Baltic Sea Ferries - Ostseefähren

On the Baltic Sea Ferries operate in international long-distance traffic, which travelers can only use for passenger transport as well as for the transport of cars, motorbikes, caravans or mobile homes. In addition to transporting people, some ferries also transport goods using trucks or freight train wagons.

background

Ferries on the Baltic Sea are a convenient and often surprisingly cheap alternative to flying or long car journeys. Some routes are more intended for motorists who want to take their car with them on vacation, while others have something in common with cruise ships and take advantage of the duty-free alcohol on some routes. There are many passenger ferries that cross the Baltic Sea between all countries along its coasts. The ones between Sweden and Finland are known in Sweden as "Finlandsbåt" ("Finnish boat"), while in Finland they are called Ruotsinlaiva or Sverigebåt (Swedish boat). Most of these ferries carry car traffic between countries and often also act as cruise ships for short shopping trips of 2-48 hours. Evening departures on the lines in the Stockholm-Turku / Helsinki-Tallinn triangle are - especially on weekends and public holidays - wild party trips, with heavy alcohol consumption and overcrowded dance floors. Other routes are a little more relaxed and have a larger proportion of travelers who actually intend to visit a foreign country. The ferries from Germany to Finland, and some of those between Sweden and Finland, are calm and spartan cargo / passenger ferries that focus on trucks but are also a good alternative for some travelers. In the past, a number of ferries have also carried trains, but this has diminished with the construction of permanent links, the rise of aviation and the opening of many European borders. Both of these connections connect Germany - the Fehmarn-Denmark ferry which transports the EuroCity, as well as the ferry which transports night trains on the Berlin-Malmö route. There are also rail ferries for freight.

Tickets

If you intend to use the boats to travel between cities, it is almost always cheaper to book a round trip (Sw: kryssning, Fi: ristig), or even to let two round trip tickets and the return trips expire instead of one- Buy way tickets. Tickets start at 80 Swedish kronor for a full 4-person cabin, making it practically the cheapest accommodation you can find in a high income country - at 10 SEK / night / person for a round trip with two nights Stockholm-Helsinki (provided you book early or last minute on weekdays), and rarely (even for a weekend cruise in high season) over 400 SEK for the cheapest 4-bed cabin. A one-way ticket for a shared berth, by comparison, usually exceeds SEK 1000.

Larger providers

Northern Baltic Sea

BIRKA STOCKHOLM
Polferries SCANDINAVIA
Scandlines BERLIN in Rostock
FINNSTAR (Helsinki → Travemünde)

Southern Baltic Sea

Entire Baltic Sea

Terminals in long-distance public passenger transport at sea

There are three international ferry terminals on the German Baltic Sea coast, these are:

accommodation

For night trips, the ticket price is per cabin. A regular cabin offers space for four passengers, has a standard comparable to a two-star hotel room (toilet, shower, soap, towels, reading lamp) and is much cheaper than a hotel room in Stockholm or Helsinki. The cheapest cabins (C-Class and some B-Class) do not have windows, but higher standard cabins and suites are also available. Some ferries leave immediately after arrival, so you have to wait some time before the destination city "wakes up".

The ferries between the Stockholm and Turku regions have very tight schedules with only an hour in port, which means cabin cleaning starts very early (unless you have a return ticket). Don't expect to be able to sleep until shortly before the ferry arrives. In summer (when the sun rises early) it is a good idea to get up early for the expensive but rich breakfast and see the archipelago as you approach your destination.

When driving across the northern Baltic Sea in winter, ice drift can be a problem, as it creates a lot of noise in certain cabins.

eat

Most cruise lines have multiple cafes and restaurants for all price ranges (although budget options won't satisfy every hunger), on a Swedish and Finnish standard: you know what you're getting, but you won't be impressed. The most famous is an all-you-can-eat Nordic buffet / Smörgåsbord for around € 30. Traditionally, you eat 7 servings: Herring, other seafood, cold cuts, warm meat, sausage, cheese and dessert.

With reserved tables - or a program that you don't want to miss - you should inquire in advance which time zone will be used if the departure and destination are in different time zones (e.g. Tallinn to Stockholm), as it is usually the ship's time, not the actual time Time zone, even if it is called "local time", which is decisive. A typical scheme uses the time of the port of departure for the entire journey.

Drink

Drinks in the bar are a little cheaper than in normal Swedish or Finnish pubs, albeit expensive compared to those in Estonia, Latvia and Russia. Cocktails start at € 8.

Alcoholic beverages may not be taken on board on some party trips. The crew can search passengers' luggage for them. St Peter Line will actually x-ray your luggage to check for alcoholic beverages when you step in as a pedestrian. Such bottles will be taken away, you will be given a receipt and the bottles will be returned to you at the information desk the next morning half an hour before your arrival.

shop

Most cruise ferries between Sweden and Finland stop in Åland for the opportunity to do duty free shopping. (Åland is a customs exempt area in the EU). These shops with alcohol and tobacco prices well below the Swedish and Finnish levels are the main attraction for many passengers. Consumption on board is not officially allowed, but happens all the time. These shops do not sell alcohol in the evening during weekend party trips. Cruises to or from Russia also have duty-free shops, albeit much smaller ones.

These shops also offer the classic duty free items such as perfume, makeup, and candy. Some ships also have clothing, toy, and other consumer goods stores.

Ferries accept credit cards and at least local currencies (in most cases euros and Swedish kronor). Payments with AndroidPay / ApplePay (and PayPass / Visa PayWave) are often not accepted by Tallink on Tallinn-Stockholm ferries.

pastime

  • Gambling on slot machines and roulette tables. Drinking and gambling are a better combination for those getting the cash than for your own wallet - stick to your budget (even if the net income is at least on a good cause on Finnish ships).
  • You can often dance to live music
  • Most cruises have playrooms for children and activities for children.
  • Sunbathe on the upper deck if the weather permits.
  • Sauna (mostly gender-separated)

security

To be careful, drunkenness is common on these ferries at night, and differences in languages ​​and customs often lead to conflict. While security guards tend to forgive the drunkenness themselves, in extreme cases violent passengers are detained for the remainder of the voyage or in a foreign port.

Parties in the cabin are common and are usually tolerated if you don't disturb the neighbors. You should avoid going into unfamiliar cabins by yourself and should something happen, you should notify the staff. In bad weather and at night you should avoid the open upper deck.

Due to their design, Ro-Ro ("roll on roll off") ships have some safety deficiencies, especially a greater tendency to overturn. Since the sinking of the MS Estonia in the Baltic Sea in 1994, the issue has become more in the general awareness of travelers as the shipping companies and safety procedures are taken very seriously. In general, the safety of the ferries is very good - higher than that of car journeys - but if a ferry should capsize, even in the best case scenario, there are only a few minutes to get to safety.

Connect

On the Tallinn-Stockholm route with Tallink (and probably most other cruise ferries) Wi-Fi internet is available in public areas and in the higher class cabins throughout the voyage. Access is via an individual password that is printed on every passenger ticket. The mobile voice and data connection is good during the evening and morning.

Article draftThe main parts of this article are still very short and many parts are still in the drafting phase. If you know anything on the subject be brave and edit and expand it so that it becomes a good article. If the article is currently being written to a large extent by other authors, don't be put off and just help.