Taking a Ferry With a Car or on Foot: How to Prepare for Boarding
Prepare for ferry check-in and boarding: confirm deadlines, documents, vehicle dimensions, luggage handling and the bag you need during the crossing.
Prepare for a ferry by checking your particular sailing: whether it accepts foot passengers, which terminal entrance you need, and when check-in closes. If you are taking a car, confirm its booked dimensions and documents, then pack a separate bag for the crossing.
A short local ferry and an overnight sea crossing may have very different procedures. Use this guide to organise your checks; your operator’s booking conditions and instructions determine the actual arrival deadline and boarding process.
Confirm the sailing and protect your departure-day schedule
Check the date, direction, ports, terminal and travel category in your booking. Foot passenger, cyclist, car and motorhome bookings are different options. Establish whether your chosen route carries passengers in the way you need: a vessel transporting vehicles or freight does not necessarily offer a normal walk-on service.
Arrange the day around reaching the correct check-in point. Reserve time for the transfer and uncertain delays before adding sightseeing, a meal or shopping. If two people are travelling together but only one is driving, ask whether you should stay together during boarding or use separate routes.
For the city part of your departure day, you can try RoadMe to plan visits around your dates, interests and pace. Remove stops that would leave too little time to reach the port.
Work backwards from check-in, not departure
Record check-in opening, check-in closing and the boarding deadline, where the operator lists one. These are different from the sailing time. Vehicle and foot passenger deadlines can differ, and the return port may have different arrangements.
Here is an illustrative calculation, not an operator’s timetable. If check-in closes at 16:00, the transfer takes 40 minutes and you allow another 30 minutes for uncertainty, leave by 14:50. Replace every assumption with your own journey details; freight handling or a port access permit can require a much earlier start.
- Use the address of your actual entrance, rather than a map pin for the whole harbour.
- Check vehicle lanes, parking, taxi access or public transport, as appropriate.
- Find out whether foot passengers walk to the ship or use an operator’s transfer bus.
- Save the operator’s contact details and sailing update instructions.
Check-in methods vary too: some terminals offer kiosks, while others require a staffed desk. A booking reference alone does not tell you where to go. For a broader comparison, use our guide to total journey cost and travel time.
Match the booking to passengers, documents and vehicle
Check every traveller’s name and the identification accepted for that route. On an international journey, verify entry and any transit requirements for your nationality and document type. Buying a ferry ticket does not establish that you may cross the border.
| Your booking | Checks to make |
|---|---|
| Foot passenger | Availability on that sailing, identification, luggage allowance and transfer to the vessel |
| Your own car | Vehicle included in the booking, registration documents, category and actual dimensions |
| Rental or borrowed car | Owner or rental agreement permits the ferry and intended countries; any additional authorisation |
| Children, pets or assistance needs | Required documents, advance arrangements and suitable onboard accommodation |
Keep a copy of your ticket available offline and confirm whether a printout is required. Ask about restricted items before travelling, including spare fuel or gas cylinders if you carry them. Rules for these items are separate from the space you have in your boot.
Taking a car: measure the whole vehicle and follow loading instructions
Declare the vehicle as it will travel, including roof boxes, bikes, projecting accessories and a trailer where applicable. Stena Line, for example, bases categories on total height and length with accessories; a wrongly booked category can mean extra charges or refusal if suitable space is unavailable. Use your own operator’s categories rather than copying its dimensions.
Once checked in, use the lane assigned to you. Wait for the loading team’s signal before driving onto the ramp. Explain unusually low clearance, width or assistance needs before attempting the manoeuvre.
Ask where your companions should be during loading. Do not assume a procedure described for a different vessel applies. Park where directed, switch off the engine and follow the crew’s instructions about securing the car, parking brake and alarm. Remember your deck and nearby staircase or lift.
Move to the permitted passenger area when instructed. On Stena Line’s sea crossings, passengers cannot stay in their vehicles and the vehicle deck is closed during the sailing. Other operators and open local ferries need their own checks; permission on one crossing is not permission on the next.
Travelling on foot: plan luggage handling and your crossing bag
Confirm bag quantities, size and weight limits, any checked luggage service and the collection point. BC Ferries lists baggage services for specific routes, illustrating why you should verify the service rather than assume every ferry checks luggage.
Choose bags you can manage through the permitted boarding route and onward transfer. If you need assistance with stairs or boarding, arrange it before the day of travel. Keep valuables, documents and essential items with you when checking the main bag.
Car passengers also benefit from a small crossing bag. Depending on the journey, include documents, phone and charger, your necessary personal medication, a warm layer, water and permitted snacks, children’s supplies and items for an overnight cabin. This is a personal packing prompt, not a universal ferry allowance.
Pack before loading, while the car is easy to access. Something left in the boot may be unavailable until arrival; checked baggage can also be inaccessible during the crossing. Check meals, seating or cabin arrangements separately so you know what your fare actually provides.
Plan disembarkation and a fallback if the sailing changes
Arrival at the berth is not the moment you are outside the port. Allow for disembarkation, luggage collection, vehicle unloading and any applicable border checks. Avoid making a separately booked connection depend on the ship arriving at precisely the advertised minute.
For exploring after arrival, you can download your destination city in RoadMe while you have internet access. Its maps and navigation are available offline after downloading; check port procedures and sailing updates with the ferry operator.
If you are delayed or the sailing changes, contact the operator first and establish what happens to your booking. Amendment and refund conditions depend on the fare and circumstances. Keep notices and receipts instead of assuming replacement travel will automatically be reimbursed.
Before leaving, check that all passengers and the vehicle are correctly booked, the entrance and check-in deadline are clear, documents are ready, vehicle dimensions match, and everything needed during the crossing is in an accessible bag. Those checks turn a general packing list into a plan for your actual sailing.
