Eastern Docks · Dover · Kent CT16 1JA · Cross-Channel ferries
Dover Ferry Transfers – Fixed Price Quote, Book Online 24/7
Dover has a ferry port and a cruise port, in different parts of the town, with different entrances and different check-in arrangements. Turning up at the wrong one is the single most common mistake made at this port, and it is entirely avoidable.
Docks, for ferries. The cruise terminals are in the Western Docks, which is a different part of Dover with a separate approach. Both are signposted as the Port of Dover, which is exactly why people end up at the wrong one.
Two ports, one town
The distinction that matters more than anything else about a Dover booking.
Eastern Docks, CT16
Cross-Channel services to Calais and Dunkirk. This page.
Western Docks, CT17
Terminals 1 and 2. Our cruise terminal page covers those.
As the Port of Dover
Which is precisely how the confusion happens.
Operator and service
Tell us the operator and sailing and the right dock follows.
Across Kent to Dover
Short journeys, and the Eastern Docks sit right beneath the town.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Dover & Deal | 2 miles | 10–20 min |
| Folkestone & Hythe | 9 miles | 20–30 min |
| Canterbury & Whitstable | 17 miles | 30–45 min |
| Ashford & Tenterden | 24 miles | 35–50 min |
| Faversham & Sittingbourne | 32 miles | 45–60 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 41 miles | 50–70 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 45 miles | 55–75 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 57 miles | 65–90 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 64 miles | 75–100 min |
Foot passengers
Which is what most of our ferry passengers are, and it works differently from driving on.
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Check with the operator first | Foot passenger arrangements vary by operator and have changed over the years |
| Check-in is earlier than you think | Ferry check-in closes well before departure. Confirm the deadline |
| Passports and documents | A border, so allow for the checks. Rules change; verify current requirements |
| Luggage is on you | No cabin to send it to. Carry what you can manage |
| We drop at the terminal | And collect on your return at an agreed time |
Using the ferry port
Say ferry, and name the operator
We ask for the operator and the sailing rather than just the port, because it settles the dock, the terminal building and the check-in deadline in one go. Dover is a big working port with two distinct passenger operations and the difference between them is several minutes of driving and a great deal of stress.
Confirm foot passenger arrangements yourself
Foot passenger provision on cross-Channel routes has changed over the years and varies by operator, and it is not something we can be authoritative about on a page that may sit here for years. Check directly with your operator when you book the crossing, and tell us what they say.
Check-in closes earlier than departure
Considerably earlier, and it is the thing that catches out people used to flying or to trains. Confirm the deadline with the operator and give us that time rather than the sailing time, and we will plan the pick-up backwards from it with margin.
It is a border, so allow for it
Documents, checks and queues, and the rules governing them change. Verify current requirements before you travel rather than relying on how it worked last time. From our side we simply build the extra time into the journey plan.
Dover ferry questions
The right dock, and the right time.
Is the ferry port the same as the cruise terminal?
No. Ferries sail from the Eastern Docks and cruises from the Western Docks, in different parts of Dover with separate approaches. Both are signposted as the Port of Dover.
What do you need to know when we book?
The operator and the sailing time, which settles the dock, the terminal and the check-in deadline together.
When does check-in close?
Considerably earlier than departure, and it varies by operator. Confirm the deadline with them and give us that time rather than the sailing time.
Can you take foot passengers?
We take you to the terminal. Foot passenger arrangements on the crossings themselves vary by operator and have changed over the years, so confirm those directly when booking your crossing.
What about passports and documents?
It is a border crossing and the rules change. Verify current requirements before travelling. We build the extra time into the journey plan.
How far is Dover from the rest of Kent?
Ten minutes from Dover itself, forty from Canterbury, around an hour from Medway and an hour and a half from the far west.
Can you collect us on the way back?
Yes, at an agreed time. Give us the return sailing and we will be there for it.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking for both legs.
Ports and terminals
Kent's working port.
Travel guides
Closest airport to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal
Southend Airport is the closest airport to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal, roughly 51 road miles and about 99 minutes by car outside the peaks. For most scheduled international flights the best airport for Port of Dover Ferry Terminal is Gatwick Airport, about 82 miles and 151 minutes away, with far more routes and airlines; Stansted Airport is the next option at around 88 miles.
| Airport | Road distance | Drive time | Fixed-fare taxi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southend Airport (SEN) | 51 miles | about 99 min | Get fixed fare · SEN transfers |
| London City Airport (LCY) | 77 miles | about 142 min | Get fixed fare · LCY transfers |
| Gatwick Airport (LGW) | 82 miles | about 151 min | Get fixed fare · LGW transfers |
| Stansted Airport (STN) | 88 miles | about 161 min | Get fixed fare · STN transfers |
| Heathrow Airport (LHR) | 101 miles | about 183 min | Get fixed fare · LHR transfers |
Best airport for Port of Dover Ferry Terminal: which one to fly into
Distance is only half the answer. Pick the airport with the right flight, then let us handle the road: every Rushxo airport taxi to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal is a fixed fare agreed before you book, the driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals with a name board, and waiting time for a late landing is built in. Popular searches: taxi from Southend Airport to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal, taxi from London City Airport to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal, taxi from Gatwick Airport to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal.
Airport taxi to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal: how it works
- Fixed price per car, not per person, saloon to V Class minibus
- Meet and greet in arrivals, live traffic routing, name board
- Drop-off and pickup charges included in the fare
- Child seats and wheelchair-accessible vehicles on request
- Return to the airport after the event at the same fixed price
- 24/7, pre-booked, TfL and council licensed drivers
Book an airport taxi to Port of Dover Ferry Terminal → · 020 8888 9988
Vehicles and drivers
Choose a saloon for up to four passengers, an executive car for business travel, an MPV for families and luggage, or a minibus for groups of up to 16. Every driver is TfL-licensed and DBS-checked, and every vehicle is insured for private hire.
Frequently asked questions
Is the price for Dover Ferry Transfers fixed?
Yes. Every Rushxo journey is a fixed price agreed before you travel, whatever the traffic or time of day: no meter, no surge pricing, no hidden extras.
How do I book Dover Ferry Transfers?
Request a quote online, by WhatsApp or by phone, 24 hours a day. Confirm the pick-up time and address and you receive the driver details before the journey; business accounts can book on monthly invoice.
Is Rushxo a licensed operator?
Yes. Rushxo journeys are operated by Get London Transfer Ltd, a TfL-licensed private hire operator (licence 11588). Rushxo Ltd is registered at Companies House (16464640), with DBS-checked drivers and insurance up to £10m.
Looking for Dover Ferry taxi, London to Dover Ferry taxi or taxi from London to Dover Ferry? Rushxo covers it with a pre-booked, fixed-fare car, live flight and train tracking, and 24/7 availability.
Dover Ferry: events, venues, airports & the wider Kent network
Rushxo runs fixed-price transfers from Dover Ferry to events and venues, all major airports and cruise terminals, and towns and cities right across Kent and the South East. Every journey is a fixed price agreed before you book.
Event & venue transfers
Brands Hatch · Brands Hatch Travel · Dartford To The O2 Arena Travel · Gallagher Stadium Maidstone Taxi · Kent Downs Leeds Castle Travel · O2 Arena · Wembley Stadium · Twickenham Stadium · Emirates Stadium
Airports & cruise terminals
Gatwick Airport · Heathrow Airport · Stansted Airport · Luton Airport · London City Airport · Southend Airport · Cruise transfers
Nearby towns & cities in Kent
Canterbury · Maidstone · Ashford · Dover · Dartford · Gravesend · Folkestone · Margate
Explore the network
Airport transfers Business · Events & venues · Event airport transfers