Ferry from London to Rotterdam
For Londoners, Rotterdam is one of the simplest continental cities to reach by sea: ninety minutes to Harwich, a Stena Line crossing to Hook of Holland, and a metro ride into the centre. The Hull-Rotterdam overnight boat exists too, but driving four hours north to sail back south makes little sense from the capital; Harwich is the route that fits.
Routes
Our experience
The daytime crossing takes up a large part of the day, but it is often one of the more affordable options available. Budget-friendly cabins are frequently offered, giving you a private space to relax during the journey.
Our experience
We’ve travelled on every ferry route between Dover and the continent ourselves. We were particularly impressed by P&O Ferries thanks to its competitive fares, modern ships, clean facilities and spacious outdoor decks. For many travellers heading to the Netherlands, this is often the fastest and most affordable option.
Ferry services from London to Rotterdam
Stena Line sails twice a day from Harwich: a daytime crossing of around seven hours and an overnight sailing with cabins. Harwich is around 90 minutes from London by train from Liverpool Street, or two hours by car via the A12.
Map with suggested London – Rotterdam ferry routes
This map shows ferry routes from London to Rotterdam, with crossing times, fares and the ports they sail from. Tap a route for details, tap a port for its sailings, or zoom in for more.
Onboard experience
The crossing itself is the relaxing kind: big ship, steady sea, room to wander. Day sailing or night boat is mostly a question of what you do with the hours: we like the overnight option for city breaks, arriving at the metro before Rotterdam has finished its first coffee.
Photos from the journey
Two arrival ports, one destination
Hook of Holland sits on the western edge of the Rotterdam region. Metro line B runs from the ferry terminal to the city centre in about 35 minutes; by car it is around half an hour on the A20. Delft and The Hague are even closer if your trip continues beyond Rotterdam.
By car
By car, take the A12 to Harwich and you avoid both the Dover queues and the entire French-Belgian motorway leg; you arrive 30 minutes from your destination instead of 150 miles from it. Rotterdam parking garages are plentiful, and the P+R at Hoek van Holland or Schiedam works well if you would rather finish by metro.
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By campervan
Travellers heading to Rotterdam can choose between arriving directly at Europoort or travelling via Hook of Holland.
Still weighing up your options?
We are a Dutch team and we have made all three direct crossings ourselves, and the photos on this site are our own. Tell us where you are starting and we will point you to the smartest way across.