Harwich Ferry Port Taxi
The overnight Stena Line boat to the Hook of Holland is the civilised way to reach the Netherlands without an airport, but Harwich is on the far side of Essex and the last train from Kent does not suit a late check-in. Taxi On The Go provides fixed-price private hire from Dartford, Gravesend, Bluewater and Bexley to Harwich International Port, CO12 4SR, for morning and overnight sailings, and brings foot passengers home off the boat.
Taxi On The Go takes foot passengers from Dartford to Harwich International ferry port for the Stena Line crossing to the Hook of Holland at a fixed fare from £110 (about 75 miles, 80 to 110 minutes via the Dartford Crossing, M25, A12 and A120). Bluewater is from £112, Bexleyheath from £115, Gravesend from £120, Stansted from £70 and Heathrow from £180. Foot-passenger check-in closes 45 minutes before sailing. Book on 020 8888 9988, WhatsApp or online.
Harwich ferry port taxi fares
Guide prices for a one-way run to the Stena Line terminal at Harwich International, standard saloon unless the row says otherwise. Dart Charge is included from Kent pickups; returns off the ferry cost the same.
| Starting point | To Harwich (from) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stansted Airport | £70 | 55–75 min |
| Southend Airport SS2 | £75 | 60–80 min |
| Dartford DA1 / DA2 | £110 | 80–110 min |
| Bluewater / Greenhithe DA9 | £112 | 85–110 min |
| Bexleyheath DA6 / DA7 | £115 | 85–115 min |
| Gravesend DA11 / DA12 | £120 | 90–120 min |
| Sidcup DA14 / DA15 | £120 | 90–120 min |
| Heathrow Airport T2–T5 | £180 | 2h–2h45 |
| Dartford, 6-seat MPV | £138 | 80–110 min |
| Dartford, 8-seat minibus | £165 | 80–110 min |
Guide fares; the exact figure depends on postcode and vehicle and is confirmed before you travel. No card surcharge, no booking fee. Flights are tracked and 45 minutes' waiting is free on airport collections.
Harwich International – where foot passengers check in
Harwich International Port is at Parkeston, a couple of miles west of Harwich town, on the A120 as it runs out to the coast. Stena Line's Hook of Holland service leaves from the passenger terminal there, and the same quay handles cruise calls – for a cruise ship rather than the ferry, see our Harwich cruise transfers page.
For foot passengers the important detail is that check-in closes 45 minutes before the sailing. Your driver drops you outside the passenger terminal building; inside you check in at the Stena desk, pass through security and border control, and walk to the ship along the covered gangway – no shuttle bus.
Two sailings a day
Stena runs a daytime crossing and an overnight one with cabins. The overnight boat is popular from Kent because you sleep on the way and arrive in Holland at breakfast; its pickup is mid-evening, when the M25 and A12 are quiet.
Harwich International station
The railway station is directly beside the terminal, with Greater Anglia trains to Manningtree and Liverpool Street – the fallback if a sailing is cancelled.
Dartford to Harwich: the Crossing, the M25 and the A12
From anywhere in Kent the journey starts with the Dartford Crossing. Northbound we use the tunnels; the Dart Charge is in your fare. Then it is a short spell on the M25 to Junction 28 at Brook Street, the A12 up through Essex past Chelmsford and Colchester, and the A120 east from Junction 29 to Parkeston. Seventy-five miles, most of it dual carriageway.
Timings from Dartford:
- Evening, for the overnight boat – 80 to 90 minutes. The Crossing has cleared and the A12 flows.
- Early morning, for the daytime boat – 80 to 95 minutes if you leave before the M25 fills.
- Weekday daytime – up to 110 minutes; the A12 around Chelmsford and the approach to the tunnels are the slow spots.
We add a margin on top of the drive time and the 45-minute cut-off, and recommend a pickup time rather than the earliest you could get away with. If the Crossing closes for high winds we reroute via the Blackwall Tunnel and A13, which costs time – another reason for the margin.
From Stansted it is the A120 all the way east, about an hour.
Timing the overnight sailing and coping when the ferry moves
Evening pickup, morning arrival
For the overnight boat we collect from Dartford early to mid-evening; you check in with time to spare and are asleep in a cabin before the ship leaves the Stour.
Morning sailing
The daytime crossing needs a pre-dawn start from Kent. We book it the night before, text the driver's details, and give 15 minutes' free waiting at your door.
Sailing moved or cancelled
North Sea weather changes schedules. Forward Stena's message and we move your pickup without a fee, as long as the car has not set off.
Coming home
Give us the arriving sailing and the driver waits at the passenger terminal with 45 minutes free. We watch the arrivals for late boats.
Groups heading for a Dutch or German city break often take the overnight ferry rather than fly – no liquids limit, no baggage fees and a proper bed. The 8-seat minibus from Dartford is from £165 and takes everyone's cases, the 6-seat MPV from £138. Cyclists get an estate with the seats folded at no extra cost.
When a fixed-fare car to Harwich beats the train
The train from Kent to Harwich International means Dartford to London, a Tube or walk across to Liverpool Street, then Greater Anglia to Manningtree and a change for the branch to the port. Three or four hours with luggage, and the last evening connection leaves little room before an overnight check-in.
A booked car from our Dartford base does the trip door to terminal in 80 to 110 minutes at a price known in advance:
- Dartford from £110, Bluewater from £112, Bexleyheath from £115, Gravesend and Sidcup from £120 – toll included.
- Nothing to change on to – one driver from your front door to the terminal building.
- Driver allocated ahead of time, with their details sent to you the evening before.
- Card or cash, no surcharge, no booking fee; invoices for business travellers.
- Licensed, insured, DBS-checked drivers, day or night.
- Child seats free, pushchairs in the boot.
For one person with a rucksack the train may still win on price. For two or more, a family, or the overnight boat, the car usually costs less per head and takes far less effort. Other ports: Dover, Folkestone Eurotunnel, Portsmouth.
Booking a Harwich ferry taxi
Tell us the sailing
Morning or overnight, the date, your address and how many are travelling – online, on WhatsApp, or by ringing 020 8888 9988.
Fixed fare and pickup time
We quote one figure, Dart Charge included, and suggest a departure that clears the 45-minute foot-passenger cut-off.
Your driver is confirmed
Driver's name and the car's registration arrive by text before the trip.
Door to terminal
Collected at home, dropped outside the passenger terminal at Parkeston. Pay by card or cash, or ask for an invoice.
Every booking includes
- One agreed fare with the Dartford Crossing charge inside it
- Pickup timed to the 45-minute foot-passenger cut-off
- Overnight sailing pickups at the same rate as daytime
- Return collection at the terminal with 45 minutes' free waiting
- MPV or minibus for groups and bikes at the quoted price
- Card, cash or invoice, with no booking fee
- Child seats fitted free when you ask
Harwich ferry port taxi FAQs
How much is a taxi from Dartford to Harwich ferry port?
From £110 for a saloon, one way, with the Dartford Crossing charge included. The journey is roughly 75 miles via the M25, A12 and A120 and takes 80 to 110 minutes. A 6-seat MPV is from £138 and an 8-seat minibus from £165.
When does foot-passenger check-in close at Harwich for the Hook of Holland ferry?
Forty-five minutes before the scheduled sailing. Your driver drops you at the passenger terminal building at Harwich International, where you check in at the Stena Line desk and walk aboard via the gangway. We plan the pickup so you are inside well before the cut-off.
Do you run to Harwich for the overnight Stena Line sailing?
Yes – it is the most common Harwich booking we take from Kent. Pickup is early to mid-evening from Dartford, Gravesend or Bexley, the roads are quiet, and you check in with time for a meal on board before the ship sails. The fare matches the daytime crossing.
Is Harwich International the same place as the Harwich cruise terminal?
Yes, both use the port at Parkeston Quay, though cruise ships and the Stena ferry board through different arrangements. Tell us which you are joining; cruise transfers to Harwich have their own page with the relevant timings.
Which route does the taxi take from Kent to Harwich?
Through the Dartford tunnels northbound, M25 to Junction 28, A12 past Chelmsford and Colchester, then the A120 east to Parkeston. If the Crossing is shut for weather we go via the Blackwall Tunnel and A13, which takes longer – another reason we build in a margin.
Can you pick me up at Harwich when I come back from Holland?
Yes. Give us the sailing and its scheduled arrival, and the driver waits at the passenger terminal. We track the ferry and there is no charge for the first three-quarters of an hour of waiting. Return fares to Dartford, Bluewater, Bexleyheath and Gravesend match the outbound.
How much is Stansted Airport to Harwich ferry port by taxi?
From £70 for a saloon, about an hour along the A120 eastbound. We meet flights with tracking and 45 minutes' free waiting, and can have a driver with a name board in arrivals if you ask. Heathrow to Harwich is from £180 and Southend Airport from £75.
What happens if my Harwich sailing is cancelled?
Forward us Stena's notification and we move the booking to the new sailing at no charge, provided the driver has not already left. If you are at the port when it happens, Harwich International station is next to the terminal, or we can collect you.