7 routes · 2 operators · one terminal
Ferries from Portsmouth: where they go and who runs them
Seven direct routes leave Portsmouth International Port: three to France, two to Spain and two to the Channel Islands. Brittany Ferries runs six of them, Guernsey under the Condor name, and DFDS runs Jersey.
We have sailed Saint-Malo and Cherbourg ourselves. The other routes are research-based, and every page says which is which. We are not a booking site, so for anything about a booking, go to the operator.
Changes this autumn. Portsmouth to Le Havre has stopped sailing, days before its planned last crossing. From November, Portsmouth to Cherbourg goes daily and the Guernsey ship adds a stop in Cherbourg. Dates and alternatives are on our 2026 route changes page.
Our own photos, August 2025.
Where you can sail from Portsmouth
- Portsmouth, the departure port
- Arrival port in France or Spain
- Crossing we have sailed ourselves
- Researched, not yet sailed by us
Click any route or port for the operator, crossing time and the full guide
Crossing times, sailing styles and what each route suits, side by side: compare all Portsmouth ferry routes.
Who’s behind this site
I’m Jan Willem van Tilburg, co-founder of the FerryGoGo network. I travel these crossings with my own family, and the site is built from what we actually saw: the photos, the tickets we paid for, and the things that went wrong.
- Saint-Malo and Cherbourg: sailed and reviewed first-hand
- Caen, Le Havre, Santander, Bilbao, Guernsey and Jersey: research-based, and labelled that way on every page
Saint-Malo out, Cherbourg home
Outbound on the brand-new “Saint-Malo”, back on the night ferry to Cherbourg on her sister ship the “Santoña”. The photos below are from that trip.
Who you book with
Two companies sail from the international port, with separate bookings and separate check-in.
The port, and the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight ferries do not use Portsmouth International Port. Wightlink sails from Portsmouth Harbour and Gunwharf, Hovertravel from Southsea, so check the terminal on your ticket.
Common questions
Where do ferries from Portsmouth go?
To seven ports: Caen, Cherbourg and Saint-Malo in France, Santander and Bilbao in Spain, and Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands. Portsmouth to Le Havre made eight until it ended in September 2026.
Which ferry companies sail from Portsmouth International Port?
Brittany Ferries runs the France and Spain routes and, under the Condor name, the Guernsey crossing. DFDS runs Portsmouth to Jersey. They are booked separately and check in separately.
Do Isle of Wight ferries leave from the same terminal?
No. Wightlink sails from Portsmouth Harbour and Gunwharf, and Hovertravel from Southsea. None of the Isle of Wight crossings use Portsmouth International Port, and turning up at the wrong one is the classic mistake.
Can you take a car on ferries from Portsmouth?
Yes, on all the routes from Portsmouth International Port. For the Isle of Wight, only the Wightlink car ferry from Gunwharf takes vehicles.
How long does the crossing take?
Anything from about three hours on the fast Cherbourg sailing to two nights at sea on the Spain routes, with Caen around six hours and Saint-Malo seven and a half or more. The route comparison puts them side by side, and each route page has the detail.
Do I need a cabin?
On a daytime crossing to France, no. On an overnight sailing you book a cabin or a reserved seat, and to Spain a cabin is not really optional across two nights. What that adds is set out on the prices page.
Which crossings have you made yourselves?
Saint-Malo to Portsmouth and Portsmouth to Cherbourg, both in August 2025. The other route pages are research-based and say so at the top, and how we research sets out what that means.