Every regular ferry from Portsmouth International Port this winter, from 1 November 2026 to 21 March 2027, with the day it sails and the time it arrives. Caen runs three times a day; everything else runs on set days of the week, which is the thing most people get caught out by.
All times are local: UK time in Portsmouth and the Channel Islands, French or Spanish time (one hour ahead) at the other end. The tables show the regular weekly pattern. A handful of dates differ, mostly ship swaps in December and March, so always confirm your own date when you book.
Portsmouth to Caen
Brittany Ferries, on Mont St Michel and Guillaume de Normandie, with Armorique covering some dates. The only route from Portsmouth with sailings every day, three of them, so it is the default when your dates are fixed. Around six hours by day and seven to eight overnight. More on the Caen route page, or compare Caen, Cherbourg and Saint-Malo in our Portsmouth to France guide.
| Leaving Portsmouth | Morning | Afternoon | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Tuesday | 07:45, arrives 14:45 | 15:00, arrives 22:00 | 23:00, arrives 06:45 |
| Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday | 08:00, arrives 15:00 | 15:00, arrives 22:00 | 23:00, arrives 06:45 (07:30 on Thursday night) |
| Friday | none | 15:00, arrives 22:00 | 23:00, arrives 06:45 |
| Leaving Caen | Morning | Afternoon | Night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every day except Friday | 08:30, arrives 13:30 | 16:30, arrives 21:30 | 23:30, arrives 06:15 (06:45 on Thursday night) |
| Friday | none | 16:30, arrives 21:30 | 23:30, arrives 06:15 |
Portsmouth to Cherbourg
The route most people assume runs daily, and out of Portsmouth it does not. Brittany Ferries sails twice a week. From November the Islander adds evening departures that call at Guernsey overnight and reach Cherbourg mid-morning, which takes far longer but fills the gaps. Coming home is the easy direction, with a sailing every day. We sailed this one ourselves; see the Cherbourg route page.
| Leaving Portsmouth | Departs | Arrives Cherbourg | Ship and booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 22:30 | 08:00 Monday | Brittany Ferries, Santoña, overnight |
| Tuesday | 08:45 | 15:15 (16:00 in March) | Brittany Ferries, daytime, about 5h30 |
| Tuesday to Saturday | 19:15 Tuesday, 20:30 Wednesday to Saturday | 11:00 next day, via Guernsey | Islander, booked through Condor |
| Leaving Cherbourg | Departs | Arrives Portsmouth | Ship and booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 21:00 | 06:00 Tuesday | Brittany Ferries, overnight |
| Tuesday | 15:30 | 20:00 | Brittany Ferries, daytime |
| Wednesday to Sunday | 13:00 | 17:45 | Islander, booked through Condor |
Portsmouth to Saint-Malo
Brittany Ferries on the Saint-Malo, with Armorique in March. Out of Portsmouth it is overnight only this winter, four nights a week, about eleven and a half hours. The one daytime crossing is the Monday sailing back from Saint-Malo. We sailed this route too: Saint-Malo route page.
| Direction | Days | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth to Saint-Malo | Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday | 20:15 | 08:45 next day |
| Saint-Malo to Portsmouth | Monday | 10:45 | 18:20, daytime |
| Saint-Malo to Portsmouth | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday | 20:30 | 07:45 next day |
Portsmouth to Santander
Once a week out, twice a week back, on the Santoña. Around 31 hours southbound with two nights aboard, so budget for a cabin. See the Santander route page.
| Direction | Day | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth to Santander | Thursday | 23:30 | 08:00 Saturday |
| Santander to Portsmouth | Wednesday | 18:00 | 20:45 Thursday |
| Santander to Portsmouth | Saturday | 13:00 | 20:00 Sunday |
Portsmouth to Bilbao
Once a week, Tuesday night, on Salamanca (Galicia in November and early December), arriving Thursday morning after about 32 hours. The catch this winter: there is no regular sailing back from Bilbao to Portsmouth. Brittany Ferries’ timetable shows a single one, on Wednesday 2 December. For the return, plan on Santander, about an hour and a half west of Bilbao by road. See the Bilbao route page.
| Direction | Day | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth to Bilbao | Tuesday | 22:45 | 08:00 Thursday |
| Bilbao to Portsmouth | No regular sailing | One sailing only, Wednesday 2 December | Use Santander instead |
Portsmouth to Guernsey
The Islander, booked through Condor, which is majority owned by Brittany Ferries. Daily from 1 November, always overnight southbound. Coming back it runs direct on Mondays and Tuesdays; the rest of the week it goes home via Cherbourg, which means you need a passport for the way back, because the ship arrives in Portsmouth from France. See the Guernsey route page.
| Direction | Days | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth to Guernsey | Monday, Tuesday | 19:15 | 06:00 next day |
| Portsmouth to Guernsey | Wednesday to Sunday | 20:30 | 06:00 next day |
| Guernsey to Portsmouth, direct | Monday, Tuesday | 07:00 | 16:30 |
| Guernsey to Portsmouth, via Cherbourg | Wednesday to Sunday | 06:30, Cherbourg 11:00 to 13:00 | 17:45, passport needed |
Portsmouth to Jersey
DFDS, Monday to Saturday, around ten hours to St Helier. DFDS only publishes the current week, and in mid-October that showed the sailing leaving Portsmouth at 09:00 and arriving at 19:00. We could not confirm the winter return times from DFDS itself, so check those with DFDS for your dates rather than trusting a copied timetable. See the Jersey route page.
| Direction | Days | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth to Jersey | Monday to Saturday | 09:00 | 19:00 |
Isle of Wight crossings run all day, every day, from Portsmouth Harbour and Southsea rather than the international port. They are on our Isle of Wight ferry guide, and you can watch them crossing on the live map on our Solent page.
Common questions
Is there a ferry from Portsmouth every day in winter?
To Caen, yes, three a day. To Guernsey, yes, from 1 November. Everything else sails on set days: Cherbourg twice a week with Brittany Ferries, Saint-Malo four nights a week, Santander and Bilbao once a week each, and Jersey Monday to Saturday.
What time is the first ferry from Portsmouth?
The Caen morning sailing, at 07:45 on Mondays and Tuesdays and 08:00 on most other days. There is no morning Caen sailing on Fridays. On Tuesdays the Cherbourg daytime sailing leaves at 08:45.
What is the last ferry from Portsmouth at night?
Caen at 23:00, every night. Santander leaves at 23:30 on Thursdays and Bilbao at 22:45 on Tuesdays.
Can I get a ferry back from Bilbao this winter?
Not on a regular basis. Brittany Ferries’ winter timetable has a single Bilbao to Portsmouth sailing, on 2 December. Sail home from Santander instead, on Wednesday evening or Saturday lunchtime.
Why do the arrival times look short on the way back from France?
Because France is an hour ahead. Caen to Portsmouth leaves at 08:30 French time and arrives at 13:30 UK time: that is six hours at sea, not five.
Taken from the Brittany Ferries, Condor and DFDS timetables on 16 October 2026 for sailings between 1 November 2026 and 21 March 2027. We are not a booking site and we do not handle your booking. Some links here are affiliate links, and we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure. If a time here has changed, tell us on the contact page.