Ferry to Portugal from the UK: the routes that actually work
Is there a direct ferry to Portugal from the UK?
No. There is currently no direct passenger ferry from the UK to Portugal. If you want to take your own car, campervan or caravan, there are two practical ferry routes: sail from the UK to northern Spain and drive into Portugal, or cross to France and make the much longer drive south through France and Spain.
For most UK-Portugal road trips, we would start with Spain. Brittany Ferries currently operates direct UK-Spain sailings from Portsmouth and Plymouth to Santander and Bilbao. They cost more than a short Channel crossing, but they replace a large part of the drive and leave you within a day’s drive of Portugal.
France is the more flexible alternative. You have far more departure times and ports to choose from, and the ferry ticket itself can be cheaper. The trade-off is simple: less time at sea, much more time behind the wheel.
First-hand update
We recently completed one of the direct UK-Spain crossings ourselves. The full FerryGoGo report is being prepared, so we will add the route-specific observations when it is published rather than getting ahead of our own test. We have also travelled several of the UK-France alternatives ourselves, including Dover-Calais and Portsmouth-Cherbourg.
Routes checked: 31 August 2026. Sailing days, vessels and fares can change, so check your exact travel date before booking.
Ferry map: UK to Portugal via Spain and France
Use the route map to compare the two corridors rather than looking for a ferry line all the way to Portugal. Santander and Bilbao are both in northern Spain and put Porto roughly six to seven hours away by car in normal conditions. Via France, the sea crossing is much shorter but the road journey becomes the dominant part of the trip.
Spain or France: which ferry route is better for Portugal?
The right answer depends on what you are trying to minimise: driving or time at sea and ferry cost. For most holiday road trips to Portugal, we think the Spain route deserves to be checked first.
| Route | Journey | Best for | FerryGoGo view |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK-Spain ferry + drive | Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander or Bilbao, then drive into Portugal. | Cars, campervans, caravans, families, dogs and anyone who wants to reduce motorway miles. | Usually our first option to compare. The ferry is longer and normally costs more, but it removes a large part of the road journey. |
| UK-France ferry + drive | Cross the Channel to France, then drive through France and Spain. | Flexible travel dates, South East departures and trips where France and Spain are part of the holiday. | More ferry choice and often a lower crossing fare, but much more fuel, toll and driving time afterwards. |
Do not compare the ferry ticket in isolation. For the France route, also allow for the extra fuel, road tolls and any overnight stop you need on the way south.
Option 1: ferry to Spain, then drive to Portugal
There are currently three direct ferry routes from the UK to northern Spain: Plymouth-Santander, Portsmouth-Santander and Portsmouth-Bilbao. Brittany Ferries operates all three.
This is the most obvious sea route to Portugal because the ship does the long north-south leg for you. You arrive on Spain’s Atlantic coast with your own vehicle and luggage, then continue overland into Portugal.
Plymouth-Santander: shortest time at sea
Plymouth-Santander is the most direct UK-Spain sailing and can take just over 20 hours. It is particularly logical from Devon, Cornwall and parts of the South West. If you are already prepared to drive to Plymouth for a Portugal trip, we would price this route before booking Plymouth-Roscoff and driving all the way through France.
Portsmouth-Santander: strong all-round choice
Portsmouth is easier to reach for much of southern England. The crossing is longer than Plymouth-Santander, but the logic is the same: a cabin turns a long stretch of motorway into overnight travel time.
Portsmouth-Bilbao: almost the same Portugal logic
Bilbao sits a little further east than Santander, so Santander has a small geographical advantage for Portugal. We would not choose on that difference alone. Sailing date, fare, cabin availability, your drive to the UK port and whether you want to stop in the Basque Country can matter more.
For the full route comparison, see our ferries to Spain from the UK guide.
UK-Spain ferry routes and tickets
Option 2: ferry to France, then drive south
The France route keeps the sea crossing short and gives you much more timetable choice. It can be the right option, especially if you live near the South East or want France and Spain to be part of a longer road trip. For a straight UK-Portugal journey, however, it means a lot more driving.
The corridors we would compare are:
- Dover-Calais or Dover-Dunkirk – the shortest sea crossing and a logical start from Kent, London and the South East, but the longest drive south.
- Newhaven-Dieppe – lands further west than Calais and can be a useful compromise from the South East.
- Portsmouth to Normandy – Caen, Cherbourg and Le Havre put you further west before you start driving south.
- Plymouth-Roscoff – useful for western France, although for Portugal we would also compare Plymouth-Santander before committing to the French route.
Our rule of thumb: if you are making a special trip to Portsmouth or Plymouth anyway, price the Spain ferry too. A France ticket can look cheaper, but the total journey is not automatically cheaper once fuel, tolls, overnight stops and two long driving days are included.
Which route would we choose for Portugal?
For most people taking their own car, campervan or caravan to Portugal, we would start with the ferry to Spain. It is the more expensive sea journey in many cases, but it does the job you actually need it to do: replace a large stretch of motorway and get you much closer to Portugal.
We would lean towards France when the Spain sailings do not fit your dates or budget, when you live very close to the short Channel crossings, or when stopping in France and northern Spain is intentionally part of the trip.
For Porto and northern Portugal, the Spanish ferry is especially logical. Lisbon and the Algarve still involve a substantial onward drive, but it is much shorter than starting from northern France.
If speed is your only priority and you are travelling light, flying will usually make more sense. Ferry plus car becomes interesting when bringing your own vehicle, luggage, bikes, camping equipment, children or dog is part of the reason for travelling overland.
What the longer Spain ferry is like
The key difference with the Spain route is that the ferry is not a short interruption to the drive. It is a substantial part of the journey. A cabin lets you sleep, shower and arrive ready for the onward drive rather than starting Portugal after one or two very long motorway days.
We already knew Brittany Ferries onboard from our earlier crossings, including Santoña, and we have now also completed a direct UK-Spain crossing. We will link the full report here as soon as it is published.
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- Ferries to Portugal from the UK
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- Cinema on the Santona ferry
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- Santona ferry from Portsmouth Port
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- Picture of the Deck Plan
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- Plaza mayor bar Santona
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- the ferry Santona – in the port of Portsmouth
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- Parkingdeck on the Santona ferry
Compare ferry prices to Spain for a Portugal road trip
There is no direct UK-Portugal ferry fare because no direct passenger service currently operates. Use the booking module to compare Portsmouth and Plymouth departures to Santander and Bilbao for your dates.
When comparing Spain with France, include the whole trip: ferry, cabin, fuel, road tolls and any overnight stops. That gives you a much more useful answer than comparing the headline ferry fares alone.
Practical things to check before driving to Portugal
- Passports and border rules. Check the current requirements before leaving the UK. Our UK-Europe ferry passport and border checklist covers the main points.
- Cabins. On a UK-Spain crossing, treat the cabin as part of the journey rather than an optional luxury. Our Brittany Ferries cabin guide explains the choices.
- Dogs. Pet accommodation varies by sailing and current GB-EU pet rules matter. See our updated guide to travelling with a dog on the ferry.
- Bay of Biscay conditions. If motion sickness is a concern, read our seasickness tips before choosing where to sleep or sit.
- Travelling with children. Space, a cabin and the ability to move around can be a real advantage. See our first-hand ferry travel tips with children.
Will there ever be a direct ferry from the UK to Portugal?
It has been considered. Brittany Ferries says that during the Covid travel restrictions it looked at Porto as a possible UK-Portugal route while access to Spain was restricted. The company decided not to pursue it when Spain reduced those restrictions.
As of late 2026, no operator has announced or scheduled a regular direct passenger ferry from the UK to Portugal. We would therefore plan around the existing Spain routes rather than waiting for a direct service.
For now, Plymouth-Santander offers the shortest direct UK-Spain sea crossing, while Portsmouth gives travellers across much of southern England access to both Santander and Bilbao. From either Spanish port, continue by road into Portugal.
If you are planning the wider overland journey, our Spain and Portugal without the plane guide is the useful next step.
Tips for ferry travellers
Are there any plans for a ferry route from Santander to southern Portugal around Albufeira
Hi Terry,
Thanks for your question, at the moment there is no ferry from Santander to Portugal. There are however trains that will take you from Santander to the Algarve region, or Lissabon and Porto.
When there is news about this we will inform you.
Thank you for this article, very imformative.
Yes very infomative,
Oh i do wish Brittany ferries would do a crossing from Portsmouth to porto.
That would be a lovely little cruise.
I love Portugal, i dont fly but enjoy ferries and train journeys, trains from santander to porto can take a while upto 28hr waiting for connections.
The crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbao requires a vehicle if you are traveling with a pet. Even if you book a pet friendly cabin it requires a vehicle. Do you know of any other options if you don’t have a vehicle?
Best,
Catherine
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for your question.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to travel with a pet on Brittany Ferries without a vehicle. This is confirmed in their official FAQ, which you can find here:
Brittany Ferries Pet Travel FAQ: https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/information/faqs/pet-travel/can-i-take-a-pet-if-i-am-travelling-as-a-foot-passenger
What about other options
Eurostar: Sadly, pets are not allowed on Eurostar trains (except registered assistance animals), so this route wouldn’t work either.
European trains: Once in France, however, most domestic and international trains are pet-friendly and allow animals in carriers or on leads, depending on size.
Pet Shuttle Services
If you’re travelling without a car, you could consider a pet taxi or shuttle service to cross the Channel. For example:
Dover–Calais Pet Travel Shuttle: https://www.dover-sherwantaxis.com/dover-calais-pet-travel/
Irish Ferries: A Foot-Passenger Option
One alternative is Irish Ferries, which does allow pets to travel with foot passengers; provided you can carry your pet in a suitable rigid carrier, and follow their onboard kennel or carrier guidelines.
Irish Ferries Pet Policy: https://www.irishferries.com/ie-en/frequently-asked-questions/pet-travel-all-routes/pets-ireland-britain-routes/
I hope this gives you a useful starting point for planning. Let us know if you’d like help narrowing down a route or figuring out next steps.
Best regards, Jan Willem
PS. Maybe if you reach out by phone to one of the ferry companies they can make an exception? Hopefully?
It would be great for all the scared fliers to be able to sail to Portugal from the UK. We have travelled by Brittany Ferries to Spain twice a year, for the passed 13 years and love it but we would prefer to go to Portugal direct. |There are many, many peope who sail with Brittany Ferries who go on to Portugal, I meet them every time we sail, they all say the same and hope Brittany Ferries will very soon sail to Porto or lisbon.
Many thanks for a great service which could be evne better by sailing to Portugal.