Ferry from Calais to Dover

Here's the start of a half answer. I use the Dover to Dunkerque route since it has more frequent sailings and is cheaper if you catch either the early or late boats. The drawback is that it takes a half hour longer and the Dunkerque ferry port is about thirty minutes east of Calais. Speaking only of Dukerque: If I Internet a reservation even if only a couple of hours before departure, it is much cheaper than showing up and buying a ticket. Also, I've seen times when not all cars in the lanes made it onto the boat. I assume it was due to space and the fact that they didn't have a prior reservation. Bear in mind that Dunquerque has a lot of cross-channel truck transportation which I'm sure is by reservation. Directferries.co.uk will help you hive it out. If you would care to say what you're planning to do with that car, you might get some helpful advice. It appears, since you had to ask the question, that you might be heading down a path with a bunch of pitfalls.

We are traveling from Calais to Dover with no car and did check out that online company you mention. My question was is it was cheaper to buy the tickets online, and it looks like from your experience it is. Thanks!

Okay, I misread the question. It's been years since I've gone from Dover to Calais as a foot passenger, but there's no way there's not going to be enough room if you don't have a vehicle. I have no idea if there's a price advantage to early purchase. And, you cannot use the Dunkerque ferry without a vehicle anyway. Also, it's a good hump from the Calais ferry port to the train station. Try to spot the shortcut across the tidal gate to the recreational marina and that will save you some time.

The only ferry company that I am aware of that allows foot passengers across the Channel is P and O. All the others require that you are with a vehicle. Virtually all foot passengers between England and France now use the Eurostar train under the channel.

I'd join in with Nigel and ask why you want to get a ferry from Calais to Dover. If you have romantic ideas of a sea voyage it isn't really worth it - the foot passenger traffic is pretty much all by train or air now and actually getting to the port terminals in each town is a bit of a slog. If you are finishing a tour of France in Calais, I would really suggest going to Lille instead and taking the train.

If all other ferry companies for cross-Channel trips aside from P & O require you to have a vehicle instead of being just a foot passenger, that is bad news indeed.

Fred, this is true of Dover - Calais, but it's perfectly possible to cross the channel as a foot passenger via other ports further to the west. I'm thinking particularly of Brittany Ferries.

Thanks for the information. As long as the foot passenger ferry connection from Portsmouth to St Malo still operates, I'm glad of that.