Crossing guide
What the Portsmouth to St Malo crossing is like
Brittany Ferries advertises Saint Malo as the route’s ship and operates the crossing on most days in the core pattern. The overnight schedule is part of the appeal, yet sailing days and departure times still vary. Check whether the selected pet option gives cabin access or uses another arrangement.
Leaving Portsmouth
Portsmouth International Port sits directly off the M275, and Brittany Ferries describes it as under two hours from London in normal traffic — before city congestion. Dogs are not allowed in the terminal, so walk and water them before the final port lanes. Once through security you cannot leave the vehicle until directed.
Before you join the lanes
- Allow more than the sat-nav drive time — port approaches and check-in cut-offs are not motorway estimates.
- Check the booking confirmation for the final vehicle and foot-passenger deadlines; pet travellers often have an earlier one.
- Photograph or download the booking before you travel, because reception in a port queue is unreliable.
- Pack one small bag with medicines, chargers, a change of clothes and dog supplies: car-deck access is normally restricted at sea.
- Save the onward address offline and check whether tolls, low-emission zones or local driving rules affect the road ahead.
The passage
The working duration is typically about 11½ hours overnight. Conditions at the english Channel passage can differ sharply from either harbour, which is why this guide samples three points rather than one coastal icon — a moderate wave with a long swell period feels quite different from short, steep seas. If anyone aboard is prone to seasickness, prepare before departure and choose a cabin position with comfort in mind.
A resilient plan
Plan this as overnight accommodation as well as transport. Confirm the cabin, the departure day and the morning St Malo arrival before booking the first activity in Brittany, and pack everything needed overnight outside the car deck. Because the route usually has fewer alternatives than Caen, respond to an alert promptly while still checking the live pet terms and cancellation conditions.
Conditions
Weather along the route
Departure
Portsmouth departure
- Air / sea
- 17.3°C / 20.2°C
- Wind / gust
- 6.2 kn / 12.2 kn
- Wind direction
- SW (230°)
- Wave / period
- 0.3 m / 2.9 s
- Wave direction
- SW (227°)
Mid
English Channel passage
- Air / sea
- 15.2°C / 18.3°C
- Wind / gust
- 4.1 kn / 8.0 kn
- Wind direction
- S (185°)
- Wave / period
- 0.4 m / 4.2 s
- Wave direction
- W (268°)
Arrival
St Malo arrival
- Air / sea
- 15.8°C / 20.9°C
- Wind / gust
- 3.0 kn / 3.5 kn
- Wind direction
- SW (220°)
- Wave / period
- 0.2 m / 5.7 s
- Wave direction
- WNW (293°)
Provider data: Open-Meteo (licence); units and three-point presentation normalised by SailSoon.
For planning context only — not for navigation or decisions about whether a sailing will operate. Check Brittany Ferries for official sailing status.
Seven-day passage outlook
| Day | Sea state | Wave | Wind | Gust | Air |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed2 SepToday | Slight | 1.0 m | 12.6 kn | 26.4 kn | 25°C |
| Thu3 Sep | Slight | 1.0 m | 11.5 kn | 23.1 kn | 26°C |
| Fri4 Sep | Slight | 1.2 m | 14.8 kn | 33.6 kn | 25°C |
| Sat5 Sep | Slight | 0.7 m | 8.2 kn | 13.2 kn | 23°C |
| Sun6 Sep | Slight | 0.6 m | 15.4 kn | 28.4 kn | 31°C |
| Mon7 Sep | Slight | 0.7 m | 11.6 kn | 25.1 kn | 22°C |
| Tue8 Sep | Moderate | 2.1 m | 22.3 kn | 46.7 kn | 21°C |
Daily maxima for planning only — not a forecast for any particular sailing, and not a statement about whether a crossing will operate.
Availability
Recently seen cabins
Historical cabin sighting
20 September 2026 · 20:15
Commodore Suite · 2 berth Commodore cabin
Ship shown when seen: Saint Malo
Observed fare: £250
Observed by SailSoon on 28 August 2026 at 00:04 UTC.
Historical sighting—availability and price may have changed.
Check current availability with the operatorHistorical cabin sighting
15 March 2027 · 20:15
Pet-friendly cabin · Pet-friendly 2 berth inside cabin
Ship shown when seen: Armorique
Observed fare: £202
Observed by SailSoon on 27 August 2026 at 22:05 UTC.
Historical sighting—availability and price may have changed.
Check current availability with the operatorHistorical cabin sighting
15 March 2027 · 20:15
Standard (no pets)
Ship shown when seen: Armorique
Observed fare: £202
Observed by SailSoon on 27 August 2026 at 22:05 UTC.
Historical sighting—availability and price may have changed.
Check current availability with the operatorHistorical cabin sighting
19 September 2026 · 20:15
Pet-friendly cabin · Pet-friendly 4 berth inside cabin
Ship shown when seen: Saint Malo
Observed fare: £209
Observed by SailSoon on 27 August 2026 at 18:05 UTC.
Historical sighting—availability and price may have changed.
Check current availability with the operatorHistorical cabin sighting
13 January 2027 · 20:15
Pet-friendly cabin · Pet-friendly 2 berth outside Club cabin, wheelchair access
Ship shown when seen: Saint Malo
Observed fare: £202
Observed by SailSoon on 27 August 2026 at 16:05 UTC.
Historical sighting—availability and price may have changed.
Check current availability with the operatorHistorical cabin sighting
22 October 2026 · 20:15
Pet-friendly cabin · Pet-friendly 2 berth outside Club cabin, wheelchair access
Ship shown when seen: Saint Malo
Observed fare: £168
Observed by SailSoon on 27 August 2026 at 12:04 UTC.
Historical sighting—availability and price may have changed.
Check current availability with the operatorRecent sighting reserved for alerts
Members receive the useful details before a delayed historical example can appear here.
Create an account for member-first alertsRecent sighting reserved for alerts
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Create an account for member-first alertsSeasonal context
Typical conditions through the year
1991–2020 averages — not a forecast. Long-term conditions provide planning context; a particular crossing can be very different.
Departure Portsmouth departure
| Month | Air °C | Wind mean / p90 kn | Prevailing wind | Wave mean / p90 m | Period s | Prevailing wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.7 | 13.3 / 21.5 | WSW (250°) | 1.5 / 2.7 | 5.8 | SW (235°) |
| February | 6.3 | 12.5 / 20.4 | W (261°) | 1.4 / 2.5 | 5.7 | WSW (244°) |
| March | 7.5 | 11.6 / 19.1 | W (269°) | 1.1 / 2.2 | 5.5 | WSW (243°) |
| April | 9.3 | 10.3 / 16.9 | WSW (256°) | 0.9 / 1.7 | 5.2 | WSW (240°) |
| May | 12.2 | 10.1 / 16.6 | W (275°) | 0.8 / 1.6 | 4.8 | WSW (241°) |
| June | 14.9 | 9.7 / 15.9 | WSW (245°) | 0.8 / 1.4 | 4.7 | WSW (243°) |
| July | 17.0 | 9.6 / 15.6 | WSW (248°) | 0.8 / 1.4 | 4.5 | WSW (245°) |
| August | 17.3 | 9.7 / 15.7 | WSW (256°) | 0.8 / 1.4 | 4.5 | WSW (248°) |
| September | 15.6 | 10.5 / 17.1 | W (268°) | 0.9 / 1.7 | 4.7 | WSW (249°) |
| October | 12.9 | 12.1 / 19.4 | WSW (248°) | 1.3 / 2.3 | 5.2 | SW (232°) |
| November | 9.8 | 12.4 / 20.0 | W (261°) | 1.4 / 2.5 | 5.3 | WSW (241°) |
| December | 7.4 | 13.2 / 21.0 | W (261°) | 1.5 / 2.7 | 5.7 | WSW (239°) |
Mid-route English Channel passage
| Month | Air °C | Wind mean / p90 kn | Prevailing wind | Wave mean / p90 m | Period s | Prevailing wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.6 | 15.3 / 23.8 | SW (229°) | 0.9 / 1.5 | 6.3 | W (272°) |
| February | 7.2 | 14.4 / 23.0 | WSW (245°) | 0.8 / 1.5 | 6.3 | W (279°) |
| March | 8.2 | 13.2 / 21.5 | W (267°) | 0.7 / 1.3 | 5.9 | WNW (288°) |
| April | 9.7 | 11.6 / 19.4 | NW (311°) | 0.6 / 1.1 | 5.4 | WNW (294°) |
| May | 12.0 | 11.2 / 18.4 | NNW (333°) | 0.6 / 1.0 | 4.8 | WNW (301°) |
| June | 14.5 | 10.5 / 17.0 | WNW (287°) | 0.5 / 0.9 | 4.6 | WNW (290°) |
| July | 16.5 | 10.3 / 16.9 | W (274°) | 0.5 / 0.9 | 4.5 | WNW (283°) |
| August | 17.1 | 10.3 / 17.1 | W (277°) | 0.5 / 0.9 | 4.5 | WNW (284°) |
| September | 16.0 | 11.8 / 19.2 | W (279°) | 0.6 / 1.1 | 4.9 | WNW (291°) |
| October | 13.7 | 13.6 / 21.5 | SW (224°) | 0.7 / 1.3 | 5.3 | W (274°) |
| November | 10.8 | 14.4 / 22.5 | WSW (242°) | 0.8 / 1.4 | 5.7 | W (271°) |
| December | 8.6 | 15.2 / 23.6 | WSW (237°) | 0.9 / 1.5 | 6.0 | W (274°) |
Arrival St Malo arrival
| Month | Air °C | Wind mean / p90 kn | Prevailing wind | Wave mean / p90 m | Period s | Prevailing wave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.7 | 15.0 / 23.0 | SSW (209°) | 0.6 / 1.0 | 4.9 | WNW (289°) |
| February | 7.4 | 14.0 / 22.5 | SW (227°) | 0.6 / 1.0 | 5.0 | WNW (300°) |
| March | 8.4 | 12.9 / 20.6 | WNW (290°) | 0.5 / 0.9 | 4.7 | NW (314°) |
| April | 10.0 | 11.9 / 19.2 | NNW (346°) | 0.4 / 0.8 | 4.3 | NW (321°) |
| May | 12.4 | 11.3 / 17.7 | N (350°) | 0.4 / 0.7 | 3.9 | NNW (331°) |
| June | 15.0 | 10.7 / 16.6 | NNW (327°) | 0.4 / 0.6 | 3.7 | NW (321°) |
| July | 16.9 | 10.7 / 16.8 | NW (312°) | 0.4 / 0.6 | 3.7 | NW (312°) |
| August | 17.6 | 10.6 / 17.2 | NW (312°) | 0.4 / 0.6 | 3.8 | NW (313°) |
| September | 16.6 | 11.8 / 18.9 | NW (320°) | 0.4 / 0.8 | 4.1 | NW (319°) |
| October | 14.2 | 13.5 / 21.3 | SSW (200°) | 0.5 / 0.9 | 4.3 | WNW (298°) |
| November | 11.1 | 14.6 / 22.3 | SW (217°) | 0.6 / 1.0 | 4.6 | WNW (288°) |
| December | 8.6 | 15.1 / 23.2 | SSW (210°) | 0.6 / 1.0 | 4.7 | WNW (292°) |
Sea-surface temperature is omitted because the ERA5 reanalysis behind this baseline does not carry it historically. Current sea temperature is shown in the conditions panel above.
Provider data: Open-Meteo (licence), using ERA5 weather and ERA5-Ocean marine reanalysis; monthly means, p90 values and prevailing directions calculated by SailSoon for 1991–2020.
Vessels
Ships commonly used on this route
Primary route profile
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is Brittany Ferries’ first hybrid-LNG ferry and was introduced for the Portsmouth–St Malo route. Its design combines battery power with LNG propulsion and gives the passenger spaces a Breton identity. The accommodation range is unusually broad, including standard, Club, Commodore, accessible, allergy-friendly and six-berth options. This makes the precise cabin selected especially important when comparing a sighting with a booking. Saint-Malo is the vessel commonly linked with this route, but substitutions remain possible. Confirm the ship, cabin and onboard arrangements in the operator’s dated travel documents rather than treating a route profile as a guarantee.
Pet context: Official listings include pet-friendly inside, outside, accessible and Commodore cabins plus an exercise area; reserve the pet space on the actual departure.
Official sources and review date
Facts reviewed 2026-08-11.
Ships and schedules can change; check your booking for the operating vessel.
Landfall
Arriving in St Malo
St Malo’s terminal is close to the historic walled city and well placed for Brittany, Rennes and western France — though that central position also means the port exit meets busy local streets. Allow for disembarkation and checks before arranging a fixed meeting or train connection, and keep dogs controlled through the vehicle areas. The terminal is close to the walled city. Decide whether to pause locally or leave for a longer Brittany drive, taking account of sleep quality and the dog’s need for exercise after landing.
Sources for route facts
- Brittany Ferries: Portsmouth to St Malo (reviewed 2026-08-11)
- Brittany Ferries: Portsmouth port guide (reviewed 2026-08-11)
- Brittany Ferries: St Malo port guide (reviewed 2026-08-11)
- Brittany Ferries: travelling with pets (reviewed 2026-08-11)
- GOV.UK: getting an animal health certificate (reviewed 2026-08-11)
Dogs aboard
Planning this ferry with a dog
An 11½-hour night crossing, so the booked pet accommodation matters more than it would on a short hop. Portsmouth keeps dogs out of the terminal, so walk well before check-in.
- Documents
- GOV.UK advises GB residents to obtain an Animal Health Certificate from an official veterinarian for EU entry. It is issued before travel and has a limited entry window.
- Rabies and microchip
- Confirm the microchip record and a valid rabies vaccination against current GOV.UK guidance and the destination’s rules. EU pet rules changed in 2026, so do not assume an older EU pet passport still works.
- At Portsmouth
- Dogs are not admitted to the passenger terminal, so complete the walk before joining the final port lanes.
- On board
- An 11½-hour night passage. The confirmed pet-friendly cabin is central to comfort; bring familiar bedding and keep food modest before sailing.
- Muzzle
- Brittany Ferries requires a muzzle whenever the dog is outside the car, kennel or pet-friendly cabin. Practise with it before travel.
Border and carrier rules change. Confirm every item against the official sources listed above and your vet before you travel.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long is the ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo?
The useful planning figure is typically about 11½ hours overnight. Check the dated Brittany Ferries timetable because individual crossings can differ.
Which ship operates from Portsmouth to St Malo?
Saint-Malo (Portsmouth ↔ St Malo) are associated with this corridor. Operational substitutions happen, so the ship shown on the booking is the one to use for cabin and pet-facility details.
Can I take a dog from Portsmouth to St Malo?
Pet travel is offered on relevant sailings, but the available arrangement varies by ship. Select a confirmed pet-friendly cabin, kennel or other offered option and follow current carrier and border rules.
What weather should I check for the Portsmouth to St Malo crossing?
Compare departure, mid-route and arrival conditions, especially wind, gusts, wave height and swell period. Forecasts are guidance only; the operator makes operational decisions.
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