Hibernia Line Schedules 2026

Hibernia Line opened the first direct sea link between southern Ireland and northern France on 12 June 2026, running Ringaskiddy in Cork to Boulogne-sur-Mer six nights a week in each direction, year round. The whole proposition is what the route avoids: no UK transit, no landbridge paperwork, no second set of border formalities in the middle of the journey.

Two ships, two different crossing times

The service runs on St Patrick and Akka, and they do not keep the same clock. St Patrick leaves Cork on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Boulogne on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; Akka takes the opposite days. Scheduled crossings run from about 21 hours 30 minutes up to a full 24 hours on the Saturday-night sailing out of Boulogne, so the ship your date lands on changes how long you are at sea by roughly two hours.

You must book a bed or a seat

Every passenger has to hold either a private cabin or a Pullman reclining seat — sleeping in the lounges is not allowed. Cabins are en-suite with shower and toilet, bedding, towels and toiletries, in inside and outside layouts, 2 and 4 berth, plus Deluxe, pet-friendly and wheelchair-accessible rooms. Pullman seats sit in a shared lounge and the operator does not offer them for infants or children; a blanket and pillow pack is sold on board.

Vehicles, pets and the small print

Cars, motorcycles with or without sidecars, caravans, campervans, car-and-trailer combinations and bicycles all travel. Electric cars are carried on the same terms as petrol ones, but there is no charging on board. Campervans may carry a maximum of two 11 kg propane cylinders, fully shut off — fridges cannot run during the crossing and gas appliances below decks are forbidden outright. Infants under four travel free but must be named on the booking, must be in a cabin, and only two can be added per reservation online.

Getting aboard

Arrive at least two hours before departure; check-in closes hard at 45 minutes and late arrivals can be refused. You need the booking confirmation and a passport or EU national identity card. The ships are cashless — card only — and Wi-Fi is a paid extra once on board. Passenger bookings cancel free up to 48 hours ahead, with refunds quoted at five to seven working days. An ETS line on your fare is the EU Emissions Trading System carbon charge, not a booking fee.

One thing to check before you plan a car-free trip

The operator's own passenger FAQ answers the foot-passenger question two ways: one entry says walk-on travellers are welcome with full access to cabins and dining, another says foot-passenger fares will open later and will be announced on its social channels. If you intend to cross without a vehicle, confirm directly before committing to dates.