---
title: "DFDS adds 25 extra Jersey-Poole sailings and brings 2027 season forward"
url: https://www.nsfw.info/dfds-adds-sailings-jersey-poole-2027-season-forward/
published: 2026-10-07T07:01:03+00:00
modified: 2026-10-07T07:01:03+00:00
author: "Chief Editor"
categories: ["News"]
image: https://www.nsfw.info/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/dfds-adds-sailings-jersey-poole-2027-season-forward-1024x572.webp
summary: "DFDS is expanding its Jersey-Poole fast ferry service in 2027, adding 25 extra return trips and starting on 24 March rather than 1 May, after a 21% rise in pass"
publisher: NSFW (https://www.nsfw.info)
---

# DFDS adds 25 extra Jersey-Poole sailings and brings 2027 season forward

**In brief:** DFDS is expanding its Jersey to Poole fast ferry service for 2027, adding 25 extra return trips to bring the total to 130 rotations. The service will also launch more than five weeks earlier than this year, starting on 24 March rather than 1 May, giving islanders a direct link to the UK over Easter.

## More sailings, earlier start

Good news for anyone who has spent the past few months staring at a blank booking calendar: DFDS has confirmed a significantly beefed-up schedule for its Jersey to Poole high-speed ferry route in 2027. The BBC reports that the company will begin the service on 24 March, compared with 1 May this year, a shift of more than five weeks that means islanders will have a direct, fast connection to the UK mainland throughout the Easter period for the first time under the current schedule.

The 2027 timetable includes 130 return trips in total, up from 105 this year, an increase of 25 sailings. The expansion comes on the back of what the company describes as strong growth, with passenger numbers on the Poole route having risen 21 per cent year-on-year.

Route Director for Jersey at DFDS, Chris Parker, said the company had “used what we have learned during 2026, together with feedback from our customers” to shape the services for next year. He added that DFDS is “adding capacity where we are seeing demand” and intends to continue investing in the vessels and products serving Jersey.

## St Malo changes and day trips to France

The Poole route is not the only one getting attention. DFDS has also revised its St Malo timetable for 2027, with the BBC reporting that changes include additional capacity during April and some improvements to scheduled journey times. Day trips to France will continue to be available for foot passengers where the timetable permits, which will be welcome news for those who enjoy a swift cross to the Continent for a decent lunch and a boot full of wine.

Bookings for both the Poole and St Malo services were due to open on Thursday, with Portsmouth bookings following on 15 October, according to the BBC.

## Context: the booking frustration

The announcement comes after a period of considerable irritation for Jersey travellers. In September, islanders told the BBC they were “frustrated” after finding themselves unable to book any journeys to and from Jersey beyond December. The opening of the 2027 schedule should therefore come as a relief, particularly for those planning Easter travel or early spring breaks.

Parker struck an optimistic tone, saying DFDS wants to “continue growing both passenger and freight traffic” and will work closely with partners on and off the island to encourage more visitors to Jersey and support the wider visitor economy. That last point is significant: more frequent and earlier sailings do not just benefit residents heading to the mainland; they also make Jersey a more accessible destination for UK visitors, which matters considerably to the island’s hospitality and tourism sectors.

## The NSFW Perspective

A 21 per cent year-on-year rise in passenger numbers is not a figure to sniff at, and DFDS deserves credit for responding to demand rather than simply pocketing the goodwill and leaving schedules unchanged. For an island that depends heavily on reliable sea connections, an earlier start to the season and 25 additional return trips is genuinely meaningful, whether you are a resident trying to get to a hospital appointment on the mainland, a business moving freight, or a tourist wondering whether Jersey is worth the trip.

The September booking blackout was a frustrating episode, and it is to be hoped that the earlier release of the 2027 schedule prevents a repeat. Jersey travellers are a patient lot, but there are limits. On the whole, though, this looks like a ferry operator that is listening, learning and investing. In 2026, that is rarer than it ought to be.

*Source: [BBC News](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmn5vwn40d6eo)*