Ferry vs Tunnel vs Flying to France: Which Is Cheapest?
The definitive three-way comparison of every way to cross the Channel. Real costs, honest pros and cons, and the answer to which option actually saves you money.
There are three practical ways to travel from the UK to France: the Channel Tunnel (Eurotunnel Le Shuttle), a cross-Channel ferry, or flying to a French airport and hiring a car. Most comparison guides only cover two of these options. That leaves you guessing whether the third might have been cheaper.
This guide compares all three side by side, with real prices, journey times, and the hidden costs that change the equation. The cheapest option is not always the one with the lowest headline fare — fuel to the port, French motorway tolls, car hire excess, and overnight stops all factor into the true cost.
Whether you're a family heading to Brittany for a summer holiday, a couple driving to the Dordogne, or a solo traveller visiting Paris for a weekend, one of these three options will save you money over the others. The trick is knowing which one, and that depends on where you start and where you're going.
Option 1: Channel Tunnel (Eurotunnel Le Shuttle)
Folkestone to Calais — 35 minutes
The Eurotunnel is the fastest way to cross the Channel with your car. You drive onto a train at Folkestone, sit in your vehicle for 35 minutes, and drive off in Calais. Departures run every 20–30 minutes during busy periods, which gives you flexibility if you miss your booked slot or want to travel on an earlier departure.
What it costs
Standard fares for a car start from around £89 off-peak and rise to £249 or more in peak summer. FlexiPlus tickets (priority boarding, lounge access) start from around £300. Prices are per vehicle regardless of the number of passengers, which makes the tunnel excellent value for a full car. Booking 2–3 months ahead typically secures the lowest fares.
The full picture
The crossing fare is only part of the cost. You also need to account for:
- UK fuel to Folkestone (about £15 from London, £55–£65 from Manchester)
- French fuel from Calais to your destination (£25 to Paris, £100+ to the south of France)
- French motorway tolls (£20–£25 to Paris, £80–£100 to Nice or Marseille)
Best for
- Travellers in South East England heading to northern or central France
- Those who want speed and minimal fuss (no seasickness, no long waits)
- Last-minute trips with frequent departure availability
- Passengers who prefer to stay with their vehicle
Option 2: Ferry Crossings
9 routes from 5 UK ports — 90 minutes to 11 hours
Ferries offer more route choice than any other option. You can sail from Dover, Portsmouth, Poole, Plymouth, or Newhaven to eight different French ports. This flexibility is the ferry's greatest advantage: choosing a port closer to your UK home or your French destination can cut hundreds of miles of driving and significantly reduce total journey cost.
What it costs
| Route | Operator | Time | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover → Calais | P&O / DFDS | 90 min | ~£55 |
| Dover → Dunkirk | DFDS | 2 hrs | ~£55 |
| Newhaven → Dieppe | DFDS | 4 hrs | ~£70 |
| Portsmouth → Caen | Brittany Ferries | 6 hrs | ~£120 |
| Portsmouth → Cherbourg | Brittany Ferries | 3 hrs | ~£100 |
| Portsmouth → Le Havre | Brittany Ferries | 8 hrs | ~£140 |
| Portsmouth → St Malo | Brittany Ferries | 11 hrs | ~£160 |
| Poole → Cherbourg | Brittany Ferries | 4.25 hrs | ~£100 |
| Plymouth → Roscoff | Brittany Ferries | 6 hrs | ~£130 |
Prices shown are approximate off-peak fares for a standard car. Peak summer prices can be 2–3 times higher.
The full picture
Longer ferry crossings cost more upfront, but they can save you money overall by cutting your French driving distance. Landing at Caen instead of Calais knocks 200 miles off a trip to Brittany, saving roughly £30–£40 in French fuel and nearly eliminating toll costs since most Breton motorways are toll-free. An overnight ferry also doubles as a night's accommodation, saving £60–£100 on a hotel.
Best for
- Western and Northern England travellers (Portsmouth and Plymouth ferries cut UK driving)
- Destinations in Normandy, Brittany, or western France
- Families who want space to move, eat, and let children play during the crossing
- Budget travellers, especially during peak season when tunnel prices spike
- Those who enjoy the crossing as part of the holiday experience
Option 3: Fly + Car Hire
UK airports to French airports — 1 to 2 hours flying
Flying is the option most people overlook when planning a driving holiday in France. The assumption is that you need your own car, but hiring a vehicle at a French airport can work out surprisingly affordable — and for southern France destinations, it often beats driving via the tunnel or ferry on total cost.
What it costs
Budget airlines serve French airports from across the UK. Return flights can cost £60–£200 per person depending on route, season, and booking lead time. Car hire for a week starts from around £120–£180 for an economy car, or £200–£350 for a family-sized vehicle. You also need to factor in luggage fees (£20–£40 per bag on budget airlines), airport parking or transfers at the UK end, fuel in France, and insurance excess waiver if desired.
The full picture
Flying eliminates the two biggest hidden costs of driving: the long slog through France (and the fuel and tolls that come with it) and the wear on your own vehicle. A family of four driving from London to Nice via the tunnel might spend £350–£420 on the outbound journey alone. The same family could fly from Gatwick to Nice for around £300–£500 total (including bags) plus £150–£250 for a week's car hire. The flying option also saves 10+ hours of driving each way.
Best for
- Destinations in southern France (Provence, Cote d'Azur, Languedoc, Dordogne)
- Shorter trips where driving time eats into holiday time
- Couples or solo travellers (car hire cost is shared across fewer people when driving)
- Travellers far from the Channel ports (Scotland, Northern England, Wales)
- Those who want to avoid a 10–12 hour drive through France
Head-to-Head Comparison
This table compares the three options for a typical London to Paris journey, one of the most popular UK-to-France routes. Costs will vary for other routes — use ChannelHop to compare your specific journey.
| Channel Tunnel | Ferry (Dover–Calais) | Fly + Car Hire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crossing fare | £89–£249 | £55–£160 | £60–£200 pp flights |
| Car hire | N/A (own car) | N/A (own car) | £120–£350/week |
| Crossing time | 35 min | 90 min | ~1 hr 15 min flight |
| Total travel time | ~5–6 hrs | ~6–7 hrs | ~4–5 hrs |
| French fuel + tolls | ~£45–£55 | ~£45–£55 | ~£15–£25 |
| Luggage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Airline limits apply |
| Typical total (2 adults) | £180–£320 | £140–£270 | £280–£500 |
| Best for | Speed, convenience | Budget, families | Southern France, short trips |
Estimates based on typical 2026 prices for a London to Paris journey. Actual costs vary by date, booking lead time, and operator.
So Which Should You Choose?
There is no single cheapest option for everyone. The best choice depends on four factors: where you live in the UK, where you're going in France, how many people are travelling, and when you're going. Here are the general rules.
Choose the Channel Tunnel when...
You live in South East England and your destination is in northern or central France. The tunnel is also the best choice for spontaneous trips (frequent departures, easy to book last-minute off-peak) and for travellers who get seasick. It shines brightest for a car full of passengers, because the fare covers the whole vehicle.
Choose a ferry when...
You're heading to Normandy, Brittany, or western France, or you live in western or northern England where Portsmouth or Plymouth ports are closer than Folkestone. Ferries also win on price in peak summer when tunnel fares soar. Overnight ferries are a smart move for long trips, saving both driving time and a hotel bill. For a deeper look at these two options, see our Eurotunnel vs Ferry cost comparison.
Choose flying + car hire when...
Your destination is in southern France and the total driving distance via tunnel or ferry would exceed 700–800 miles. Flying also works well for shorter holidays (a long weekend in Provence is impractical if you spend two days driving), for couples and solo travellers (fewer people to split the crossing fare), and for travellers starting from Scotland, Wales, or northern England who face a long UK drive just to reach the Channel ports.
For a detailed breakdown of total driving costs including fuel and tolls, see our guide to the cheapest way to drive to France and the driving to France cost calculator. If you already know your destination, check our cheapest way to France hub for route-specific advice.
Compare Your Route
Stop guessing. Enter your start point and destination to get a personalised cost breakdown for tunnel, ferry, and fly + hire — including fuel, tolls, and crossing fares.
Try London to ParisFrequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to cross the English Channel?
For most travellers from South East England heading to northern France, the Dover to Calais ferry is the cheapest crossing option, starting from around £55 off-peak. However, the cheapest overall journey depends on your start and end points. If you live in the Midlands or North and are heading to southern France, flying with car hire can undercut both ferry and tunnel once you factor in fuel and tolls for the long drive. Use ChannelHop to compare all three options for your specific route.
Is the Eurotunnel or ferry better value for money?
The ferry typically offers a lower crossing fare than the Eurotunnel, especially during peak periods. Off-peak, the Eurotunnel starts around £89 while Dover-Calais ferries start from £55. However, the Eurotunnel crossing takes just 35 minutes versus 90 minutes for the shortest ferry. The total journey cost including UK fuel, French fuel, and tolls is often similar because both routes land you in the Calais area. The ferry is usually better value for budget-conscious travellers, while the tunnel suits those who prioritise speed.
When is flying to France cheaper than driving?
Flying with car hire tends to be cheaper than driving for destinations in southern France (Nice, Marseille, Toulouse, Montpellier) when you account for the full driving cost: crossing fare, 800-1,100 km of fuel, motorway tolls of £60-£100, and potentially an overnight hotel stop. Budget flights from regional UK airports can cost as little as £30-£60 one way, and a week of car hire in France starts from around £120-£180. For a family heading to the Cote d'Azur, flying often saves £100-£200 compared to driving via the tunnel.
How much does it cost to drive from the UK to France in total?
The total cost depends on your route, but a typical London to Paris journey costs roughly £180-£280 including the crossing fare (£55-£149), UK fuel to the port (£15-£20), French fuel to Paris (£25-£35), and tolls (£20-£25). For longer trips like London to Nice, expect £280-£420 total. These costs are for a standard family car getting around 45 mpg. ChannelHop calculates precise costs based on your actual vehicle, start point, and destination.
Which Channel crossing option is best for families?
Ferries are often the best choice for families, especially on longer crossings. Children can move around, eat in restaurants, visit play areas, and sleep in cabins on overnight sailings. The Eurotunnel requires everyone to stay in the car for 35 minutes, which is manageable but less comfortable with young children. Flying works well for older children but can be stressful with toddlers when you add car seat logistics and hire car arrangements. For families heading to Brittany or Normandy, the Portsmouth or Plymouth ferries combine a fun crossing with a shorter drive on the French side.
Should I book my Channel crossing in advance or at the port?
Always book in advance for the best prices. Eurotunnel and ferry fares increase significantly closer to the departure date, and walk-up prices at the port can be two to three times the advance booking price. For peak summer travel (July and August), booking 2-3 months ahead is advisable as popular sailings sell out. Flexible tickets cost more but allow changes without fees, which is worth considering if your plans are uncertain. Midweek crossings (Tuesday to Thursday) are typically 20-40% cheaper than weekend departures.