ABOUT US

There are several ways to get a quote.

If you know the route you wish to travel on, you can search by "Ferry Routes", which are then listed by country of origin.

If you know the port you wish to travel from, you can search by "Ferry Ports", again listed by country.

If you would like to compare prices on different routes between two countries, you can search by "Popular Destinations" or by putting your starting and destination country into the "Quick Book" function on the home page.

You can then use the tabs across the top to alter your vehicle size. If your length isn't shown, or to add additional passengers select the sailing and you can make alterations on the Price Comparison page.

The website will provide you with an ALL INCLUSIVE PRICE, including any fuel surcharge/currency surcharge & VAT. Our rates do not include any port taxes applicable on a small number of routes. These are usually paid for by the driver directly at the port of departure and/or arrival. If this is applicable, we will make you aware of this prior to travel. See "What’s included online".

Please note that we quote all prices on a single trip booking, so prices shown are ONE WAY only.

Ferries burn tonnes of fuel on each crossing. As a result some of the ferry operators have a FUEL SURCHARGE which is an additional charge per booking to contribute to the exceptional cost of the fuel. The amount of fuel surcharge fluctuates significantly depending on the ferry operator. Longer ferry crossings burn more fuel which tend to result in a higher level of fuel surcharge. Some Ferry operators charge a percentage of the fare, others charge a per unit charge which may vary depending on your size of vehicle. Some routes also have a MARPOL or sulphur charge where a certain type of fuel only is allowed to be used. We build in any applicable additional charges into the fuel surcharge for your convenience.

Most ferry operators currently amend their fuel surcharge levels on a monthly basis. Please speak to our Customer Service Team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000 for a current fuel surcharge schedule.

When Ferry operators/transport companies deal in multiple countries, they want to protect their revenue against currency fluctuations. A CURRENCY SURCHARGE is a way of ensuring the revenue collected is protected against these fluctuations. The level of CURRENCY SURCHARGE fluctuates depending on the ferry operator, and the currency they are dealing with.

Freight Link Solutions is a V.A.T. registered company. Our registration number is 842181344. If you are based in the United Kingdom, we will charge you the appropriate level of V.A.T. If you are a customer who resides outside the United Kingdom, provided you supply us with written confirmation of your V.A.T number (registered to you in your country of origin), the ferry crossing will be ZERO V.A.T. rated.

Each ferry company views this differently. For example on the Dover routes, second drivers are included. However, some Irish Sea routes charge up to £50.00 plus VAT for EACH additional passenger. Please remember that if you get a price online and select the correct number of passengers the additional charges will be reflected in your total price. See "What’s included online".

Generally on long sea crossing (overnight/all day) a berth within a cabin is included within the price. If the ferry crossing is only short sea (2-3 hours) a cabin is NOT usually included, but rest areas are always available.

The type of cabin available will depend upon the crossing. Whilst some ferries have single berth cabins for drivers, most do not, and the driver may have to share with up to 3 other drivers. We are unable to pre-book cabin allocations, however, in some instances the driver may be able to speak to staff on board and make his own arrangements.

Meals are nearly always included on a freight ticket. If a meal is not provided, the cost of the meal will be heavily discounted.

Please view the "Whats included" when making a booking.

We will NOT be able to ship you on our account on those routes where you already hold an account. We will be able to offer you a range of cost effective alternatives.

Passenger bookings are generally classed as people travelling on holiday. A freight booking must be made for all Commercial Vehicles. If you pay road tax as a Commercial Vehicles, your will have to travel as FREIGHT. This includes Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) – Vans with no side windows.

Ferry operators are really clamping down on Commercial Vehicles travelling on passenger tickets. Some are even imposing a “spot fine” on some routes, forcing the vehicle to re-book on a freight booking. The Window rates as they are known; are usually very high in comparison to the bulk discounted rates we quote you.

By booking on Freight, this is better for you. Prices are fixed – see Do your prices fluctuate during the year?

As a freight booking you will generally get a free meal along with a free cabin. Please see Does the driver get a cabin/meal?

We heavily discount all our ferry prices. However, if you have a particular flow of very regular traffic (daily) please contact our Customer Service Team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000 to discuss details or alternatively email Mr. Steve Lonsdale  U.K. Sales Manager.

We deal with over 50 ferry operators throughout Europe, offering over 160 routes. Please visit our operators page for further information. 

Yes. We are one of only 7 official agents across Europe licensed to sell Eurotunnel tickets. Please click here to view information for these routes.

At certain ports there are customs charges of which we are unable to pre-pay, but we will advise you where these exist at the time of booking. These charges are usually dependent upon weight of the load. 

Freightlink negotiate our prices with operators annually. Therefore, the rates we issue you are valid from January to December. However, this does not guarantee that the ferry operator will always honour the agreement. Equally at times, short term discounts are available. We ALWAYS pass these onto our client, ensuring the most competitive rates in the market pace. Please also remember that fuel surcharges can change on a monthly basis. Please see www.freightlink.co.uk for current offers.

No. All our prices are based on a single trip crossing. This is designed to give you the highest level of flexibility. We will always pass on our bulk purchasing power for single trip crossings.

There are some routes we are unable to display prices for for various reasons. These will be identified by a "POA" or £0.00 symbol.

Usually this is because that on these routes, especially those in the Mediterranean, have complex and fluctuating rating structures which we cannot display accurately online. On other routes we are unable to display prices as the operators do not permit us to do so. To get an up to date and accurate price for your requirements on one of these routes please contact our Customer Service Team +44 (0) 844 847 9000.

All prices displayed on our website are for vehicles that fall within the following dimensions:

18m long

2.5m wide

44 tonnes

If your vehicle falls outside these dimensions please contact our Customer Service Team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000 for a price specific to your requirements.

The quickest way to make a booking is online. Don’t forget that if you already have an account with us you must login to retrieve your preferential rates. Then simply follow the step by step process through to the confirmation page. See Quote me! for more information on starting out.

Alternatively, if you are logged in, you can quickly and easily rebook saved journeys through the "My Account" page.

Please note to make a booking we do require the vehicle registration number. Some routes will require additional information and we may contact you to request this.

Our office hours are 7am to 11pm 7 days a week, and within these hours we will endevour to get your booking references to you as quickly as possible, however in certain instances we may have to wait for a reply from the operator. Please remember that although we are open 7am-11pm 7 days a week, not all the operators are!

For bookings made online with DFDS Dover, Eurotunnel, Stena Line or Irish Ferries your booking will be processed automatically 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and you will receive your confirmation via email within minutes.

We have developed our I.T. system over a number of years. When we set up your account we will ask you for your email address and mobile number along with the mobile number(s) of your drivers. When you make a booking online or over the phone, you will receive a confirmation by email and/or by text. When we activate your account, please supply us with your email address and mobile number.

Alternatively, if you are logged in please visit the Track and Trace section on My Account where all your bookings will be listed along with reference numbers and booking status.

If you contact us prior to travel, you can transfer your booking usually at no cost. However, please note on some routes, the ferry operator does reserve the right to charge an amendment fee. These will be passed on to you at cost. If you have any changes to make to bookings please contact our Customer Service team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000.

We now offer the function for logged in non-cash account holders to make certain amendments online. This can be done via the Track & Trace function in My Account.

This all depends on the route. On some routes the ships have single cabin facilities, on others it will be a berth in a cabin. Wherever possible, the ferry operator does try to accommodate single occupancy requests, however, this cannot always be guaranteed on particular busy sailings. On some services the driver can request this, but there may be an additional charge which the driver will have to pay there and then. See Does the driver get a cabin/meal for further information.

Please contact Customer Service team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000 to make a Hazardous booking. You will need to fax or email a completed DGN (Dangerous Goods Note) to us prior to arriving at the port.

Please note all Hazardous Cargos must be declared at the time of booking, and accompanied with correct paperwork. Some operators will charge an additional surcharge for Hazardous Cargo.

This includes all products classed as limited quantities, as the regulations for shipment by sea differ from carriage by road.

The vehicle MUST have the appropriate Hazardous Goods stickers displayed on the vehicle.

A vehicle which turns up at the port with undeclared hazardous cargo may be refused shipment.

Unfortunately, no. The vehicle registration number is what is used by us and the ferry operators to generate the booking references. However, registration numbers are easily changed, so if you do not yet know your registration we recommend that you make a booking and contact us nearer the time to amend the registration. In some instances an amendment fee may apply.

With some operators, such as P&O Dover, however, we are unable to make a booking without the correct registration. In P&O's case, for example, they cancel the old booking and make a new one. If this applies to you then we will keep the booking on file and you can contact us when you know the registration number.

In most cases, for a non-hazardous booking, the only details required are the vehicle length, registration number and number of passengers travelling. However, on some routes, especially on North Sea or Meditteranean routes, we may require some extra details from you. If this is the case we will contact you to find out this information.

1. Driver Accompanied vehicles
   • Irish Sea routes 1 hour before departure
   • Dover routes 1 hour before departure
   • Spanish 2 hours before departure
   • Western Channel 1 hour before departure
   • North Sea 1 hour before departure
   • Baltic routes 2 hours before departure
   • Mediterranean routes 3 hours before departure
2. Unaccompanied vehicles
   • Irish Sea routes 1h 30m before departure
   • Dover routes 1 hour before departure
   • Spanish 2 hours before departure
   • Western Channel 1h 30m before departure
   • North Sea 1h 30m before departure
   • Baltic routes 2 hours before departure
   • Mediterranean routes 3 hours before departure

For all hazardous bookings it is 2 hours prior to shipment with valid dangerous goods notes.

If the check in time differs from this you will be advised at the time of booking.

Please note if there is a delay to your sailing Freightlink recommend that you arrive at the above times prior to the NORMAL SCHEDULED DEPARTURE time. If your sailing is departing early please arrive at the above times prior to the NEW departure time.

e.g. Birkenhead - Belfast:

Scheduled departure 22:30 – driver accompanied check in time 21:30. Late departure 23:59 – driver accompanied check in time 21:30.

Early departure 21:00 – driver accompanied check in time 20:00.

If you are booked to a time specific departure and you are running late and will arrive after these times please contact our Customer Service team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000 with your revised ETA and we will contact the port on your behalf.

For current schedule information please visit the our schedule update on the news pages or follow us on Twitter: @freightink 

All our bookings are made on FREIGHT accounts. Therefore you should always proceed to the freight check in booths at port. Addresses for all the ports are available by using our Interactive Map and selecting the port you need information for. 

Whilst some operators have automatic systems able to recognise your vehicle registration number. However, you will be provided with a booking reference, so please make sure you have this with you. Simply give the booking reference to the check in booth. If you or your driver has not asked for this, simply contact our Customer Service Team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000 and request a SMS (text) of the booking.

Most of the ferry operators have auto measuring equipment. A vehicle which arrives at the port with a mis-declared length/height/width could result in the vehicle being refused at port. We will also raise a supplementary invoice for any additional costs the change in dimensions incurs.

If your vehicle falls outside the standard dimensions of 18m x 2.6m x 44tonne please contact our Customer Service Team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000.

Firstly, please try to notify us at the earliest possible opportunity if you are not going to make a sailing.

If you do miss a sailing or check-in is closed, please contact our Customer Service Team on +44 (0) 844 847 9000. Our Customer Service Team have the knowledge and expertise to assist you, and arrange alternative shipment. Please note that if you miss a sailing it is not guaranteed you will automatically be able to travel on the next sailing on this route.

Please also note, that if you do not turn up for a sailing and we are not notified a "no-show" charge may be applied. 

This is known as a NO SHOW. All NO SHOWS are treated very seriously by Freightlink and the ferry companies. After all, a booking may have been rejected to create space for your booking! Customers who persistently NO SHOW may be refused space in future. Please note that some ferry operators may implement a NO SHOW charge and we have no option but to pass this onto you at cost.

With the exception of Dover routes, your ticket is only valid for the date and time the booking was made for. However if it is a Dover route then the tickets are valid for 5 days on P&O, 7 days on Norfolk Line and 72 hours on Eurotunnel.

On board facilities differ from vessel to vessel, and from ferry operator to ferry operator. There are 2 main class of vessel:-

1. Ro-Pax ship
   This is a vessel that is specifically designed to carry vehicles and passengers. On board facilities are usually very good. Generally speaking newer ships have better facilities. Modern vessels boast facilities including dedicated freight drivers rest areas, restaurants, bars, T.V. lounges, cinemas and shops.
2. Freight Ship (12 pc ship)
   This is a vessel designed to carry freight, but can carry up to 12 passengers. Facilities on board are basic and limited, usually a freight driver's rest area and basic cabins. However don't dismiss these services, as many operators have invested in providing top quality accommodation and services in the last 2-3 years. They are usually a little cheaper, and often provide a really good alternative to Ro-Pax routes.

For information on facilities please see Does the driver get a cabin/meal? Or see the What's Included on the Price Comparison page.

In the unlikely event of complaints on board the vessels, please go speak to an onboard supervisor immediately. If you feel that your complaint is not dealt with fully, please put your complaint in writing and send it to:-

Operations Manager

Mr. Lee Rossall

Freight Link Solutions Ltd

Windy Harbour Barn

Harbour Lane

Warton

Preston

PR4 1YB

Or email Mr. Lee Rossall Operations Manager.

We will make representation with the ferry company and revert as soon as possible.

Instances of damage to vehicles during shipment are rare, but if your vehicle is damaged during shipment your driver must obtain a Damage Report from the operator at the time of arrival.

If you then wish to make a claim for the damage please contact our Operations Manager Lee Rossall.

1. Cash accounts
   Credit/debit card customers will be sent an invoice and card receipt via post in the week following shipment.
2. Credit accounts
   Credit accounts will be sent a weekly invoice. At the end of the month we will issue a statement. For Direct Debit Customers payment will be taken on or around the 25th of the month following shipment. 

Please email accounts@freightlink.co.uk with your query and we will respond back within 24 hours. Please quote our invoice number and job reference on all correspondence.