If you’re travelling to Spain from the UK with your dog, often it’s convenient to travel in your own car. That way you can keep and use your car while in Spain, whether on holiday or for an extended stay. Find out more about the options available, including taking the Eurotunnel or taking a pet-friendly ferry to either France or Spain.
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Taking LeShuttle with a Dog
The easiest way to drive from the UK to the Spain is to take LeShuttle, formerly known as the Eurotunnel, a railway shuttle service carrying vehicles in the Channel Tunnel. And if you’re travelling with a dog, it’s just as easy.
The crossing in the tunnel from Folkestone to Calais takes just 35 minutes, with a ticket covering a vehicle and up to nine human passengers. Pets cost extra, from £23 each way.
When travelling with a pet, you’ll need to check in between one and two hours before your scheduled departure, with a 24-hour pet reception operating in both directions. If travelling with an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), don’t forget to get section 8 signed near passport control.
Be prepared for a long drive once you arrive in Calais. From Calais to San Sebastian it’s just over 1100km (700 miles), while the drive to Barcelona is about 1300km (800 miles). Note that dogs must be restrained when travelling in a car in France, either with a harness or a dog seatbelt.
Taking a Ferry to France with a Dog
Instead of taking LeShuttle, there are also plenty of ferries that make the short crossing from England to France and accept both vehicles and pets onboard.
I recommend choosing one of the shortest routes, particularly if you are travelling in the summer. While some ferries have pet-friendly cabins and other facilities, there are some ferries that still require pets to be left in your vehicle.
My top pick is the P&O ferry from Dover to Calais, that takes just 90 minutes, with up to 14 crossings per day during peak periods. This ferry now has a Pet Lounge onboard for dogs, with an outdoor exercise deck. A fee of £15 is charged per pet, plus £6 per passenger for access to the Pet Lounge.
Another quick crossing is the Irish Ferries ferry from Dover to Calais, which also takes 90 minutes with about 10 sailings daily. The ferries on this route now have a Pet Den Area, including an outdoor deck area. A fee of £15 is charged per pet whether they stay in your vehicle or in the Pet Den Area.
There are also a wide range of other ferries from England to France. For more details, see my comprehensive guide to taking dogs on the ferry to France, which covers all options and the pet facilities.
Just like after taking LeShuttle, there is a long drive ahead to the Spanish border when you take a ferry to France. The drive is shorter if you take a ferry to Brittany, but these ferry crossings are also longer.
Taking a Ferry to Spain with a Dog
The final option to consider is to take a ferry from England to Spain. You’ll arrive directly in Spain, with a shorter drive ahead of you, but the ferry crossings are much longer.
Each of the three ferry crossings is operated by Brittany Ferries, from either Portsmouth or Plymouth to either Santander or Bilbao in northern Spain. Each sailing operates once or twice per week, with a journey time roughly between 20 and 30 hours – either one or two nights is spent aboard the ferry.
All of the ships operating on these longer routes to Spain have both pet-friendly cabins and kennels aboard, along with pet exercise areas. For further details, see my complete guide to taking a ferry to Spain with a dog.
Note that the pet-friendly cabins and kennels book up quite quickly; use this page to check the availability on upcoming crossings. Muzzles are also required and enforced, outside of the cabins and kennels.
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- How to Travel to Spain with a Dog from the UK
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About the Author
Shandos Cleaver is the founder of Travelnuity: Dog-Friendly Travel. She has travelled extensively with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel, including to 33 countries across Europe, every state and territory of Australia except Tasmania, and 10 of the United States. She’s passionate about providing inspiration and information to others wanting to travel with their dogs, whether close to home or internationally.