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Foot Passenger Guide
Travelling without a vehicle
Complete guide for car-free travel to St Malo. Train connections from London Waterloo to Portsmouth (90 mins, then 10-min walk to terminal), luggage handling, check-in process, overnight ferry experience, and onwards travel from St Malo by train or bus to Paris, Rennes, or throughout Brittany.
✓ Perfect for:
- Budget travelers (save £130+ vs taking car)
- Train enthusiasts and sustainable travelers
- Solo travelers or couples without vehicle
- Those continuing to Paris by TGV from St Malo
- Students and backpackers
💰 Typical Cost: £53-£180 ferry + £30-50 trains + £75-150 cabin = £158-380 total London to St Malo
⏰ Journey Time: 90 mins train + 11-12 hrs ferry = ~14 hours total (overnight, arrive morning)
Read Complete Foot Passenger Guide →
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Car Ferry Guide
Taking your car on the Portsmouth to St Malo ferry
Everything car passengers need to know: booking your vehicle online, vehicle height and length requirements, check-in procedures at Portsmouth International Port, driving onto the ferry, parking on the vehicle deck, what to do with your car overnight, and disembarking at St Malo.
✓ Key Points:
- Check-in at Portsmouth International Port (90 mins before departure)
- Vehicle stays locked on car deck during sailing
- Cabin required for overnight crossing — you can’t sleep in your car
- Roof boxes and bike racks affect vehicle height category
- Standard cars under 1.85m height book as standard vehicle
🚗 Vehicle Pricing: Car + passengers from £184 return. Cabin separate. Book online for best prices.
📏 Height Check: Measure your vehicle including any roof rack or box. Over 1.85m may move to a higher price category.
Read Complete Car Ferry Guide →
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Motorhome & Campervan Guide
Travelling with your motorhome or campervan
Everything motorhomers need to know: measuring your vehicle correctly (height, length, weight), booking the right vehicle category, driving onto the ferry, parking on vehicle deck, overnight in cabin vs sleeping in motorhome, and exploring Brittany’s excellent motorhome facilities and campsites.
✓ Key Points:
- Measure height INCLUDING roof equipment
- You CAN’T stay in motorhome during sailing
- Cabin booking required for overnight crossing
- Brittany has excellent motorhome facilities
- Wrong measurements = surcharge at check-in
📏 Important: Measure height INCLUDING roof equipment (solar panels, aerials, air con). Wrong measurement = surcharge at check-in!
💡 Top Tip: Book cabin for overnight crossing. You CAN’T stay in motorhome on vehicle deck during sailing – it’s locked.
Read Complete Motorhome Guide →
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Caravan Towing Guide
Towing your caravan to Brittany
Complete caravan towing guide: booking car + caravan correctly, measuring caravan dimensions (length including towbar, height, width), driving onto ferry with caravan, parking arrangements, unhitching procedures, and Brittany’s excellent caravan sites near St Malo and throughout the region.
✓ Essential Info:
- Measure TOTAL length (car + caravan + towbar)
- Height and width both matter for pricing
- Cabin required for overnight crossing
- Excellent caravan sites throughout Brittany
- Book as “car with trailer” online
📐 Measurement: Measure TOTAL length (car + caravan + towbar). Both height and width matter for pricing.
🎯 Perfect For: Families wanting home comforts, longer Brittany stays, touring multiple campsites
Read Complete Caravan Guide →
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Cycling & Bike Guide
Taking your bicycle to Brittany
Cyclist’s guide to the Portsmouth to St Malo ferry: booking bicycles (standard bikes, e-bikes, tandems, folding bikes), packing and protecting your bike, bike storage on ferry, cycling in Brittany (quiet roads, dedicated cycle paths, Vélomaritime coastal route), and recommended cycling routes from St Malo.
✓ Perfect for Cyclists:
- Small additional bike fee when booking
- E-bikes and tandems accepted
- Bike stored safely on vehicle deck
- GR34 coastal path & EuroVelo routes
- Brittany has quiet, cyclist-friendly roads
🚲 Bike Fee: Small additional charge when booking. E-bikes accepted. Stored safely on vehicle deck.
🗺️ Brittany Cycling: Excellent for cycling – GR34 coastal path, EuroVelo routes, quiet country roads
Read Complete Cycling Guide →
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Motorcycle Guide
Taking your motorbike to France
Motorcyclist’s complete guide: booking motorcycles (solo bikes, bikes with sidecar, trikes), riding onto ferry and parking securely, what to do with your helmet and gear, cabin recommendations for overnight crossing, and exploring Brittany’s scenic motorcycling routes including coastal roads and inland touring.
✓ Key Points for Bikers:
- Motorcycle fares cheaper than cars
- Ride on, bike parked securely with straps
- Take helmet/jacket to cabin with you
- Brittany has excellent scenic riding roads
- Cabin recommended for overnight crossing
🏍️ Bike Pricing: Motorcycle fares much cheaper than cars. Excellent value for bikers.
⛑️ Gear Storage: Take helmet/jacket to cabin. Bike parked securely on vehicle deck with straps.
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Pet Travel Guide
Bringing your dog or cat to France
Complete pet travel guide: UK pet passport requirements (Animal Health Certificate, microchip, rabies vaccination, tapeworm treatment), booking procedures, onboard kennels vs pet-friendly cabins, keeping pet in vehicle during crossing, French entry rules, and tips for stress-free overnight pet travel.
✓ Essential Requirements:
- Animal Health Certificate (AHC) from vet
- Microchip (before rabies vaccination)
- Rabies vaccination (at least 21 days old)
- Tapeworm treatment (dogs only, 1-5 days before)
- Book pet when booking ferry (£35+ kennel fee)
⏰ Start Process: 8-12 weeks before travel (AHC paperwork takes time). Don’t leave it until last minute!
💡 Top Tip: Pet-friendly cabin (£35+) means your dog/cat stays with you overnight – less stressful than kennels
Read Complete Pet Travel Guide →
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Accessible Ferry Travel
Wheelchair users & reduced mobility passengers
Comprehensive accessibility guide: wheelchair-accessible boarding, lifts to all passenger decks, accessible toilets, adapted cabins for overnight crossing, boarding assistance, onboard facilities for reduced mobility, and special assistance booking process with Brittany Ferries.
✓ Accessibility Features:
- Wheelchair-accessible gangway and boarding
- Lifts to all passenger decks (no stairs required)
- Accessible toilets throughout ship
- Adapted cabins available (book well ahead)
- Wide corridors throughout ship
- Boarding assistance from trained crew
📞 Special Assistance: Call Brittany Ferries special assistance line when booking. Book adapted cabin early.
♿ Full Access: Lifts to all decks, accessible toilets, wide corridors, boarding ramps. Fully wheelchair accessible.
Read Complete Accessibility Guide →
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Family Travel Guide
Travelling with babies, toddlers, and children
Family-friendly overnight ferry guide: children’s facilities onboard, 4-berth family cabins (kids love the bunks!), baby changing facilities, children’s menu, keeping kids entertained during 11-12 hour crossing, what to pack for family ferry travel, and making the overnight crossing a fun part of your Brittany holiday.
✓ Family Facilities Onboard:
- Children’s play areas (games, activities)
- Baby changing facilities on all decks
- Family-friendly restaurants with kids’ menu
- Cinema showing family films
- Family seating areas
- 4-berth family cabins (from £75+ per cabin)
💡 4-Berth Cabin Essential: From £75+ per cabin (not per person). Kids sleep properly, everyone arrives refreshed!
🎬 Entertainment: Play areas, cinema showing family films, restaurants with kids’ menu. Plenty to do!
Read Complete Family Travel Guide →
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Driving in France Guide
For cars, campervans, caravans and vans driving from St Malo
Everything you need to know once you drive off the ferry at St Malo: French road rules, speed limits (including for motorhomes and caravans), motorway tolls and vehicle classifications, Crit’Air vignette requirements, required documents and equipment, drink-drive laws, and how to navigate French roads confidently from your first mile off the ferry.
✓ Essential for All Drivers:
- Speed limits differ by road type and vehicle — know before you go
- Motorway tolls: vehicles classified by height (cars, campervans, caravans)
- Crit’Air vignette required in many French cities
- Compulsory kit: warning triangle, hi-vis vest, headlamp beam deflectors
- Lower drink-drive limit than UK: 0.05% BAC (0.02% for new drivers)
- Priority to the right (priorité à droite) at unmarked junctions
🚐 Caravans & Motorhomes: Different speed limits apply. Towing over 3.5t GTM: 90 kph maximum. Toll classifications affect cost — caravans 2-3m height pay Class 2 rates.
🛣️ Motorway Aires: Aire de repos (rest stop, every 10-15 km) and aire de service (fuel, food, every 30-50 km) — no toll charge to stop.
Read Complete Driving in France Guide →
