Ferry from London to Ostend
From London the Belgian coast is a short hop, even though no ferry sails to Ostend any more: down the M20 to Dover, 90 minutes to two hours at sea, and from Dunkirk about 45 minutes along the coast road to Ostend. Calais adds a quarter of an hour. If you would rather cross overnight, Harwich to Hook of Holland lands you a little over two hours away.
Routes
To reach your destination, these are the crossings we recommend.
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.
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
A comfortable overnight crossing on large ferries. The sailing is short enough to get some rest while still arriving early in the Netherlands, leaving you with a full day to enjoy in Belgium. Thanks to excellent public transport connections, it’s also a popular choice with cyclists.
Ferry services from London to Ostend
The short crossings from Dover are run by P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries.
Map with suggested London – Ostend ferry routes
This map shows ferry routes from London to Ostend, 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
Ostend is right on the coast, so the short Channel crossings reach it quickest: from Calais or Dunkirk it is around an hour to an hour and a half along the coast.
| Arrival Port | Time to Ostend |
|---|---|
| Dunkirk | ~45 min |
| Calais | ~1 hour |
| Hook of Holland | ~2 hrs 15 min |
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.
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