In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Helsinki is a two-hour ferry from Tallinn on Tallink’s MyStar or Megastar, which sail from Terminal D at the Old City Harbour. Viking Line and Eckerö Line sail from Terminal A, and Viking Line’s crossing is about 2.5 hours. Tallink and Eckerö Line land at West Terminal 2 in Helsinki (trams 7 and 9) and Viking Line at Katajanokka (tram 5). Take a passport or an EU identity card. Both countries use the euro. Or book a tour: a return ferry transfer to Helsinkiad or a day trip with the ferry and a guided tourad is sold on GetYourGuide.
⚠️ Bring a passport or an EU identity card. Eckerö Line says a driving licence is not accepted for the crossing, and children need their own document. At Tallink’s Terminal D, ticket registration closes 30 minutes before departure and the ship closes to passengers 20 minutes before.
Or book a tour
If you would rather not arrange the crossing and the day in Helsinki yourself, GetYourGuide sells two options. Tallink and the other operators sell their own tickets directly, and their booking pages show the fare for your sailing.
Return day-trip ferry transfer to Helsinki
From €39 · 4.8 stars from 2,446 reviews · 11 to 17 hours · return ferry ticket
The From Tallinn: Return Day Trip Ferry Transfer to Helsinkiad is a return crossing on a modern Tallink shuttle, two hours each way, with the day in Helsinki left to you.
Day trip with the ferry and a guided tour
From €295 · private group · return ferry, guided walk and free time
The From Tallinn: Helsinki Day Trip with Ferry and Guided Tourad is a private day trip with the return ferry, a guided walk in Helsinki and free time afterwards. Free cancellation is shown.
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Return ferry transfer | From €39 | The crossing both ways on a Tallink shuttle |
| Ferry with guided tour | From €295 | A private group, the ferry and a guided walk |
| Operator’s own ticket | See the operator | Tallink, Viking Line or Eckerö Line sail daily |
Before you book
- Booking: Tallink sells tickets up to 45 minutes before departure but advises booking in advance, because last-minute bookings may cost more.
- Check-in: online check-in on the Tallink website or app opens 24 hours before departure and closes 30 minutes before. The service desk at the terminal charges €10, so use the self check-in kiosks.
- Boarding: the gate closes 20 minutes before departure.
- Children: up to 5 years old travel free with Tallink on this route.
- Slower option: Tallink’s cruise ferry Victoria I sails once a day and takes about four hours.
Ferry operators compared
Three companies sail between Tallinn and Helsinki. The terminals below are the ones on the operators’ own port pages.
| Operator | Ship | Tallinn terminal | Helsinki terminal | Crossing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tallink | MyStar, Megastar | Terminal D, Uus-Sadama 24 | West Terminal 2, Tyynenmerenkatu 14 | 2 hours, up to 6 a day |
| Viking Line | Viking XPRS | Terminal A | Katajanokka Terminal | About 2.5 hours |
| Eckerö Line | MS Finlandia | A-Terminal, Sadama 25-2 | West Terminal 2, Tyynenmerenkatu 14 | About 2 hours 15 minutes, 3 departures a day |
Fares depend on the date and how early you book, and each operator’s booking page shows the price for your sailing. Tallink sells Serial Tickets on this route for people who cross often, and lets children up to 5 travel free. Timetables are on tallink.com.
Tallink Megastar. Photo: AleWi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Leaving from Tallinn
Tallinn’s Old City Harbour (Vanasadam) has two passenger terminals a few hundred metres apart. Tallink uses Terminal D; Viking Line and Eckerö Line use Terminal A. Tram line 2 stops at Vanasadam, a short walk from Terminal D, and the walk from the Old Town is about 15 minutes. Public transport in Tallinn covers tram fares.
Terminal D’s check-in desk is open Monday to Friday 06:00 to 22:30, Saturday 06:00 to 19:30 and Sunday 06:00 to 22:30. The terminal has luggage storage and a self check-in kiosk; online check-in opens 24 hours before departure on the Tallink website and app.
Arriving in Helsinki
- West Terminal 2, Jätkäsaari: Tallink and Eckerö Line. Trams 7 and 9 stop here, and the ride to the centre takes about 6 to 9 minutes. For the return, ticket registration closes 30 minutes before departure, access to the ship opens 40 minutes before and closes 20 minutes before, and lockers are on the first floor (card only, up to 100 hours).
- Katajanokka Terminal: Viking Line. Tram 5 goes to the terminal door, and the Central Railway Station is 2.5 km away.
Helsinki uses HSL tickets: a zones AB single costs €3.50 (prices from 2 June 2026), and HSL sells no tickets on board, so buy in the HSL app or with a contactless card at the reader. Public transport in Helsinki has the day tickets.
Helsinki Cathedral, Senate Square. Photo: JIP, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A short route in Helsinki
Check the day before you plan the route, because three sights close on set days.
- Mondays: the Ateneum and Uspenski Cathedral are closed. Oodi and the Old Market Hall are open.
- Rock Church: closed for renovation from 11 January to 31 May 2027.
- Old Market Hall: open Monday to Saturday 08:00 to 18:00, so it is closed on Sundays.
A route that works on any day starts at Helsinki Cathedral and Senate Square, then walks down to Market Square and the Old Market Hall, where SOUP+MORE sells salmon soup for €14 (2026). From there, Oodi Central Library is a tram or walk away, and the 15-minute ferry to Suomenlinna leaves from Market Square on an ordinary HSL ticket. Helsinki in one or two days and the Helsinki guide have the hours and prices for each stop.
Market Square, Helsinki. Photo: Tuula Sipilä, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
What the day costs on the Helsinki side
- Trams and buses: an HSL zones AB single is €3.50, and the Suomenlinna ferry from Market Square runs on the same ticket.
- Senate Square and the cathedral steps: free; the cathedral charges for the interior in summer, so see the cathedral guide.
- Oodi: free to enter.
- Lunch: salmon soup at SOUP+MORE in the Old Market Hall is €14.
Tallink’s West Terminal 2 desk is open Wednesday to Monday 06:15 to 22:15 and Tuesday 06:15 to 22:45.
Back in Tallinn
The ferries arrive at the same terminals they left from. If you have a night in Tallinn on either side of the crossing, see where to stay in Tallinn, and for a plan that fits the crossing into a longer visit, 3 days in Tallinn. Other trips out of the city are in day trips from Tallinn. For the two cities side by side, see Helsinki vs Tallinn.
Common questions
How long is the ferry from Tallinn to Helsinki?
Two hours on Tallink's fast ferries MyStar and Megastar. Viking Line's Viking XPRS takes about 2.5 hours. Eckerö Line's MS Finlandia takes about 2 hours 15 minutes; its booking page shows the timetable.
Do I need a passport for the Helsinki ferry?
You need an official photo ID. Eckerö Line says EU citizens must carry a passport or an official EU identity card and that a driving licence is not accepted. Passengers from outside the EU should carry a passport. Children need their own document.
Which ferry terminal in Tallinn do I need?
Tallink sails from Terminal D at Uus-Sadama 24. Eckerö Line sails from the A-Terminal at Sadama 25-2, and Viking Line also uses Terminal A. Both are at the Old City Harbour, and Tallink gives the walk from Terminal D to downtown as about 15 minutes.
How late can I check in for the Tallink ferry?
Ticket registration at Terminal D closes 30 minutes before departure, and access to the ship closes 20 minutes before.
Where do the ferries arrive in Helsinki?
Tallink and Eckerö Line arrive at West Terminal 2 in Jätkäsaari, where trams 7 and 9 stop. Viking Line arrives at Katajanokka Terminal, where tram 5 stops.
What currency is used in Helsinki?
The euro, the same as in Estonia, so there is nothing to exchange.
