Portsmouth Ferry Ports
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Portsmouth has several separate ports, which between them offer sailings to France, Spain, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands.
Catch a crossing to Portsmouth ferry terminals on these routes:
- Le Havre to Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries)
- St Malo to Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries)
- Santander to Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries)
- Caen to Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries)
- Cherbourg to Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries)
- Bilbao to Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries)
- Jersey to Portsmouth (Condor Ferries)
- Guernsey to Portsmouth (Condor Ferries)
- Fishbourne to Portsmouth (Wightlink Ferries)
- Ryde to Portsmouth Harbour (Wightlink Ferries)
About Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a popular choice for passengers wanting to travel to France, Spain, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. Located just a 2 hour drive from London, with excellent motorway links, Portsmouth offers a good choice of ferry routes and operators.
Portsmouth Ferry Terminals Map and Directions
Address (For Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries): Portsmouth International Port, George Byng Way, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 8SP
Address (For Wightlink foot passenger Catamarans to Ryde): Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier, The Hard, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 3PS
Address (For Wightlink car ferries to Fishbourne): Portsmouth Gunwharf Road Ferry Terminal, Gunwharf Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2LA
Note: for foot passenger-only hovercraft travel between Portsmouth (Southsea) and Ryde on the Isle of Wight, see Southsea Hoverport.
Getting to Portsmouth Ferry Ports
By Car
From the North and the Midlands: Take the M6 south, merging onto the M42 close to Birmingham then the M40. At junction 10 of the M40, take the A34 south to Winchester, where you join the M3 towards Southampton. Close to Southampton, merge onto the M27 towards Portsmouth, then the M275 clearly signposted for Cross-Channel Ferries.
From London: Take the A3 towards Portsmouth, merging onto the M27, then the M275 clearly signposted for Cross-Channel Ferries.
From Wales: Take the M4 towards London then close to Newbury take the A34 south to Winchester. At Winchester join the M3 towards Southampton. Close to Southampton, merge onto the M27 towards Portsmouth, then the M275.
From the West Country: Take the A30 from Exeter heading east, then the A30, A35 and A31 past Lyme Regis and Dorchester towards Southampton. Close to Southampton join the M27 towards Portsmouth, then the M275.
Getting to Portsmouth International Ferry Port
By Car
Follow directions as above. The M275 motorway runs right to the ferry port. The postcode for directions is PO2 8SP.
By Taxi
A taxi rank is located outside of the main terminal.
By Train
There are trains to both Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour stations from London Waterloo, London Victoria (via Brighton) and Cardiff (via Salisbury and Bristol). Portsmouth International Port is a short taxi ride away.
By Bus
There are direct National Express services from London Victoria to Portsmouth International Ferry Port. Change at London Victoria from all other major town and cities.
Portsmouth International Ferry Port Facilities
Café/ Bar
Upstairs you'll find a Costa Coffee and 'The Bar' for drinks and meals. There's also an open air terrace from which you can view the ships and ferries. Costa Coffee is open from 06.30 daily to 23.00 and The bar is open from 12.00 until 23.00.
Last-minute purchases, travel essentials, gifts, newspapers and confectionery can be bought from the shop on the ground floor (open 06.00-23.00).
Bureau de Change
There is a cash machine issuing both sterling and foreign currency, as well as a bureau de change (Travelex) (open 06.00-23.00).
Parking at Portsmouth International Ferry Port
For pick ups and drop offs, there is a 20 minute parking area directly outside the terminal. For passengers not taking their vehicle on the ferry, there is a long stay multi storey car park located at the terminal. It is open 24 hours a day and is a short walk from the main terminal. For more information, check the Portsmouth International Ferry Port website.
Disabled Facilities
Portsmouth port car park has designated spaces for people with disabilities and/or reduced mobility. There are also additional parking spaces located adjacent to the main terminal building.
Toilet facilities are located throughout the port. A lift is available to reach the café, bar and open terrace on the first floor. A special minibus service is available to help wheelchair users or those with reduced mobility and their companions board the ship. Assistance is also available for those travelling by car, enabling parking on the car decks close to the lifts.
Terminal Opening Hours
The terminal opens from 06.00 daily until 23.30. Please note that all services (shop, café etc close at 23.00).
Getting to Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier
Note: Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier offers foot passenger-only catamarans to Ryde.
By Car
Follow directions as above. Continue along the M275, following signs for Isle of Wight Ferries, Keep right to stay on M275 until it turns into Mile End Rd/A3. At Church Street Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Commercial Rd/A3 and then turn right onto Park Rd. At the end of Park Road, you could turn right onto St George's Road and you will soon be at the port, able to drop off passengers. However there is very limited parking here, so for parking, at the end of Park Road, follow signs for Gunwharf Quays Car Park (79 Gunwharf Rd, Portsmouth PO1 3TZ). Note: this car park is for one-day parking only, long-stay parking is NOT available. From Gunwharf Quays Car Park the catamaran terminal is a 5-10 minutes walk.
By Taxi
A taxi rank is located next to the ferry terminal.
By Train
Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier is located next to Portsmouth Harbour train station, and you will see signs for the catamaran service straight ahead as you get off the train. There are trains to Portsmouth Harbour station from London Waterloo, London Victoria (via Brighton) and Cardiff (via Salisbury and Bristol).
By Bus
There are direct National Express services from London Victoria to the port, at the bus station known as "The Hard Interchange" - this part of Portsmouth is known as "The Hard".
Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier Facilities
There are a small number of cafe's, pubs and grocery stores, along with some temporary food and drink stalls in the immediate vicinity of the Port, and if you take a walk round to the right you will soon find yourself at Gunwharf Quays where there are a large number of bars and restaurants on the waterfront.
Getting to Portsmouth Gunwharf Road Ferry Terminal
By Car
Follow directions as above. Continue along the M275, following signs for Isle of Wight Ferries, Keep right to stay on M275 until it turns into Mile End Rd/A3. At Church Street Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Commercial Rd/A3. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Marketway/A3. Go through 1 roundabout. After about 0.8 miles, use the right lane to stay on A3, then turn right onto St Michael's Rd/A3. Take a slight left onto Cambridge Rd/A3. At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto St George's Rd/B2154 and turn left onto Gunwharf Rd. Turn right (marked on the road as IOW Ferry) to Portsmouth Car Ferry Terminal, Gunwharf Rd, Portsmouth PO1 2LA.
By Taxi
There is no taxi rank outside of the terminal, however Wightlink's ticket offices at the terminal will have phone numbers for local taxi companies.
By Train
There are trains to both Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth Harbour stations from London Waterloo, London Victoria (via Brighton) and Cardiff (via Salisbury and Bristol). The port is a short taxi ride away.
By Bus
There are direct National Express services from London Victoria to the Portsmouth Harbour Station Pier, which is a short walk or taxi ride away from Portsmouth Gunwharf Road Ferry Terminal
Portsmouth Gunwharf Road Ferry Terminal Facilities
Café/ Bar
There is a Costa Coffee bar right in the waiting area for the ferry. Once you have parked you can head over for a coffee and a snack as you wait.
Parking at Portsmouth Gunwharf Road Ferry Terminal
Please note that the Portsmouth Gunwharf Road Ferry Terminal car park, which is directly opposite the port, is closed until further notice (as of Summer 2017) during improvement works. Alternative parking is available at Gunwharf Quays Car Park (79 Gunwharf Rd, Portsmouth PO1 3TZ). Note: this car park is for one-day parking only, long-stay parking is NOT available.
Port information is provided by Eurodrive for guidance only.
More About Portsmouth
Portsmouth History
Very little recorded history exists before the 12th century although artefacts of Bronze Age man have been unearthed in the Milton area of the city and about 300 AD the Romans started to build a shore fort at Porchester. Since then, Portsmouth, home of the Royal Navy for more than 500 years, has become a world-class visitor destination offering a seaside resort and maritime heritage centre.
Portsmouth Attractions
In recent years, the historic waterfronts of Portsmouth and Gosport have been transformed with the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour and Portsmouth's many amenities and attractions have made it one of the best holiday centres for exploring the heritage of Maritime England. It offers a selection of ships, castles, forts and museums for exploring England's past. From the ports, the major attractions are within walking distance, or for those travelling by car, try parking at the large underground car park at Gunwharf Quays, from which you can walk to all the major attractions. Gunwharf Quays is a world-class waterfront shopping and leisure destination with over 80 designer outlets, 20 bars and restaurants, an 11-screen cinema and 26-lane bowling complex plus an exciting programme of events, performances and street entertainment; six kilometres of promenades encircling the harbour waterfront including the 170-metre high, sail-shaped Spinnaker Tower, which has already established itself as a National Landmark and from where you can get a birds-eye view of the ferries coming in and out of port, and even spot HMS Victory and the futuristic-looking home of the Mary Rose.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a 10-minute walk away from the Spinnaker Tower and is home to HMS Victory, the famous Battle of Trafalgar flagship of Admiral Lord Nelson; the Mary Rose, the remains of Henry VIII's 16th century warship that were raised from the sea in 1982; HMS Warrior 1860, Britain's first iron-class battleship; the Royal Naval Museum, and Action Stations - a futuristic Royal Navy experience including a 'James Bond'-style movie, lazerquest, "Ninja Force" assault course for all the family, and hands-on high-tech exhibits. Portsmouth's other historic exhibits include the D-Day Museum, which recalls the liberation of Europe in 1944 when thousands of Allied troops sailed from Portsmouth.
Portsmouth has been home to some of Britain’s most famous writers, from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to H.G. Wells and Neil Gaiman. However, the most celebrated writer from Portsmouth is Charles Dickens – novelist, journalist, and social commentator, whose life and work is celebrated at the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum.
As well as its great maritime and literary heritage, Portsmouth Harbour has a great deal to offer including the popular resort town of Southsea, with four miles of seafront promenade along the shores of the Solent.
Portsmouth Shopping and Dining
From the high street to the waterfront, Portsmouth's shopping facilities are unrivalled. Beside the shops in the city centre, there are also shopping Centres at Port Solent, Southsea and Gunwharf Quays. Nearby Southsea has some very well known names plus a good selection of individual shops, from the useful to the bizarre. Visit the indoor mall at Cascades and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday there's a market dating back centuries. Once you are tired of shopping, there is a host of restaurants and bars to choose from to relax and recharge your batteries. Portsmouth offers almost every type of cuisine, from international to British cuisine with a twist in a range of stylish winebars, historic pubs, waterfront bars and restaurants to suit every occasion. In the popular Albert Road and Elm Grove area of Southsea you will discover a fascinating mix of restaurants. And in the evenings the city offers entertainment, nightlife, theatres, cinemas and concert venues with many special events throughout the year. Visit nearby Victoria Park and discover why Portsmouth is Inner-city in bloom.
Find out more about Portsmouth.