Ferries to Finland
Travel from Germany, Sweden, or Estonia
A Road Trip is also an option
If you have the time for a road trip, you can travel overland to Tallinn and take the ferry to Helsinki from there. After exploring Finland, you can return to the UK via Sweden. It's quite a scenic route, don’t you think?
Take a look at the map below to see all the ferry crossings to Finland.
You can use the booking module and select Finland as your destination to find all the crossings to, from and within Finland.
Ferry Map: ferry routes to Finland
Use the interactive map to find the right crossing and ferry company. You can zoom in and out and view the routes in the ports.
If you take a look at the ferry map for Finland, that long route really stands out, doesn’t it? That’s the ferry that takes 30 hours to sail from Travemünde in Germany to Helsinki.
Other options are much closer to Finland. You can travel via the Baltic States and book the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki.
Another great option is to book the ferry from Stockholm in Sweden. We found the Stockholm – Helsinki crossing to be a particularly beautiful journey!
Crossings to Finland
Ferry Guide Finland
Ferries to Finland
There are several ferry routes to Finland. Some of the most famous crossings leave from Germany, Sweden, and Estonia to Finland. Most ferries crossing the Baltic Sea to sail to Finland arrive in Turku or Helsinki. On this page, you'll find more information about the ferries to Finland.
Finnlines, Viking Line, and Tallink Silja are the most active ferry companies on the crossings to Finland. Ferries leave for Finland from Germany (Travemunde), Sweden (Stockholm), and the Estonian capital of Tallinn.
The crossing from Tallinn to Helsinki is the fastest and shortest, 2 hours over 80 km. If you sail from Germany to Helsinki, your travel time will be around 30 hours while crossing over 1000 km.
If you want to travel to Finland with your own vehicle, you'll need to take a ferry. There are several options available, so let's start with the longest crossing:
From Sweden to Finland
There are several options to sail by ferry from Sweden to Finland and vice versa. From Stockholm, there are ferries sailing to Turku and Helsinki. If you cruise by ferry to Turku from Stockholm, you'll usually make a stopover at the Aland Islands at Mariehamn Port. The ferry from Stockholm to Turku sails up to 3 times per day, while the other option, from Stockholm to Helsinki, sails up to 10 times per week.
For the crossing from Stockholm to Helsinki, you'll be onboard for around 16 hours, while the crossing to Turku via Mariehamn is a bit faster; this crossing will take you to Finland from Sweden in under 12 hours.
Stockholm-Finland (Turku and Helsinki)
If you're up for a longer drive or planning a road trip through Scandinavia, you might consider the ferries departing from Stockholm. From the Swedish capital, there are ferries to both Helsinki and Turku, Finland's second-largest city. These ferries also make a stop at Mariehamn in the Åland Islands.
A popular route among Scandinavians is the mini-cruise between Stockholm and Helsinki. Expect some party-goers on board, as alcohol is sold tax-free, making it relatively inexpensive.
Round-Trip Options
If you're on holiday in Sweden, a city trip to Helsinki is a great choice.
Helsinki isn't a particularly large city, but it's a lovely place to visit. The city offers a beautiful mix of old and modern architecture, with a noticeable Russian influence. You only need to look at Helsinki's iconic churches to see this.
You can also choose to leave your vehicle in Stockholm and take a round trip to Helsinki. Two days is enough time to explore the city well.
Ferry from Germany to Finland
Travemünde-Helsinki
One of the more unique crossings is the ferry route from Germany to Finland, notable for the vast distance it covers. The ferry travels more than 600 miles as the crow flies! Within Europe, only the ferry to Iceland covers a greater distance (about 1075 miles).
The Travemünde-Helsinki ferry is operated by Finnlines. This route serves not only tourists but also a significant number of freight trucks (as seen in the video). As a result, the crossing is slightly less focused on a tourist experience, but there's still plenty of entertainment on board. That's important, as the crossing takes around 30 hours, so you'll need to find ways to keep yourself entertained.
Finnlines operates three ferries of the same type on this route: Finnstar, Finnmaid, and Finnlady. These ships ensure that passengers can depart daily from both Helsinki and Travemünde.
From Germany, the ships depart at night, making it effectively a double overnight journey. From Finland, the crossing involves one overnight stay.
Ferry from Estonia to Finland
Tallinn-Helsinki
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is about a 24-hour drive from the Netherlands. If you're coming from the UK and first taking the ferry to the Netherlands, you'll have an idea of how long the journey takes. An alternative route to Finland involves driving through Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. It’s a beautiful adventure, but the distance might not be for everyone.
There’s also a middle ground: ferries depart from Germany to destinations like Lithuania or Latvia.
You can then continue your journey and eventually take the ferry from Tallinn to Finland. Tallinn itself is a beautiful city, well worth spending some time in.
The Tallinn-Helsinki crossing is an important route in the region for both passengers and freight. As a result, many ferries are running back and forth, with at least 13 departures daily. The crossing takes around two hours, but there is also an option for an overnight journey. In that case, the ferry travels very slowly, as the distance is only about 60 miles.
The best way to travel to Finland is by ferry.
This is probably the ferry from Stockholm to Turku because of the stopover at Mariehamn – Aland Islands. This is a beautiful and scenic route; if you're not in a rush and are looking for stunning views and nature, this is the best ferry crossing you can choose.
Yes, there is a ferry from Travemunde (North Germany) to Helsinki. This is a relatively long crossing, but it brings you directly from Germany to the Finnish capital of Helsinki. In about 30 hours, you'll be crossing over 1000 km.
If you want to travel to Finland by ferry from Sweden, you have two routes. You can sail from Stockholm to either Helsinki or Turku. The shortest connection in terms of hours is the ferry to Turku. On this route, you'll make a stopover in Mariehamn.
This is the most frequent ferry to Helsinki: the Tallinn-Helsinki ferry. With up to 13 sailings each day it is one of the busiest ferry routes in Northern Europe.
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Does the ferry from Travemunde end up in Stockholm? I don't understand the map. On arrival, I don't see Travemunde.
You were right, the map was unclear, I added the Travemunde to Helsinki route to the map. However, if you want to go to Stockholm you probably need this connection:
https://ferrygogo.co.uk/sweden/ferry-to-stockholm/
Which also is now on hold.
How long is the ferry ride from Stockholm to Finland?