Travelling as a foot passenger

 

We are very pleased to be welcoming foot passengers back on board our popular Dover to Calais route. With France being just a 90 minute sailing away and Calais having great bus and rail connections, travelling as a foot passenger doesn’t mean you have to miss out on exploring! 

 

We have put together some useful updated information below, please ensure you are fully up to date with the new requirements for travelling as a foot passenger including; current testing rules, foot passenger check in times and restrictions, as these are likely to be different to the last time you travelled with us.

 

We look forward to welcoming you onboard!

 

Please note: Foot passengers are unable to bring pets on board.

 

On our foot passenger service there is a wheelchair accessible bus that uses a pull out ramp. This may be unsuitable for those with a larger chair, please contact our call centre or customer services to discuss. 

 

Customer Service Email: customer.services@poferries.com

Travelling as a foot passenger P&O Ferries

Foot Passenger check-in (at the Passenger Handling Building in Dover Port) closes 90 minutes before your sailing time. Please ensure you arrive with plenty of time before this to clear customs checks, and then check-in.

The dedicated shuttle bus for foot passengers will leave when check-in closes (at exactly 90 minutes before your sailing). A shuttle bus will then take you to your drop-off point where your ferry awaits, and drop you at a drop-off point after you disembark. 

The above process is also applicable to your return crossing. 

Please note that foot passengers will disembark the ship 30 minutes after arrival into port. Please allow for this time when making any travel arrangements from Calais port to your onward destination,

There are drop off spaces and taxi ranks located near the building. Find out more about the port of Dover including the exact address by visiting our port page.

Once checked in, foot passengers will be directed and transferred to the ship as advised by the check in staff.

Sailings

Foot Passenger sailings from Dover to Calais are available at the following times:

10:05, 13:45 and 17:25.

Foot passenger return sailings from Calais to Dover are available as below: 

10:35, 15:50 and 19:00.

Please note: Foot passenger space is subject to availability.

Shuttle Bus

The Balad’in is free shuttle bus which connects the Ferry Terminal to the city center of Calais every 20 minutes in the morning and every 11 minutes in the afternoon. Non stop from Monday to Saturday (except on French bank holidays and Sundays), from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm.

When the Balad’in does not operate our Foot passenger bus supplier operates one service to Calais train station on our last arrival from Dover: bus leaves the port at 20.40.

On Sundays and bank holidays our bus suppliers operates shuttle to town as follows: 13.10 / 14.40 / 16.55 / 18.35 / 20.40.

Please note there are no shuttle buses in Dover.

 

Whilst there is no current limit on luggage, please note that you will be required to carry your own luggage on/off the shuttle bus and on/off the ship, as baggage trolleys are not always available. We therefore recommend that customers bear this in mind and travel with hand luggage only where possible.

Please be advised there is no secure baggage store onboard our Dover to Calais ships, customers must keep their belongings with them at all times.

In the interests of passenger safety, P&O Ferries are unable to accept left luggage at the port of Dover.

Passport:

To travel as a foot passenger to France you must ensure you passport reflects the below criteria:

  • Must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

  • Must be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left)

You will still be able to travel with a burgundy or ‘European Union’ passport after Brexit. 

To make a foot passenger booking please follow the steps below:

  • Navigate to our fare finder via a 'Book Now' button, our homepage or via the link here.

  • Select your port, sailing date and preferred time. Click next to continue.

  • Select your passengers and click next to continue.

  • The Vehicle page is automatically populated to show a car, to change to foot passenger select 'edit', and then from the drop down vehicle menu select 'Foot Passenger'. Select 'save' and then 'show times'.

  • You can then continue to make your booking as normal.

Please note: Foot passenger tickets have to be pre-booked. We are unable to offer a Foot Passenger ticket buying service at the Port of Dover.
Travelling as a foot passenger P&O Ferries
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