How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

The rule of thumb on virtually every North Sea, Channel and Irish Sea route is: a maximum of 3 bottles with a combined weight of up to 47 kg. That is literally how Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries and Smyril Line word it. P&O Ferries differs: on the North Sea and Channel routes only the 47 kg of gas per vehicle limit applies, but on the Irish Sea routes it is a maximum of 3 bottles of no more than 11.2 kg each. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) applies 47 kg per bottle or tank, which must also be filled to less than 80%. Two standard 11 kg bottles therefore stay comfortably within the margin everywhere.

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

Draw a distinction between gas as a fuel and gas for cooking and heating. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) carries no vehicle that runs on LPG, not even as a second fuel; other dual-fuel combinations such as petrol-electric are fine. On the ferry it is different: Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries carry LPG, LNG and CNG-powered vehicles without any fuss, provided it is a factory-fitted system and the valve is shut off. A refillable gas tank or refillable bottle (Gaslow, Alugas, Safefill) counts as domestic gas and may also go through the tunnel: up to 47 kg, filled to less than 80%, and you must be able to demonstrate that at the gas check.

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

That varies by ferry operator and route, and it is the single biggest pitfall. On the short Channel crossings it is allowed: P&O and DFDS Calais/Dunkirk-Dover (around 15 to 19 euros per animal), Stena Line Hook of Holland-Harwich (around 19 euros) and Color Line Denmark-Norway (9 euros). It is explicitly not allowed on DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle, Brittany Ferries to Spain, TT-Line, Finnlines, Smyril Line and Go Nordic Cruiseline: there the vehicle deck is locked and your dog has to go into a kennel on board or a pet-friendly cabin. In the Eurotunnel your dog simply stays with you in the motorhome, which is what makes that route so popular with dog owners (around 25 euros per animal).

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

Ships only have a handful of them: Irish Ferries has 5 pet-friendly cabins on the James Joyce (Dublin-Holyhead), P&O has 6 dog cabins per ship on Hull-Rotterdam, and Brittany Ferries has a limited number on the Spain ships Galicia, Salamanca and Santona. You select them while booking, but for DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle you even have to phone. For summer sailings and the Spain and Ireland routes they are often gone months in advance, so book the cabin before you plan the rest of your trip. Budget around 35 to 50 euros or pounds per animal each way, on top of the cabin fare.

Can I take an electric motorhome or van on the ferry, and can I charge on board?

Carrying one is fine: electric vehicles are accepted on all ferries that carry vehicles, according to the UK trade body Discover Ferries. Charging on board is the exception. Brittany Ferries states explicitly that it is currently not possible to charge your electric or hybrid vehicle on board, and Smyril Line bans charging of electric cars, caravans and motorhomes altogether and also wants you to declare your EV when booking. TT-Line does have charging points on the Green Ships Nils Holgersson and Peter Pan (Travemünde-Trelleborg), and LeShuttle has large charging areas at the terminal on both sides: four 210 kW EVBox rapid chargers plus a 50 kW charger in Folkestone and Calais, and Tesla Superchargers in Calais as well. So plan your charging stops before and after the boat, not on it.

Can I nip down to my motorhome while the ship is sailing?

Usually not: the vehicle deck is closed and only crew go there. There are two kinds of exception. First, supervised dog visits: DFDS, P&O, Brittany Ferries and Irish Ferries let you go down with a member of staff to look after your dog, and Color Line has fixed 15-minute visiting times on Kiel-Oslo. Second, Tallink on MyStar and Megastar (Helsinki-Tallinn): there you can buy a paid garage ticket for a space on deck 7 where you can reach your vehicle during the voyage — but there too, staying in your car or on the vehicle deck is not permitted.

North Sea & Channel

Caen (Ouistreham) – Portsmouth

Caen (Ouistreham) (FR) → Portsmouth (GB)

Dog may stay in the vehicle
Year-round
Overnight ferry

Key facts

Ferry operators

Brittany Ferries

Crossing time

6 hrs

Frequency

up to 3–4x per day (incl. overnight sailing ±23:30)

Season

year-round

Price indication

€250–470 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people; cabin extra on the overnight sailing) — indication

Pets

Dog in the vehicle (from ±£35), kennels; the new LNG hybrid Guillaume de Normandie (2025) has pet-friendly cabins

Saves ±300 driving kilometres

Via the ferry: 6 hrs; €250–470 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people; cabin extra on the overnight sailing) — indication
Overland: 3½ hrs; ±350 km

Overland alternative: drive on to Calais (±350 km) + short crossing/tunnel

Busiest BF route (400,000+ passengers/year): straight into Normandy (D-Day beaches) without driving across the whole of northern France

Ferry or drive on? Do the maths

Departure port & check-in

Brittany Ferries asks both vehicles and foot passengers to be through check-in no later than 45 min before departure; with a pet it is 90 min because of the document check. In practice motorhome owners recommend 60 to 90 min, because the motorhome queue is handled separately and the summer sailings fill up. The port sits at the end of the Caen ring road: follow the CAR FERRY signs, about 20 min from the centre of Caen.

Facilities at the terminal

Fresh water

Drinking water included at the aire on the Boulevard Maritime.
Chemical toilet

Cassette disposal at the aire, described by travellers as straightforward.
Showers

No showers at the aire or in the terminal.
Fuel

Petrol stations in Ouistreham and along the road to Caen.
Gas & LPG

Not known
Groceries

Shops in the centre of Ouistreham, within walking distance of the aire.

Where to spend the night before departure

Check-in lanes at the Ouistreham ferry terminal
Car park

Distance to terminal

±0 km

Price per night

free

Overnight stays allowed

Staying the night in the check-in lanes is allowed for anyone on an early morning sailing, but expressly at your own risk. Handy for the first boat of the day.
Brittany Ferries Ouistreham car park
Car park

Distance to terminal

±0 km

Price per night

first 2 hrs free; €2 per hour (2-6 hrs); €8.80 day rate; €43.50 per 7 days

Overnight: check in advance

Intended for people leaving their vehicle behind; staying the night in the motorhome is not explicitly provided for.
Aire de camping-car Ouistreham, Boulevard Maritime (just past the ferry terminal), GPS 49.28717 / -0.24964
Motorhome aire

Distance to terminal

±0.5 km

Price per night

€13 per 24 hrs, card payment only (water included)

Overnight stays allowed

Practically the perfect location: right next to the Brittany Ferries terminal. Tarmac, generous places, one electricity hook-up per place, simple cassette disposal, waste collection. The drawbacks motorhome owners consistently report: night-time noise from the ferry operation and a variable sense of security; very busy in high season. During the day there is also free parking elsewhere along the Boulevard Maritime.

Practical tip

The terminal has a café and bar (06:30-23:00), free wifi, a step-free wheelchair-accessible layout and six charging points for electric cars, but no bureau de change - the nearest is in the centre of Caen. Dogs are allowed anywhere in the terminal on a lead and muzzled.

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Portsmouth International Port itself
Car park

Distance to terminal

±0 km

Price per night

Not known

Overnight: check in advance

The port has a limited number of places available after 22:00 ahead of a sailing; you have to report to Security on arrival. Not a structural overnight facility.
Seafort D-Day car park, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea PO5 3NT
Car park

Distance to terminal

±4 km

Price per night

Not known

Overnight: check in advance

A council-recommended car park for motorhomes, but strictly for daytime use - sleeping there is prohibited.

Fuel, gas & LPG

LPG availability in Hampshire is limited; a British bayonet adapter is needed.

Watch out on arrival

Portsmouth has NO official overnight place for motorhomes at all: the council states in so many words that there is no overnight car park and points travellers to campsites in the area. On top of that, Portsmouth has a Clean Air Zone your motorhome may have to pay for - check your registration at gov.uk/clean-air-zones. Many multi-storey car parks have height and weight limits. You may park only in horizontal bays, not in angled herringbone bays, and your vehicle has to fit within the bay length. Drive on the left.

Practical tip

From the port you are quickly on the M27 and the A3(M) towards London. If you want a campsite straight away, look in the New Forest or on Hayling Island rather than in Portsmouth itself.

Border, documents & rules

A UK ETA is compulsory for Dutch nationals (£20, two years). A passport is needed; border control takes place in Ouistreham before boarding, along with EES registration on leaving Schengen. Pets: allow 90 min for check-in, and bring an EU pet passport and tapeworm treatment for the UK.

Motorhome tips

The ±6 hrs daytime sailing is fine without a cabin; gas max 3 bottles / 47 kg turned off; book early for high season

Frequently asked questions

Sources:directferries.com brittanyferriesnewsroom.com help.aferry.com i-campingcar.fr portsmouthtocaen.co.uk portsmouth.gov.uk

Caen (Ouistreham) – Portsmouth

6 hrs€250–470 one-way high season (motorhome ≤7 m + 2 people; cabin extra on the overnight sailing) — indication

Caen (Ouistreham) – Portsmouth

Key facts

Departure port & check-in

Facilities at the terminal

Where to spend the night before departure

Check-in lanes at the Ouistreham ferry terminal

Brittany Ferries Ouistreham car park

Aire de camping-car Ouistreham, Boulevard Maritime (just past the ferry terminal), GPS 49.28717 / -0.24964

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Portsmouth International Port itself

Seafort D-Day car park, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea PO5 3NT

Border, documents & rules

Motorhome tips

Frequently asked questions

How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

Can I take an electric motorhome or van on the ferry, and can I charge on board?

Can I nip down to my motorhome while the ship is sailing?

We respect your privacy