Plymouth to Roscoff by ferry: crossing times, cabins and arrival

Brittany Ferries runs the Plymouth to Roscoff crossing, and its route page says there are up to two sailings a day, most of them overnight, with a daytime sailing once a week. The crossing can take as little as 5 hours 15 minutes.

This guide covers the Plymouth end, the sailings and cabins, arriving at Roscoff and driving on. For the other Channel routes and operators, see our ferry to France from the UK guide, and for every route from the UK, our ferry routes from the UK page.

Here is what the operator’s route and onboard pages say about the crossing, the sailing pattern and the ships.

Treat the shortest time as the best case the operator quotes, not a promise for your date. The ship on your sailing and the season both change what the timetable shows.

Overnight sailing

Brittany Ferries says its overnight sailings give you an early arrival in Roscoff and more time in France. It calls them convenient, with comfortable cabins, and they are the pattern on most Plymouth departures.

Day sailing

The daytime crossing runs once a week. Brittany Ferries presents it as a day cruise, with a restaurant meal, shopping and entertainment on board, so it suits a traveller who would rather spend the crossing awake than asleep.

• Arrive early
  The operator ties the overnight sailing to an early arrival in Roscoff.
• Cross awake
  The weekly day sailing is the one sold as a day cruise.
• Check the week
  Because the day crossing is not daily, the dates on the timetable decide which you can take.

Both ships on the route have cabins, restaurants, shops and entertainment, according to the route page. The onboard page lists luxury two- or four-berth cabins and a choice of à la carte and self-service restaurants.

Brittany Ferries does not give a cabin-by-cabin breakdown on the pages we read for this route, so we do not list cabin grades or what each includes. If you travel with a pet, the operator’s pet travel advice mentions bedding for the car, the kennel or a pet-friendly cabin, and says dogs must be muzzled outside your vehicle.

By car, the Plymouth port guide says to come in on the A38 from Exeter, heading southwest to Plymouth, then leave the A38 at the A374 and follow the signs for the continental ferry port. Without a car, it says frequent trains run from London Paddington to Plymouth in 3 to 4 hours, that there is no direct bus from the train station to the terminal, and that the coach station is around 25 minutes’ walk away.

Two operator pages speak to check-in, and they are not worded alike.

So the earliest time is a ceiling the port gives, and the time that applies to you is the one printed on your confirmation. The port guide also asks you to check the timetables before your visit.

The Roscoff port guide describes the port as sitting at the western end of the Channel on Brittany’s coast. The terminal building has an information desk and departure lounge on the first floor, free Wi-Fi, and a café and bar open for ship arrivals and departures.

Getting from the terminal into town is the part to plan. The guide gives about 15 minutes on foot to the town centre, says there is no bus between the terminal and the centre, and says taxis are generally available when the ship arrives.

• Train
  Roscoff has no station of its own, and the nearest is Morlaix.
• Bus
  Ligne 29 runs between Roscoff and Morlaix.
• On foot
  The guide gives the walk from the terminal to the town centre.

The route page describes Roscoff as a fishing village with quayside restaurants and botanical gardens, if you plan to stay a night rather than drive straight on.

GOV.UK sets out the rules for a British passport holder entering France, and they are the Schengen area rules. The table gives the ones that matter before you leave Plymouth.

GOV.UK names the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone and Eurostar at St Pancras International as places where EES information is taken before you leave the UK. It does not name Plymouth, so we say nothing here about where the checks happen on this route: read the GOV.UK page again shortly before you travel. Rules for other countries are on our entry requirements for British passport holders page.

The Roscoff port guide gives two directions for drivers: the D69 to Brest, Quimper and the south, and the N58 to Morlaix. Brittany Ferries also promotes sailing to the port closest to your destination, saying its mile-saving network reduces travel costs for petrol, tolls and en-route stops.

If you are taking your own car, our driving in Europe from the UK guide covers the licence, International Driving Permit and UK sticker rules. For the tunnel route to France, see our Eurotunnel or ferry page.

• How long does the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff take?

  The operator’s route page quotes as little as 5 hours 15 minutes, read on 7 November 2026. Seasonal variations to schedules may apply.

• Is the Plymouth to Roscoff ferry overnight?

  Mostly. Brittany Ferries says most sailings from Plymouth are overnight, with daytime sailings once a week.

• How many ferries a day go from Plymouth to Roscoff?

  Up to two a day, according to the operator. Which of them run on your date depends on the timetable.

• Which ships sail from Plymouth to Roscoff?

  Two cruise ferries make the crossing: Armorique and the flagship Pont-Aven. Both have cabins, restaurants, shops and entertainment.

• Do I need a cabin on the night crossing?

  The pages we read do not say a cabin is compulsory. They describe the overnight sailings as having comfortable cabins, so check what your own booking includes.

• How early can I check in at Plymouth?

  The port guide says check-in may begin up to four and a half hours before departure, while the check-in FAQ says the time depends on your booking type and appears in your e-ticket confirmation.

• Can I get to the Plymouth ferry terminal by train and bus?

  Trains reach Plymouth from London Paddington, but there is no direct bus from the station to the terminal. The coach station is about a 25-minute walk away.

• How do I get from Roscoff port to the town?

  Walking takes about 15 minutes to the centre. There is no bus between the terminal and the centre, though taxis are generally at the terminal when the ship arrives.

• Is there a train station at Roscoff?

  No. Roscoff does not have its own station, and the nearest is Morlaix, which Ligne 29 buses link to Roscoff.

• Can my dog travel on the Plymouth to Roscoff ferry?

  The operator’s pet advice mentions travel in the car, in a kennel or in a pet-friendly cabin. It also says you can check whether your pet’s documents are valid before you travel.