Crossing guide
What the Hook of Holland to Harwich crossing is like
Stena’s timetable shows an afternoon departure from Hook of Holland arriving in Harwich around 19:45 UK time — about 6½ hours — and a 22:00 night sailing arriving at about 06:30, roughly 9½ hours with the hour’s time change. The longer night crossing is effectively a cabin night, and it lands before the Essex roads get busy. Metro trains from Rotterdam stop right outside the terminal.
Leaving Hook of Holland
The Hook of Holland terminal on Stationsweg sits between Rotterdam, about 30 kilometres away, and The Hague, about 20. Stena notes that the metro station is right outside the front of the terminal, with services to Schiedam Centrum and Rotterdam, so foot passengers have an easy approach.
Arriving in Harwich
The ferry docks at Harwich International Port, with Harwich International station next to the terminal for trains towards London. Drivers join the A120 towards Colchester and the A12. Early-morning arrivals from the night sailing mean an early start on the road.
Vessels
Ships commonly used on this route
Stena Britannica
Typical route vessel; assignment is not guaranteed. Check your booking for the ship actually operating.
Stena Hollandica
Typical route vessel; assignment is not guaranteed. Check your booking for the ship actually operating.
Stena names its superferries Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica for the route.
Dogs aboard
Travelling with a dog on Stena Line
Returning to England, the dog again travels in a pet-friendly cabin or a heated kennel, but the paperwork now points the other way: a vet must give the tapeworm treatment within Great Britain’s window before the Harwich arrival. Choose the night sailing and the treatment timing shifts by several hours compared with the afternoon ship.
- Documents
- Dogs entering Great Britain need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a pet travel document such as an EU pet passport. GOV.UK explains which document applies to where you are travelling from.
- Tapeworm window
- A vet must treat the dog for tapeworm no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before you arrive in Great Britain. Count back from the Harwich arrival time, not the departure.
- Booking
- Book the kennel or pet-friendly cabin as an extra when booking. Foot passengers may bring up to three pets and must have a kennel or pet cabin; drivers up to five.
- On board
- There is an area on board to walk your dog. A pet left in the vehicle or a kennel stays there for the rest of the crossing.
Carrier and border rules change. Confirm every item with Stena Line, the official sources below and your vet before you travel.
Cabin alerts
What SailSoon watches on this route
Stena Line monitoring currently covers the next 180 days. Dates further ahead are checked on a rotating schedule. Checks are made for two adults travelling with a car, so other party sizes or foot passengers may see different results. Prices we show are for the cabin or option only, not the full fare, and nothing is reserved for you: book and confirm the total price and pet terms with Stena Line.
- Pet-friendly cabins
- Cabins Stena Line marks as pet-friendly, when it offers them on the sailing. Check the pet rules and any pet charge on the booking page.
- Premium cabins
- The operator’s premium or deluxe cabin categories, including pet-friendly premium cabins where they exist.
- Standard cabins
- Ordinary private cabins for at least two people, inside or with a window.
- Not monitored
- Kennels, seats, shared berths, deck options and the full fare. Check those directly with Stena Line.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long is the ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich?
About 6½ hours on the afternoon sailing and about 9½ hours on the overnight one, according to Stena’s timetable. Stena advertises crossings from 6 hours 30 minutes.
Which ships sail from Hook of Holland to Harwich?
Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica are the usual ships for this crossing. Stena names its superferries Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica for the route. The ship on your booking is the one whose cabins and pet facilities apply.
Can I take my dog on the Hook of Holland to Harwich ferry?
Yes, in a pet-friendly cabin or heated kennel booked with the crossing. Allow for Great Britain’s tapeworm treatment, which must be given 24 hours to 5 days before arrival.
What paperwork does my dog need for Harwich?
A microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an accepted pet travel document such as an EU pet passport, plus tapeworm treatment by a vet between 24 hours and 5 days before you arrive in Great Britain. Check the official guidance before you travel, as rules change.
Does SailSoon alert me to kennels on this route?
No. On Stena Line we watch pet-friendly, premium and standard cabins only. Kennel space is not monitored, so check and book kennels directly with Stena Line.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Stena Line: Harwich to Hook of Holland (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Stena Line: Harwich port (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Stena Line: Hook of Holland port (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Stena Line: Stena Britannica (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Stena Line: Stena Hollandica (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Stena Line: can I bring my pet? (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- GOV.UK: tapeworm treatment for dogs entering Great Britain (reviewed 2026-09-11)
Member alerts
Get told when a Hook of Holland to Harwich cabin appears
Create a free account, then set the dates and cabin types you need on this route. We email you when a matching cabin shows up in Stena Line’s booking system.
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