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
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 our 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 Buses
There is the Balad’in bus running Mon – Sat (excl Bank Holidays) from Calais terminal from 07:40 to 19:06.
On Sundays and bank holidays, we have a bus from Calais ferry terminal to the train station leaving the terminal at 13:10, 16:55 and 20:40.
On Fri, Sat, Sun and bank holidays, we have a bus from Calais ferry terminal to the train station leaving the terminal at 20:40 (for the last foot passenger Dover to Calais sailing 17:25).
On Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, passengers who are on the last foot passenger sailing from Dover to Calais at 17:25 must make sure to arrange their own transport from the port as there is no bus available.
Please note there are no shuttle buses in Dover.
Passport:
To travel as a foot passenger to France you must ensure you passport reflects the below criteria:
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Must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
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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:
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Select your port, sailing date and preferred time. Click next to continue.
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Select your passengers and click next to continue.
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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'.
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You can then continue to make your booking as normal.