Hull to Rotterdam ferry
Hull to Rotterdam ferry: our route verdict
The Hull to Rotterdam ferry is the North Sea crossing we would look at first from Yorkshire and much of the Midlands. Instead of driving several hours south before reaching a ferry port, you board in Hull in the evening, sleep on board and start the next day at Rotterdam Europoort.
This is primarily a car-ferry route in the way we think about it. It works particularly well if the Netherlands is the start of a longer road trip towards Belgium, Germany or elsewhere in Europe. Foot passengers are accepted too, but Europoort is an industrial port well outside central Rotterdam, so the transfer at the Dutch end needs more planning.
We have travelled the same crossing in the opposite direction, Rotterdam-Hull on Pride of Hull. What stood out was how much this feels like a proper night ferry rather than simply transport: dinner, bars and entertainment in the evening, then a cabin and an early start the next morning.
Our verdict: if you live around Yorkshire or the northern Midlands and are taking your own vehicle, Hull-Rotterdam is often a very logical way into mainland Europe. From London or East Anglia, compare Harwich-Hook of Holland; from the North East or Scotland, Newcastle-IJmuiden may make more sense.
Hull-Rotterdam Route Map
The ferry crosses the North Sea between Hull and Rotterdam Europoort. Europoort is not Rotterdam city centre, and that matters more on this route than the name suggests. By car it is straightforward; as a foot passenger you need to plan the onward coach or taxi connection.
If you are still deciding between Hull, Harwich and Newcastle, use our UK-Netherlands ferry comparison first.
What this crossing is really like
Hull-Rotterdam is an overnight P&O Ferries route normally operated by Pride of Hull and Pride of Rotterdam. These are large North Sea ferries with cabins, restaurants, bars, entertainment areas and plenty of space to move around. P&O still lists both ships on the route today.
Our lasting impression was that the ship had a real night-ferry atmosphere. The public areas were quite dark and lively in the evening, with bars, entertainment and people moving around the ship. But this is not really a ferry where you stay up until 02:00 and forget about tomorrow – most passengers drift towards their cabins fairly early because arrival comes the next morning.
Cabins and booking: where we would spend the money
This is an overnight route, so the cabin is not a minor extra. It is where you spend most of the crossing once the evening winds down.
On our trip we chose an outside cabin with a window. We did not spend much time looking through it, but the daylight and extra sense of space made the cabin feel less enclosed. More importantly, the cabin itself was clean, comfortable and we slept surprisingly well.
There are currently several P&O cabin categories on this route, including Standard, Premier, Club, interconnected family cabins and higher-end Club Stateroom and Club Suite options.
Our take: do not automatically chase the most expensive cabin. A clean standard or outside cabin is enough if the priority is sleep. For families, we would look at the actual bed layout and interconnected options before paying for luxury extras.
Our evening on board Pride of Hull
The most useful thing we learned was that you actually have less evening than the size of the ship suggests.
After boarding we first found the cabin, dropped our luggage and walked around the ship. We would recommend going outside around departure if there is still daylight – from Europoort the industrial harbour itself is part of the view.
Inside, Pride of Hull had quite a distinctive night-ferry feel. The lighting was dark, the bars were busy and there was plenty going on. We wandered around long enough that we almost made a mistake: we left dinner too late.
The buffet had already closed by the time we decided to eat, and the à la carte restaurant was close to closing too. The crew still fitted us in, and the food was good, but it gave us one very practical tip for this route:
After dinner, the ship becomes much quieter quite quickly. That makes sense. You are not really on board for an all-night cruise – you are using the ferry to get a night’s sleep while travelling across the North Sea.
Did we actually sleep well?
Yes – better than we expected.
There was a constant low hum from the engines, but we found it surprisingly relaxing rather than annoying. The ship also felt stable during our crossing and the beds were comfortable. We slept very well.
The less relaxing part came in the morning: the wake-up announcement was early and fairly loud. That gives everyone time to get dressed, pack the cabin and have breakfast before arrival, but we would not count on sleeping until the last possible minute.
That is why we see the cabin as the most important onboard purchase on this route. Entertainment is nice for the first few hours; good sleep is what makes the overnight ferry useful the following day.
Hull-Rotterdam with children
We would call this a family-friendly crossing mainly because it is an overnight ferry with a private cabin, not because it has endless entertainment for very young children.
On our trip, the dedicated facilities for younger children felt fairly limited compared with some newer ferries we have travelled on. For older children and teenagers there is more going on, including arcade-style games, cinema and entertainment, although many activities cost extra.
That did not strike us as a major problem. By the time you have boarded, explored the ship and eaten, bedtime is not far away. For younger children, we would prioritise a comfortable cabin and bring a tablet, downloaded films or a few familiar things from home rather than choosing this route for the children’s entertainment alone.
Hull-Rotterdam timetable
This is normally a daily overnight ferry, but the exact departure and arrival times vary by travel date and between weekday and weekend schedules.
Rather than relying on one fixed departure time, use the tables below as a planning guide and check your actual sailing before travelling. P&O’s live schedule can move by around an hour depending on the day.
Important: all ferry times are shown in local time. The Netherlands is one hour ahead of the UK.
Hull to Rotterdam
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 |
Rotterdam to Hull
The return crossing also operates overnight. Departure times from Europoort vary by day, so check the sailing attached to your booking rather than planning around one permanent time.
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 |
Check-in and boarding
For an overnight ferry, we would not cut the check-in timing close. P&O currently asks foot passengers to check in at least 90 minutes before departure, and the same 90-minute requirement applies to travellers checking in with pets.
Something that caught us out
When we travelled from Rotterdam to Hull, we found the check-in deadline harder to spot in our booking confirmation than we expected. We had allowed plenty of time, so it did not cause a problem, but we would check the exact deadline before setting off rather than trying to find it at the port.
At Europoort, passport control and check-in were straightforward. After that we waited in the car before boarding. Once boarding started, the process was smooth and the staff on the vehicle deck were helpful.
Before leaving your car, take everything you need for the night. Once the ship has sailed, you should assume you will not be returning to the vehicle deck until arrival.
Is Hull the right Netherlands ferry for you?
- Choose Hull-Rotterdam if you are travelling from Yorkshire, much of the Midlands or northern England and want an overnight crossing with your car.
- Compare Harwich-Hook of Holland if you are closer to London or East Anglia, especially without a car.
- Compare Newcastle-IJmuiden from the North East or Scotland.
For the full route choice, see our comparison of all three UK-Netherlands ferries. We have travelled all three corridors ourselves.
Practical information: Hull and Rotterdam Europoort
The important bit: Europoort is not central Rotterdam
This is probably the route detail most worth knowing before you book as a foot passenger. The ferry arrives at Rotterdam Europoort, deep in the port area rather than next to Rotterdam Centraal.
There is currently no normal public transport directly to or from the Europoort ferry terminal. P&O offers bookable coach transfers to Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The journey is roughly 45 minutes to Rotterdam and around 90 minutes to Amsterdam.
Hull ferry terminal
The ferry departs from P&O Ferries at King George Dock on Hedon Road. By car, Hull is straightforward to reach from the M62 and A63 corridor. If you arrive by train, the ferry terminal is separate from Hull railway station, so allow for the final taxi or transfer.
Taking your luggage
Our most practical cabin tip is also the simplest: take the overnight bag out of the car before walking away from the vehicle deck. On our trip, the cabin area was large enough that going back because you forgot something would have been annoying even before considering the car deck access rules.
Travelling with a dog
P&O currently offers dog-friendly cabins on Hull-Rotterdam. Dogs in those cabins must remain in the cabin or designated exercise area rather than using the normal passenger decks. P&O also says pets cannot travel on its coach transfers to Rotterdam or Amsterdam, which is particularly important for foot passengers.
Jan Willem van Tilburg
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