Getting there
Ferries to Dublin
Three routes reach Dublin Port and two former diversions have gone. What runs from Britain, what changes at check-in this September and how to get into the city.
By dublin.de editorial team · Travel editors · Last updated: June 2026
Crossings
Ferry routes to Dublin and Rosslare
The two routes into Dublin plus the southern Irish ports, with the operator and crossing time for each.
Prices per person, one way
© OpenStreetMap contributors
For a trip to Dublin with a car, a campervan or a dog, the ferry does something flying cannot: you drive on with your luggage and your vehicle, and you are mobile the moment you land. Travelling on foot, it is rarely the quickest or cheapest way. This guide sets out which routes actually run, what has changed on the Holyhead crossing, and what to expect at Dublin Port.
Which ferries run to Dublin in 2026
Fewer than most comparison sites suggest. Three routes reach the port:
- Holyhead (Anglesey) to Dublin, the main route, running all year with Irish Ferries and Stena Line, seven or eight sailings a day in each direction between them. Crossing time three hours 15 to three hours 30 minutes.
- Cherbourg (France) to Dublin, Irish Ferries' year-round direct link with the W.B. Yeats and the Isle of Inisheer, 19 to 21 hours overnight. Relevant mainly if you are driving back from mainland Europe.
- Douglas (Isle of Man) to Dublin, seasonal from April to August, two hours 55 minutes on the Manannan. It has not run since 23 July 2026: the Isle of Man Steam Packet has cancelled every scheduled Dublin sailing from 23 July to 1 October 2026, because infrastructure disruption at Holyhead has tightened berth availability across the Irish Sea network. Sailings up to 19 July ran as normal.
Two crossings that still show up in search results have gone. Pembroke to Dublin and Fishguard to Dublin ran as diversions while Holyhead was working at reduced capacity, and they are out of service. From south-west Wales the ferries now go to Rosslare in the south-east corner of Ireland, roughly two and a half hours' drive from Dublin.
Liverpool to Dublin is not a passenger option either. P&O Ferries closed that route at the end of 2023, and Stena Line lists Dublin to Liverpool in its freight network only, for accompanied lorries. From the north of England, and from Scotland too, Holyhead remains the crossing for Dublin; the Cairnryan sailings go to Belfast and Larne, not to Dublin.
Map
The sea routes into Dublin
- Irish Ferries
- Stena Line
- Steam Packet
Irish Ferries3 hours 15 minutes
Check prices →Stena Line3 hours 15 minutes
Check prices →Irish Ferries19 hours 45 minutes
Check prices →Steam Packet5 hours
Check prices →Contents
Holyhead to Dublin, the route in detail
Two operators run the crossing in parallel, and that is its real advantage: if a sailing is cancelled, the next one is usually two to three hours away rather than the next day.
- Stena Line uses the superferries Stena Adventurer and Stena Estrid, four sailings a day each way, scheduled at three hours 15 minutes. There are restaurants, lounges, cabins and a duty free shop on board.
- Irish Ferries runs the Ulysses and the James Joyce, also four sailings each way. From Holyhead they are scheduled at 01:30, 07:30, 13:15 and 19:30; from Dublin at 01:15, 07:30, 13:45 and 19:45.
One thing worth knowing before you book on the strength of a crossing time: the Dublin Swift. Irish Ferries still lists the fast ferry on its route page at just over two hours, but in the operator's own published sailing list every Dublin Swift departure in both directions is marked "No Sailing", with passengers moved onto the Ulysses or the James Joyce. Plan around the longer crossing, and check which ship is allocated when you book rather than relying on the two-hour figure.
On check-in, Irish Ferries gives 30 minutes before scheduled departure as the latest time on Dublin to Holyhead, for vehicles and foot passengers alike. Stena Line publishes the cut-off per sailing, listed separately for cars and foot passengers. Allow more in the summer: the deadline runs from the scheduled time even when the ship sails late.
From 28 September 2026 you need a passport
This is the change to plan for. From Monday 28 September 2026 Stena Line requires every passenger boarding at Dublin, Holyhead, Fishguard or Rosslare to present a valid passport at check-in. It applies whatever your age or nationality, so babies need their own, and it applies to Irish citizens travelling inside the Common Travel Area. A driving licence, a birth certificate or any other photo ID will not be accepted; an Irish passport card will. The reason is UK Border Force requirements on the accuracy of passenger data before boarding.
Two practical points. If your child has a different surname from yours, no extra evidence is required, but carrying a birth or marriage certificate is sensible; if you do not have parental responsibility for a child you are travelling with, carry a letter of permission. And nothing changes on the routes from Belfast, Liverpool, Cairnryan or Heysham, so a Northern Ireland crossing still works on the old rules. What Ireland itself asks of arriving travellers is covered in our guide to entry requirements for Ireland.
Next sailings to Dublin
Pick your date and route. Sailings back from Dublin are on the second tab.
Date
Contents
Getting from Dublin Port into the city
The port sits north-east of the centre at the mouth of the Liffey. The port company gives 2.7 km to the city centre, but the passenger terminals are further out than the entrance: Stena Line puts its own terminal at 6 km, four miles. Which terminal you land at decides how you get in:
- Terminal 1 (Terminal Road South) is used by Irish Ferries and the Isle of Man Steam Packet.
- Terminal 2 (Alexandra Road) is Stena Line's own terminal, open daily from 05:30 to 02:30.
There is no rail link, and the obvious-looking option is a trap. The Luas Red Line stop at The Point is opposite the port entrance on East Wall Road, but from Stena Line's terminal it is a 3.2 km walk of around 40 minutes. As a foot passenger, plan the transfer:
| Service | From | Journey | Single fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus 53 (Dublin Bus) | Terminal 1 | to Talbot Street | standard Dublin Bus fare |
| Stena Line transfer coach | Terminal 2 | 30 to 35 minutes | £3 (£4.50 to Heuston Station) |
| FerryLink shuttle | Terminal 1 | to the city centre | €4.50 |
| Taxi | either terminal | 15 to 25 minutes | metered |
As of September 2026. Bus 53 runs from Terminal 1 via Connolly Station to Talbot Street and does not serve Terminal 2. Stena Line's coach runs for every sailing and calls at Connolly Station, George's Quay, Aston Quay and Heuston Station on the way in; it leaves Terminal 2 at 00:10, 05:50, 12:55 and 18:40, and Heuston Station at 00:40, 06:40, 13:35 and 19:20. Buy tickets online, at the travel centres in Holyhead and Dublin, or from guest services on board. The FerryLink shuttle is cashless, paid by card with the driver. For getting around once you are in, see our guides to public transport in Dublin and the Leap Card.
Driving in and out of Dublin Port
Most people on this crossing bring a car, so three local details are worth knowing before you roll off the ramp.
Alexandra Road has been closed to port traffic since July 2025 and stays closed until autumn 2026, with all access running via Promenade Road. Follow the port signage rather than your satnav. The Dublin Tunnel starts at the edge of the port estate and takes you straight onto the M50 and M1, which keeps you out of city traffic entirely. And the M50 is a barrier-free camera toll between junctions 6 and 7: nobody takes your money at a booth, so you have to pay it yourself by 20:00 the following day through eFlow or the M50 app, or a penalty follows the registered keeper. That catches out visiting drivers more than any other rule in Ireland.
Parking at the terminals is card only, paid through an app or a QR code, at €9 per 24 hours and €50 per week (as of September 2026). Both terminals have space, and Terminal 1 is the larger of the two.
Is the ferry worth it, or should you fly?
Fares are dynamic. A "from" price is the cheapest rung of a ladder that climbs with demand, lead time and vehicle length, which is why no fixed figure belongs on this page. Four things decide what you pay: the date (July, August and bank holidays are dearest), how far ahead you book, the vehicle rather than the number of passengers, and extras such as a cabin or a pet space. The full comparison of how the fares work is on ferryireland.com.
The ferry earns its place in three cases:
- With your own vehicle. Car, campervan, motorbike or trailer come with you, and you need no hire car in Ireland. Larger vehicles are charged by length.
- With a dog or cat. The animal travels with you rather than in an aircraft hold. Book the pet space in advance, and check the paperwork early: what you need differs depending on whether you start in Great Britain or in the EU, and Ireland has its own tapeworm treatment rule for dogs. Our guide to entry requirements covers it.
- With a lot of luggage. No weight limits, no hand baggage argument, and bikes or sports kit for a small surcharge.
Travelling alone or as a couple on foot, flying almost always wins: there are frequent flights to Dublin from airports across Britain and Ireland, and the drive to Holyhead counts as part of the ferry journey. The crossing is only one leg of it. Our guides to flights to Dublin, Dublin Airport and hiring a car in Ireland cover the alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin?+
Three hours 15 minutes to three hours 30 minutes on the cruise ferries, which is what actually sails. Irish Ferries still advertises the Dublin Swift fast ferry at just over two hours, but its sailings are cancelled and passengers are moved onto the conventional ships, so plan for the longer crossing.
Is there still a ferry from Liverpool to Dublin?+
Not for passengers. P&O Ferries closed that route at the end of 2023, and Stena Line runs Dublin to Liverpool in its freight network only, for accompanied lorries. If you are coming from the north of England, Holyhead is still the crossing to use.
Do I need a passport for the ferry to Dublin?+
From Monday 28 September 2026, yes. Stena Line requires every passenger sailing from Dublin, Holyhead, Fishguard or Rosslare to present a valid passport at check-in, whatever their age or nationality, including Irish citizens travelling within the Common Travel Area. A driving licence or birth certificate will not be accepted; an Irish passport card will.
How often does the Holyhead to Dublin ferry sail?+
Irish Ferries and Stena Line each run four sailings a day in each direction, so seven or eight in total. The first leaves shortly after midnight and the last at around 22:00. If one sailing is cancelled, the next is usually two to three hours later.
Can I still get a ferry from the Isle of Man to Dublin?+
Not at the moment. The Isle of Man Steam Packet has cancelled every scheduled Dublin sailing between 23 July and 1 October 2026, because infrastructure disruption at Holyhead has tightened berth availability across the Irish Sea. Sailings up to 19 July ran as normal, and the route is seasonal in any case.
How do I get from Dublin Port to the city centre?+
It depends on your terminal. Bus 53 runs from Terminal 1 to Talbot Street and the FerryLink shuttle calls there too; Stena Line runs its own transfer coach from Terminal 2 for every sailing, taking 30 to 35 minutes. There is no rail link: the Luas stop at The Point sits opposite the port entrance but is a 3.2 km, 40-minute walk from Terminal 2.