What’s actually confirmed
Everything here serves the cruise terminals at the Western Docks, away from the ferry traffic: one valet at the terminal door, and two yards off the port — one on Western Heights, one on the outskirts of town — with shuttles down to the ships. What changes from operator to operator is how much each will tell you before you book.
CPS (Cruise and Passenger Services)
- The only parking provider the port names
- Hand over at the terminal; car parked undercover on site
- Cars, vans, caravans and motorbikes
Relyon
- About 2.5 miles from the docks, per Relyon’s homepage — its pages give differing distances
- Door-to-door shuttle with your luggage, round the clock
- Manned 24 hours, with patrols and CCTV
Port Parking, Western Heights
- Included shuttle, about 6 minutes to the port
- Buses 07:00–18:00 only
- Paid EV charging, per Holiday Extras
Saga Cruises
- Nationwide return chauffeur service
- Or terminal parking, complimentary if selected
No operator here publishes a 7-night total, and we haven’t built one on their behalf.
CPS gives prices only through its quote form. Relyon prints its £9 on the ferry page, while the cruise page shows none — and it doesn’t say whether it counts days or nights.
Port Parking’s weekly figure is a broker’s “from” price, and it moves with your dates.
A per-day CPS figure does circulate online. Its source is a blog post from April 2025, and CPS’s own pages don’t carry it.
CPS valet, the on-port option
The only parking provider the Port of Dover names, serving both CT1 and CT2.
- Arriving: drive to the cruise terminal (CT17 9DQ) and follow directions to your terminal. Staff book the car in and photograph it, then a driver takes it to the on-site secure, undercover car park.
- Coming home: from the arrivals terminal, go to the key collection point with your barcoded receipt.
- Vehicles: car, van, caravan or motorbike.
- Extras: valeting for stays of 4+ days, a SureStart maintenance check and a fuel top-up.
- Booking: online or through the call centre on +44 (0)345 071 3939. Nothing is published on walk-up availability or price.
- Price: quote engine only. No Dover tariff is published.
Sources: Port of Dover cruise car parking and CPS’s Dover page, checked September 23, 2026.
CPS suits you if the priority is handing over the keys at the terminal door and walking straight in to check-in.
What it costs, we can’t tell you from here — the quote form is the only price source, and it wasn’t readable when we checked. Run a quote for your exact dates before you compare it with anything below.
Relyon, the one with its own published rate
An off-site yard at Poulton Close, CT17 0HL, whose shuttle takes you and your bags to the cruise terminal.
- Rate: £9 per day, minimum charge £30 (covering up to 3 days), on Relyon’s ferry-parking page. Its cruise-parking page shows a quote button and no price.
- Site: a 2-acre yard on the outskirts of Dover, about 2.5 miles from the docks according to Relyon’s homepage. Relyon’s own pages give differing distances, so treat that one as approximate.
- Shuttle: complimentary and door to door, with your luggage, running round the clock.
- Coming home: call on arrival and they collect you.
- Security: manned 24 hours, with patrols and CCTV.
- Booking: online or by phone on 01304 201 227.
Sources: Relyon ferry parking and Relyon cruise parking and Relyon’s homepage, checked September 23, 2026.
Of everything on this page, only Relyon’s rate comes from the operator itself.
Two gaps remain. The £9 is a ferry-page figure, not a cruise quote, and Relyon doesn’t say whether it charges by the day or the night — so get the cruise price in writing before you multiply anything.
Port Parking, up at Western Heights
Run by Port Shipping Ltd from Port House, South Military Road, CT17 9UE, and bookable through brokers or the operator.
- Price: from £5.75 a day and from £40.25 a week on Purple Parking, seen 23 Sep 2026. Shuttle-only for one-day customers: £5.
- Arriving: drive to the barrier, park outside reception, hand in your keys and take the included shuttle, about 6 minutes to the port.
- Coming home: call about 5 minutes before you’re ready and the bus collects you.
- Hours: buses run 07:00–18:00 on request. Outside those hours you arrange your own transport and use a gate code (24-hour number 01304 211718).
- No transfers on 25–26 Dec or 1 Jan.
- Security: CCTV, security lighting, electric gates.
- EV: charging, paid on arrival, per Holiday Extras.
Sources: Purple Parking and Holiday Extras listings for Port Parking, checked September 23, 2026. The operator’s own site failed twice on a certificate error.
The 07:00 start is the detail to price in.
The port’s schedule shows ships alongside from 06:00–07:00. If you’re off the ship before the buses start, you’re arranging your own ride up the hill, not waiting in a shuttle queue.
Every price here is a broker’s — confirm the total on the booking itself, not on the listing.
EV charging, vans and the small print
The port’s FAQ is blunt: “We don’t currently have EV charging facilities within any of our car parks.”
If you need to charge, Port Parking is the only Dover option with charging reported — by Holiday Extras, paid on arrival — so confirm it when you book.
CPS takes vans, caravans and motorbikes as well as cars.
Neither the port nor CPS publishes height limits or Blue Badge arrangements on the pages we checked. Ask when you quote, not at the barrier.
Drop-off at the terminal is allowed, but there are no waiting areas inside the port — whoever drives you leaves once the bags are out.
If you’re not driving
Dover is quick to reach by train and awkward at the far end. Plan the last stretch before you give up the car.
Saga passengers: Saga’s Dover fares include a nationwide return chauffeur service, or complimentary terminal parking if you select it. Check which you’ve got before booking anything else.
Train: St Pancras to Dover Priory takes 1h03 at fastest. From Priory it’s a taxi, or a 30–40 minute walk per the port — and Holland America says Uber isn’t available in Dover.
Taxis are limited in the morning, per the same page, so book one ahead rather than hoping the rank is full.
The full train, coach and airport breakdown lives on the Dover guide.
Who should pick what
| Traveler | Likely best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wants the shortest walk from car to check-in | CPS valet | Hand-over at the terminal itself. Get a quote first, since no price is published. |
| Wants an operator’s own price to plan around | Relyon | £9/day with a £30 minimum on its own site; confirm the cruise rate. |
| Budget-first, back on land in daytime | Port Parking | Lowest broker “from” price; shuttle 07:00–18:00 only. |
| Early walk-off or late arrival | Relyon or CPS | Relyon’s shuttle runs round the clock; CPS keeps the car on the port. |
| Driving an EV that needs a charge | Port Parking | The port has no EV charging; Port Parking reportedly does, paid. |
| Sailing Saga | Saga’s chauffeur or included parking | Already in your fare. |
| Coming from London without a car | Train to Dover Priory, then taxi | 1h03 at best from St Pancras. |
Staying the night before? None of the fourteen hotels we ranked sells cruise parking on its own site, so the car still goes to CPS or a park-and-ride. What four of them charge for the night itself:
| Hotel | Overnight parking | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Dover Marina Hotel & Spa | £5 a day on site, per Hilton | Its offers page lists spa deals, nothing for cruisers. |
| Holiday Inn Dover | Free, 24 hours, per the hotel | A reseller, Airparks, lists a parking-and-taxi package under the old Ramada name, price on request — confirm with the hotel. |
| Travelodge Dover | £10.00 for up to 24 hours | Free on Sundays, per Travelodge. |
| Premier Inn Dover Central | £5 per 24 hours (Horizon Parking) | Beside the Eastern Docks ferry terminal, not the cruise berths. |
More: the splurge list and Heathrow or Gatwick to the ship.
Check when your ship is due back alongside, then quote CPS and Relyon for your exact dates — the gap between them is the number that matters, and neither shows it until you ask.
Not sure which Dover option fits?
Tell us your dates and how you’re arriving.
Driving the M20, the train from London, or sailing Saga — tell us the plan and we’ll get live quotes, not guesses.
Answers verified against current pricing and itineraries before you book.
Dover parking FAQ
Who runs the official parking at Dover cruise terminal?
Cruise and Passenger Services (CPS), the only provider the Port of Dover names. It’s a valet: you hand over the car at the terminal and it’s parked on site, undercover.
How much is CPS parking at Dover for 7 nights?
CPS publishes no Dover tariff and prices only through its online quote form. The per-day number you may see online started on an April 2025 blog, and CPS hasn’t published it — get a live quote for your dates.
What is the cheapest parking for a Dover cruise?
On published prices, the off-site park-and-ride yards: Relyon’s own site says £9 a day with a £30 minimum, and brokers list Port Parking from £40.25 a week. Neither is a quoted 7-night total, so confirm the cruise rate for your dates.
How do I get from off-site parking to the ship?
Relyon runs a complimentary door-to-door shuttle that carries your luggage, round the clock. Port Parking’s included shuttle takes about 6 minutes but runs only 07:00–18:00.
Can I charge my electric car at Dover cruise port?
Not at the port — its FAQ says there’s no EV charging in any of its car parks. Off-site, Port Parking reportedly offers paid charging, per Holiday Extras.
Can I park a van, caravan or motorbike for a Dover cruise?
At CPS, yes: its Dover service covers cars, vans, caravans and motorbikes. Height limits aren’t published, so mention the vehicle when you quote.
Does Saga include parking at Dover?
Saga includes a nationwide return chauffeur service for Dover departures, or complimentary terminal parking if you select it.
Does Dover assign parking by cruise line?
No. The port names one on-port provider, CPS, for both cruise terminals, whichever line you sail.