To Stockholm
By boat: from Helsinki or Turku?
Finland, as many of you know, has poor connections with the rest of Europe on land. But when it is about boats, from my point of view, I think it masters it.
Why? The many ferries leaving the country’s ports heading for other cities in other countries I think it may be the answer.
In this post I’ll be referring only about what I’ve experienced to get to Sweden’s capital, Stockholm. I made my mind on visiting the Swedish capital in every season, so I can enjoy its vibe, its history during different times.
My favorites? Summer and winter.
I’ve traveled to Stockholm by boat from two different Finnish cities: Turku and Helsinki, using the same company: Tallink. There is another one that leaves Helsinki, but we don’t plan on using it.
Here is my list of pros and cons leaving Finland by boat, from Helsinki and Turku
Pros from Helsinki to Stockholm by boat:
leaving from the Finnish capital city (from the main port) to another capital city.
it has a Promenade beautifully illuminated and decorated.
you can buy a cruise ticket:
spending the night on the ship on your way to Stockholm
exploring the city for maximum 5 hours and then…
returning to Helsinki with the same ship, staying in the same room (you can leave your belongings in the room, no one enters in)
Cons from Helsinki to Stockholm by boat:
the boat leaves at 17:00 and arrives at 10:00
the time spent on boat (approx. 17 hours).
Pros from Turku to Stockholm by boat:
you get to visit 2 new cities (Turku: Finland’s first capital, and Stockholm).
the boat leaves later in the day: at 19:30 (plenty of time to visit the city)
the time spent on boat (approx. 10 hours).
the boat arrives early in the morning in Stockholm (around 6AM) allowing you the whole day to explore the Swedish capital
Cons from Turku to Stockholm by boat:
you need a transport from Helsinki to Turku (train, bus)
the cruise ticket doesn’t allow you any time ashore, if you want to explore the city
you need to buy either a one-way ticket or a round trip ticket, BUT for these options you either have to book a hotel or buy an airplane ticket later in the day, if you don’t want to spend the night
General Pros for both boats:
different cabins, for all budgets
you can travel with children and pets
plenty to do on the ship for all ages (games, concerts, shows, playrooms for children, activities for the young ones between 10 and 17 y.o.)
you can enjoy even sauna and a pool (just make sure to check the timetable)
you can become a member of Club One and unlock benefits onboard
plenty of tax-free shopping to do
Sea-view cabin, to Stockholm
Of course, we’ve tested the various ways of returning:
left from Turku, arrived in Stockholm at 6AM, returned on the same day, by plane
left from Turku, arrived in Stockholm at 6AM, spent the night (we choose Scandic hotels often, because of the membership card), returned some other day, by plane
left from Helsinki, the cruise ship (Mon-Wed), spent those 5 hours in Stockholm, came back.
Personally, I think I prefer leaving from Turku than leaving from Helsinki, mostly because of the timelines. I have enough time to explore the city in one day and returning back to Helsinki by plane, later in the day.
When I choose to leave from Turku, I make it a day out:
enjoying the city’s history, having coffee and lunch in one of my favorites restaurants
I’ll write anoter blog post about what can you do in Stockholm in a day, in two days or during those 5 hours ashore if you’re cruising back to Helsinki.
Hiya! It's a great trip for kids, especially the smaller ones - music, magicians and play areas. I prefer spending at least one night in Stockholm, sometimes two, because there's always something to do there as it's a much larger city than Helsinki.
This is the kind of travel breakdown I actually save. The timing differences matter more than people admit. Turku looks like the clear win if you want a full day in Stockholm. 🚢🌅🤍