Ferry from Dover to Zeebrugge
If you’re looking for a Dover to Zeebrugge ferry, we have to be honest with you: this route no longer operates. Passenger sailings ended in 1991, and no operator has brought them back since. The good news is that Dover is still the busiest ferry port in Europe, and both Calais and Dunkirk put you within an hour of the Belgian border. Below are the two crossings we would choose between, and which one suits which trip.
Routes
From Dover we would sail to Dunkirk if Bruges, Ghent or the Belgian coast is your destination: it is the closest port to Belgium and the quieter of the two. Choose Calais if you want the most sailings to pick from, or if you are travelling on foot. We have sailed both crossings ourselves.
Our experience
This is the only cross-Channel route we haven’t personally sailed, so we can’t offer a first-hand opinion.
Our experience
We’ve sailed with every ferry operator on the Dover–Calais route ourselves. We were particularly impressed by P&O Ferries thanks to its competitive fares, modern ships, clean facilities, spacious outdoor decks, and overall comfort. For most travellers heading to Belgium, this is often the fastest and most affordable option.
Who sails the alternatives
The available alternatives are:
Dover–Calais (P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries and DFDS)
Dover–Dunkirk (DFDS)
Map with suggested Dover – Zeebrugge ferry routes
This map shows ferry routes from Dover to Zeebrugge, 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.
From the arrival port to your destination
We assume that Zeebrugge is probably not your final destination, but rather that you were expecting the Dover–Zeebrugge ferry to still be available. Fortunately, many popular destinations in Belgium remain within easy driving distance of the ferry ports in northern France.
Approximate driving times from Dunkirk are:
- Bruges: 50 minutes
- Ghent: 1 hour
- Antwerp: 1 hour 45 minutes
By car
Dunkirk is slightly closer to Belgium, reducing the driving distance by around 15 minutes. However, the ferry crossing itself takes about 30 minutes longer than the Dover–Calais route.
Compare & book
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Still weighing up your options?
We have sailed nearly every one of these crossings ourselves, and the photos on this site are our own. Tell us where you are starting and we will point you to the smartest way across.