Ferries from Germany connect Baltic and North Sea ports with Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. Travemünde and Rostock form the main German Baltic ferry gateways, while Kiel provides a direct overnight connection with Oslo and Puttgarden links Germany with Denmark.
Network overview: Germany’s passenger ferry network is concentrated in the north. Travemünde connects with Sweden and Finland, Rostock serves Sweden and Denmark, Kiel connects directly with Norway, and Puttgarden provides the short high-frequency crossing to Rødby in Denmark.
Last checked: 7 September 2026.
Current Germany ferry network
Germany forms one of the principal continental gateways into the Scandinavian and Baltic ferry networks.
The main passenger ferry ports are Travemünde, Rostock, Kiel and Puttgarden. Their routes range from the short Puttgarden-Rødby crossing to the long-distance Travemünde-Helsinki service.
Most principal routes carry passengers, private vehicles and commercial freight. German ports also connect indirectly with the wider eastern Baltic network serving countries including Latvia and Lithuania.
Main international passenger ferry routes
| Route | Operator | Network role |
|---|---|---|
| Travemünde-Helsinki | Finnlines | Year-round passenger, vehicle and freight connection with Finland |
| Travemünde-Malmö | Finnlines | Frequent year-round passenger and vehicle connection with Sweden |
| Travemünde-Trelleborg | TT-Line | High-frequency passenger, vehicle and freight route to southern Sweden |
| Rostock-Trelleborg | TT-Line and Stena Line | Major passenger, vehicle and freight corridor between Germany and Sweden |
| Rostock-Gedser | Scandlines | Short passenger and vehicle ferry between Germany and Denmark |
| Puttgarden-Rødby | Scandlines | High-frequency short crossing between Germany and Denmark |
| Kiel-Oslo | Color Line | Overnight passenger and vehicle ferry between Germany and Norway |
Travemünde ferry network
Travemünde, part of Lübeck, is one of Germany’s most important Baltic ferry ports.
Finnlines operates direct passenger and vehicle ferries from Travemünde to Helsinki and Malmö.
TT-Line operates Travemünde-Trelleborg and additional sailings within its wider southern Baltic network.
Travemünde also has an important wider role in the eastern Baltic. Long-distance services from the German Baltic coast connect Germany with Finland, while related southern and eastern Baltic corridors extend towards Latvia and Lithuania.
This makes Travemünde a major gateway for traffic from continental Europe towards Finland, Sweden and the wider Baltic region.
Travemünde-Helsinki
Finnlines operates the direct passenger, vehicle and freight ferry between Travemünde and Helsinki throughout the year.
The crossing is Germany’s principal direct passenger ferry connection with Finland and forms one of the longest regular passenger routes in the Baltic Sea ferry network.
See the Helsinki ferry port guide and Finland ferries for the northern end of the route.
Germany-Sweden ferries
Germany and Sweden are connected by several important passenger and freight corridors.
Finnlines operates Travemünde-Malmö throughout the year, while TT-Line operates both Travemünde-Trelleborg and Rostock-Trelleborg. Stena Line also operates Rostock-Trelleborg.
These routes create a dense southern Baltic network and give road travellers several alternatives for reaching Sweden directly from continental Europe.
They also connect into Sweden’s wider ferry network towards Poland, Latvia, Finland and the Åland Islands.
Rostock ferry network
Rostock is another major German Baltic ferry gateway.
Passenger ferries currently connect Rostock with Trelleborg in Sweden and Gedser in Denmark.
TT-Line and Stena Line serve the Sweden corridor, while Scandlines operates the Denmark route.
Rostock also handles substantial freight and commercial shipping beyond the ordinary passenger ferry network.
Puttgarden-Rødby
Scandlines operates the short ferry between Puttgarden on the German island of Fehmarn and Rødby in Denmark.
The route is one of the shortest major international vehicle ferry crossings in northern Europe and operates frequently throughout the day.
It forms part of the direct road corridor between Germany and Denmark and is also used by travellers continuing towards Sweden.
Kiel-Oslo ferry
Color Line operates the Kiel-Oslo ferry between Germany and Norway.
The route provides Germany with a direct overnight passenger and vehicle connection to the Norwegian capital. It has a different role from the shorter Baltic crossings, combining ordinary transport with a long-distance cruise-ferry experience.
Kiel lies on the Baltic side of northern Germany, while the route continues through the Danish straits and Skagerrak towards Oslo. FerryLines therefore treats it as part of both the German-Norwegian network and the wider North Sea and Scandinavian ferry system.
Explore the Kiel-Oslo ferry route.
Germany and the eastern Baltic
Germany’s ferry network also connects with the eastern side of the Baltic through longer passenger and freight corridors.
Lithuania has a direct passenger and vehicle ferry connection between Klaipėda and Kiel, while Latvia is linked with Germany through the Travemünde-Liepāja corridor.
These routes extend the German ferry network beyond Scandinavia and make northern Germany an important continental gateway for travellers and freight heading towards the Baltic states.
Main ferry ports in Germany
- Travemünde
- Rostock
- Kiel
- Puttgarden
Travemünde and Rostock are the principal Baltic ferry gateways, Kiel provides the direct Norway connection and also links with Lithuania, while Puttgarden serves the short Denmark corridor.
Browse FerryLines ferry port profiles.
Main ferry operators in Germany
- Finnlines
- TT-Line
- Stena Line
- Scandlines
- Color Line
Browse FerryLines ferry operator profiles.
Passenger, vehicle and freight access
Germany’s principal international ferry routes are largely ro-pax services carrying ordinary passengers, cars and commercial freight.
Freight has an especially important role on the Sweden, Finland and eastern Baltic corridors.
FerryLines checks passenger and vehicle access separately because German Baltic ports also handle commercial ro-ro and freight services that do not necessarily accept ordinary passengers.
Seasonality
Most of Germany’s principal international passenger ferry corridors operate throughout the year.
Travemünde-Helsinki, Travemünde-Malmö and the main Sweden and Denmark crossings all have year-round operating patterns, as does the Kiel-Oslo ferry.
Frequency, exact departure times and vessel deployment can still change between seasons.
How Germany fits into the ferry network
Germany acts as one of the principal maritime gateways between continental Europe and Scandinavia.
Travemünde and Rostock connect directly with Sweden, while Travemünde also provides the long-distance route to Finland and links into the eastern Baltic towards Latvia.
Kiel connects Germany directly with Norway through the Kiel-Oslo route and with Lithuania through the Klaipėda-Kiel corridor.
Puttgarden and Rostock connect with Denmark.
This places Germany at the intersection of the Baltic Sea and wider North Sea and Scandinavian ferry networks.
Explore Germany ferry connections
- Kiel-Oslo ferry
- Sweden ferries
- Finland ferries
- Denmark ferries
- Norway ferries
- Latvia ferries
- Lithuania ferries
- Poland ferries
- Baltic Sea ferries
- North Sea ferries
- Browse ferry routes
- Browse ferry ports
- Browse ferry operators
Sources and verification
Current Germany-Finland and Germany-Sweden ferry services were checked against official Finnlines, TT-Line and Stena Line route information.
Germany-Denmark routes were checked against current Scandlines information, while Kiel-Oslo was checked against Color Line.
Route status, frequencies and vessel deployment can change. FerryLines distinguishes current passenger services from freight-only, seasonal, proposed, suspended and discontinued connections.