A Ferry-Tale Journey, from Tallinn to Helsinki
When we started planning our Baltic trip to Latvia and Estonia it became obvious that with a bit of careful planning we could shoehorn a third country – and a third capital city – into one week. After all, a high-speed ferry connects Tallinn, Estonia to Helsinki, Finland in just two hours. So we built a day in our Tallinn itinerary which allowed us to do just that.
Here’s everything you need to know about this popular day-trip across the Gulf of Finland by ferry, from Tallinn to Helsinki.
It’s not the first time we’ve taken a daytrip to a different country whilst on a city break! Whilst in Copenhagen we took a daytrip over to Malmö in Sweden. You can read more about that trip here!
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Taking the ferry from Tallinn and Helsinki
In order to get the most out of our one day in Helsinki we caught the 07:30 ferry from Tallinn, which got us into Helsinki at 09:30. Our return ferry was as 19:30, returning us to Tallinn at 21:30. There’s even an overnight ferry option – you can read my blogger friend Clazz’s crazy adventures on the sleeper ferry here!
Booking Tickets
There are three ferry operators that sail daily between Tallinn and Helsinki: Tallink Silja, Viking, and Eckerö; we sailed with Tallink Silja Line. I recommend booking as early as possible so that you get the pick of the best travel times. I booked our ferry tickets via Direct Ferries, which gives users the chance to compare all the different ferry operators, schedules and costs. Direct Ferries also has a handy app for accessing your journey details and boarding card.
The total cost for two return tickets, (including SMS confirmation and cancellation refund) was £81.70.
Getting to the port and checking in
It’s an early morning alarm call for us. Our Bolt – booked for 6:20am turns up at 06:05am – and we arrive at Terminal D in plenty of time. Actually, we’re much earlier than we need to be. Still, it gives us plenty of time to grab a coffee and pastries from Kiosk and find our boarding gate. Gates close around 30 minutes before departure so make sure you arrive in plenty of time.
I’d already checked us in online but still used the self-service machines to double check. They’re simple to use; you just need your Tallink Silja Line reference number and security code which are on your booking confirmation email.
Not all ferry companies depart from Terminal D so make sure you double-check beforehand!
💰Our Bolt, from St Olaf’s Church to Terminal D was €5,10. Estonia is actually the home of Bolt and we found it a reliable and cheap way to get around
Our Tallink Silja Line Ferry and Crossing
We travelled from Tallinn to Helsinki on the Tallink Megastar, returning on sister ship Tallink MyStar. Both hold 2800 passengers and 150 cars over 12 decks. In fact the “ferry” was more like a small cruise ship, with comfortable lounge areas, and plenty of shopping and dining options. We found comfy seating, each with USB charging ports and settled down for the crossing. There’s onboard Wi-Fi too.
If you prefer to enjoy the wind whipping across your face there’s access to the outdoors as the boat crosses the Gulf of Finland. It’s a bit nippy though!
It can be a bit chaotic when boarding and departing, but that’s purely down to the number of passengers – it’s a popular route! Apparently Finns often use this as a “booze cruise” route of a weekend, taking advantage of the cheaper alcohol costs in Estonia.
Arriving in Helsinki
Finland and Estonia are both part of the EU Schengen area, meaning that people can travel freely between countries without passing through customs or immigration. You’re free to explore Helsinki as soon as you disembark!
How to get from Helsinki port to the city
The Tallink Silija Line Ferries arrive at West Terminal 2. From the ferry port, its easy to reach the centre by tram or bus – trams 7 and 9 run from the ferry port to the centre in about 15 minutes. We caught the No 7 from Länsiterminaali 2 and got off at Senaatintori/Senatstorget- Senate Square. Stops are listed in both Finnish and Swedish.
There’s a post coming soon on how we spent our 12 hours in Helsinki!
🚻 There are free public toilets on Sofiankatu between Senate Square and Market Square (Kauppatori)
Public transport is quite expensive compared to Tallinn; to get from the ferry port you’ll need an AB Zone ticket which is €3,20 (valid for 80 minutes). You can download the HSL app to purchase tickets or from a ticket machine. Please note that drivers don’t sell tickets onboard.
Don’t forget to factor your journey from the centre back to the ferry terminal into your Helsinki itinerary! You ideally want to leave the city at least an hour before departure time to make sure you have enough time. We caught our return No 7 tram at the same stop. The tram terminates at Länsiterminaali at the West Terminal before returning to the city.
The ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki is a great way to experience two capital cities in a short time, and to experience a little bit of the Finnish culture (without the costs of a stay in expensive Helsinki!). A two hour ferry ride each way makes it possible to weave into most Tallinn itineraries.
