Four direct crossings · Brittany Ferries
Ferry to Spain from the UK
Three sailings from England, one from Ireland, straight across the Bay of Biscay to Santander or Bilbao. No airport queues, no luggage limits, and the car comes with you.
We sailed Plymouth to Santander in August 2026, five of us, on the Pont-Aven. Every photo on this site is ours. About us
Pont-Aven · Wed, Sun Rosslare → Bilbao 27–31h · from Ireland
Santoña · Wed, Fri Portsmouth → Santander ~33h · 2 nights
Salamanca · Mon, Fri Portsmouth → Bilbao 33–36h · 2 nights
Galicia · Thu, Sun
What twenty hours at sea is actually like
We drove down to Plymouth on a Wednesday in August, joined the queue two hours before departure, and sailed overnight to Santander on the Pont-Aven. Five of us in a Commodore Suite. The kids found the arcade and the pool before we had unpacked, we ate at Le Flora that first evening, and we spent most of the next morning out on deck watching for the Spanish coast.
It is not a short crossing and it is not cheap. What you get for it is a holiday that starts the moment the ramp goes up, instead of one that starts after an airport.



“For a family, it turns a stressful cross-country dash to catch a flight into part of the trip itself: no airport queues, you bring as much luggage as the car holds, and the kids get a proper adventure before you’ve even reached Spain.”
Book the suite early and it costs barely more than a cabin
We booked well ahead and the Commodore Suite came in close to the price of a standard cabin. If you can get it at that gap, take it. The private lounge, the separate seating area and the picture window over the sea are what turn twenty hours into part of the holiday rather than a transfer.
All four direct crossings to Spain
Every direct sailing between the UK or Ireland and Spain is operated by Brittany Ferries. In peak season the four routes run 16 crossings a week between them. Times below are the published April to November 2026 pattern.
| Route | Departures | Crossing | Nights | Ship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth to Santander | Wed 15:45, Sun 16:45 | 20h 30m | 1 | Pont-Aven |
| Portsmouth to Santander | Mon 21:30, Fri 22:00 | ~33 hours | 2 | Salamanca |
| Portsmouth to Bilbao | Thu 19:00, Sun 22:00 | 33 to 36 hours | 2 | Galicia |
| Rosslare to Bilbao | Wed 09:00, Fri 23:59 | 27 to 31 hours | 1 to 2 | Santoña |
Sailing home again? Every northbound departure is on our Spain to the UK page, along with what you can legally bring back. Live times for all four routes are on the 2026 timetable.
The decision that actually matters: one night or two
Everyone starts by comparing prices. The thing that shapes the trip more is how long you are at sea.
Plymouth to Santander takes 20 hours 30 minutes and you sleep on board once. The two Portsmouth crossings take 33 hours or more, which means two nights and roughly double the cabin cost. That is not the ferry company being awkward: the Pont-Aven cruises at 22 knots and the newer ships are slower.
Accommodation is compulsory, not an upgrade
Every direct crossing to Spain is overnight, so every passenger needs a reserved seat or a cabin. It is the biggest single variable in what you pay, and on the two-night routes a reserved seat is a very long stretch. Price the inside cabin before you rule it out.
Route map
Where you leave from and where you land
Departure ports
- 🇬🇧Plymouth, England · parking £13 a day
- 🇬🇧Portsmouth, England · 2.1 m height limit
- 🇮🇪Rosslare Europort, Ireland · parking about £21 a week
Parking prices, height limits, directions, check-in times and terminal facilities for all five are in the port guides.
The four ships
Which vessel you get is decided by your route, not by choice. They are not interchangeable, and two of them swapped routes for 2026.
Pont-Aven
- 2004, the flagship and the fastest at 22 knots
- The only ship to Spain with an indoor pool
- French styling and dining
- Plymouth to Santander
Salamanca
- 2022, LNG-powered and noticeably quieter
- Tapas bar and Spanish interiors
- Portsmouth to Santander
- Swapped routes with the Santoña for 2026
Galicia
- 2021, first of the E-Flexer trio
- Diesel with scrubbers rather than LNG
- Portsmouth to Bilbao
Santoña
- 2023, LNG-powered
- Rosslare to Bilbao
- Swapped routes with the Salamanca for 2026
Specifications, cabin types, pet rules and live position trackers on the ships page, and the operator itself on our Brittany Ferries guide.
Plan your trip
Before you book
- Full 2026 timetable, both directions
- The cheapest crossing to Spain
- Going via France instead, with real fuel and toll costs
- Sailing home, and what you can bring back
Once you arrive
- Things to do in Santander and a day trip into Cantabria
- Things to do in Bilbao, including the free ones
- Road trips through the Basque Country
- Carrying on to Morocco

Independent guide, not a ferry operator. Booking links go to Brittany Ferries and may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.