If you are looking for a new experience, traveling Scandinavia by ferry is for you. This type of vacation has many advantages. First, it saves money. For example, a cabin for four costs a little more than 150 €, so traveling this way is not only more profitable, but also more fun. You won't be bored on the deck of the ferry for sure. The ship has everything: restaurants, bars, slot machines, internet cafes, a TV area and even a Finnish sauna. Also, do not overlook the duty-free shop, where you can buy a bottle of high-quality and inexpensive alcohol on the road. You can get to Helsinki by ferry from St. Petersburg. And from Helsinki you can take another ferry to Stockholm.
All prices in the article are in euros
Ferry Saint Petersburg - Helsinki
For two years the route St. Petersburg - Helsinki was closed due to the crisis. But in April 2010, the ferry service between Russia and Finland was resumed, the ferry operator was the company St. Peter Line... In addition to the St. Petersburg - Helsinki flight, from August 4, 2011, the capital of Finland can be reached by the St. Petersburg - Stockholm ferry, which will make a stop at the port of Helsinki. For the schedule of this flight, see the section St. Petersburg - Stockholm.
You can take a cruise from St. Petersburg to Helsinki from 23 March 2019 by ferry "Princess Anastasia" on cruises Petersburg - Helsinki and Petersburg - Helsinki - Tallinn - Stockholm - Helsinki - Petersburg.
Schedule of the ferry "Princess Anastasia" for 2019
St. Peter Line offers two options for cruises through Helsinki, which take two or five days.
| Ferry St. Petersburg - Helsinki - St. Petersburg(from 23 March 2019, departs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for a 2-day cruise) | |||
| March | 23, 29, 31 | August | 2, 8, 10, 16, 22, 24, 30 |
| April | 4, 6, 12, 18, 20, 26 | September | 5, 7, 13, 19, 21, 27 |
| May | 3, 5, 16, 18, 24 | October | 3,5, 11, 17, 19, 25, 31 |
| June | 1, 7, 13, 15, 21, 27 | November | 2, 8, 14, 16, 22, 28, 30 |
| July | 5, 11, 13, 19, 25, 27 | December | 6, 12, 14, 20, 26, 28 |
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| St Petersburg-Helsinki | Saint Petersburg | Helsinki | Saint Petersburg | Helsinki |
| Departure | 19:00 | 18:00 | 9:00 | 18:00 |
| Arrival | 9:00 | 8:00 | 19:00 | 8:00 |
| Monday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| St Petersburg-Helsinki | Saint Petersburg | Saint Petersburg | Helsinki | Saint Petersburg |
| Departure | 19:00 | 19:00 | 18:00 | 18:00 |
| Arrival | 9:00 | 9:00 | 8:00 | 9:00 |
| Petersburg - Tallinn - Stockholm - Helsinki - Petersburg (from March 25, departure on Mondays and Sundays for a cruise of 5 days). | |||
| March | 25, 31 | ||
| April | 8, 14, 22, 28 | September | 1, 9, 15, 23, 29 |
| May | 12, 20, 26 | October | 7, 13, 21, 27 |
| June | 3, 9, 17, 23 | November | 4, 10, 18, 24 |
| July | 1, 7, 15, 22, 29 | December | 2, 8, 16, 22, 30 |
| August | 4, 12, 18, 26 | ||
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | ||
| Saint Petersburg | Helsinki | Tallinn | Stockholm | Helsinki | Saint Petersburg | |
| Departure | 18:00 | 07:00 | 12:30 | 09:30 | 11:30 | 09:00 |
| Arrival | 9:00 | 08:30 | 18:30 | 17:30 | 19:00 | - |
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| Saint Petersburg | Tallinn | Stockholm | Helsinki | Saint Petersburg | |
| Departure | 19:00 | 18:30 | 17:30 | 19:30 | 19:00 |
| Arrival | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:30 | 11:30 | 09:00 |
From April 28 to May 12, 2019, the cruise includes a call to Riga. So the schedule is as follows:
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| Saint Petersburg | Tallinn | Riga | Stockholm | Helsinki | Saint Petersburg | |
| Departure | 19:00 | 16:00 | 16:30 | 17:30 | 19:00 | 19:00 |
| Arrival | 9:00 | 9:00 | 10:30 | 11:30 | 11:30 | 09:00 |
* Schedules are local time. Finnish and Estonian time in summer has no difference with Moscow time, the difference with Swedish summer time is an hour ago. In winter, the time differs from Finnish and Estonian - 1 hour ago, from Swedish - 2 hours ago.
departs from St. Petersburg from the Marine Station (V.O., Square of Morskoy Glory, building 1). You must have a valid passport and a Schengen visa with you.
The cost of tickets and transportation of vehicles one way on the line St. Petersburg - Helsinki 2019
Passenger carriage prices vary depending on the date and type of cabin, on average - 150-800 euros per cabin one way (in low season the figures drop to 100 euros).
the official website of St. Peter Line.
When traveling there and back, the total cost is added up.
| Vehicle type | Price in Euro (one way) | |||
| 25.03-31.05, 1.10-31.10 |
01.06-30.06, 01.09-30.09 |
|||
| Car / trailer / motorcycle with sidecar (max. 5 m. Length and max. 1.9 m. Height) | 21 | 26 | 34 | 21 |
| Car / trailer / SUV / van (max. 5 m. Length and max. 2.4 m. Height) | 105 | 44 | 56 | 35 |
| Passenger car / trailer / mobile home (max. 6 m. Length and 2.4 m. Height) | 70 | 88 | 112 | 70 |
| Motorhome (height 2.4 m, length 6-7 meters) | 105 | 131 | 168 | 105 |
| Motorhome (height 2.4 m, length up to 12 meters) | 196 | 245 | 314 | 196 |
| Motorcycle / moped | 16 | 20 | 27 | 16 |
Ferry Saint Petersburg - Stockholm
Transportation is carried out by St. Peter Line ”on the ferry“ Princess Anastasia ”.
Departure from St. Petersburg: every four days at 19.00 on Sundays and Mondays. Arrival in Stockholm, respectively: on the third day at 9.30.
Departure from Stockholm is carried out every four days at 17.30, arrival in St. Petersburg - on the third day at 9.00. Ferry timetable Saint Petersburg - Stockholm 2019.
Sunset in Helsinki
From August 4, 2011 the ferry St. Petersburg - Stockholm makes a stop at the port of Helsinki and Tallinn. Departure from St. Petersburg every four days. For the ferry departing on Monday, arrival in Helsinki at 11.30 on Thursday, departure for Tallinn on the same day at 18.30, arrival in Stockholm the next day at 9.30. Departure for Helsinki at 17.30. And from Helsinki, departure to St. Petersburg at 19.00. Cruises on Sundays: ferry arrival on Monday in Helsinki at 7.00 and Tallinn at 12.30, on Tuesday - Stockholm at 9.30 am. On Wednesday the ferry arrives in Helsinki at 11.30 and returns to St. Petersburg at 9.00.
Entry into Tallinn
Departure from Helsinki on Monday at 19.00, arrival in Tallinn on Tuesday at 9.00, departure from Tallinn on the same day at 18.30, arrival in Stockolm on Wednesday at 9.30. For ferries departing on Sunday: departure at 18.00, on Monday call at Helsinki (7.00) and Tallinn (12.30).
Schedule of the ferry departing on Mondays from St. Petersburg:
| Direction | Departure | Arrival |
| Saint Petersburg - Tallinn | 19:00 | 9:00 |
| Tallinn - Stockholm | 9:00 | 18:30 |
| Stockholm - Helsinki | 17:30 | 9:30 |
| Helsinki-St Petersburg | 19:00 | 11:30 |
The schedule of the ferry departing on Sundays from St. Petersburg:
| Direction | Departure | Arrival |
| Saint Petersburg - Helsinki | 18:00 | 9:00 |
| Helsinki - Tallinn | 8:30 | 7:00 |
| Tallinn - Stockholm | 18:30 | 9:30 |
| Stockholm - Helsinki | 17:30 | 9:30 |
| Helsinki - Saint Petersburg | 19:00 | 11:30 |
Ferry prices St. Petersburg - Stockholm (one way)
The prices shown are per cabin in Euros. The cost of transporting a car / trailer / motorcycle with a sidecar (max. 5 m. Length and max. 1.9 m. Height) starts from 21 euros one way. Passenger carriage prices vary depending on the date and type of cabins, on average - 119-160 euros one way (in low season prices can go down to 30 euros).
You can find out the final cost of your trip using the form on the official website of St. Peter Line.
Also keep in mind that the price of the cabin does not include breakfast and dinner, they are paid additionally (12-26 euros).
Ferry Helsinki - Stockholm
If the direct route from St. Petersburg to Stockholm is not for you, then you can take the ferry first to Helsinki, then, after walking around the city, continue your journey to Stockholm. And those who find themselves in Helsinki and have a spare time can not limit their travel to the capital of Finland, from which you can get to the capital of another country - Sweden by the same type of transport (by ferry). Ferries of two large companies operate from Helsinki to Stockholm: Silja line and Viking Line.
VIKING LINE
This company carries out the transportation of passengers on the ferries Mariella and Gabriella. Calls are also made at Marienhamn (Västerhamn West Port).
Ferry schedule: 01.01-12.06.2019, 12.08.2019 - 10.06.2020, 10.08-31.12.2020
Ferry schedule: 13.06-11.08.2019, 11.06-09.08.2020
The current schedule of Viking Line ferries is on the page.
Passenger ticket prices
The cost of tickets is initial and depends on the day and time of departure, as well as on the occupancy of the vessel. The exact cost can be found when booking online on the official website.
SILJA LINE
Schedule for 1.1-31.5, 1.9-31.12.2019
Schedule for 1.06-31.08.2019
Ships departing from Helsinki by day in 2019
| Silja serenade | Silja symphony | ||
| Month | 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12 |
I II |
II I |
| I - on odd days, II - on even days | |||
For the current schedule of the Silja Line ferry, follow the link.
Fare Helsinki - Stockholm (or vice versa)
The cost is valid for outbound and / or return travel. These trips do not have to be a cruise, which means that the return does not take place the next day and on a different vessel. For a round trip, the total cost is calculated by adding up.
Separate male and female seats can be purchased only in two- or four-seater standard cabins of class B and C. In this case, the cost per person will be calculated according to the formula: the cost of the ticket is the cost of the cabin divided by the number of seats in the given cabin, that is, by 2 or 4. In special cabins (for disabled people and allergy sufferers) female and male seats are not reserved.
If an adult passenger wants to travel with a child in male or female seats, the child must be over 15 years old. Family cabins are provided for two adults and three to four children.
You can find out the cost of a cabin on the Helsinki-Stockholm route (or vice versa) using the online booking system on the official website. Since 2013, Silja Line has moved away from fixed prices.
Ports of arrival in Stockholm
There are three ports in which the above ferries arrive in Stockholm: the port of Värtahamn or Värtan, the Freehamn terminal and the Stadsgården terminal (aka the Viking Line terminal).
Thus, the ferries of the Tallink Silja M / S Victoria I and M / S Baltic Queen (serving the Tallinn-Stockholm line), as well as M / S Silja Serenade and M / S Silja Symphony (the Helsinki-Stockholm line) arrive at the port of Värtan.
Tallink Silja ferries M / S Romantika and M / S Silja Festival (Riga - Stockholm line) arrive at the Freehamn terminal. The ferry "Princess Anastasia" of the St. Peter Line, operating on the St. Petersburg - Stockholm line, also arrives at the Freehamn terminal in Stockholm.
Viking Line ferries arrive at their own terminal in Stockholm - the Viking Line terminal, also known as the port of Stadsgården.
Saint Petersburg - Tallinn
By sea, the route from St. Petersburg to Tallinn and back can be overcome using the comfortable ferry of St. PeterLine "Princess Anastasia".
Ferry "Princess Anastasia" follows the route St. Petersburg - Tallinn - Stockholm - Helsinki - St. Petersburg departs on Mondays. On Sundays there is a route through Helsinki: St. Petersburg - Helsinki - Tallinn - Stockholm - Helsinki - St. Petersburg.
Departure from St. Petersburg: every four days on Monday at 19.00 and Sunday at 18.00. For ferries departing on Monday: arrival in Tallinn at 9.00, departure for Stockholm at 18.30. Arrival on Wednesday in Stockholm at 9.30, arrival on Thursday in Helsinki at 11.30, return to St. Petersburg on Friday at 9.00. For Sunday ferries: departure from Helsinki on Monday at 8.30, arrival in Tallinn on the same day at 12.30, departure from Tallinn on the same day at 18.30. Arrival in Stockholm on Tuesday at 9.30 am, on Wednesday at 11.30 - arrival in Helsinki. The ferry arrives in St. Petersburg on Thursday at 9.00.
Schedule of the ferry "Princess Anastasia" from St. Petersburg to Helsinki - departure on Monday:
| Direction | Departure | Arrival |
| Saint Petersburg - Tallinn | 19:00 | 9:00 |
| Tallinn - Stockholm | 18:30 | 9:00 |
| Stockholm - Helsinki | 17:30 | 9:30 |
| Helsinki - Saint Petersburg | 19:00 | 11:30 |
Schedule of the ferry "Princess Anastasia" from St. Petersburg to Helsinki - departure on Sunday:
The cost of a cabin on the route St. Petersburg - Tallinn - from 150 euros, depending on the class of the cabin.
In St. Petersburg, the ferry arrives at the "Marine Station" (Morskoy Glory Square, 1). In Tallinn - to the Passenger seaport, terminal "A". The schedule of all liners calling at the Passenger Port of St. Petersburg is available here.
Cruises from St. Petersburg
When creating the material, the information of the companies “St. Peter Line ","Viking Line» and "Silja Line".
Since both traveled by this type of transport for the first time, already having a paid ticket in my hands, in search of useful information and advice, I re-read the entire thread with reviews. And as you can see for yourself - the opinions are very ambiguous. My review will be positive. Still, there were much more positive impressions than shortcomings, and in fact there was only one unpleasant moment.
- Accommodation, meals and prices
We traveled on the route St. Petersburg-Helsinki-St. Petersburg (36 hours), in mid-December. We chose a class A cabin, that is, a standard one, designed for 4 people (although, to be honest, I can’t imagine how four of us can normally fit there, especially if you visit more than 1 city), not of superior comfort, but with a window and located in a quiet wing. In principle, for a mini-trip for 2 people in the price-quality ratio, this is the very thing.
When buying a voucher, you are offered to buy breakfast / lunch (buffet). Price - 28 euros (and at the current exchange rate it is ~ 2000 rubles) for 1 dinner per person. You can pay for the buffet and already on the ferry, but it will be even more expensive. In total, a ticket for two cost 17.5 thousand rubles. Taking into account the round trip, accommodation in a cabin, fuel surcharge, buffet at 1 pm - this is very acceptable.
Now about some points separately:
- Registration. The ferry from St. Petersburg departs at 19.00. Passenger check-in starts at 14.00. One hour before sailing, you need to be on board. We decided to arrive at 16.00. As a result, the registration procedure / passing through customs and checking on the ferry took a maximum of 20 minutes. No queues, crowds of people. Everything is calm and fast.
- What can I not take with me and can I take food? This question worried most of all before the trip. It is strictly forbidden to take with you electrical appliances such as hair dryers / kettles / boilers. A hairdryer can be rented on a deposit (20 euros or 1000 rubles) at the reception, hot water can be borrowed for free from the buffet on deck 6. Alcohol will also be taken from you upon boarding and given back when you arrive in Helsinki or back to St. Petersburg. Food and soft drinks are much simpler. Nobody checked or selected them. So if you want to save money on dinner on the day of departure, then you can have a hearty meal in some restaurant near the Marine Station during the day, and take something light with you for the evening.
- Ferry and cabins. Since I have not traveled on ferries before, there is nothing to compare with. Yes, it is clear that it was not built in this century, but everything is cozy, clean, well decorated. I'm not particularly picky, so I can't find fault with the cabins either - it's clean, light, there is an outlet (though we found out that it didn't work when we checked in, but we informed the girl at the reception and after half an hour everything worked), 2 mirrors, hooks and clothes hangers, stool and bedside table. The shower room is very small, but there are no problems with water (the main thing is not to forget the rubber slippers, since the floor is cold, and even without them it is not very hygienic). The air conditioner works (although it is ancient and it is not immediately clear how to set it up). Maid service daily while you are out for a walk.
This is how "Princess Anastasia" looks up close. We didn't even expect it to be so huge
- Nutrition issue. How to save money? Is the buffet worth the money and does it make sense to take it? As I said above, we took the buffet only on Saturday evening (for "late dinner", that is, the 2nd shift - from 20.00-22.00). On Friday evening, we got along with snacks bought at Duty free and taken with us cookies and chocolate. On Saturday we had breakfast in the buffet Bake& Coffee... A good portion of omelet or porridge will cost 3 euros. With bacon / sausages - at 5-6. We already dined in the city. We chose a small cafe with a buffet, where you can have a very satisfying and very tasty meal for 12 euros. By 20.00 went to the buffet on the ferry. There was a queue, of course, but there weren't such horrors as in some reviews. We defended for 10-15 minutes, collected food, calmly took seats at the window (by the way, the table was long, but in the end no one sat down with us or interfered with us in 2 hours). The food was fresh (except perhaps toasted bread), tasty (except for pizza with an incomprehensible dough), and varied. I didn’t like the wine - it’s just awful, both white and red. But the beer is good - undiluted. Quality tea for every taste and variety of lemonades. Officially, you cannot take anything with you. But unofficially, I saw how many took with them fruits, teas and all sorts of small things. One girl calmly went out with a glass of wine and no one said a word to her. Therefore, for myself, I concluded that we acted very wisely by paying only 1 such dinner. If you count the buffet in 2 breakfasts and 2 dinners, then converting into rubles, it will take ~ 10 thousand rubles in 1.5 days. This is for 1 person and for a meal only on the ferry. And in any case, you will want to eat in the city. So for me it is very unprofitable to include a full meal in the price of the tour.
- Smoking. Smoking is of course prohibited in cabins / bars / corridors. Therefore, you will have to go to deck 8.
- What to do on the ferry? There is a lot of entertainment. For every taste and wallet. From cafes / restaurants to cinema, beauty salon and casino. On the way to the cabin, you can meet someone in shorts / T-shirt and rubber flip flops, followed by a girl in an evening dress, on high heels and in full dress. And, perhaps, if you want to go to the club in the evening, then it makes sense to take something light and elegant with you. Of course, many are drawn to Duty Free. I advise you to go there between 00.00 and 01.00 at night, when there is a minimum of people.
In addition to city maps, at the reception you can take leaflets with programs for the evening
- Communication and Wi-Fi. Mobile communication on the ferry is good. Up to the roaming zone, you can safely call / climb on the mobile Internet. Wi-Fi is paid. And it is absolutely unprofitable to buy it (almost 200 rubles / hour) and very inconvenient (it works only in the lobby on deck 6). For Megafon operators on such trips, I personally advise you to take a package of 25 minutes in roaming (Europe) for 350 rubles, and if you need the Internet, then catch Wi-Fi in cafes and shopping centers in the city.
- Arriving in Helsinki, we got off the ferry very quickly. If you are not going to stay in the city, then all things can be safely left in the cabin. In total, we spent 5 hours in the city. This is quite enough to walk, see the main attractions, go shopping. We got back onto the ferry very quickly. What surprised us was that they did not even check our shopping bags.
- But the minus surfaced when they returned to their homeland. They stood at passport control for more than an hour. Organizations / announcements, as usual, no. It is unclear how many windows are open, a huge crowd of people and it is unclear who is standing where. As a result, as usually happens in this case, the "smartest" decided that there was no queue at all and went ahead. Therefore, you must either run to the beginning of the exit to land, or sit in the cabin / cafe for hours until it stops and wait until most of the people have already left.
But in general, I was very pleased. An excellent and, if not chic, then an inexpensive way to add variety to workdays, change the environment for a while, relax and have a good time with friends.
Only one ferry, Princess Anastasia, now operates from St. Petersburg to Helsinki (as well as Stockholm and Tallinn). Until 2017, there were two ferries - Princess Maria and Princess Anastasia. Maria was sent to the Mediterranean Sea, and Anastasia was remade in the Italian style, including with the invitation of an Italian chef.
Schedule of the ferry "Princess Anastasia" from St. Petersburg
The schedule of Princess Anastasia is quite convenient in such a way as to combine two "circles" during the week:
- for those wishing to take a cruise Petersburg - Helsinki - Tallinn - Stockholm - Helsinki - Petersburg (or from any point to any point within this route);
- for those who need to drive only to Helsinki and back, than for one day - Saturday, and you spend two nights on the ferry, that is, of all costs - only ticket and fees and meals on board (not included in the price). True, about the chosen day, the moment is controversial, since in Helsinki you will only have 10 hours (this time includes getting from the ferry to the center and back), and besides, many shops in the capital of Finland are closed on Saturday. On the other hand, not everyone needs to return to St. Petersburg.
The ferry Princess Anastasia arrives from St. Petersburg to the Western port of Helsinki. For details on where this port is located and how to get to the city center, see.
The ferry departs from the Marine Station, which is located on Vasilievsky Island. Its address: Morskoy Glory Square, 1. It is best to get to it from the Primorskaya metro station by minibus 690. Exit the metro, walk 50 meters straight, cross the road, and catch a minibus there.
Important: if you have a round-trip ticket, you can sail on the ferry, having only a foreign passport, without a visa, you simply cannot go ashore at the port of arrival.
What is good about the ferry from the point of view of logistics: in general, it is not more expensive than a train and aviation, and sometimes not much more expensive (with sales) than even a bus or minibus. But unlike other modes of transport, on the ferry you can sleep in peace and go shopping fresh, literally from the ship to Stockmann.
Does the ferry feel sick?
The girls at the disco on the ferry prefer to take off their high-heeled shoes and dance barefoot, because sometimes the ferry sways robustly on the waves. It happens that some citizens get seasick, but not badly, the ferry is too big for that. If, of course, you drink, then you get more seasick. Employees with weak vestibular apparatus (albeit in good health) traveled from the editorial office of "Okna to Petersburg" at one time on Princess Maria - and nothing, everything was the way. But take the pills for motion sickness just in case.
Cabins on the ferry Princess Anastasia
Prices depend on the type of travel: one way, round trip or cruise, as well as the time of departure and the depth of booking, plus promotions and special offers regularly happen. Before and during holidays, especially during the New Year period, or in July-August it is more expensive.
Cabin classes in ascending order of comfort: B2V, F, B2, B3, B4, A2, A4, CO2 (Commodore), Deluxe and Suite. The cheapest have no windows as everything is below the waterline. To imagine how it is in practice, imagine a train compartment with only a toilet and shower. It can be stuffy, but generally not bad. Very well suited for a group of friends who want to save money. There are those that look like a compartment in a train, only bigger than F and B, you can enjoy the views of the Baltic Sea - starting with class A. De Luxe is such a good room in a four-star hotel.
According to the rules, alcoholic beverages are not allowed on board. Moreover, on the website of St. PeterLine is asked not to buy alcoholic beverages in the shop at Morskoy Vokzal in advance, because the Duty free Sea Shop is open on board. We didn’t compare the price tag there and there, but in principle it’s inexpensive in the "dutik".
If you travel around the islands, want to see the Norwegian fjords, or prefer to drive on vacation with your vehicle, be it bike / motorcycle / car, then ferry is the way to go. We will tell you how to fit it into your itinerary and not screw it up in different countries - from Croatia to Norway.
How it works?
Traveling with your own vehicle makes booking a ferry much like a regular flight. The already familiar rules apply: the earlier you book, the cheaper; during the season, prices rise sharply, and tickets immediately end; the larger the transport, the more you will pay for it, and so on.
It is much easier for hikers on foot - there is almost always a place on board for you and your backpack.
The price is also formed in different ways: for a "pedestrian" it is the cost of space on the deck, and this is quite budgetary compared to flights to the same island.
For the rest, the fare includes the price for a parking space for transport (directly related to dimensions, the car will cost at least € 30 on short crossings and at least € 50 on long ones), and also reserved places on the deck according to the number of passengers - depending on the number of hours spent on board. Often a certain number of passengers are already included in the price of a car. Pay attention to this so as not to buy too much!
With the purchased ticket or its number, go to the port. "Pedestrians" should arrive at least half an hour before departure. For motorists - in an hour or two, depending on the size of the port. Loading hundreds of cars onto a ship is a jewelry logistic process. Don't worry if the next line is moving faster. The best thing you can do is to patiently stand in your line, pump humility and follow the directions of the staff.
Once you have parked, immediately take all the things you need on board. Better to pack a separate small bag. During the crossing, it is strictly forbidden to go down to the parking lot.
Catamarans and dolphins
Vessels, which we indiscriminately refer to as "ferries", are divided into at least three categories:
Ferry
a large and slow ship, transports both people and cars. Due to its massiveness, it will survive the bad weather quite calmly, the probability of flight cancellation is minimal, but it will spend a lot of time. It is found everywhere: from international routes to crossing to Estonian Saaremaa.
Catamaran
a lighter version of the ferry, carrying only passengers. Catamarans are more common on routes within the country, in Greece and Croatia, where they are more likely to be public transport, a kind of water trolleybuses. Average in all respects - speed, stability on waves, length of the route.
Dolphin (Flying Dolphins (Hydrofoils))
a boat that picks up speed and almost flies over the waves. This is the so-called "dolphin". It accommodates 150-1000 people and is very at risk of flight cancellations due to weather. The forecast is slightly worsening - and the flight on such a ferry is canceled for safety reasons. They are found exclusively on short crossings no more than 90 minutes long.
How to buy a ticket?
Once again, for pedestrians there is always the opportunity to buy a ticket on the spot. If not in the port itself before departure, then at many small operators, whose offices are scattered around the port. This is how it works, for example, in Greece. Above each office there is a sign with a list of all operators for whose flights a ticket can be purchased there.
And if you already know that you are traveling by car and want to plan everything in advance, then you should start with this interactive map, which will help you figure out which port is closer to your destination.
Information about international flights can be easily found on the sites:
aferry.co.uk
ferrylines.com
directferries.co.uk
Again, act on the principle of buying plane tickets: find a flight in the aggregator, buy on the carrier's website.
Now online booking for ferries is becoming more adequate, but the listed aggregators show significantly less information on domestic flights. Not everything can still be loaded at crossings within the country. It is better to look for them on the aggregators of the country from which you are going to go (read below).
How to save?
Early booking helps to save on travel. If you like to take risks, then the last tickets right before departure can also be snatched out with a serious discount. Prices for crossings during off-season and weekdays also differ in price.
To help you save money:
ferrysavers.com- search engine for cheap tickets;
aferry.co.uk- special offers from the most popular ferry ticket aggregator.
For example, you can catch discounts on car transportation, find out about the start of sales on the Dover - France route, popular for Europeans (at the start, £ 39), or get a free breakfast on board.
A similar tab is often found on the websites of carriers, so before buying a ticket, check if there is anything tasty in the "Company News" section.
How to travel by ferry in different countries?
Greece
greekferries.gr
ferriesingreece.com
ferries.gr
letsferry.gr
greeceferries.com
ferryconnection.com
greeka.com
Yes, these are all agencies. And they all have one advantage over booking on the companies' website. In case of flight cancellation, they offer you a choice of flights from all operators represented by the agency, while the carrier will only offer options from their flights.
When booking, pay attention to the information on where exactly you can get your ticket. If you feel completely insecure, here's to you extremely.
Do not forget that water transport is highly dependent on the weather at sea, and in Greece, crossings in bad weather are prohibited by law. Plan to return to the continent a couple of days before your departure so you don't have to worry about canceled flights.
A map will help you to understand the numerous ports of Greece, but we will only leave here information about the departure from. There are three ports at your disposal:
Piraeus is the main port, departing on almost all main routes, and the only one to which public transport leads (the green metro line (station of the same name), commuter trains and buses).
Rafina - northeast of Athens, the second busiest port. Located close to the airport. Ideal for departures to the Cyclades (Andros, Tinos, Mykonos).
Lavrion - an hour's drive from Athens, suitable for departures to Kea, Kythnos, Lemnos, Ay-Stratis.
How to navigate the places on the ferry?
The most budgetary option is open deck and economy seats. Places on the deck where you can easily unfold your tent or sleeping bag and lie down for your pleasure, or inside, at the tables of bars. You can't camp there, but you can comfortably triple at the tables. It is not necessary to buy something at the bar. Seats are not assigned to passengers. If you paid for one of these seats, but when you lifted up to the deck, everything is already taken, - sorry, but you will have to settle down on the floor. This is the cost of saving.
There is an option of seating on armchairs, like on an airplane. There, the seats are fixed for the passenger, they will not be taken by someone more nimble. Seats in business class, as usual, are more spacious, but they cost 50% more. Well, no one canceled the cabins.
Croatia
In addition to Greece, ferries are taken for granted in Croatia. Let's stipulate right away: there are no direct flights from Greece to Croatia. But if you like difficult routes, you can sail from Greece to Italy and travel to Croatia from there (although it will cost a pretty penny).
In Croatia, dealing with ferries is much easier. For a long time, the Jadrolinija company was the monopoly of ferry transportation. Now it is a national, but far from the only ferry carrier. Competitors cover smaller service areas but offer a healthy alternative in terms of scheduling.
Mia Tours: Zadar - Premuda, Silba and Olib;
G & V Line: catamarans from Dubrovnik to Sipan and Mljet, Korcula and Lastovo, as well as from Zadar to the nearby islands;
Kapetan luka: catamarans from Split to Vis via Hvar and from Split to Brač, Hvar, Korcula, Mljet, Dubrovnik and Rijeka).
You can find everything related to ferries in Croatia on the main thematic site croatiaferries.com... There you will also see a convenient tab with price tags, but the booking on this portal does not work well, so use the websites of the carrier companies. Here, too, it is possible that not all flights have tickets online. Therefore, if nothing is found right, you can still try your luck before departure or in the offices of companies.
Please note that having a ticket does not guarantee your car will get on the ferry during the high season (July-August), because there are sorely lack of seats. We'll have to wait for the next flight. It makes sense to arrive and get in line early, or call the Jadrolinija office and ask how things are with the queue. Passengers will be able to get on board in any case, but you need to arrive at boarding at least half an hour before departure.
Italy
The only country with which Croatia has a sea connection is Italy. You can plan your trip from the continent to the peninsula through the many ports that take you to (from the ports of Piran, Pula, Porec, Rovinj, Umag in the north of the country, the crossing will cost approximately € 60-80 per pedestrian), Ancona port (from Split , Old Town, and Zadar for € 50), to Trieste (from Pula and Rovinj), Pescara (Hvar), to Bari (Dubrovnik).
Probably few people think of Italy as a place to drive to the islands. Meanwhile, the proud inhabitants of Sardinia will gladly tell and show their homeland. There you can find monuments to many eras (necropolises of the Phoenicians, amphitheaters and baths of the Romans, towers and fortresses of the Pisans and Genoese), the most fashionable resorts in Italy, the most beautiful wild and unspoiled city beaches. The cheapest way to get to all this beauty is from Palermo and Naples (about € 45 for a “walking” passenger, € 120 for a car). Local carriers will take cheaper - up to € 70 with a car).
And of course, Sicily. Crossings 16 times a day at € 7-16 per passenger on foot. And if you are not too lazy and look for local carriers, you can get there for € 3.50 per person.
To find local carriers in Italy, use the sites:
Imporant to remember - the time of each stage and necessary documents for them.
Pay attention:
For owners of private vehicles (the car) is designated a special time.
Once the landing time ends up, the passenger will not be able to get on board, so stick to the recommended schedules below.
Dear passengers, we ask you to plan your time for connecting flights and transfers in advance. The Carrier is not liable for damages caused by cancellation of flights and transfers due to schedule changes. Detailed terms of carriage are presented in the section
Schedule for Princess Anastasia| PORT | ARRIVAL | DEPARTURE | |
| Monday | St. Petersburg | 09:00 | 19:00 |
| Tuesday | Tallinn | 09:00 | 18:30 |
| Wednesday | Stockholm | 09:30 | 17:30 |
| Thursday | Helsinki | 11:30 | 19:00 |
| Friday | St. Petersburg | 09:00 | 19:00 |
| Saturday | Helsinki | 08:00 | 18:00 |
| Sunday | St. Petersburg | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| Monday | Helsinki | 07:00 | 08:30 |
| Monday | Tallinn | 12:30 | 18:30 |
| Tuesday | Stockholm | 09:30 | 17:30 |
| Wednesday | Helsinki | 11:30 | 19:00 |
| Thursday | St. Petersburg | 09:00 | 19:00 |
| Friday | Helsinki | 08:00 | 18:00 |
| Saturday | St. Petersburg | 09:00 | 19:00 |
| Sunday | Helsinki | 08:00 | 18:00 |
Check-in for the passengers of Princess Anastasia
| Saint Petersburg | Helsinki | Tallinn | Stockholm | |
| Passengers |
Sunday 14: 00-17: 00 | Monday 07: 00-08: 00 Wednesday / Thursday 15: 00-18: 30 Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Tuesday / Wednesday 14:00-17:00 |
|
| Private cars | Monday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday Sunday 15: 00-17: 00 | Monday 07: 00-08: 00 Wednesday / ThursdayFriday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday / Tuesday | Tuesday / Wednesday |
| Freight transportт (CARGO) | Monday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday Sunday 09: 30-17: 00 | Monday / Tuesday | Tuesday / Wednesday 11:00-17:00 |
Starting from 06/19/2018 the car check-in takes place in a new location, the entrance from the Logi str. Please see the plan.
Operational schedule for Princess Anastasia
Due to the immigration formalities general disembarkation starts 30 minutes after the scheduled arrival time. Please be advised that deck 4 will be closed before that time, so we kindly ask you to not come to the gangway before the general disembarkation announcement is done. But car owners must proceed to the car deck before arrival time.
You can get to know the details of priority disembarkation in the cruise program on the information desk (6 deck).
| City | Saint Petersburg | Helsinki | Tallinn | Stockholm |
| Passengers | Monday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday Sunday 14: 00-17: 30 | Monday 07: 45-08: 00 Wednesday / Thursday Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday 15: 30-18: 15 | Tuesday / Wednesday |
| Private cars | Monday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday Sunday 15: 00-17: 30 | Monday 07: 30-08: 00 Wednesday / Thursday Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday / Tuesday | Tuesday / Wednesday |
| Freight transportт (CARGO) | Monday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday Sunday 14: 00-17: 00 | Monday 07: 30-08: 00 Wednesday / Thursday Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday / Tuesday | Tuesday / Wednesday |
| Disembarkation from the ferry / Unloading | ||||
| Passengers |
| Monday 07: 00-08: 00 Wednesday / Thursday Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday 12: 30-14: 30 Tuesday 09: 00-12: 30 | Tuesday / Wednesday |
| Private cars | Monday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday 07: 00-08: 00 Wednesday / Thursday Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday 12: 30-14: 30 Tuesday 09: 00-11: 00 | Tuesday / Wednesday |
| Freight transportт (CARGO) | Monday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday 07: 00-07: 30 Wednesday / Thursday Friday / Saturday / Sunday | Monday 12: 30-14: 30 Tuesday 09: 00-11: 00 | Tuesday / Wednesday |
Terminal in St. Petersburg
Cruise ferry "Princess Anastasia" from MOBY SPL arrive and depart to / from the Sea Station "Morskoy Vokzal".
Address
Russia, St. Petersburg, Vasilievsky Island, Morskoy Slavy square, 1
Check-in for boarding ends one hour before sailing.
Convenient
At the Sea Station you can have lunch at a restaurant (floor 3), visit a souvenir shop, use a cash machine, hire a car or order a taxi.
Terminal in Helsinki
Cruise ferry "Princess Anastasia" from MOBY SPL arrive and depart to / from LANSITERMINAALI (West Terminal).
Address
TYYNENMERENKATU 8, 00220 HELSINKI, FINLAND.
Documents
Convenient
You may have a snack or coffee in the café on the 2 nd floor use the ATM or lockers for your luggage. The cost of locker rent is 4 EUR for 24 hours.
How to get there
- By tram No. 6 or No. 7 from the terminal to the Helsinki city center. Please note that the tram tickets must be purchased at the vending machines near the terminal. The ticket machine accepts only coins.
- You may also go to the city center by foot, it's about 25 minutes by walk.
- Short-and long-term Parking is available near the terminal and charges are applicable.
Terminal in Stockholm
Cruise ferry "Princess Anastasia" from MOBY SPL arrive and depart to / from FRIHAMNEN Terminal.
Address
Frihamnen, Frihamnsgatan, 21, 1st floor (Magasin 2) 115 56 Stockholm
Tel .: +46 70 835 2128
Documents
All passengers are required to present a passport before boarding the ship. All passengers traveling visa free have to reserve city bus tour in St. Petersburg in advance.
Convenient
There is a currency exchange office in the terminal building. The terminal has a tourist information center.
How to get there
- By bus from the terminal to Stockholm city center (please pay attention to what Alice means of payment in public transport of city does not accept):
- No. 76 (route: Strandvagen, Djurgandsbron (stop at museums island), Old town, Slussen, södermalm, Hammarbyhojden)
- No. 1 (route: Karlavägen, Stureplan, Kungsgatan, Haymarket, Kungsholmen)
- The nearest subway station Gardet (Green line) is about a 10-15 minute walk from the terminal.
- Near the terminal there is a short-term and long-term parking, this service are to be paid additionally.
Terminal in Tallinn
Cruise ferry "Princess Anastasia" from MOBY SPL arrive and depart to / from Terminal A.
Address
Sadama 25/2 15051, Passenger Terminal A
Documents
All passengers are required to present a passport before boarding the ship. All passengers traveling visa free have to reserve city bus tour in St. Petersburg in advance.
Convenient
The Terminal has two cafeterias where you can have a snack, tea or coffee. At the Tallinn Terminal you can also exchange currency and buy souvenirs at local shops.
Baggage room. If necessary, you can leave your hand Luggage at the terminal in the storage room. The price for the service varies from 50 Euro cents to 1 Euro. Large Luggage can be left for 24 hours for 3-4 euros.
How to get there
- The terminal is located near the historic center of Tallinn. The Old town can be reached byfoot in 10-15 minutes.
- Bus # 2 runs from the port to the city center. Tickets can be purchased at the terminal or from the bus driver.
- Taxis wait for passengers at the exit from the terminal, while the cost is negotiated with the taxi driver separately.
- Parking on the territory of the terminal is at an additional cost.