Ferries between Helsinki and Tallinn provide a frequent year-round passenger and vehicle connection across the Gulf of Finland. Tallink Silja Line, Eckerö Line and Viking Line operate the main city-centre services, with journey times generally around two to two and a half hours.
Current status: Active year-round passenger and vehicle route with multiple departures each day. A separate vehicle-oriented service also operates between Helsinki’s Vuosaari Harbour and Muuga near Tallinn.
Last checked: 7 September 2026.
Current Helsinki-Tallinn ferry service
Helsinki-Tallinn is one of the highest-frequency international passenger ferry corridors in the Baltic Sea.
Tallink Silja Line, Eckerö Line and Viking Line operate passenger and vehicle ferries between the Finnish and Estonian capitals throughout the year.
Tallink Silja Line currently advertises six daily departures across the route. Eckerö Line and Viking Line add further sailings, giving passengers a choice of operators and departure times during much of the day.
The route is used by foot passengers, cars and commercial traffic and serves both point-to-point journeys and short trips between Helsinki and Tallinn.
Helsinki-Tallinn ferry operators
| Operator | Main vessel or vessels | Helsinki terminal | Tallinn terminal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tallink Silja Line | Megastar, MyStar and Victoria I | West Terminal 2 | D-Terminal |
| Eckerö Line | Finlandia | West Terminal 2 | A-Terminal |
| Viking Line | Viking XPRS | Katajanokka Terminal | A-Terminal |
Terminal arrangements can change, so passengers should check their booking and current operator information before travelling.
How long is the Helsinki-Tallinn ferry?
Most direct passenger ferries between Helsinki and Tallinn take around two to two and a half hours.
Journey time depends on the operator, vessel and individual sailing. Tallink’s shuttle ferries are designed for frequent short crossings, while other departures may follow a slightly different timetable.
The route is short enough to support several departures in each direction during the same day.
Tallink Silja Line
Tallink Silja Line operates the largest number of departures on the Helsinki-Tallinn corridor.
Its principal shuttle ferries are Megastar and MyStar. Victoria I also operates on the route during the current 2026 programme.
In Helsinki, Tallink services depart from West Terminal 2. In Tallinn, the operator uses D-Terminal.
Tallink currently advertises six daily departures between Helsinki and Tallinn throughout the year.
Eckerö Line
Eckerö Line operates Finlandia between Helsinki and Tallinn throughout the year.
The ferry departs from West Terminal 2 in Helsinki and uses Tallinn’s A-Terminal.
Several departures operate on many days, providing an alternative to Tallink’s shuttle services.
Eckerö Line also operates a separate vehicle-oriented route between Vuosaari and Muuga using Finbo Cargo. That service should be treated separately from the city-centre Helsinki-Tallinn passenger route.
Viking Line
Viking Line operates between Helsinki and Tallinn with Viking XPRS.
Unlike Tallink Silja Line and Eckerö Line, Viking Line uses Katajanokka Terminal in Helsinki rather than West Terminal 2.
This terminal distinction is important for passengers because the two harbour areas are in different parts of Helsinki.
Helsinki ferry terminals
There are two main Helsinki departure terminals for the city-centre Tallinn route.
- West Terminal 2 – Tallink Silja Line and Eckerö Line
- Katajanokka Terminal – Viking Line
West Terminal 2 is at Helsinki’s West Harbour. Katajanokka Terminal is on the eastern side of the city centre.
See the Helsinki ferry port guide for terminal addresses, operators and the wider Helsinki ferry network.
Tallinn ferry terminals
Tallinn passenger ferries use different terminals depending on the operator.
Tallink Silja Line uses D-Terminal, while Eckerö Line and Viking Line use A-Terminal for their Helsinki services.
Both terminal areas are close to central Tallinn, but passengers should check the correct terminal before departure.
See the Tallinn ferry port guide for more information.
Passengers and vehicles
The principal Helsinki-Tallinn ferries accept both foot passengers and private vehicles.
Cars, motorcycles and other permitted vehicles can be booked on the main services, while commercial freight is also an important part of the corridor.
Check-in arrangements differ for foot passengers and vehicles, and vehicle passengers generally need to arrive earlier than passengers travelling without a car.
Vuosaari-Muuga alternative
Motorists also have an alternative connection between the Helsinki and Tallinn regions.
Eckerö Line operates Finbo Cargo between Vuosaari Harbour in eastern Helsinki and Muuga Harbour east of Tallinn.
This is not an ordinary foot-passenger service. Passengers must travel in a pre-booked motorised vehicle, and foot passengers and bicycles are not accepted.
The route can be useful for motorists and freight traffic that do not need to travel through the central passenger ports.
Seasonality and frequency
Helsinki-Tallinn operates throughout the year and is much less seasonal than many European ferry routes.
Frequency can still vary by operating period, maintenance programme and day of the week. Additional or altered departures can also appear around holiday periods.
Passengers should therefore use the current operator timetable for exact departure times rather than relying on a fixed number of daily sailings throughout the year.
How Helsinki-Tallinn fits into the Baltic network
The Helsinki-Tallinn corridor forms the principal passenger link across the Gulf of Finland.
Helsinki connects the route with wider Finnish ferry services towards Sweden and Germany, while Tallinn connects with Estonia’s domestic transport network and the overnight ferry to Stockholm.
This makes Helsinki-Tallinn an important link between the Finnish and Estonian ferry networks and one of the core routes within the Baltic Sea ferry network.
Alternative ferry connections
For motorists, Vuosaari-Muuga provides an alternative to travelling through the central Helsinki and Tallinn passenger terminals.
Passengers travelling farther west can also use overnight ferry connections from Helsinki or Tallinn towards Stockholm, although these serve a different journey and should not be considered direct alternatives to Helsinki-Tallinn.
Explore related ferry information
- Helsinki ferry port
- Tallinn ferry port
- Finland ferries
- Estonia ferries
- Baltic Sea ferries
- Browse ferry routes
- Browse ferry operators
- Latest ferry news
Sources and verification
Current Helsinki departures, vessels and terminal use were checked against Port of Helsinki departure information and official 2026 information from Tallink Silja Line, Eckerö Line and Viking Line.
Tallink Silja Line currently advertises six daily Helsinki-Tallinn departures and uses West Terminal 2 in Helsinki. Eckerö Line also uses West Terminal 2 for Finlandia, while Viking Line uses Katajanokka Terminal.
Routes, departure times, terminals and vessel assignments can change. Current operator and port information should be checked before travel.