Catching a Ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki

Many Travellers use the ferry between Tallinn and Helsinki. In December 2023, we joined them as we travelled from Tallinn, Estonia, to Helsinki for a short visit to conclude our Epic European White Christmas Adventure. In this post, we will share our experience of catching a ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki, what we learned, and some tips to help you plan your crossing.

Some of the Basics for catching a ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki

Three companies run this route: Eckerö Line, Tallink Silja, and Viking Line. Between the companies, there are usually ten crossings daily, with Tallink Silja doing the majority. Timetables are usually run on seasonal rosters, so even when researching, check as close to your planned crossing as possible to get accurate times. There are also around nine sailings from Helsinki to Tallinn.

You will pay approximately 76 € per person plus booking fees. During peak season, you can expect to pay more.

You are looking at around two to two and a half hours for each crossing. Times can vary, of course, due to companies, weather and other operational reasons. Tallink Silja offers the fastest crossing if that is important to you or helps with your planning. It is possible to do a day trip between the two cities with ferries starting early morning (6:30- 7:30) and late-night sailings (10:30 -11:30); this would give you a good part of the day to explore if spending longer would not work for your trip.

All three companies offer both drive-on and walk-on possibilities. We walked onto the ship, and it was really easy.

Ferry Ports

Port in Tallinn:  E67, 10151 Tallinn, Estonia

It is around a 15-minute walk from the port to the old town.

Ports in Helsinki: West Terminal – Tyynenmerenkatu 8, 00220 Helsinki, Finland

It would take about 40 minutes to walk into Helsinki. Taxis are waiting, and it takes around 8 mins to get into the centre of Helsinki.

Our Experience Catching a Ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki

After three amazing days celebrating Christmas in Tallinn, we headed to Helsinki. Helsinki was easier to start our trip home to Australia, and we had given ourselves 24 hours to get a taste of what we found to be a wonderful city.

Our tickets were booked through Direct Ferries.com.au, so our tickets are priced in  AUD.

We paid $172.17 AUD one way. We travelled with Tallink Silja on the Megastar.

Our ferry departed at 10:30 am, arriving in Helsinki at 12:30 pm.

Getting to the port

We ordered an Uber to take three adults and our luggage to the port. Our excuse was that it was winter and the end of a full-on trip. The ride from the old town to the terminal was short, and in hindsight, we could have had a bit more of a sleep-in. We arrived at the port a few hours before departure; the terminal was empty, and everything was closed.

The sailing was at 10:30, and by 9 am, the coffee shop opened, and the passenger numbers were starting to build.

Our booking was with Tallink Silja on the Megastar, and we started boarding around 45 minutes before departure.

On Board

We found a table at a window where we could watch the world go by as we crossed the Baltic Sea.

The ferry is like a mini cruise ship. You have different dining options, including a Burger King, from cafes to a la carte dining. A multi-level duty-free shopping zone, slot machines, and outdoor spaces also exist.

We ended up just getting Burger King for lunch. We only had a short time in Helsinki, so we decided to fuel up before we got off.

There are different options for your ticket and places to hang out, including if you want to rest for a few hours, you can book a sleeper room.

I saw some lockers in one ferry section, but we kept our luggage with us, and it was fine.

Travelling in winter, we were so thankful for the warmth of being inside, but I could see it being beautiful spending the crossing out on the deck.

If you want to see our journey, here is the video accompanying this blog post.

Getting to Helsinki

Getting off the ship was easy; it was a well-oiled machine. Outside the terminal in Helsinki, there was a taxi rank with a queue waiting to take you where you needed to be.

It was less than 10 minutes to get from the terminal to our hotel in the heart of the city, and we were ready for our afternoon exploring this surprising city.

Tallink Silja is one of the more expensive lines. We chose this company according to the timetable over anything else, but in my research, people seem just as happy using it as we were using the other companies. Even though we have no experience with the other companies, we did enjoy our trip with Tallink Silja and would happily try any of them if we were so blessed to be in this part of the world again.

Stats for the Megastar

 Megastar is 212.2 metres in length

Holds 2,800 passengers.

If you are looking for food and drinks, you have six options over Decks 8 & 9.

The Delight Buffet – an all-you-can-eat restaurant

The Chef’s Kitchen – a sit-down restaurant

Fast Lane Restaurant – a great place to pick up something quick

Burger King® Restaurant – a great place to get something quick and familiar

Coffee & Co. Cafeteria – if you want a cuppa and a snack, this is the place for you.

Victory Bar – a pub offering light snacks and beverages. Here you can also find TV showing sports.

Sea Pub is a smaller, more intimate pub where you may see a live performance.

Sitting

There is plenty of sitting around the ferry, but if you want just a little more, here are some options to consider

Sitting Lounge – An aeroplane business class experience with comfortable armchairs in a quiet area.

Comfort Lounge is a separate area with services, including snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, newspapers, TV, WIFI and power outlets. Costing 29 €.

Business Lounge is a quiet and classy area for business travellers. Included are WIFI services, newspapers, catering with cold and warm dishes and a wide selection of beverages. Costing 69 €

Drivers Lounge – available for truck drivers to have a break.

Cabins

There are a total of 20 cabins that can be booked in advance.

Car Decks & Garage

 A garage with 150 parking places, Car ticket + garage fee 10 €/route/per vehicle

Shopping

 Traveller Superstore is a massive 2,800m2 duty-free shopping mall and, according to the website, the largest mall in the Baltics.

Along with the Traveller Superstore, you will find everything you need in stores focussing on these items: Perfumes & Cosmetics, Souvenirs, Confectionery & Deli, Alcohol and the Lobby Shop.

The Lobby Shop is where you will find Newspapers, Magazines, Electronics and other grab-and-go items.

Other stuff that might be interesting

There is an Information desk

Luggage store—2 € per bag or suitcase and overcoat. The luggage room is opened 30 minutes before departure, and 30 minutes before arrival, there is no access during sailing.

Lockers – Small  2 € per trip, medium 3 € per trip.

If you are travelling with Kids, they have their own play area on deck 8.

There is a conference room and a private VIP room if you need that kind of space to get stuff done.

 

Find us on Youtube

The video accompanying this blog post gives a more detailed glimpse into this journey. It can be found here.

 

Here is our video of Christmas in Tallinn