There are 17 ports in England. Plymouth port and Portsmouth port are located on the south coast and Dover port and Folkestone are located further east on the south coast. The world's busiest passenger ferry port is in Dover, located on the very eastern tip of the south coast.

Ferries depart from numerous ports along the English coast, primarily categorized by their destination regions. For France and Spain, the major "south coast" hubs are Dover (to Calais and Dunkirk), Portsmouth (to Caen, St. Malo, Bilbao, and Santander), and Plymouth (to Roscoff and Santander). If you are heading to the Netherlands, ferries leave from Hull (to Rotterdam), Newcastle (to Amsterdam), and Harwich (to the Hook of Holland). For travel to Ireland, the primary English port is Liverpool, which offers frequent sailings to Dublin. There are also smaller routes, such as Newhaven to Dieppe and Poole to Cherbourg. In 2026, Dover remains the busiest ferry port in the world by passenger volume, while Portsmouth serves as the primary gateway for "cruise-style" long-haul ferries to the Iberian Peninsula. These ports offer a vital alternative to the Eurotunnel for those traveling with cars, pets, or large amounts of luggage.