Portsmouth has two direct Channel Islands ferries, and as of 2025 they are run by two different companies. Brittany Ferries, under the Condor name, sails to Guernsey. DFDS sails to Jersey. If you have used these routes before, that second one is new, and it replaces the old island hop via Guernsey.
Routes from Portsmouth
Researched, not sailed. Neither Channel Islands route is one we have been on. Our own crossings from Portsmouth are the Brittany Ferries France routes. We have flagged this clearly rather than writing as though we had done it.
Which island, and why it decides the route
These two routes are not really alternatives to each other. They land you on different islands, run by different operators, booked separately. So the decision is not which ferry, it is which island, and the ferry follows from that.
Jersey is the bigger of the two, about nine miles across, with St Helier as a proper small town at the arrival point. Guernsey is smaller and quieter, arriving into St Peter Port. Both put you in the middle of things as soon as you drive off, which is the real appeal compared with the France routes, where landing is the start of the driving rather than the end.
If you want both, there are inter island sailings between Jersey and Guernsey, so a two island trip is workable. Book the legs separately and leave slack between them.
What changed in 2025
Until 2025 the Channel Islands from Portsmouth meant Condor, and Condor meant Guernsey. Jersey then awarded its sea link to DFDS, who started sailing on 28 March 2025 with routes from Jersey to Portsmouth, Poole and Saint-Malo. Around the same time Brittany Ferries took majority ownership of Condor and now runs the Guernsey operation.
The upshot for anyone leaving Portsmouth is straightforward: you can now sail direct to either island. A lot of published advice, including earlier versions of this page, still says otherwise.
There is more change coming. From 1 November 2026 Portsmouth to Guernsey goes daily, and the Islander moves to a triangular Portsmouth, Guernsey, Cherbourg pattern on some sailings, which adds a Guernsey to Cherbourg link of about three and a half hours. If your return runs via Cherbourg, take a passport. See our rundown of the 2026 changes and the Guernsey route page for the detail.
Channel Islands or France and Spain?
Worth deciding early, because these are genuinely different trips. The Channel Islands routes land you on a small island with no long drive at the other end, which suits a shorter break and travels well with children. The Brittany Ferries routes to Normandy, Brittany or Spain are longer crossings that open up a whole country by road once you land.
One practical thing they share: all of these sail from Portsmouth International Port, not from Portsmouth Harbour or the Southsea hoverport. See the port guide if you have not used it before.
Read about the operators on our Condor Ferries and DFDS pages, or compare every route from Portsmouth on the Portsmouth ferries overview.
Common questions
Can you sail direct from Portsmouth to both Channel Islands?
Yes. Brittany Ferries sails to Guernsey under the Condor name, and DFDS sails to Jersey. They are separate companies and separate bookings.
Which island should I choose?
Jersey is the bigger of the two, about nine miles across, arriving at St Helier. Guernsey is smaller and quieter, arriving at St Peter Port. Both put you in the middle of things straight off the ship, so pick the island first and let the route follow.
Can I visit both islands in one trip?
Yes. There are inter-island sailings between Jersey and Guernsey. Book the legs separately and leave slack between them.
How long are the crossings?
Guernsey is roughly eight to ten hours depending on direction. Jersey is around nine hours. Neither is a short hop, and both are longer than several of the France crossings.
Operators and routes verified against DFDS and Brittany Ferries in September 2026. If something here has gone out of date, tell us on the contact page.