Port guides · 2026
Three departure ports · Two arrival ports
Ferry port guides
Five ports handle every direct sailing between the UK, Ireland and Spain. Parking prices, height limits, check-in times and how far the terminal really is from the city, for each one.
5 portsAcross 3 countries
340,000Passengers a year
45 minStandard check-in
Departure Ports
Leaving from the UK or Ireland
Plymouth Port, England
- Millbay Docks, Stonehouse, PL1 3EW
- One route to Spain: Santander on the Pont-Aven
- Parking £13 a day, first 30 minutes free
- Free Park and Ride at Coypool, locked overnight
- 3h 30m by train from London Paddington
Portsmouth Port, England
- George Byng Way, PO2 8SP
- Two routes to Spain: Santander and Bilbao
- Parking £13 a day, 2.1 metre height limit
- M275 runs straight into the port
- Also serves France and the Channel Islands
Rosslare Europort, Ireland
- Rosslare Harbour, County Wexford, Y35 P2NR
- One route to Spain: Bilbao on the Santoña
- Parking €5 a day or €25 a week
- Its own railway station inside the port
- The only direct Ireland to Spain sailing
Which one suits you
- London, the South East or the Midlands: Portsmouth
- The South West: Plymouth, and the shortest crossing
- Ireland: Rosslare, no landbridge needed
- One night at sea rather than two: Plymouth only
Arrival Ports
Arriving in Spain
Santander Port, Cantabria
- Muelle de Mali&antilde;o, 39009 Santander
- 10 minutes from the city centre
- Two car parks at the terminal, one covered
- Madrid 390 km, Portuguese border 4 to 5 hours
- Best for central Spain and Portugal
Bilbao Port, Basque Country
- Muelle A-3, Zierbena 48508
- 21 km from the city centre, not walkable
- Two car parks, from €9 per 24 hours
- French border 90 minutes, Barcelona 376 miles
- Best for the Mediterranean and southern France
The two Spanish ports are not interchangeable
Santander drops you in the middle of a city with fast roads south towards Madrid. Bilbao’s terminal is 21 kilometres out at Zierbena but puts you an hour and a half from France and six hours from Barcelona. Pick the port that matches where you are actually going, then work backwards to the crossing.
Compare at a glance
| Port | Country | Routes to Spain | Parking | To city centre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plymouth | England | 1 | £13 a day | Walking distance |
| Portsmouth | England | 2 | £13 a day | Short drive |
| Rosslare | Ireland | 1 | €5 a day | 20 min to Wexford |
| Santander | Spain | — | First hour free | 10 minutes |
| Bilbao | Spain | — | From €9 a day | 21 km |
Check-in is 45 minutes before departure at every port, or 90 minutes if you are travelling with a pet. Since Brexit, every passenger needs a full passport regardless of age.
Not sure which route fits?
All four direct crossings, side by side, on one map.
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