the north and west, follow the M62 towards Hull and then the A63 towards the ferry terminal. From the south, you can use the A15 over the Humber Bridge and then connect with the A63. Follow signs for King George Dock, Ferries and Terminal 1.
Hull railway station is around a 10-minute taxi ride from the ferry terminal. If you are travelling as a foot passenger, check your transfer options in advance, especially for the return journey.
Arriving at Rotterdam Europoort
The P&O Ferries terminal in the Netherlands is at:
- Luxemburgweg 2, 3198 LG Europoort Rotterdam, Netherlands
Europoort is around 35 to 40 kilometres from Rotterdam city centre. There is no normal public transport directly from the ferry terminal, so the main options are driving, taking a taxi, or booking the P&O coach transfer to Rotterdam or Amsterdam.
P&O coach transfer to Rotterdam and Amsterdam
P&O offers coach transfers from Europoort to Rotterdam and Amsterdam. These should be booked in advance, usually during the ferry booking process.
The coach transfer is especially useful for foot passengers and mini-cruise travellers, because the ferry terminal is not directly connected to the Dutch public transport network. Current P&O information says the coach leaves Europoort at around 09:30 Monday to Friday and 09:45 on Saturday and Sunday, but always check the latest times when booking.
Mini-cruise option
You can also book Hull–Rotterdam as a mini-cruise. In that case, you travel without a car, sleep on board in both directions, and spend the day in Rotterdam or Amsterdam before returning to the ferry. This can be a good-value short break because your transport and cabin are combined in one trip.
For a Rotterdam or Amsterdam mini-cruise, check carefully whether the coach transfer is included or needs to be added separately. This matters because Europoort is not close to either city centre.
Things to remember in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is one hour ahead of the UK. Ferry departure and arrival times are normally shown in local time, so check this carefully when planning your onward drive or transfer.
When you disembark in the Netherlands, remember to drive on the right-hand side of the road. It is also worth checking your headlights, insurance, breakdown cover and any rules for driving in mainland Europe before you travel.
Best alternatives to Hull–Rotterdam
The best alternative depends on where you live in the UK and where you are heading in the Netherlands.
- Newcastle to Amsterdam is often the better choice from Scotland and the North East, especially for Amsterdam or northern Netherlands trips.
- Harwich to Hook of Holland is usually better from London, East Anglia and the south east, and it works especially well without a car thanks to Rail & Sail.
- Our full UK to Netherlands ferry guide compares all direct routes and the alternatives via France.
Useful for travellers to the Netherlands
Hello, do you have a route from rotterdam to hull, we live in rotterdam, so wanted to join from rotterdam and come back
Hi Kubra,
Yes you can book to ferry from Hull to Rotterdam with P&O Ferries directly or via this link
Not sure you were looking for this?
Hi! Thanks for all of this information, it really does help a lot. Just one question, our arrival time at Hull is 7am, the kitchen where we have prebooked food is open from 6am. This doesn’t seem like much time to have breakfast and then pack the car for disembarkation. At what point do you get called to return to your vehicle and prepare to leave for a 7am arrival?
Sorry for the question if it seems a bit silly, it’s our first time on a ferry!
Hi Josh,
Not silly at all good question. This lies in the time difference I think – on board of the ship they keep Dutch / EU time, so it's -1. In this way you have a bit more time than you've thought. And disembarking takes some time as well.
Best regards,
JW – Team Ferrygogo