Frequently Asked Questions

You can reach Ireland by ferry in two ways: direct crossings from mainland Europe, or via Great Britain.

Direct ferries: Cherbourg - Rosslare, Cherbourg - Dublin and Roscoff - Cork from France, Dunkirk - Rosslare from northern France, plus Bilbao - Rosslare across the Bay of Biscay.

Via Great Britain: Holyhead - Dublin, Fishguard - Rosslare and Pembroke - Rosslare from Wales. Northern Ireland is also served by Cairnryan - Belfast, Cairnryan - Larne and Liverpool - Belfast. Our guide Ferries to Ireland from Mainland Europe compares every route from the continent.

These are the main operators on the Ireland routes:

• Brittany Ferries on Cherbourg - Rosslare and Roscoff - Cork
• Irish Ferries on Cherbourg - Dublin, Holyhead - Dublin and Pembroke - Rosslare
• DFDS on Dunkirk - Rosslare
• Stena Line on Holyhead - Dublin and Fishguard - Rosslare, as well as on the Northern Ireland connections

The ferry operators are our booking partners - we compare their fares for you.

That depends on where in Ireland you are heading and where you are starting from:

• To Dublin: Holyhead - Dublin (short, high frequency) or the direct Cherbourg - Dublin crossing
• To the southeast (Wexford, Waterford): Cherbourg - Rosslare, Fishguard - Rosslare or Pembroke - Rosslare
• To the southwest (Cork, Kerry): Roscoff - Cork
• Without the detour via England: Dunkirk - Rosslare

Our guide Ferries to Ireland from Mainland Europe compares every route from the continent.

Yes. Northern Ireland is reached via Great Britain: Cairnryan - Belfast and Cairnryan - Larne from south-west Scotland are among the shortest crossings at around two hours, while Liverpool - Belfast sails overnight with cabins. From Belfast, both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (Dublin around 2 hrs away) are easy to reach. Details on these corridors are in our overview Ferries via England/Wales to Ireland.

Anywhere from just over two hours to almost a full day. The direct ferries from mainland Europe sail overnight: Roscoff - Cork takes around 14 hours, Cherbourg - Rosslare around 16 to 18 hours, Cherbourg - Dublin around 19 hours, and Dunkirk - Rosslare around 24 hours.

Via Great Britain the sea crossings are short: Holyhead - Dublin takes around 2 to 3.5 hours depending on the ship, while Fishguard - Rosslare and Pembroke - Rosslare take around 3.5 to 4 hours. The trade-off is the drive across England.

Up-to-date departures for every connection are listed in the timetable. Bear in mind that times can vary by season, day of the week and weather conditions. The exact departure for your date is shown during booking on the relevant route page.

Yes. The direct ferries from France and from Dunkirk sail overnight - you board in the evening and arrive in Ireland the next day, well rested if you have booked a cabin. Liverpool - Belfast to Northern Ireland is also an overnight ferry. On these longer crossings a cabin is worth booking, and they sell out quickly in peak season.

The price depends on the route, season, how far ahead you book, vehicle length and the number of passengers. As a rule of thumb: the short crossings via Great Britain have the lowest ferry fares on their own, but require the drive across England. The direct ferries from mainland Europe cost more, but save time and fuel on the road. The exact, binding price for your date is shown during booking on the relevant route page.

These tips reliably pay off:

• Book early: the best fares are usually available 2 to 4 months ahead
• Choose your weekday: Tuesday to Thursday is cheaper than the weekend on almost every route
• Travel in the off-season: October to March is cheapest, with April, May and September a good middle ground
• Book your return together: many operators offer a discount for round trips

The Channel-plus-Wales combination (for example Calais - Dover and Holyhead - Dublin) often has the lowest ticket prices, but means two separate bookings, plus the fuel and time to drive across England. A direct ferry such as Dunkirk - Rosslare costs more, but saves the long drive and includes a cabin and meals.

After booking and payment, a confirmation usually arrives by email within a few minutes - this doubles as your ticket. At check-in in the port, you show the barcode printed out or on your phone. Important on the direct Dunkirk - Rosslare ferry: travel is not possible without a prior reservation, and tickets are not sold at the port.

This varies by route and is stated in your booking confirmation. On the short crossings via Wales, vehicle check-in often closes as early as 30 minutes before departure (for example on Holyhead - Dublin). On the direct ferries, arrive earlier: around 90 minutes ahead in Cherbourg, and around 2 hours ahead for Dunkirk - Rosslare. Build in extra time during peak season.

This depends on the fare, not the route. Cheap saver fares are usually non-refundable and only changeable to a limited extent, while flexible fares can be changed or refunded up to shortly before departure for a small fee. The earlier you report a change, the lower the cost. The binding terms are set out in your booking confirmation.

On the direct ferries you will find cabins, restaurants and buffets, bars, an onboard shop, lounges and a children's area. With DFDS on Dunkirk - Rosslare, four buffet meals plus the cabin are included in the fare. On the short crossings via Wales there is a café, seating areas, a shop and, on some ships, lounges. Wi-Fi is either free or available as a paid package, depending on the operator.

Yes, all Ireland ferries are car ferries. Cars, campervans, caravans, motorbikes and bicycles can all travel with you. The vehicle price depends on length and height, so give the exact dimensions - including any roof box or trailer - when booking. Everything about travelling to Ireland by car is covered in our guide Driving to Ireland, and everything about the camper is in our guide Ferry Ireland by Campervan.

On most routes, yes - including Holyhead - Dublin or Cherbourg - Rosslare. One exception is Dunkirk - Rosslare: DFDS only carries passengers travelling with their own vehicle on this route, and foot passengers are not accepted. Check your operator's terminal information, as foot passengers often check in at a different location and time than vehicles.

No. For safety reasons the vehicle deck is closed while the ship is under way, and it is only reopened shortly before docking, once announced. Take anything you will need on board out of the car before boarding: medication, valuables, travel documents, and on long crossings, wash things and a change of clothes. If you are travelling with a pet, it will need a pet cabin on the overnight ferries.

Yes, dogs and cats are welcome on the Ireland ferries, but must be booked in advance. On the overnight ferries your pet travels in a pet cabin, offered for example by Stena Line and in the pet-friendly cabins from DFDS and Irish Ferries. The number of these cabins is limited, and they sell out early during school holidays. Full details are in our guide Ferries to Ireland with a Dog.

For entry from the EU, your dog needs an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination (at least 21 days before entry, and no earlier than 12 weeks of age), and an EU pet passport. Ireland also requires tapeworm treatment with praziquantel, given 24 to 120 hours before arrival and recorded in the passport. If entering via Great Britain, an Animal Health Certificate is required. More details are in our guide Ferries to Ireland with a Dog.

EU citizens need a valid national ID card or passport; children also need their own identity document. For the vehicle, bring the registration document - car insurance covering Ireland is compulsory. If travelling via Great Britain, keep your Green Card insurance certificate to hand. Non-EU citizens should check any visa requirements in advance. Without valid papers, boarding can be refused without a refund.