Ferry Helsinki – Tallinn: Companies, Options, Prices, Services

Last Updated on 16 January 2026 by Cycloscope

Timetables, services, and description of the Helsinki – Tallinn ferry
The Love Boat of the Baltic Sea, connecting these beautiful northern capitals

There are several ships nicknamed Love Boats; the most famous are those that connect Helsinki to Stockholm and Helsinki to Tallinn. The races are daily and operated by Viking Line, Eckerö Line, and Tallink Silja. On both lines, you can transport your car, bicycle, or motorbike.

After having cycled Finland from the cold wilderness of Lapland, we boarded the ferry for the route Helsinki-Tallinn (Estonia), Tallinn is probably the most beautiful Baltic capital, and this ferry is a great way to get there.

There are two options for sailing this route: you can easily hop on and off in 2 hours, which is the actual travel time for the boat from Helsinki to Tallinn (and vice versa).

The second and cheaper (yes!) option is for you to sleep on the ship, overnighting moored at the port of Tallinn (or Helsinki), and leave calmly by noon the next day.

You may wonder why sleeping on the ship costs less than going down once you get there. The answer is simple: Booze!

The ships, regardless of company, have several bars with live music, a disco, and numerous restaurants. Those who stay on the ship have fun and, in the meantime, spend money, paying very little for alcohol compared to the prices they would pay on the ground, especially in Finland.

In fact, many locals spend the weekend this way. The shipping company earns, and the young Finns can get drunk at a reasonable price, they don’t have to drive back home once drunk, sleeping instead in a comfortable cabin.

You can figure out the reason why this ship is nicknamed “love boat”, there are many love affairs born between one beer and another, but if you do not care to drink at the bar or buy liquor at the tax-free shop you will still have saved the cost of the accommodation for one night, moreover, the ship offers much more than any hostel, where there is usually no pool and sauna…

Keep an eye on the offers, especially during the low season and out of weekends, the prices can drop vertiginously. There are various last-minute offers, and prices vary widely.

We love beer and sauna and swimming, we had a lot of fun, we paid 17€ in total for the crossing and a basic cabin for two, our bikes traveled for free. We must say, however, that once we got off, we had to find a hostel in Tallinn to rest and get rid of the hangover 🙂

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Viking Line

Viking – Line Routes

Travel with Viking XPRS, spend the day in Tallinn, and return the same evening. The journey with Viking Line lasts only 2.5 hours, and there are 3 or 4 daily departures. It is also a very convenient option if you plan a comprehensive Baltic itinerary.

Viking Line operates daily connections from Helsinki to Tallinn. There are 4 different options available:

• One-day cruise with a stop in Tallinn
• Helsinki-Tallinn-Helsinki night cruise, with an overnight stay on board. No landing in Tallinn.
• Overnight cruise with one day in Tallinn, with overnight on board and one day in Tallinn, a departure from Helsinki in the afternoon, and a return the evening of the day after
• Day cruise with a day in Helsinki, a departure from Tallinn in the morning and back in the evening (Tallinn-Helsinki-Tallinn)

Viking Line also offers other national and international connections

• Turku (Finland) – Aland Islands (Finland)
• Aland Islands (Finland) – Stockholm (Sweden)
• Helsinki (Finland) – Aland Islands (Finland)
• Helsinki – Tallinn

Services onboard – Viking Line

• WiFi, download the Viking Line app before embarking
• Shows and live music, about 200 artists perform on Viking ships every year
• Disco Club
• Slot Machine
• Tax-Free Shops (booze, clothes, gadgets, toys, etc.)
• Spa
• Sauna
• Heated Pool

The Viking Line cabins

You can book any type of cabin; naturally, the more luxurious your choice, the greater the cost. If you get on board and want to change cabin or upgrade to a higher level, you can request an upgrade at check-in, subject to availability.

Check here to book or learn more about Viking Lines cruises and services
Here to book the most convenient accommodation in Tallinn

Silja Traghetti

Map of Silja routes

Silja Ferries is the second company offering the Helsinki-to-Tallinn connection, with up to seven trips a day.

Also, in this case, there are different solutions, from a simple 2-hour crossing to round-trip cruises for a total journey of 22 hours. We took this ship from Helsinki to Tallinn, and we enjoyed it.

Both the Viking Line and Silja can transport cars and caravans, while bikes usually go for free. It is also possible to book lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants on the ships.

The boat we took, Silja Europa, had a heated swimming pool with an adjoining sauna, which could be accessed until midnight for an additional 8€. If you do not have swimming attire, you can rent it for 2€.

Other services available on the Tallinn – Helsinki ferry operated by Silja are:

• Bars and clubs with live entertainment, music, and dance
• Indoor heated pool
• Sauna
• Beauty salon
• Hairdresser
• Tax-Free shopping
• Kids playground
• Conference room
• Billiards

Cabins

We slept in the cheapest cabin available, which was on the lower deck, so no sea view. A cabin with two bunk beds; everything was available to us: it was spotless, with a private bathroom, TV, towels, and blankets included.

Of course, all types of cabs are offered, from the 75-square-meter luxury suite to the simplest cabins. There are also cabins for people with allergies, and the materials used are all anti-allergenic.

Silja Line also offers other national and international connections:

• Turku (Finland) – Aland Islands (Finland)
• Aland Islands (Finland) – Stockholm (Sweden)
• Tallinn (Estonia) – Aland Islands (Finland)
• Riga (Latvia) – Stockholm (Sweden)
• Helsinki – Tallinn

Eckerö Line

Eckerö Line is a Finnish company that operates the Tallinn-Helsinki route 3 times a day. Also, in this case, it is possible to book the outward and return journey with a spare day to visit one of the two capitals.

We do not have much information on this line since the website is only in Finnish or Swedish. If you have traveled this route with this company and you have more information, please contribute in the comments.

Check Also

Book or check the tariffs for Helsinki-Tallinn ferries
Itineraries and advice for a bike trip in Estonia
Everything you need to know about cycling in Finland