Travelling with a Dog by Ferry from England to the Netherlands

By The Hoomans
April 22, 2024

Travelling to and from England (UK) with a dog is not always easy. You cannot fly to the UK with a dog in the cabin, and dogs are not allowed on the Eurostar train. However, taking the ferry from England to the Netherlands is an excellent transportation option. It gives you the chance to travel with your dog and enjoy a pet-friendly cabin. Once you arrive in the Netherlands, you have plenty of options to continue your travels by train or by plane.

Dog-Friendly Ferries Travelling from England to the Netherlands

There are 3 ferry routes operating between England and the Netherlands (Holland).

Ferry Companies Servicing England to the Netherlands and Visa Versa

Stena Line Ferries

Stena Line is a ferry line connecting England and the Netherlands. They have ferries for both foot-passengers and cars. Dogs are allowed onboard, and there are kennels and pet-friendly cabins on some routes so your dog can stay with you.

Stena Line Ferry Routes

Stena Line Ferries connects Harwich, England to Hook of Holland (Dutch: Hoek van Holland). Harwich is about 104 km from the centre of London. The train from London Liverpool Street station to Harwich International (ferry terminal) take about 1.5 hours. Hook of Holland is located on the Dutch west coast, about 30 km from Rotterdam or 85 km from Amsterdam. The Hoek van Holland Haven train station is located directly at the ferry terminal for easy connections to Rotterdam, Amsterdam or other destinations throughout the Netherlands.

Travelling by Car (max. 5 pets)

Upon check-in, you will be provided with a coloured tag to indicate that you are travelling with a dog. This tag must be attached to your rear-view mirror and remain in place until you clear customs at the designated port of arrival.

Travel on Foot (max. 3 pets)

If you are travelling as a foot passenger, you must book an onboard kennel for your dog or a pet-friendly cabin; otherwise, your dog may not be allowed to travel.

Kennels and Pet-Friendly Cabins

Stena Lines has a limited number of places available in heated kennels. You book this in advance at the “Stena Plus & Onboard Extras” step of the booking process. They also have a number of pet-friendly cabins available so that your dog can travel with you. Dogs are not allowed in the restaurants, bars and shops. There is an area available on board the ferries where you can walk your dog.

Kennel Sizes

Our onboard kennels are available in three sizes:

Large kennels: 97 cm x 94 cm x 100 cm (h x w x d)
Medium kennels: 64 cm x 108 cm x 100 cm (h x w x d)
Small kennels: 65 cm x 50 cm x 100 cm (h x w x d)

Pet-Friendly Cabins

Maximum number of pets per cabin:

3 small pets up to 15 kilos, or
2 medium pets up to 30 kilos, or
1 large pet from 30 kilos

Pets are not allowed in the restaurants, bars and shops. There is an area available onboard the Stena Line ferries where you can walk your dog.

Stay Tuned

We will be travelling via this route when we return to Italy from our Transatlantic Cruise with Cunard from Southampton to New York and return. Check back for updates and a review of our trip.

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P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries is a ferry line connecting England and the Netherlands. They have ferries for both foot-passengers and cars. Dogs are allowed onboard. When travelling on P&O Ferries Hull to Rotterdam route you have the option to book a kennel for your pet or, if travelling with a dog, you can choose to travel in one of their Dog-Friendly cabins.

There is a charge of £22 per pet each way to travel on the Hull to Rotterdam route, with registered Guide and Hearing Dogs travelling free of charge.

P&O Ferries Ferry Routes

Hull takes about 2.5 hours to reach by train from London, England. The Hull train station is located about a mile from from the Hull Ferry Port and can be reached by taxi.

DFDS Seaways

DFDS Seaways is a ferry line connecting Northeastern England and the Netherlands. They have ferries for both foot-passengers and cars. Dogs are allowed onboard. When travelling on DFDS Seaways’ Newcastle to Amsterdam route, your dog can stay with you in a pet-friendly cabin or in one of their (dog-friendly) kennels in their Pet Hotel onboard.

DFDS Routes

We are thinking about a trip to Scotland next year and will definitely consider this option as the Newcastle Ferry port is only 1.5 hours by train from Edinburgh, Scotland via Northern Rail which also allows dog.