Eastern Docks · Dover · Kent CT16 1JA · Cross-Channel ferries
Dover ferries: the Eastern Docks
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.