Ferries from England to Ireland

Fishguard – Rosslare

Stena Line runs a ferry service from Fishguard in south Wales to Rosslare in south-east Ireland, with a crossing time of around 3.5 hours. The route typically operates once or twice daily. It's ideal for: the south-east with Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny, the south with Cork, the south-west with Kerry (Ring of Kerry, Dingle), and Dublin (2 hrs north). A great fit for travellers coming through south Wales who want to combine the crossing with the Welsh coastline along the way.

Pembroke – Rosslare

Irish Ferries runs the crossing from Pembroke in south Wales to Rosslare, taking around 4 hours. The route typically operates once or twice daily. It suits: the south-east with Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny, the south with Cork, the south-west with Kerry, and Dublin (2 hrs north). An alternative to the Fishguard route for anyone travelling through the Pembrokeshire area.

Ferries to Northern Ireland

Several ferry links from Scotland and England serve Northern Ireland, offering particularly short crossing times.

Cairnryan – Belfast

Stena Line sails from Cairnryan in south-west Scotland to Belfast up to six times a day. The crossing takes around 2¼ hours. This short route is ideal for: Belfast and the surrounding area, the north coast with the Giant's Causeway, the Glens of Antrim, Derry/Londonderry, and as a starting point for touring the Republic of Ireland (Dublin 2 hrs, Donegal). A great option for travellers coming from Scotland or the north of England.

Cairnryan – Larne

P&O Ferries runs the Cairnryan - Larne route several times a day. The crossing takes around 2 hours, making it the fastest link to Northern Ireland. This route suits: the north-east coast with the Glens of Antrim and the Giant's Causeway (30 min north), Belfast (40 min south), the Causeway Coastal Route, and as a northern entry point for touring Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Liverpool – Belfast

Stena Line runs a direct link from Liverpool (Birkenhead) to Belfast, taking around 8 hours. It usually operates as an overnight ferry with cabins (around two departures a day). This route is ideal for travellers from central and southern England, or from mainland Europe, who'd rather take a direct route to Northern Ireland without driving through Scotland. From Belfast you can reach the whole of Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland (Dublin 2 hrs).

Getting to England: the Channel crossing

Several options connect mainland Europe to England. From there, you continue to the west coast for the ferry ports to Ireland.

Calais – Dover

The most-used route from mainland Europe to England is Calais - Dover. This crossing (just around 90 minutes) runs continuously, up to once an hour, operated mainly by P&O Ferries and DFDS (with Irish Ferries also running occasional sailings). From Dover, you can continue on to: Holyhead (5 hrs, then ferry to Dublin), Fishguard/Pembroke (4.5 hrs, then ferry to Rosslare), Liverpool (3.5 hrs, then ferry to Belfast), or Cairnryan in Scotland (5.5 hrs, then ferry to Belfast/Larne).

Channel Tunnel

As the fastest alternative to the ferry, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle links Calais with Folkestone in just 35 minutes of driving time (around 1 hour in total including loading and unloading). Trains run up to four times an hour and carry vehicles of all kinds, from cars to motorhomes. The big advantage - no waiting for tides or weather, bookings at short notice, and you stay in your own vehicle throughout. From Folkestone, the same onward routes apply as from Dover.

Which route via England is right for you?

• Heading to Dublin? → Holyhead-Dublin is the classic choice. Highest frequency, shortest crossing, most flexibility.
• Heading to southern Ireland (Cork, Kerry, Waterford)? → Fishguard-Rosslare or Pembroke-Rosslare. You skip the long drive across Ireland.
• Heading to Northern Ireland (Belfast, Giant's Causeway)? → Cairnryan-Belfast or Cairnryan-Larne from Scotland. Or take Liverpool-Belfast as an overnight ferry.
• Want the shortest total travel time? → Channel Tunnel + Holyhead-Dublin. Together, this is the fastest route from mainland Europe to Dublin.