Ferry services between the UK and the Netherlands
1. Harwich - Hook of Holland: Stena Line | 6,5 hours | Twice every 24 hours: day or night.
The first route is the one
from Harwich in Essex to Hook of Holland in South Holland. Public transport: you can go
to Harwich by taking the train from Liverpool Street in London to Harwich International. When you arrive in Hook of Holland
you can take the metro + the train to arrive at Rotterdam Central of other destinations in the region.
2. Hull - Rotterdam: P&O Ferries | 12 hours | Once every 24 hours: night.
The second ferry service departs in Hull (East Yorkshire) and arrives
in Europoort (Rotterdam). In front of the terminal you can hop on one of the buses that await the disembarking travellers. A bus
will transport you to Rotterdam Central (railway station).
In Hull city centre (close to the railway station) you can hop on the bus that will take you to the terminal at the docks.
3. Newcastle - IJmuiden (Amsterdam): DFDS Seaways | 15,5 hours | Once every 24 hours: night.
The third service is the longest and departs in Newcastle (Tyne & Wear) in het far northeast
of England. It arrives in IJmuiden (Amsterdam). In front of the terminal you can travel by one of the buses that await disembarking
travellers. It will bring you to a bus stop very close to Amsterdam Central (railway station).
That is the case in Newcastle as well where you will hop on the bus
at the railway station that will take you to the terminal in North Shields.
The most southern ferry-icon in the Netherlands doesn't pinpoint one ferry terminal. The ferry from Hull arrives in Europoort
and the one from Harwich in Hook of Holland. These terminals are situated in the same area but it is by no means the same location.
In Harwich you could take the day-ferry but also a late departure. In that case you check-in in the evening, sleep on the boat
and arrive in the morning. The ferries from Hull and Newcastle only sail once a day and that happens during the evening and
night. Check-in at the terminal near Hull happens in the evening, at the terminal in North Shields (Newcastle) you will have
to check-in during the second half of the afternoon.
Ferry services between the UK and France
Of course there is also the possibility to travel through France and Belgium. The advantage is that the ferry services from the southeast
of England to France are al lot shorter and a lot cheaper but obviously the car drive to your destination in the Netherlands might
be a bit longer. You could take the ferry from Dover (Kent) to Calais (1,5 hours) or to Dunkirk (2 hours). Both ferries sail very
frequently during the day and night. One of these services would be the best option if you live somewhere in the south of England.
If you liver further north or in Wales in the far west one of the direct ferry services to the Netherlands might be the most logical
choice.
4. Dover - Calais: DFDS Seaways | 1,5 hours | 15 sails every 24 hours: day and night.
5. Dover - Dunkirk: DFDS Seaways | 2 hours | 12 sails every 24 hours: day and night.
