Ferries from the UK to Cherbourg
Cherbourg is served by crossings from Portsmouth and Poole, landing you in western Normandy. Sailings range from a fast three-hour day crossing to longer overnight options, handy for the Cotentin peninsula, Mont Saint-Michel and the D-Day coast. Choose the sailing that fits how you’d rather travel.
Routes
Our experience
We sailed overnight from Portsmouth to Cherbourg on Brittany Ferries’ Santoña, and this was one of those crossings where the ferry genuinely made the journey easier. The cabins were comfortable, the ship felt modern, and the children were not tied to their seats for hours: they could move around, explore and wind down before bed. Sleeping through the crossing meant we arrived in Cherbourg well rested and ready to continue through France.
Ferry services from the UK to Cherbourg
Brittany Ferries sails to Cherbourg from both Portsmouth and Poole. The Poole route is particularly popular thanks to its short crossing time of around 4 hours 45 minutes, while Portsmouth offers a wider choice of sailing schedules and onward connections.
Map with suggested the UK – Cherbourg ferry routes
This map shows ferry routes from England to Cherbourg, 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.
Why crossings to Cherbourg are relatively short
Cherbourg benefits from its northern location on the Cotentin Peninsula. Because this part of Normandy extends into the English Channel, ferries have a shorter distance to sail than routes to ports further south such as Saint-Malo. This helps keep crossing times relatively short and is one of the reasons why Cherbourg remains one of the busiest ferry ports between England and France.
By car
Once ashore, drivers can quickly join the N13 towards Caen, with easy onward access to Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley. For travellers heading to western France, Cherbourg often strikes a good balance between time spent at sea and time spent on the road.
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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.