Hull to Rotterdam ferry
An evening sailing from Hull, a night in your cabin and the morning at Europoort, about 40 minutes by car from Rotterdam.
- Overnight crossing of around 12 hours
- Standard cabin with shower and WC
- Just over an hour to Amsterdam by car
- One sailing each way every night, all year
- Overnight to the continent without the drive to the Channel
- Car, caravan, motorbike, bike and dog on board
The Hull - Rotterdam crossing in brief
Table of Contents
Which sailing to take
P&O Ferries is the only operator between Hull and Rotterdam, with one sailing in each direction every night, all year round. The ship leaves Hull in the evening and docks at Europoort the next morning after around 12 hours, and the return crossing works the same way. There is no choice of departure time, only of date.
For the north of England the overnight ferry saves the long drive south to the Channel ports. You leave from the Humber, have dinner on board and start the morning in the Netherlands, about 40 minutes from Rotterdam city centre and just over an hour from Amsterdam. The sailings for your date are in the timetable.
Getting to the terminal in Hull
The ferry sails from King George Dock, east of Hull city centre on the Humber. By car, follow the A63 and then the signs for King George Dock; the terminal is on Hedon Road (HU9 5PS). By train, Hull Trains runs direct from London King's Cross to Hull Paragon Interchange in around two and a half hours, and a taxi from the station to the port takes about 15 minutes. Directions, parking and the walk-on routine are on the Hull ferry terminal and getting there pages.
Check-in and entry
Whether you travel with a vehicle, with a dog or on foot, be at the terminal at least 90 minutes before departure. On arrival at Europoort, British passport holders are registered in the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES). There is nothing to do in advance, it is free and ETIAS is not yet required. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive and be valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area. The passport rules and the routine at both ports are on the check-in page.
The night on board
P&O Ferries runs two sister ships on the route, the Pride of Rotterdam and the Pride of Hull, each 215 metres long with 12 decks and 546 cabins. The Standard inside cabin with shower, WC and bedding is included in the fare; above it are Outside, Premier and Club cabins up to the suites. Adults can book a reclining seat in the Sleep Lounge instead. The cabins page compares the categories, and the Pride of Rotterdam and Pride of Hull page describes the ships.
Dinner is a buffet in The Kitchen or à la carte in The Brasserie, followed by the bars, the cinema or the casino. Meals can be booked in advance; see food on board.
If the trip itself is the point, P&O Ferries also sells the route as a mini cruise from Hull: two nights on board with a day in Amsterdam or Rotterdam in between. The mini cruise page sets out the timings.
Car, bike and dog
Cars, vans, caravans and motorbikes travel on the vehicle decks, and there is no luggage limit. Give the exact size of your vehicle when you book, including any roof box, bike rack or trailer. Nobody may stay on the vehicle decks during the crossing, so take what you need for the night up to your cabin. The crew secures motorbikes, and cyclists can only travel with a cabin. Your UK driving licence is enough in the Netherlands, and the documents for the car are listed on the check-in page.
Dogs never stay in the car. They sleep in a kennel on board or with you in one of the six pet-friendly cabins on each ship, so book early. To enter the EU your dog needs a new animal health certificate for every trip, and before coming home a vet has to give it a tapeworm treatment. The pets page has the rules in full.
Arrival and onward travel
Breakfast is served on board before the ship docks, and foot passengers go ashore about 15 minutes after docking. From the moment you leave the port you drive on the right. The A4 and A20 lead from Europoort towards Rotterdam city centre, about 40 minutes away, and Amsterdam is just over an hour by car. Rotterdam has no low-emission zone for cars, while Amsterdam's admits diesel cars from Euro 5 upwards.
Without a car, take a taxi from the terminal; on a mini cruise, a P&O Ferries coach takes you into Amsterdam or Rotterdam. The terminal is described on the Rotterdam ferry terminal page and the onward journey on getting there.
Tickets and fares
P&O Ferries prices the crossing dynamically: the date, the vehicle, the number of passengers and the cabin set the fare. You then choose one of three fares, Standard, Standard Flexi or Fully Flexi, which differ in what a change or a cancellation costs. Midweek and outside the school holidays the crossing usually costs less than on summer weekends, and booking early gives you the best chance of the cabin or kennel you want. Starting prices and the fare conditions are on the prices page.
Hull - Rotterdam
One night across the North Sea
P&O Ferries links King George Dock in Hull, on the Humber estuary, with Europoort at the mouth of the Maas west of Rotterdam. A ship leaves each port every evening and reaches the other the next morning, so the Hull to Rotterdam ferry and the Rotterdam to Hull ferry both sail nightly, all year round. The two sister ships are the Pride of Rotterdam and the Pride of Hull.
You spend the night in a cabin; adults can book a reclining seat in the Sleep Lounge instead. The ferry carries cars, vans, caravans, motorbikes and bicycles as well as foot passengers and dogs.
- Crossing
- around 12 hours, overnight
- Operator
- P&O Ferries
- Sailings
- nightly in each direction
- Ports
- Hull (UK), Europoort (NL)
Sailings Rotterdam - Hull
Before you sail
The cabin, the food and the paperwork shape the trip, and each has its own page.
Cabins and Sleep Lounge
Food on board
Mini cruises
Check-in and entry
FAQ
Common questions about the Hull - Rotterdam ferry
How long does the overnight ferry from Hull to Rotterdam take? +
Around 12 hours in either direction. The Netherlands is an hour ahead of the UK, so by the clock you lose an hour on the way out and get it back on the way home. Sailing times for your date are in the timetable.
How much does the crossing cost? +
Prices are dynamic and depend on the date, the vehicle and the cabin. P&O Ferries sells three fares (Standard, Standard Flexi and Fully Flexi). You will find the starting prices on the prices page.
What happens at the border in the Netherlands? +
On arrival at Europoort the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) records a photo of your face, a scan of your passport and, from the age of 12, your fingerprints. There is nothing to apply for beforehand, and ETIAS is not yet required. The check-in page explains the passport rules.
Can I take my dog? +
Yes, in a kennel on board or with you in one of the six pet-friendly cabins on each ship, but never in the car. Your dog needs an animal health certificate from an official vet to enter the EU and a tapeworm treatment by a vet before coming back to Great Britain. The details are on the pets page.
Can I take the ferry as a mini cruise? +
Yes. P&O Ferries sells mini cruises from Hull to Amsterdam and to Rotterdam, with two nights on board, a day ashore and the coach from Europoort into the city. The mini cruise page sets out the timings.
A night across the North Sea
Choose your date and your cabin and book the overnight ferry from Hull.