Santander and Bilbao · to England and Ireland
Ferry from Spain to the UK
Eight sailings a week head north across the Bay of Biscay. The times are not a mirror of the outbound crossings, you gain an hour rather than lose one, and what you can bring home changed in 2025.
Spain to UK ferry timetable 2026
All northbound sailings, in the order they leave through the week. Times are local at each port, so remember Spain runs an hour ahead of the UK and Ireland.
| Departs | Arrives | Time at sea | Ship |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Santander 18:15 | Tuesday, Plymouth 15:00 | 21h 45m | Pont-Aven |
| Tuesday, Bilbao 13:00 | Wednesday, Portsmouth 20:45 | 32h 45m | Galicia |
| Wednesday, Santander 14:00 | Thursday, Portsmouth 20:00 | 31 hours | Salamanca |
| Thursday, Santander 16:00 | Friday, Plymouth 11:15 | 20h 15m | Pont-Aven |
| Thursday, Bilbao 18:00 | Friday, Rosslare 20:30 | 27h 30m | Santoña |
| Saturday, Bilbao 13:00 | Sunday, Portsmouth 17:30 | 29h 30m | Galicia |
| Sunday, Bilbao 11:00 | Monday, Rosslare 14:30 | 28h 30m | Santoña |
| Sunday, Santander 14:00 | Monday, Portsmouth 17:30 | 28h 30m | Salamanca |
This is the April to November 2026 pattern. Winter is reduced on every route except Santander to Portsmouth, and Santander to Plymouth stops altogether from early November to late March.
The return is often shorter than the outbound
Santander to Portsmouth on a Sunday is 28 hours 30 minutes. The same route southbound on a Monday is 33 hours 30 minutes. Five hours’ difference on the same ship, because the schedules are built around arrival times at each end rather than symmetry. If the length of the crossing matters to you, check both legs separately instead of assuming.
The four return routes
Santander to Plymouth
- The fastest way home, 20h 15m on the Thursday sailing
- Monday and Thursday departures
- The Pont-Aven, one night at sea
- Seasonal: late March to early November
- Best for the South West and South Wales
Santander to Portsmouth
- 28h 30m to 31 hours
- Wednesday and Sunday departures
- The Salamanca, runs year round
- Two nights on board
- Best for London, the South East and the Midlands
Bilbao to Portsmouth
- 29h 30m to 32h 45m
- Tuesday and Saturday departures
- The Galicia
- Two nights on board
- Handy if you have been in Catalonia or southern France
Bilbao to Rosslare
- 27h 30m to 28h 30m
- Thursday and Sunday departures
- The Santoña
- The only direct sailing to Ireland
- No landbridge across Britain
Outbound details, fares and ship information are on the UK to Spain routes page.
Four things that are different on the way back
You gain an hour, not lose one
The ship runs on the clock of the country it is heading to, and Spain is an hour ahead of the UK and Ireland. Sail north and you get that hour back. It makes an early arrival easier than the same time on paper suggests.
You are driving on the left again within minutes
Coming off at Plymouth or Portsmouth after two or three weeks on the right takes more concentration than people expect, especially at the first roundabout. Plan the first few junctions before you disembark rather than at the barrier.
The car is heavier
Most people go home with more than they arrived with. That is the whole appeal of the ferry, but it is also what makes the customs limits below worth reading properly.
Border checks take longer than you think
Passport control on the return is a slower process than boarding was. Build it into your plan rather than booking something tight at the other end.
What you can bring back from Spain
Since January 2021 the same personal allowances apply to Great Britain whether you are arriving from an EU country or anywhere else. Ferry passengers count as commercial travel, so the higher goods allowance applies.
| Category | Allowance per person |
|---|---|
| Beer | 42 litres |
| Still wine | 18 litres, about 24 bottles |
| Spirits over 22% ABV | 4 litres, or 9 litres of fortified wine, sparkling wine and drinks up to 22% |
| Tobacco | 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250g tobacco |
| Other goods | £390 by ferry, £270 if arriving by private boat |
The beer and wine allowances stack with the spirits one. The spirits line is an either-or, though you can split it, so 2 litres of gin and 4.5 litres of cava is fine. Tobacco can be split within its own category. Nobody under 17 gets an alcohol or tobacco allowance.
Go one bottle over and you pay duty on all of it
This is the rule that catches people out. If you bring 19 litres of wine, you pay tax and duty on the full 19 litres, not the one litre over the limit. The same applies to every category. It is not a tolerance system.
You can no longer bring meat or dairy back from Spain
Since April 2025, following foot-and-mouth outbreaks in central Europe, almost all meat and dairy products from EU countries are banned from entering Great Britain for personal use. That means no jamón, no chorizo, no Manchego, and technically not even a sandwich. For anyone who has driven back with a boot full of the good stuff in previous years, this is the single biggest change. Check the current position on GOV.UK before you shop.
Cash of £10,000 or more must be declared. Full and current rules are on GOV.UK, and they do change, so check close to your sailing.
Leaving from the Spanish ports
Check in at least 45 minutes before departure, or 90 minutes if you are travelling with a pet. Every passenger needs a full passport, children included.
Santander
- Muelle de Mali&antilde;o, 39009 Santander
- About 10 minutes from the city centre
- Two car parks at the terminal, one covered
- Sailings to Plymouth and Portsmouth
Bilbao
- Muelle A-3, Zierbena 48508
- 21 km from Bilbao, so allow for the drive
- P2 car park closes at 20:00, P1 is 24 hours
- Sailings to Portsmouth and Rosslare
If you are a foot passenger leaving from Bilbao, the terminal is not walkable from the city. See getting between Bilbao port and the city centre for the bus, train and taxi options, which work in both directions.
Booking your return
Return fares are usually better value than two singles. Brittany Ferries books up to 16 months ahead.
Check dates and fares →Customs allowances summarised from GOV.UK and correct at the time of writing. Sailing times are the published April to November 2026 schedule.
