Ferry to St Malo from the UK: routes and crossing times

Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to St Malo, and its route page lists outward overnight sailings most days throughout the year. Condor Ferries lists a Poole to St Malo crossing and links Jersey and Guernsey with St Malo.

This guide sets out the St Malo end of the journey: the crossing times, the season, the terminal and the road on. The wider route list and the choice of operator are in our ferry to France from the UK guide, and every UK port is on our ferry routes from the UK page.

The table gathers what the two operators publish for St Malo, from the overnight sailing out of Portsmouth to the short hops from the Channel Islands.

The two Poole figures come from different Condor pages and we have not been able to reconcile them, so treat the timetable for your own date as the answer.

Portsmouth

Brittany Ferries runs this as an overnight sailing aboard its ship Saint-Malo, which its route page describes as hybrid-powered, with private cabins and an evening meal in one of its restaurants. The page says the overnight crossing gives an early arrival in St Malo. The sailing home leaves France mid-morning and reaches Portsmouth in the early evening.

Poole

Condor Ferries runs the Poole crossing by day on Condor Voyager, so there is no overnight cabin to think about. Its Poole page says the route runs all year round.

Jersey and Guernsey

Condor Ferries links both islands with St Malo. Its pages give different numbers of sailings a week for these island routes, so take the days from the timetable and not from a summary page.

• Night or day
  Portsmouth is the night crossing out; Poole is a daytime sailing.
• Where you start
  The route follows your home port, since the operators sail from different UK ports.
• When you go
  Condor names July to September as its peak period, so summer dates are the ones to check first.

Brittany Ferries describes its Portsmouth to St Malo sailings as running most days throughout the year, and adds that seasonal variations to schedules may apply. Condor Ferries names July to September as its peak period on the Poole route, with sailings 4 times a week then.

The same Condor page mentions a routing through Jersey until 27 March and a direct crossing after that. It gives no year, so do not read it as a rule for your dates. Look at the live timetable for the month you want before you plan around a sailing.

The St Malo port guide from Brittany Ferries tells you to follow the signs for the Terminal Ferry du Naye. For foot passengers it gives these ways into town.

Inside, the guide lists a café open for arrivals and departures, tourist information, a baby change area, free and payable Wi-Fi, and a shuttle bus for foot passengers. It also says that once you are past check-in your pet must stay in the vehicle.

The port guide says a toll-free dual carriageway, the N137, connects St Malo to the rest of France. Plan the drive on a map or sat nav before you sail, not from the quayside.

If you are taking your own car, our driving in Europe from the UK guide covers the documents and equipment to carry. For the tunnel alternative, see our Eurotunnel or ferry page.

GOV.UK says a British passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and expire at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen area. France allows up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.

GOV.UK says you may be asked to register your details at a special booth, and to follow directions from your travel operator or port staff. It names the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone and Eurostar at St Pancras International as places where this information is taken at the border, and it names no other port, so we do not say where the checks happen on these routes. For other destinations, see our entry requirements for British passport holders page.

• Is there a ferry from the UK to St Malo?

  Yes. Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth, and Condor Ferries lists a Poole to St Malo crossing on its own page. Both were read on 7 November 2026.

• How long is the ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo?

  Brittany Ferries gives an average of 11 hours for the overnight crossing out, and an average of 9 hours for the daytime sailing home.

• Is the Portsmouth to St Malo ferry overnight?

  Outward, yes: the operator lists overnight sailings most days throughout the year. Coming back, its daytime sailings leave mid-morning, and it also lists some overnight crossings.

• Can you get a ferry to St Malo from Jersey or Guernsey?

  Condor Ferries says it sails to St Malo from both islands. Its pages give 1 hour 25 minutes for Jersey and as little as 1 hour 55 minutes for Guernsey.

• Does the St Malo ferry run in winter?

  Brittany Ferries describes its Portsmouth sailings as running most days throughout the year, with seasonal variations to schedules possible. Check the timetable for your month.

• How far is the St Malo ferry terminal from the town centre?

  The Brittany Ferries port guide gives about 10 minutes on foot to the town centre or coach station, and 25 minutes to the train station.

• Is there a bus from the St Malo ferry terminal?

  There is a stop about 3 minutes from the terminal, next to the swimming pool, and line 8 runs hourly according to the port guide.

• Is the road from St Malo toll-free?

  The port guide describes the N137 as a toll-free dual carriageway connecting St Malo to the rest of France.

• Can my dog get out of the car at St Malo?

  Once you are past check-in, the port guide says your pet must stay in the vehicle. Ask the operator what applies on board and on arrival.

• What passport do I need for the ferry to St Malo?

  GOV.UK asks for a passport issued less than 10 years before you arrive and valid for at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen area.