Ferry from London to Hook of Holland
Hook of Holland is one of the easiest places on the continent to reach from London, thanks to a combination that has quietly existed for over a century: train to Harwich, ferry across, and you step off at a terminal with its own metro station. Stena Line runs the crossing twice a day. No airport, no Dover queues, and the whole journey can be booked as one ticket.
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
A comfortable overnight crossing on large ferries. The sailing is long enough to get some rest while still arriving in the Netherlands early in the morning. Thanks to excellent rail and public transport connections, it is also a popular choice among foot passengers and cyclists.
Ferry services from London to Hook of Holland
Stena Line sails from Harwich twice daily: a daytime crossing of around seven hours and an overnight sailing with cabins. From London, Harwich International is around 90 minutes by train from Liverpool Street or a two-hour drive via the A12.
Map with suggested London – Hook of Holland ferry routes
This map shows ferry routes from London to Hook of Holland, 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 Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica are large, steady ships, and the crossing is a relaxed one. On the day sailing we like claiming a window seat in the lounge and letting the North Sea drift by; the overnight option turns the trip into a night’s sleep and an early Dutch start. Both beat sitting on a motorway.
Photos from the journey
Arriving with the metro next door
The terminal at Hook of Holland connects directly to metro line B, which runs into Rotterdam in about 35 minutes. From there, trains reach Delft, The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam. Drivers pick up the A20 at the port; the whole Randstad is within an hour and a half.
By car
By car it adds up like this: two hours to Harwich, then a seven-hour sailing or a night on board, and you arrive already in the Netherlands. Compared with driving via Dover you swap around five hours of continental motorway for time at sea. The A12 to Harwich is uncomplicated; allow buffer for check-in, which closes 45 minutes before departure.
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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.