Ferry to Spain from the UK
Travel to Spain by Ferry from England
While many tourists choose to drive or fly to Spain, taking the ferry is becoming an increasingly popular and excellent alternative.
Depart from Plymouth or Portsmouth
Ferries to Spain depart from Portsmouth to Santander, twice weekly from Portsmouth to Bilbao, and twice weekly from Plymouth to Santander. Sailing times vary: the journey from Plymouth to Santander takes around 20 hours, while the crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbao can take up to 36 hours.
Map: ferries to Spain from the UK
About the crossings to Spain
There are three routes from the UK to Spain, all operated by Brittany Ferries.
You can choose the route that best suits your location and destination. As the routes and ships are quite similar, your experience won’t vary significantly based on which ship you select. Heading for Western Spain or Portugal? Then Santander is the most convenient choice.
Travel to Spain by Ferry from England.
Spain is one of Britain's most popular holiday destinations, with over 18 million visitors annually, and the ferry is becoming an increasingly popular alternative for travelling to Spain.
From the southern UK cities of Plymouth and Portsmouth, ferries depart twice weekly for the northern Spanish cities of Bilbao and Santander. These crossings take one or two nights and offer a comfortable start to your holiday.
Upon arrival in Santander or Bilbao, you can easily continue your journey deeper into Spain.
- Ferries operate twice per week on all the crossings mentioned.
- Sailing times vary: the journey from Plymouth to Santander takes around 20 hours, while the crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbao can take up to 36 hours.
Option 1: Travelling from Portsmouth to Spain
- Routes: Portsmouth – Santander & Portsmouth – Bilbao
Departure from Portsmouth is possible to both Santander and Bilbao in Northern Spain. The most popular is the crossing from Portsmouth to Santander covering 530 miles in around 28 to 36 hours. You'll be onboard one of the Brittany Ferries vessels for 2 nights. You can book a return for 2 persons + a car for around £700, with plenty to do on board the ferries.
You can also book the ferry to Bilbao, closer to France, Barcelona and San Sebastian for example.
Option 2: Travelling from Plymouth to Spain
- Route: Plymouth to Santander
Your second option is the ferry from Plymouth to Santander, operated by Brittany Ferries on its flagship vessel, the Pont-Aven. This is the fastest ferry crossing from the UK to Spain. Plymouth is located in south-west England, in Devon.
The journey to Spain takes around 20 hours and is a one-night crossing. For two adults with a car during peak season, the cost is approximately £382 if booked well in advance, or around £700 for a return trip for two people, a car, and a cabin.
On Board
Since the ferry crossings to Spain are relatively long, the ferries are well equipped for comfort. The cabins are spacious and well-furnished. There are several restaurants on board, along with duty-free shopping. You can enjoy live family entertainment, a cinema, and on the Pont-Aven, there’s even a swimming pool. Additionally, there’s a children’s play area, changing facilities for young children, and for older kids, a game room and arcade hall.
On board impressions of the Santona, one of the ferries sailing on the UK to Spain routes
How early should you arrive
Be sure to check in on time, at least 45 minutes before departure if you’re travelling by foot or car. If you need special assistance, are travelling with a group, or have a pet, you’ll need to arrive earlier. Check-in times are listed on your e-ticket and booking confirmation.
Prices and availability for this crossing
You can also use our booking module to find other crossings and alternatives, to, within and from Spain.
Additional Information
When travelling on crossings from the UK to Spain, there are a few important things to keep in mind:
- Bring your passport: Since Brexit, a driver's licence or ID card is no longer sufficient for travel.
- Download entertainment in advance: On longer night crossings, it’s a good idea to download series or movies beforehand, as Wi-Fi on board can be expensive, and roaming in international waters is costly.
- Foot passengers: Not all ferries accept foot passengers, so check ahead.
- Travelling with young kids on a night ferry? We’ve got some helpful tips for travelling with kids here.
- Remember to drive on the right-hand side of the road after disembarking. It can be confusing for the first 10 minutes, but you'll adjust quickly.
- Worried about getting seasick? In this article, you’ll find some tips to help prevent it.
Luggage & Pets
There are no restrictions on the amount of luggage you can reasonably bring on most ferries. Pets are allowed, but additional fees apply, and they must stay in designated kennels on board. For some destinations, pets must meet specific requirements, such as certain vaccinations and a pet passport. You can find country-specific regulations and company policies in this post.
Useful for travellers to Spain
Do the ferries run after the first week in November ?
Looking to travel around the 17th November
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for your question. For now it seems like the last ferries to Spain from the UK will sail in the first week of November (5th of November). And then this particular crossing will have a winter break and will start up again in early 2024.
Best,
Can you take a trailer on the ferry’s from England to Spain.
Hi Wendy,
Yes you actually can take the ferry from England to Spain with a trailer, but you can book this only by phone at Brittany Ferries directly.
Happy travels!
Which have dog friendly overnight cabins and price please
Hi Sharon,
If you sail by ferry to Spain from the UK you'll be sailing with Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries does have pet friendly cabins on the Galicia, Salamanca, Pont-Aven and Normandie vessels. Spain with your pet aboard Brittany Ferries for just £29 to France and £45 to Spain each way.
Hope this answers your question.
I never knew its was possible to go by ferry, I wish Palama de Mellorca was an option. This island is beautiful, but recently the cost for flights is very expensive especially if you are like me and like to go for a short weekend. Is there a ferry to here that i have missed?
Hi Shaunu,
Thanks for your question, if you want to Palma de Mallorca from the UK you have to first get to Spain (Various ways to do this, I would go through Calais-Dover and drive). Then you need to travel to Barcelona, and from there pickup a ferry to Mallorca. Keep in mind though these ferries are over-booked and a bit expensive: Be early with your booking.
Here you can see the complete map and guide for ferries to Mallorca from Barcelona.
~ Jochem
We would like to travel with our cat but having issues with finding any availability.
Does joining the ferry club help with this or is it a case of having to book a year in advance? Not practical for us oldies.
We travel to Spain and return to uk twice every year, following the 90 day rules.
What advantages if any would be gained by joining the club?
Hi Dianne,
Thank you for getting in touch. We're not Brittany Ferries, but we strive to provide a comprehensive overview of available routes and considerations. You can find all the information regarding Club Voyage on this page at Brittany Ferries. Club Voyage Benefits.
We couldn't find any information about prioritized arrangements for bringing your cat onboard as part of the Club Voyage membership.
You probably found the information on pet friendly cabins already, but if not you can find it here:
Have a good trip!