The heyday of cross Channel ferry travel was in 1997 when over 21 million passengers passed through the Port of Dover on sailings to that mystical land vaguely referred to as “the Continent”. Its decline as a means of transport began with the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 which provided a rail link allowing cars to be transported through the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais/Coquelles in just 40 minutes including boarding and disembarking. This proved a lot quicker than the 90 minutes it takes to sail from Dover to Calais excluding boarding and disembarking. As a result, and taking into account the additional competition from budget flights, ferry passenger numbers on the Dover-Calais ferry service have fallen to around 10 million annual passengers.
On numerous occasions I’ve driven via Calais back to Spain on the basis of it being the cheapest crossing. On one occasion we cut vouchers out of a daily newspaper to get a day return for £5 then continued on to Madrid without returning. Now I have to conclude that this journey as a way of getting directly to Spain isn’t worth it when the cost of fuel and accommodation en route together with the resulting fatigue are taken into account. Of course if it’s just the beginning of a long, leisurely touring holiday then it’s ideal.
Another option is to take a ferry crossing to a different port in France which gets you closer to Spain such as St Malo, Le Havre, Cherbourg or Dieppe. Again I’d suggest that each one of them is worth considering if touring is part of your plans but none are ideal if you’re trying to get to Spain as quickly as possible.
Brittany Ferries to Spain
Nowadays we don’t look beyond the excellent service provided by Brittany Ferries between Portsmouth and Santander or Bilbao. This is the best way to travel to Spain without flying. It can be a fairly expensive crossing but is most enjoyable with very convenient departure and arrival times. On all crossings to Spain it is compulsory to book accommodation which ranges from a reclining seat to a deluxe cabin. The routes offered by Brittany Ferries are as follows:
Ferries from Portsmouth to Santander
There are two weekly sailings on either the Pont-Aven or the Cap Finistère. The journey takes 24 hours departing in the late afternoon on Tuesdays and Fridays. In addition there’s an economy service leaving on a Saturday morning on the Etretat ferry which doesn’t offer the same cruise style experience as the other ships.
In December 2020 a new ferry called Galicia was introduced on this route. By 2023 two new ships called Salamanca and Santoña will have joined the fleet.
Ferries from Portsmouth to Bilbao
There are two weekly sailings on Cap Finistère. The journey takes 24 hours if you leave at midday on a Wednesday or 32 hours if you take the 10.30pm departure on a Sunday (this is a two night crossing).
Ferries from Plymouth to Santander
There’s only one weekly sailing on Pont-Aven. The journey takes just 20 hours and leaves on a Sunday afternoon.
Ferries to Spain with a Dog
On our most recent sailing between the UK and Spain we were on the flagship Pont-Aven ferry. This vessel is extremely well equipped with a wide selection of facilities including two restaurants, various bars, a cinema, a swimming pool and a spa. There are shopping and games areas and free WiFi is available in public areas. This ferry service is an ideal choice for travelling to Spain with dogs thanks to the kennels on the top deck.
If you travel on the Cap Finistère or the economy Etretat there are even pet-friendly cabins to accomodate our furry friends. Brittany Ferries describe their onboard kennel facilities and availability of pet-friendly cabins according to ship on their website.
During the crossing representatives of ORCA, the dolphin and whale conservation group, were onboard to give an interesting talk on marine life in the Bay of Biscay. There was also a whisky tasting which I decided to avoid with a drive to Burgos pending on arrival in Santander.
Brittany Ferries’ plan to replace the Pont-Aven on the Spanish routes with a new Gas-Powered Cruise Ferry has been suspended.
Ferry to Santander or Bilbao?
No doubt you can work out whether Portsmouth or Plymouth is the best port for you when leaving the UK but what about making a decision on which of the Spanish ports is most convenient? These two cities lie approximately 100km apart on Spain’s Atlantic coast, they both have plenty to offer the visitor. Santander is a lovely city located right on a glorious sandy beach whilst Bilbao has become a popular short break destination thanks largely to the location of the Guggenheim Museum in the city.
By Car – If you’ve arrived in Spain with your car and you have no intention of spending any time in your arrival port then there’s not a lot to choose between them. Of course Santander is that bit nearer to Asturias and Galicia if you’re heading west whilst Bilbao is handy if you’re heading towards San Sebastian and the French Basque Country. For Madrid and beyond, Bilbao is 50km nearer the capital than Santander but I’d consider that quite negligible unless you’re in a great rush to reach your destination. There are beautiful drives on different routes from both ports for anyone heading south. If Bilbao is your destination be aware that the ferry terminal lies west of the city in a distant suburb called Zierbena. This is no inconvenience for motorists but is worth noting when planning your route.
On Foot – If you’ve travelled on the ferry as a foot passenger then the decision has already been made for you as Brittany Ferries do not take bookings on their website for foot passengers or bicycle tourists on the Portsmouth-Bilbao route. This is no great problem as Santander is a better option anyway because the ferry arrives directly into the city centre. This allows you to walk to a hotel for a night or two or you can go directly to the RENFE train station which offers direct services to Madrid and from there to the rest of Spain on the country’s excellent train network. For local trains on the narrow-gauge railway system east to Bilbao or west to Oviedo the FEVE station stands next to the mainline station.
In spite of what their brochure says, it does appear that Brittany Ferries will sometimes accept bookings from foot passengers on the Portsmouth-Bilbao route by phone provided the ship isn’t full. In that case you’ll need to get a taxi from the port to the nearest metro station at Santurtzi which is 3km away. From here you can get to Estación de Abando in the centre of Bilbao where you connect with trains to San Sebastian, Madrid and Barcelona.
Cheap Ferries to Spain via France
If you are taking your own car and want to enjoy your drive to and from Spain, there are plenty of ferries operating between the UK and France. Ferry schedules are generally published many months in advance so some good deals can be had by planning ahead and booking a long time before your departure date.
When you’re looking at alternative ferry crossings bear in mind that you’ll find the best daily deals by travelling at the most unpopular times. Late night ferries will be cheaper than late morning ones (and you can usually find cheap hotels near the port so that you’re fresh for an early start the next morning). Try to avoid weekend crossings and if you’re not tied to school holidays and bank holidays try to avoid those dates as prices tend to peak at such times.
Another potentially cost saving measure is to consider looking at alternative routes within a similar geographic area, for example, you’ll often find that ferries to Dunkirk with Norfolk Line work out a lot cheaper than the more popular Dover-Calais route yet Dunkirk is less than 25 miles up the French coast. Similarly in the UK you might find better deals by leaving Folkestone, Ramsgate or Newhaven rather than Calais. Also there’s no need to assume that you must book both legs of your journey with the same ferry company as you might find better deals by booking your outward journey with one company and your return sailing with another. This policy also allows you the flexibility to arrive and depart from different ports.
Compare Fuel Prices between the UK and France/Spain
Before you leave be sure to check out whether petrol’s cheaper in the UK or in the country of your ferry arrival and fill up accordingly in both directions. The latest petrol prices in France are listed on http://www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr/index.php by ‘département’ (number 62 is Calais).
We have used quite a lot of different crossings. Dover – Calais, Portsmouth – Cherbourg, Portsmouth- Le Havre, Portsmouth – St Malo, Portsmouth – Bilbao and Portsmouth – Santander. One journey we kept a very detailed record of costs on our journey to Marbella. We have definitely decided the cheapest and nicest way to reach Southern Spain is using the crossing direct to Spain. The first time we used this route we booked a two berth cabin. Big mistake , it was bunk beds.! We always now try to book the Pont Aven and have a de luxe cabin . Very comfy beds, TV, DVD player, fridge with a selection of free drinks, basket of fruit , breakfast served in cabin – great start to a holiday. We have also travelled on the Cap Finistre, cabins just as good but not quite as good a selection of restaurants on board.
Thanks Pauline – I’ve never actually calculated the costs but your findings don’t surprise me at all.
Regards
Gerry
Hi Gerry – Love getting your info. Just to set the record straight for all dog owners it is the Cap Finistère and the new economy service that has pet cabins, the Pont Aven does not. Keep up the good work. Jaine
Hi Jaine
Thanks for clarifying this point. It is explained on the Brittany Ferries website at:
http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/information/PETS-travel-scheme/onboard-kennels-and-pet-friendly-cabins
Regards
Gerry
Hi, We have been doing the Plymouth to Santander ferry for some years now. For us it is a no-brainer. We live in the south west, of UK and have joined the Brit Ferrys club.. so we get 30% off our ferry cost. We arrive fresh at Santander, having had a great dinner, and a good sleep in a cabin, for a 7 hour + drive to the Costa Blanca. We have done the .. via France route, .. and really it doesn’t make sense. Unless you want mini holiday in France. If anyone wants any advice on this crossing, .. pleased to help.
Hi Sandy – Good tip … If you join the Brittany Ferries frequent traveller’s club you get up to 30% discount on ferry crossings.
Hi Sandy Jones,
We are looking at going from Plymouth to Santander with Brittany Ferries next year and then on to Costa Brava (Las Dunas).
Wondered what route you took from Santander and whether you stopped overnight on route? Michelin online is sending me via Tolouse and saying its nearly a 9 hour journey.
Any help would be appreciated.
We’ve been travelling to Spain on by ferry since 1995, firstly on the Pride of Bilbao and then on the Pont Aven with our son who is Blind, Autistic and has severe learning difficulties. The crew on the Pont Aven are always very helpful parking the car near a lift, they will give help on and off if you need it. The Club Voyage is worth every penny, as well as the discount it gives you £7.50 towards breakfast in any of the restaurants. Use the Camping de Haro in Haro la Rioja as a stop over. Carlos the owner is a lovely guy and the site gets better each year. It’s about 2 hours from Santander. The town is typical of the region and great to walk round. Have a look at Playa Montroig as an alternative to Las Dunas but your choice of site is of course down to your preference! I think you will find that Brittany ferries have now cancelled the new gas powered ferry and LD lines crossing has been withdrawn. Finally when travelling from Santander to Bilbao and on towards Zaragoza keep to the left so you go up through the new tunnels otherwise you will end up driving into the center of Bilbao which a few people we know have done. Follow Logrono Vitoria signs.
Thanks Brian for this great information.
if you can give me the route from Santander to the costa Blanca area ,would be a help to my husband ,we are going there in a motorhome this year to find a house to buy , and give us some advice in what areas should we be looking for this move
Sandra and Daniel Ybert ( camp site on route please to stop)
LD Lines also go from Poole to Gijon at a very reasonable price
Thanks Jeanette
Yet another great article. Thanks a lot.
We live in Murcia and drive back to the UK once a year as well as flying back to see the family. We have always used Brittany Ferries and used to drive to Roscoff for the sailing to Plymouth … as we have family in Bristol and Cornwall it was convenient. However the additional strain of such a long drive through France, and the cost of extra hotels and diesel made it a long, hard journey.
Since then we have travelled on the Santander ferry … usually to Plymouth to see the family, but also to Portsmouth if we need to. The Pont Aven is our favourite ferry … upgrading our cabin to outside ones. This is a lovely ship with good food available in both the restaurant (book early!) or the cafeteria. Yes it’s expensive but compared to the cost of driving through France it’s worth it. We usually stay at a hotel just outside Santander which offers a suite of rooms, dinner and breakfast for a fraction of the cost of Santander hotels … not luxury but cheap and cheerful. Also Santander is a lovely city to explore whilst waiting for the ferry.
Having said all this it is not cheap! We considered returning via ferry this month in May and worked out it would cost about £1500-1600 … ferry, hotel, diesel, meals etc. So we opted to fly back in 2.5hrs and hire a car in the UK … cost £300 … no contest really. Only choose ferries if you want to make a holiday of your journey … it’s well worth going to Santander and driving to Galicia the South through Portugal or Extremadura to explore if you have the time and money.
Hi,
We live in Huesca, northern Spain and we’ve been using the Bilbao and Santander routes for a few years now and we generally use it on one leg of the journey and go through France on the other. As you said in the article, there’s not much difference in price when you take into account the cost of hotels in France. There are also lots of activities to keep children occupied while on board and the Brittany Ferries ships seem to be getting better and better.
At the beginning we thought the same as Pauline (above) and chose the deluxe cabin on the old P&O Pride of Bilbao, right at the front, wonderful views, very comfy. It was lovely … until one journey we hit a massive storm in the Bay of Biscay … and then we suffered. Thanks to the lovely crew member (chambermaid) who gave us the key to a cabin in the middle of the ship we were able to dash ourselves and our vomity children to a calmer spot where we gradually felt better. But ever since then I’ve made sure to reserve cabins in the centre of the ship!
Very important tip Catherine … much appreciated.
Hi, we live in Portugal in the Alentejo and use the Santander ferry 2 or 3 times a year to visit family in the UK.
We’ve been in the property owner’s club for a long time and the 30% discount makes the costs reasonable if you value your time and the wear and tear on the vehicle. This year we are thinking of using the Grimaldi LD ferry from Gijon to St.Nazaire. We are then going to leave the car in Dinard and fly to East Midlands Airport. Even with car hire it is much cheaper and quicker than crossing the channel and driving to the Midlands. We will then spend some time in Normandy to visit the D-Day landing sites before driving back down France and Spain and back home to Portugal.
Thanks for your interesting articles.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks Bob, you seem to be very well organised in terms of finding all the best modes of transport 🙂
Brittany ferries now do a no-frills ferry “economie” on the ETRETAT. If you are more interested in cost this can be a saving for you. If you have friends who are members, they can give you a Guest Membership that will save you something as well. We drive from Bilbao to Costa del Sol and have found a great hotel just south of Madrid – Las Estrellas in Ciempozuelos (booked via Booking.com). Going by ferry is more expensive but it is more leisurely and allows us to take our car for use in each country – and fill it up with various things each way!
Thanks Tricia
Hi Gerry
Wonderful narrative as usual, like Catherine, we used to travel Bilbao – Portsmouth and return on P&O and found the trip was better than Brittany, although P&O rattled a lot more. There was more for passengers to do, more shops, more restaurants and cabarets every evening which we did not see on the Brittany Ferry to Bilbao. Pride of Bilbao was also a ro-ro which made loading and unloading easy, not so the Brittany.
In fact we were so disappointed we have decided to drive from Valencia to Calais this year.
Hope this hasn´t put anybody off who was going to use Brittany but this is what we found.
Regards,
Brian Biggs.
Thanks Brian
In 1974 I took what I suppose was a ferry – the tour left from south Hampton and arrived at Piscaderos. I walked and hitch hiked from that town to Pamplona to run the bulls. I was badly prepared for this tour. I booked the tour one hour before it departed port and left my car parked near the port. I realized after I was on the ship that people had their vehicles on the journey.
So unprepared that I camped on the small stream running through Pamplona with the rest of the Americans that had their knapsacks and that their intention was to camp at the river edge. I bought some gear in town for a two day stay and joined los fermines en celebrando las fiesta de San Fermin. I still after 40 years wear a cap I picked in Pamplona advertising a business there. The cap reads Urzu with Pamplona on either side .
Thank you for listening to my woes. Jose Luis Valdez
Hi Jose … thanks so much for sharing your fabulous story.
My parents used to use the ferry at Newhaven to cross to Dieppe in France and travel through France onto Spain via the country roads but it would take them about 3-4 days as they had the time to spare being pensioners. I did the route a couple of times with them and its quite a nice route. The ferry across to Bilbao or Santander is good too as you can see a lot of northern Spain that you wouldnt visit otherwise.
love ferry to Santander but please please please Brittany learn to unload faster