What is the total cost and price per mile and kilometer?
In the latest update of this research, we've also added the price per kilometre in euros in the tables.
With summer approaching, FerryGoGo has investigated the prices for ferry crossings in the high season. Ferries are an excellent alternative to flying and increasingly expensive rental cars[1]Cost of renting a car, FerryGoGo.com. This study examined the costs of a ferry crossing to various holiday destinations in the high season.
Since ferry crossings are difficult to compare and prices are often dynamic, this study explicitly looked at the price for a crossing with two people and a car during the high season (1 to 8 July) and calculated the cost per mile.
FerryGoGo selected all prices between 15 and 17 March 2023.
Based on the data, here are some conclusions:
- For longer international crossings with a cabin (>90 miles) for two people and a car in high season (1 to 8 July), you pay an average of Β£931. That average is Β£1.37 per mile for the longer night crossings.
- For shorter international crossings (<150 km), you will pay a lot more per mile: Β£3,34 on average.
- The study's most expensive international short crossing is from Helsingor to Helsingborg or vice versa at Β£16.38 per mile. The alternative, the Sontbridge from Copenhagen to Malmo, is even a bit more expensive.
- If you look at the long night crossings (> 90 miles), the Trelleborg ferries from Rostock and the ferry from Liverpool to Dublin and vice versa are among the most expensive.
- The crossings from Cairnryan to Larne (Β£5.41 per mile) and Fishguard to Rosslare (Β£4.09 per mile) are also quite expensive, while Calais to Dover, Dunkirk-Dover, and Holyhead-Dublin ferries are a lot cheaper by cost per mile.
The study examined the total distance of the crossing and the average cost of a crossing per mile. Comparing different crossings is difficult, but we used the total price, the distance as the crow flies, and the price per mile to compare the various routes.
In this manner, we have made travelling costs by ferry more transparent. These provide some excellent insights, some of which seem more aligned with the expectations than others.
The FerryGoGo study examined 34 crossings from Europe. For several crossings that were longer than 90 miles, we looked at the price with cabin and overnight stay. We also reviewed some shorter international crossings that were less than 90 miles and compared their prices and price per mile to each other. The study considered the distance as the crow flies between one port (city) and another.
Total costs and the price per mile of a ferry crossing in the peak season for two persons, a car, and a cabin (> 90 miles) for popular destinations.
Overnight Crossings
If you look at the crossings that include overnight stays (more than 90 miles), the average cost is Β£1.37.
The longest crossing we examined was 944 miles as the crow flies, the ferry to Iceland from Denmark. You pay almost Β£2455 for the journey, which is about Β£1.30 per mile and includes a cabin.
These prices might be helpful while looking for a good route for your trip.
For example, if you want to travel to Norway, you could go to Oslo via Kiel (Germany) or Eemshaven to Kristiansand. From Kiel to Oslo is 383 miles and costs about Β£1365. Via Eemshaven to Kristiansand, the crossing to Norway is 328 miles and costs Β£1320. The price per mile via the Kiel-Oslo connection is almost Β£0.25 per mile cheaper, so if you need to be near Oslo, this is probably the best connection.
The most expensive international crossing per mile is also the shortest; distance and price per mile have the biggest influence on each other. At least in the case of a ferry crossing: Rostock Trelleborg is the international crossing in this study that is the most expensive on average per mile at Β£2.45 per mile for two persons, a car and a cabin at a crossing of 94 miles.
The following routes were selected to and from the UK: Rotterdam-Hull, IJmuiden-Newcastle, Hook of Holland-Harwich, Liverpool-Dublin, Liverpool-Belfast, and Portsmouth-Bilbao. The crossing from Liverpool to Dublin was among the most expensive at Β£2.06 per mile. You can find information about the others in the price overview table.
Popular Shorter International Crossings
Total costs and the price per mile of a ferry crossing in the peak season for two persons and a car (< 90 miles) for shorter international crossings.
When you consider shorter popular international crossings (less than 90 miles), the average price in high season is Β£263. The price per mile on these shorter crossings quickly rises to more than Β£3.34 for two people with a car. Therefore, it is more expensive per sailed mile than the longer crossings with standard cabins.
Crossings from and to the UK
In this particular data research, the ferries on the Fishguard-Rosslare and Cairnryan-Larne routes were among the more expensive. At the same time, Calais-Dover, Dunkirk-Dover, and Holyhead-Dublin are below-average costs per mile.
The relatively most expensive international crossing is also the shortest: Helsingor-Helsingborg. The shorter the crossing, the less efficient and more costly it seems. Although it is the most expensive per mile, it is the cheapest for international crossings in the research and cheaper than its alternative: the bridge from Copenhagen to MalmΓΆ.
The most famous short international crossing is from Calais to Dover. In high season, you pay Β£165 for that crossing for two people and a car. That is about Β£3.41 per mile.
All gathered data can also be found in this overview or downloaded here.
References
| ↑1 | Cost of renting a car, FerryGoGo.com |
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JW, one of the co-founders of FerryGoGo, has a passion for food, drink, and travel. He loves exploring data and the history of the many destinations featured on FerryGoGo, and he's always curious about the population of each place.
Is Helsingor-Helsingborg more expensive because they are electric ferries or because the distance is that short?
The high ticket price is probably a combination of factors. Short crossings are generally more expensive because they’re less efficient. That it’s an electric ferry will also play its part in the pricing. It’s however just somewhat cheaper than the crossing by the bridge. The fact that it’s an international crossing between two countries will also pump up the price a bit. We will look into this a bit more and get back to you.
There’s a lot of information there, I wonder if you could produce an article with the cheapest international crossing per mile for the high season? When looking at the data you have provided, it seems that the longer the distance the cheaper it is per mile – interesting.
Thanks Nelson,
We will look into this for a future article, great idea!
Brilliant acticle with great information! I was just wondering if itβs cheaper to go out of season than in high season and if the available is the same?