Ferry from London to Paris
If you just want the quickest and easiest way from central London to central Paris, Eurostar is usually the clear winner. But if you’re travelling with a car, a lot of luggage, pets or the idea of a wider road trip through France, the Channel crossings start to make much more sense. In that case, Dover – Calais and LeShuttle are usually the most practical options from London, with Portsmouth and Newhaven only becoming interesting if you want to arrive elsewhere in France or avoid the Dover corridor altogether.
Routes
Our experience
We have sailed Dover–Calais with every operator on the route. P&O Ferries stood out for us: competitive fares, modern ships and plenty of clean, comfortable space inside and out on deck. For most travellers heading to France, it’s usually the quickest and best-value way across.
Ferry services from London to Paris
Travellers going from London to Paris by car will usually compare Dover – Calais ferries with LeShuttle through the Channel Tunnel. Dover – Calais is operated by P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries, while LeShuttle runs from Folkestone to Calais. Travellers without a car should also compare Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, which is usually the fastest option overall.
Map with suggested London – Paris ferry routes
This map shows ferry routes from London to Paris, with crossing times, fares and the ports they sail from. Tap a route for details, tap a port for its sailings, or zoom in for more.
Onboard experience
If you choose the ferry route from London to Paris, Dover – Calais is the most obvious crossing because it is short, frequent and easy to combine with the motorway drive south. On board you’ll find lounges, cafés, restaurants, duty-free shopping and outdoor deck space, making it a more relaxed journey than sitting in traffic or staying in the car for hours. LeShuttle is faster and more functional, but lacks the ferry atmosphere. Eurostar is different again: faster for city-to-city travel, but less useful if your trip depends on bringing a car or a lot of gear.
From the Channel to Paris
If you arrive via Calais, Paris is roughly a three-hour drive away and easy to reach via the A26 and A1. Travellers coming from Normandy ports such as Le Havre, Caen or Dieppe can also reach Paris fairly easily, often while combining the capital with places such as Rouen, Honfleur or the Normandy coast. Once in Paris, the city works well as either a short city break or the first stop on a longer journey through France.
By car
If you’re taking a car from London to Paris, the two most logical options are Dover – Calais and LeShuttle. LeShuttle is the fastest crossing and starts closer to London in Folkestone, while Dover – Calais usually offers more of a travel break and can be cheaper depending on the day. For most motorists, those are the two options worth comparing first. If you plan to drive into Paris itself, remember that low-emission zone rules apply and a Crit’Air sticker may be required.
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By campervan
Travelling from London to Paris with a motorhome is perfectly possible, but central Paris is not somewhere most camper travellers want to drive into. A more practical approach is to use Dover – Calais or LeShuttle, stay at a campsite or aire outside the city and continue into Paris by public transport. If Paris is only one stop on a longer French road trip, the Channel crossings are often more flexible than the train.
Still weighing up your options?
We have crossed the Channel to France more times than we can count, on most of the routes and with most of the operators. Tell us where you are starting and we will point you to the smartest way across.