Ferry to Sweden from the UK
UK to Sweden by ferry
Unfortunately, there is no direct ferry from The United Kingdom to Sweden. Yet you can get there by car and two ferries. Getting there with just one ferry ride and then driving the rest of the route is also possible. Depending on where you need to be in Sweden you can see your best option.
Find all alternative ferry routes to Sweden
As there are no direct crossings from the UK to Sweden anymore, you'll first have to cross to either France or the Netherlands and from there travel onwards to Germany or Denmark to take the cruise ferry, ferry, or bridge to Sweden. On this page, we'll outline your options and routes.
You can use the booking module and select the country of departure to find the crossings to Sweden. While there are no direct routes from the UK, you can travel from Germany or Denmark to Gothenburg, Malmo, and Trelleborg.
Ferry Map: from the UK to Sweden
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.
In this overview, you can find the routes from the UK to Sweden on a map. First, you have to get to the Netherlands or France by ferry, from where you can drive to Denmark or Germany to take the ferry to Sweden. You can also get to Sweden via the Oresund Bridge / Sontbridge, which connects Copenhagen (Denmark) to Malmö in Sweden.
Crossings to Sweden (from Denmark and Germany)
Ferry Guide from the UK to Sweden
UK to Sweden ferry routes and crossings
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The crossing from Kiel to Gothenburg is a long (360 miles), beautiful journey operated by Stena Line. It is a comfortable trip where you can spend the night on board and arrive at your destination refreshed.
- For almost all crossings, you can simply travel as a foot passenger.
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Are you travelling by car round trip? That can cost from around £200 to £300.
- The shortest crossing is 19 minutes, while the longest is 15 hours.
- Online, you can book your cabin, parking deck, and, among other things, restaurant in advance.
Step 1: Getting from the UK to Europe / the Continent
You'll first need to travel to the European mainland to travel to Sweden from the United Kingdom. The options for this are the direct crossings to Holland or the various options from Dover to France.
The most significant disadvantages of travelling via France are the long drive to your next crossing to Sweden and the delays at the customs on busy days at Dover and Calais. On the other hand, the crossings between Dover and Dunkirk or Calais are much shorter and quicker. Therefore, this is certainly a good option for tourists from Southern England.
For other tourists and tourists wanting to get to Sweden from the UK, the Netherlands seems a good destination for your first crossing. From the UK to the Netherlands, you can choose to board the following ferries:
More routes to France from the south of UK
There are more alternatives to make the crossing to France; above we've listed the most logical/fastest routes. But also Brittany Ferries offers a lot of crossings which can be handy if you live close to Poole, Plymouth or Portsmouth.
Step 2: from the Netherlands or France to Germany and or Denmark
This will most probably be a drive. Whether you sail to one of the French or Dutch harbors, you need to get to Germany or Denmark from here. You can travel by car to Germany and Denmark and use public transport.
Travel time by car after the first crossing
- From Rotterdam/Amsterdam to Kiel: ± 6.5 hours
- From Dunkirk to Kiel: ± 8 hours 30 minutes
- From Rotterdam/Amsterdam to Copenhagen: ± 9 hours
- From Calais / Dunkirk to Copenhagen: ± 12 hours
Driving longer, shorter on the boat?
Then you could also drive to one of the Danish ports, or via the Puttgarden-Rodby route and then the Oresund Bridge. This can also turn out to be cheaper/faster as you won't need an overnight stay and cabin. Of course, the ferry is a nice, comfortable way of travelling, so we can also recommend the crossing from Kiel to Gothenburg.
These are the Scandlines crossings; this is the fastest route, and you can buy combi tickets for this route. You will be travelling via Copenhagen to Sweden (Malmö) on this route.
From the UK via Germany to Sweden
This is one option after crossing from the UK to the continent to travel further to Sweden from Germany, with one of the crossings leaving from Rostock, Travemünde, Kiel, or Sassnitz to Sweden. Some quick ferries will take you just 2.5 hours from Germany to the southern tip of Sweden, like the Sassnitz to Trelleborg ferry service. Or you can travel a bit longer by ferry to, for example, Gothenburg via Kiel. This route is a 15.5-hour night crossing on a cruise ferry with lots of entertainment, restaurants, and comfort to start your journey.
You can also choose to travel from the UK and Germany via Denmark to Sweden with the Puttgarden-Rodby ferry service and then the Sontbridge from Copenhagen to Malmö or a short ferry: Helsingor – Helsingborg
From the UK via Denmark to Sweden
Then your next option to get to Sweden from the UK is via a ferry or bridge connection in Denmark. To get to Denmark, you first have to drive via the Netherlands or France to Germany and then Denmark. Once in Denmark, you have a couple of options to cross to Sweden. In most cases, you get there by car. The good news is that you can bring your vehicle to all the connections below.
The ferries to Sweden from Denmark that are relevant for tourists from the UK are the ferries between:
- Helsingor-Helsingborg
- Frederikshavn-Gothenburg
- Grenaa-Halmstad
Depending on where you need to be in Sweden, you can choose one of these ferries or the Sontbridge from Copenhagen to Malmö. Copenhagen is located on Sjaelland – the most significant island of Denmark, where you can get via another bridge (the Great Belt Bridge) or by another ferry connection.
It is only a 20-minute drive from Copenhagen over the bridge to Malmö. This bridge, the Sontbridge, is also famous for the series named after it, ‘The Bridge' or ‘Bron.'
All the ferries from Denmark to Sweden sail within 5 hours from Denmark to Sweden and vice versa. The fastest connections are only 20 minutes from coast to coast.
Best way to travel to Sweden from the UK
If we have to single out one ferry route for tourists from the UK to Sweden, we will go for the Kiel to Gothenburg route. So from the UK through via France or the Netherlands to Germany to Sweden. This somewhat longer ferry ride makes it a night crossing, which means an early start of your vacation, a lot of comfort and entertainment, and arriving well-rested in Sweden.
Our top 3 based on our experience:
- Two ferry crossings: UK – Europe and then Kiel-Gothenburg.
- One ferry crossing: UK to Europe and Oresundbidge (long drives though you'll need to book hotels. Also, you'll face two to three expensive toll routes in Denmark)
- If you don't want to drive much at all and like to be on long ferries you can choose either Harwich – Hook of Holland, Hull – Rotterdam or Newcastle – Amsterdam and then to Rostock or Kiel to take on of the longer ferry rides: Rostock-Trelleborg, Travemunde (Lubeck) Trelleborg and the Kiel – Gothenburg cruiseferry for example
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