Calais Ferry Port, Access & Terminal
The terminal at 285 Avenue du Merite Maritime handles every Dover sailing. How to get there from the A16 and A26, how check-in and the border checks run, and what foot passengers need to know.
- 285 Avenue du Merite Maritime, Calais
- Signed "car ferry" from the A16 and A26
- Free Baladin shuttle from town and station
Getting to the Calais ferry terminal
Table of Contents
The Calais ferry terminal lies on the north-eastern edge of the town, about ten minutes from the A16, and handles every Dover departure of P&O Ferries, DFDS and Irish Ferries in one shared check-in area. This page walks through the arrival: the drive in, the check-in and border sequence, the foot-passenger rule and what the terminal offers while you wait. Departure times are on the timetable page, fares on prices.
Address and arrival by car
Set your sat nav to 285 Avenue du Merite Maritime, Calais. Coming from the A16 (Dunkirk or Boulogne direction) or the A26 (Reims, Paris via the A1 interchange), follow the "car ferry" signs; the port does not publish exit numbers, and the signage is the reliable guide through the final roundabouts. The route ends directly in the check-in lanes, which all three operators share.
Plan fuel and supermarket stops before you leave the motorway: once you are in the check-in area, turning back is awkward. There is a free short-stay car park at the terminal building if you arrive very early or need to wait for travellers.
Check-in and the two border checks
Have your booking reference ready and stay in the car: registration happens at your operator's drive-through kiosk. The port asks vehicles to be checked in at least 60 minutes before departure, rising to two hours in peak periods such as summer Saturdays, Easter and the year-end holidays.
After check-in comes the part that surprises first-time users of this port: two border controls in a row, both on French soil. French exit control checks passports first, then UK Border Force carries out the British entry checks, since the UK operates its frontier controls in Calais. Only then do you reach the numbered boarding lane printed on your hanger or shown by the QR code in the terminal. The operator-specific deadlines and the paperwork are on the check-in page; what UK entry currently requires, including ETA, is on the foot passengers and check-in pages.
Foot passengers: the P&O-only rule
Calais allows foot passengers on this route only with P&O Ferries, and tickets are sold online only, not at the terminal. Check-in closes 90 minutes before departure (120 minutes in peak periods). A P&O agent meets you at the terminal, and a shuttle takes you through both border checks and to the ship - there is no walking route across the port. The step-by-step process, luggage and bicycle rules are on the foot passengers page.
Without a car you can still reach the terminal easily: the free Baladin shuttle runs from the town centre and the station to the terminal Monday to Saturday, 8:00 to 19:00, every 22 minutes in the morning and every 11 minutes in the afternoon. Arriving foot passengers from Dover are dropped at the terminal by the port shuttle.
Facilities and accessibility
Before check-in, the self-service Bistrot du port serves lunch near the terminal. Past the controls, the departure building "Le Calais" has a duty-free shop and a coffee shop; a QR code in the terminal shows your boarding lane from your booking number. Travellers who need assistance should tell their ferry operator when booking, at the latest 48 hours before departure, so staff and equipment are arranged at both ends.
One French particularity for families: French minors travelling without both parents need a signed parental authorisation to leave the country (AST form), checked at exit control.
After arrival in Dover
You drive off at Dover's Eastern Docks straight onto the A20 system; London is about 70 miles away via the A20/M20 or the A2/M2. The mirror-image guide to the English side, including the arrival route and foot-passenger connections at Dover Priory station, is on the Dover ferry port page, and the onward legs on both sides are covered under onward travel.
FAQ
Frequent questions about Calais ferry port
What address do I put in the sat nav?+
285 Avenue du Merite Maritime, Calais. From the A16 or A26 simply follow the "car ferry" signs; they lead straight into the check-in area used by all three operators.
How early do I need to be there with a car?+
The port asks you to be checked in at least 60 minutes before departure, and up to two hours ahead in peak periods such as summer weekends. Your operator's own deadline is binding; the details are on the check-in page.
Can I walk onto the ferry in Calais?+
Only with P&O Ferries, and only with a ticket bought online in advance. Check-in for foot passengers closes 90 minutes before departure; a shuttle takes you through the border checks to the ship. The full process is on the foot passengers page.
How do I get to the terminal without a car?+
The free Baladin town shuttle links the town centre and the station with the terminal, Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 19:00, roughly every 11 to 22 minutes.
Which border checks happen in Calais?+
After check-in you pass French exit control first, then UK Border Force, both before boarding. That is why the buffer matters on busy days; documents are covered on the foot passengers and check-in pages.
Sailing from Calais?
Compare the Dover sailings of all three operators and book your crossing.