To Tula with your own brew? Nonsense! We will bring the samovar to Germany! And at the same time we’ll take with us the children and... the family car.

Hmm... They won't let you board the plane with such luggage. But the ferry from St. Petersburg to Germany will also accept such passengers. All that remains is to find out the cost of tickets, the ferry schedule and you can pack your things. Oh... How long will the voyage last? What can you take with you? How are the cabins arranged? Should I grab sandwiches or will they serve food there?

There is nothing better than a boat trip!

Those who have never traveled this way always have a lot of questions. Don't worry, we've got it all figured out. And those who read the article to the end will navigate this route no worse than inveterate travel agents.

Is a ferry more convenient than a car or a plane?

It depends on where you are going and what you are bringing with you. Naturally, the ferry is not the fastest mode of transport. But it allows you to transport large loads and not have to sit in a chair the whole way.

There will be plenty of free space for children to run around!

Traveling by ferry is convenient for those who:

• wants to drive around Germany in his car (and take it to Germany on the same ferry);
• carries bulky cargo (equipment, vehicle);
• travels with children who get tired of sitting still all the time;
• don’t mind passive relaxation at the beginning of your vacation (the ferry has all the conditions for this);
• afraid of air travel.

The ferry is a lifeline for those who are afraid of flying!

Arseny (26 years old, Pskov):

“My friends and I wanted to drive around Germany in our own car, only in our company, without any tourist groups or mass excursions. We took a ferry to Germany. There is no other way to get the car. Maybe we could drive it, but then we don’t know how long it would take us to get to Germany. And so we had a pleasant rest for 2.5 days, steamed in the sauna and talked. True, we left all the laptops in the car, thinking we could pick it up later. But it turned out that you can’t get to the cars until they arrive. It’s okay, we had a great time without movies.”

How much does it cost to take a ferry ride today?

Ferry transportation between St. Petersburg and Germany is provided by the company Finnlines. Her ferries Transrussia And FinnPartner go along the route Pieter-Lubeck, with a 2-hour stop in Ventspils (Latvia). You can depart both from St. Petersburg and from Ventspils.

You can purchase tickets online at Parom.de.

The dimensions of the cabin significantly increase the cost of the ticket.

Price ferry crossing to Germany from Russia is calculated using the formula: base ticket price * number of people + car transportation cost (for Vehicle length over 6 m).

Basic prices:

• for an adult - 250-300 EUR;
• for a child 13-17 years old - 125-150 EUR;
• for a child 6-12 years old - 60-75 EUR;
• for a child under 5 years old - 15 EUR.

These prices include the cost of meals (excluding alcohol), cabin, basic (15 EUR) and port taxes (15 EUR). The cost of the trip varies according to the time of year. During the summer months prices are higher.

Taking your car with you is a completely sensible idea!

If you are transporting a passenger car (up to 6 m long), then it is more profitable to arrange a car package. This service will cost from 350 to 750 EUR. The total amount depends on the number of people (1-4) and the time of year (from June to August the cost is higher). Finnlines offers a 20% discount on the cost of your return trip if you buy a round trip ticket or car package outright.

There is currently no service for booking tickets for this ferry via the Internet. You can only buy tickets through travel agencies. A list of intermediary companies can be found on the Finnlines website.

With the owner, even to the ends of the earth!

Pets are not allowed on the ferry from St. Petersburg to Germany. You have no one to leave with faithful dog? Then make more sense. There are even special toilets for dogs on the decks.

A vacation is a vacation, and the ferry is on schedule!

The ferry departs from St. Petersburg on Tuesdays at 20:00. It arrives in Lubeck on Friday at 6:30. You can leave Lübeck on Saturday at 19:00. Then on Tuesday, at 8:00 you will already be in St. Petersburg. You must arrive for check-in two hours before the ferry departure. As a result, your sea voyage will last 62 hours (each way).

On board, the journey time will fly by.

You can follow changes in the schedule on the company's official page. The situation is the same on the Helsinki-Rostock route.

If you have already planned a trip to Germany by ferry, you can use the Helsinki-Travemünde route. This is a convenient route for those who travel by ferry for the first time: travel time is 27 hours, instead of 62.

Find out without the ferry crossing! What countries and customs will you have to go through? What do motorist tourists write about this event? What to take with you? What can you be fined for in Germany? How to park and what documents should I have with me? Experienced travelers will tell you about this and much more.

Kirill (34 years old, St. Petersburg):

“The whole journey there was only one negative moment, and that was at the very beginning of the journey. My family and I arrived at the port, but we couldn’t find the ferry. We contact the port employees, but they say that there is no such ferry here and there shouldn’t be. Half an hour of wandering, of course, solved the problem, but it also made me nervous. Tickets are still not cheap.

Although the trip itself completely compensated for everything: cozy cabins, similar to rooms in a good hotel, delicious food, gatherings on the deck, free sauna. All this allowed me to quickly get the unpleasant incident out of my head and get ready for the upcoming vacation.”

What to have fun in the middle of the Baltic Sea?

On the Finnlines ferry, even a long 62 hours can be spent in maximum comfort.

Here are some ways to pass the time:

• Visit the sauna, jacuzzi and mini-pool.

Children will appreciate the bubbling Jacuzzi.

• Work out on the gym.
• Have lunch at a restaurant. The food here is delicious, and most importantly - 4 times a day. The restaurant has a pretty decent buffet. There are fruits, vegetables, desserts, fish and meat dishes. The food is always high quality and fresh. Drinks include tea, coffee, juice, water and milk. You can also get a free can of beer or soda.

The menu is designed for various gastronomic preferences!

• Get acquainted with the structure of the ferry, look at different decks.
• Sit at the bar.
• Watch TV in the cabin. But don't expect to find Russian-language channels. If you find English-speaking ones, you’ll be happy.
• Have fun with your children in the play area.

The little one will find something to do in the special playroom.

• Go to the store. Here you can buy jewelry, books, sweets, cards, cosmetics, hygiene items, toys, and souvenirs. Although you can calm down, wait until Germany and buy all this for a couple of times cheaper. This is not duty free, so don’t expect any fabulous prices. Except for the fabulously tall ones.
• Work in the conference room.

Comfortable sun lounger, gentle sun and favorite book... Welcome to the deck!

• Read news on the Internet (there is free Wi-Fi on the ferry). Please note that the Internet is available on the class ferry Transrussia, on a ferryboat FinnPartner I'll have to limit myself to books and TV.

You can also just sit with a book on the deck or lie on the bed in the cabin. Cabin area - 20-24 sq. m. In addition to the bed, there is a toilet, shower, radio, telephone, safe, refrigerator, TV, table and wardrobe.

It is possible to experience all the beauty of a vacation without leaving your cabin.

Vera (42 years old, Kirovsk):

“Last spring my family (me, husband and son) took this ferry. I usually don't trust online reviews very much. But now I’m sure: the laudatory reviews about Finnlines ferries are deserved. We traveled in early March and there were few people on the ferry: truckers and only 3 families. Despite this, the bar and restaurant always opened on time, and the sauna and jacuzzi were cleaned regularly. Even the store, which operates only a few hours a day even with a full ferry, worked according to the stated schedule.”

Love boat trips? Ready to spend 2.5 days on a cruise Baltic Sea? Then the ferry from St. Petersburg to Lubeck is the ideal way to get to Germany. You will admire the sea and gain strength before starting the active phase of your journey.

Tina Krainichenko

Just the other day I returned from another have a fascinating trip. We went on a cargo-passenger ferry going from Helsinki to Germany (port of Travemünde), by car. Today I will tell you in detail how this ferry works and why it is so good for comfortable travel.

Why ferry?

Let's imagine that you live somewhere in the north-west of Russia and you wanted to go on a road trip around Europe with your family by car.
There are three options:
- buy air tickets for the whole family and rent a car upon arrival. In this case, you will have to spend money on tickets and car rental. If you have a family of 3-4 people, then air tickets will cost a pretty penny + car rental, depending on the number of days;
- go to own car. If you live in St. Petersburg, then the distance, for example, from St. Petersburg to Hamburg is about 2000 km. The route will pass not the most the best roads Baltic States and Poland. Of course, those who drive will have a hard time. You will have to pay for gasoline, overnight stays in hotels, food, etc.;
- take the Helsinki-Travemünde ferry from Finnlines. The distance from St. Petersburg to Helsinki is about 400 km. This is the only section that you will have to drive. Next, you board the ferry and go up to your cabin to enjoy a mini-cruise on the Baltic Sea. In this case, you can get to Germany in complete comfort with your own car for relatively little money.

The latter option will be discussed today.

Finnlines ferry route Helsinki-Germany

Finnlines ferries depart from Helsinki at 17.00 local time and arrive in the German port of Travemünde at 21.30 the next day local time. Thus, the length of the entire route will be a little more than a day. On the way back from Travemünde to Helsinki, the ferry departs at 3 am and arrives at 9 am the next day:

Ferry ticket prices from Helsinki to Germany

Finnlines offers several travel options on this route. The most popular and in demand is the car package, which includes transportation of a car + a family cabin. The price of such a car package now starts from 348 euros and depends on the season. The most low prices in winter, the most expensive in summer. The cabin can accommodate up to 4 people. It is worth considering that the cabins offered are different. Their cost depends on the degree of comfort and space. Below are photos, and I recommend checking out the prices on the official website.
For those who do not want to overpay for a cabin, there is the option of purchasing seats in women's or men's cabins, or seated accommodation (like on an airplane). In this case, the price per seat will start from approximately 70 euros.
Another important point: when purchasing a return ferry ticket on the same route, you receive a 20% discount.

How the Helsinki - Travemünde ferry works

So, after purchasing a ticket on the company’s website, you need to arrive at the ferry departure port in advance. The port in Helsinki, where Finnlines is based, is called Vuosaaren Satama Hansaterminaali and is located at address Provianttikatu 5, 00980 Helsinki.
If you arrive by car, there is no need to enter the terminal building, you need to immediately go by car to the checkpoint, where, without leaving the car, you will be given electronic keys to the cabin, food vouchers (meals must be selected separately on the website, more on that later ). If you are traveling without a car, you need to register at the terminal, from where a shuttle bus will take you to the ferry.

1. Since we arrived by car, we immediately went to board the ferry:

2. If you look at the layout of the ferry, most of it is occupied by cargo decks for cars. The upper part is the living and entertainment decks. They start from decks 7 to 12.
On the 7th deck there is a reception desk and residential cabins, including those for pets (yes, yes), 8th and 9th decks are residential with cabins, 10th deck - staff cabins, 11th deck - entertainment recreation areas and restaurants, 12th - exit to the sun deck, as well as to the seating area:

3. When loading onto the ferry, staff will accompany you and show you your parking spot. Loading is well organized, everything happens very quickly. There's even room for motorcycles. By the way, when purchasing a car package, the size of the vehicle plays a key role in the cost:

4. We were placed on the 7th deck. We take our things and head to check into the cabins. A very important point - throughout the flight, access to the car will be closed, so you need to take all the necessary things with you at once:

I suggest watching a 20-minute live broadcast from Facebook in which Alexey Nadezhin and I ( ammo1 ) made an overview video of the Helsinki-Travemünde ferry before its departure:

Accommodation on the ferry. Cabins

5. Having taken our things, we head to our cabin on the same deck. The cabins are opened with an electronic key, which we were given at check-in:

6. My cabin is designed for 4 people. Two double beds, a sofa that can also be converted into a bed, and an upper bunk bed like in a compartment. Be sure to have a bathroom (latrine), a small table with a chair and a WINDOW!

7. At sunset it was especially beautiful:

8. The cabins, as I already said, are different on the ferry. Here is one of the most budget options without a window:

9. And this is the most spacious and expensive cabin with several windows. These cabins are located in the bow of the ferry and the view from the windows is very impressive:

20. Each cabin has a TV. One of the channels constantly broadcasts information about the ferry, the weather in Helsinki and Travemünde and the current location of the ferry:

21. Since we’re talking about cabins, it wouldn’t hurt to look at the most a budget option placement. These are seating areas for relaxation. Of course, you won’t be able to get a good night’s sleep in such chairs, but if you decide to save money by giving up a cabin, then this is an option. For these places there are special lockers for personal belongings that are locked with a key (on the right in the photo):

Fun on the Helsinki - Germany ferry

The entire 11th deck is completely dedicated to entertainment. This is where passengers on the Helsinki-Travemünde ferry spend most of their free time.

22. For active rest There is a gym consisting of two rooms. Two large jogging tracks overlooking the sea:

23. Well, what would a Finnish ferry be without a real sauna? After the gym, you can take a dip in the jacuzzi overlooking the sea and warm up well in the Finnish sauna. Access to the gym and sauna is free for all passengers:

Massage room:

24. On the same floor there is a conference room for small presentations:

25. A play area is provided for the youngest passengers. Previously, it was located indoors, but now the children have two huge windows:

26. Let's move on. During the voyage, there is a shop on board where you can buy souvenirs, clothes and other nice little things:

27. There is even a slot machine area. The machines accept coins and euro bills. I was lucky and won 21 euros. You might be lucky too:

28. Also on deck 11 there is a very comfortable relaxation area with two bars and tables near the windows. There is live music throughout the day and evening:

29. You can sit at any table overlooking the open sea and, listening to live music, realize that the choice of traveling by ferry was made correctly:

30. The ferry has several bars and a large dining room. I'll tell you more about nutrition a little later:

31.

32. One of the bars where you can have a snack during breaks between the main brunches and dinners. Looking ahead, I will say that the main diet is so varied that there is simply no room left in the stomach for such bars:

Walk along the decks of the Finnlines ferry

33. Let's start the walk from the lowest deck accessible to passengers, deck 7. Here are located lifeboats and a pet-friendly deck. Yes. Another big plus about traveling by ferry is that you can take your favorite dog or cat on board:

34. There are specially equipped toilets for them, and the cabins differ only in that they do not have carpet on the floor:

35. On deck 11 there is an area with tables where you can comfortably relax in the fresh air in any weather. The point is that at all open decks There is a strong wind in the open sea. It's good if the weather is clear and there is no rain. If there is a storm, then be on open places quite uncomfortable. There are also special glass partitions installed here that protect you from the wind. Rain is also not a problem, because... from above the ceiling of the 12th deck:

36. If you leave the shelter of the partitions, you will have a magnificent view of the stern of the ferry:

37. Here you can enjoy views of the open sea:

38.

39. If you climb the stairs to the deck above, you will find yourself on the open 12th deck, equipped with a helipad. It can be windy here, but this is compensated by the magnificent view that opens on all four sides:

40. You can sunbathe. There are special lounge chairs. Many people do this when traveling:

It's especially good here at sunset:

41. If you look at the bow of the Helsinki - Travemünde ferry, we will see part of the captain's cabin. Are you interested in how a ship is steered?

42. Meet. This is our captain. He's Swedish. He has been operating this ferry for many years and is very pleased with his work. When I asked if there were any cases of strong storms in which the ferry felt unsafe, he answered no. The fact is that Finnlines ferries have very large stock stability and reliability, and storms in the Baltic Sea are not as powerful as they are in other seas and oceans. You can safely plan a trip on the Finnlines ferry at any time of the year:

43. The captain's cabin occupies the full width of the bow of the ferry and has a large panoramic view:

44. On the right and left sides of the wheelhouse there are floor-mounted viewing portholes for precise mooring in the port:

45. Most of the time, the ferry is controlled by an autopilot, and the captain and his assistants only monitor instrument readings and course. The locator shows ships moving on opposite and parallel courses. For example, the vessel Sheksna is heading to the port of St. Petersburg:

46. ​​We leave the captain’s cabin and return to passenger realities. This is what the deck floor halls look like. There are three passenger elevators in the middle:

47. If you are not comfortable in the elevator or do not want to wait for it, you can use the stairs that connect all decks:

Meals on the Finnlines ferry Helsinki-Germany-Helsinki

I saved the best for last. If you have read this post up to these lines, then it’s time to refresh yourself. Without exaggeration, I can say that the food on board the Finnlines ferry is simply a feast for the stomach.
It is advisable to order meals on the ferry in advance separately when booking your ticket (it’s cheaper). Meals are divided into several blocks depending on the flight.
Helsinki - Travemunde:
- dinner from 18.30 to 20.00
- brunch (from English breakfast + lunch). Shared breakfast and lunch. from 9.30 to 13.00
- dinner from 18.30 to 20.00
Travemunde - Helsinki:
- late dinner (soup) when boarding the ferry from 00.00 - 4.00
- brunch (from English bbreakfast + lunch). Shared breakfast and lunch. from 9.30 to 13.00
- dinner from 18.30 to 20.00
- breakfast from 7.30 - 8.45
Accordingly, the cost of a meal package for an adult on a flight to Travemünde is 73 euros, on the return trip to Helsinki about 59 euros.
All meals are buffet style. If you have not purchased a meal package in advance, you can pay for it on the ferry, but prices will be more expensive. Read more about the cost of food.

48. At the time indicated above, a large restaurant opens, which is located on deck 11. It occupies the entire bow deck. When you check in for the ferry, you will receive a food voucher along with your cabin key (if you paid in advance). The voucher will indicate the table assigned to you:

49. Personally, a very pleasant surprise for me was the abundance of fish salads and cold fish appetizers. At home, I ate practically nothing except herring under a fish coat, but here my eyes simply ran wild. What can we say about the stomach?

50. I’ll tell you one secret. We were allowed access to the buffet before the hall was opened to passengers. This was done so that we had time to shoot everything in an untouched form. Can you imagine what it was like for me to photograph all this splendor on an empty stomach? So I apologize if somewhere the footage “shakes”) This is from hunger)

51.

52. Meat dishes and snacks were also okay. There was even venison and duck:

53. Signs with the names of dishes are duplicated in several languages, including Russian. This was very helpful at times when it was visually impossible to understand what the dish was made from:

54.

55. This fish is very tasty, if not incomparable:

56.

57. And what delicious bread is there:

58. Let's move on to dessert. Desserts are a different story:

59.

60. To summarize, we can conclude that the food on the Finnlines ferry is beyond praise:

Satellite Internet on board the Finnlines ferry

Recently, satellite Internet has become available on all Finnlines ferries throughout the entire route. If earlier it was free and worked only on the 11th deck at one point at a terrible speed, now it is available in all cabins of the ferry at a decent speed (about 3 Mbit/sec). Now you have to pay for it.
The Internet can be connected directly on board using wi-fi, the cost in this case will be as follows:

If you take care of this in advance and turn on the mobile Internet service at the stage of ordering on the website, then the cost of 12 hours of Internet will cost you 20 euros for two devices. The Internet is available without traffic restrictions.

As a final part, I offer a few shots taken from the Helsinki-Germany ferry on this May trip.

61.

62. Call at the port of Travemünde (Germany):

63.

64. The Finnlines cargo sister of our ferry. You could say he's a younger brother. It is smaller in size and has only cargo decks:

65. That's all!

Thank you for reading to the end! More stories to come from Berlin, Lübeck and amusement park in the center of Helsinki.

Passengers traveling with a car on train No. 31/32 Moscow - Helsinki "Lev Tolstoy" can simultaneously arrange travel for themselves and their car across Finland on Finnish trains railways VR companies or on company ferries Tallink Silja Oyj And Finnlines Oyj to Germany, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia.

The ferries are multi-deck cruise ships with restaurants and shops on board. Cabins for passengers have different classes and sizes. Cars are placed on a special deck separately from passengers.

Ferries Tallink Silja Oyj

• Helsinki - Stockholm (Finland - Sweden)
• Helsinki - Tallinn (Finland - Estonia)
• Turku - Stockholm (Finland - Sweden)
• Riga - Stockholm (Latvia - Sweden)
• Tallinn - Stockholm (Estonia - Sweden)

Route	Schedule	Travel time	Auto package price, (travel 1-4 people and car)*	Ferries
Helsinki - Stockholm	daily		From 147 euros
Helsinki - Tallinn	daily		From 54 euros	M/S Star, M/S Superstar and M/S Silja Europa
Turku - Stockholm	daily		From 59 euros on morning departures; from 102 euros on evening departures	M/S Baltic Princess and M/S Galaxy
Riga - Stockholm	daily		From 148 euros	M/S Romantika and M/S Isabelle
Tallinn - Stockholm	daily		From 160 euros	M/S Baltic Queen and M/S Victoria I

When booking tickets for a vehicle, it is necessary to provide the exact length and height of the vehicle, which also includes possible additional equipment (ski container, roof frame, trailer, etc.), as well as the registration number of the vehicle.

Registration of passengers with vehicles(vehicle driver and up to 8 passengers, together with the driver registered for the flight in one booking) is carried out at the transport check-in based on the ticket, passenger passport, and registration documents for the vehicle.

Registration of tickets for passengers with vehicles is also carried out at the Tallink registration desk near the D-terminal; please follow the direction signs installed in the port.

If, when registering a ticket, the dimensions of the vehicle exceed the dimensions specified during booking, the passenger is obliged to pay the difference in cost. Vehicles whose dimensions turn out to be larger than those indicated during booking are allowed onto the ship, subject to the availability of free space on the vehicle deck.

Registration of passengers with vehicles (including Business Lounge) ends 1 hour before the departure of the ship.

For safety reasons, the car deck is closed to passengers during the voyage. When leaving the vehicle, we recommend taking with you all the luggage necessary for the trip.

Port address in Tallinn

Lootsi 13, 10151 Tallinn
Tel. +372 631 8320 www.ts.ee
Opening hours: Mon.-Sun. 06:00 - 22:30

The following ships depart from the terminal: M/S Star, M/S Silja Europa, M/S Superstar, M/S Baltic Queen and M/S Victoria I

Finnlines Oyj ferries

• Helsinki - Travenmünde (Finland - Germany)

Travemünde - seaside resort, one of the most famous and oldest in Germany. The distance from Travemünde to Hamburg along the highway is 57 km, to Hannover - 205 km, to Berlin - 336 km.

* Tariffs for travel on ferries depend on the demand in the direction and the date of purchase; the fare must be clarified on the day of request.

Ferry cabinsFinnlines http://www.finnlines.com/paromy/uslugi_na_bortu/paromy_klassa_star_finnstar_finnlady_finnmaid_nordlink/kayuty_paromov_klassa_star

Schedule*

Registration

You must arrive for check-in at least 1.5 hours before departure. Registration is carried out through specialized machines.

Ferries departure/arrival ports

Finland, Helsinki

Port of Vuosaari / Vuosaaren Satama Hansaterminaali, Provianttikatu 5, 00980 Helsinki

Registration, tel: + 358 10 343 4810

The distance from Pasila station (where you arrive with a car from Moscow) to the port of Vuosaari (from where the ferry departs) is 16.6 km, travel time by car is about 20 minutes.

Directions to Helsinki:

Port address in Germany, Travemünde

Traveling around Finland

If you are going on holiday in northern Finland, we offer you a trip on the Finnish Railways VR train. Upon arrival at the station you need, you can continue your journey in your car.

VR trains consist of sleeping cars of different classes, a dining car and cars for transporting cars.

Train routes with car-carrying cars:

• Helsinki - Rovaniemi
• Helsinki - Kemijarvi
• Helsinki - Oulu
• Helsinki - Kolari
• Turku - Rovaniemi
• Tampere - Rovaniemi
• Tempere - Kolari

Night trains with cars depart from Helsinki, Turku and Tampere to the north of the country to the cities of Oulu, Rovaniemi and Kolari, then you can travel by car to the ski resorts:

• Ylläs (35 km)
• Levi (80 km)
• Olos (80 km)
• Pallas (100 km)
• Hetta (150 km)

During the winter season, trains with cars travel to northern city Kemijarmi, where the resorts of Pyhä (50 km), Salla (70 km), Ruka (130 km) are located.

Schedule

The trains have carriages with places for lying and sitting of different classes. The more passengers depart, the lower the price.

Route	Schedule	Travel time	Auto package price, (travel for 1 person and car)*
Helsinki - Rovaniemi Rovaniemi - Helsinki	Daily		From 206.29 euros
Helsinki - Kemijarvi Kemijarvi - Helsinki	Wed, Fri, Sat Tue, Sat, Sun		From 208.70 euros
Helsinki - Oulu Oulu - Helsinki	Daily		From 174.53 euros
Helsinki - Kolari Kolari - Helsinki	Wed, Fri, Sat Tue, Sat, Sun	10 hours 46 minutes 11 hours 46 minutes	From 192.28 euros
Turku - Rovaniemi Rovaniemi - Turku	Daily	13 hours 35 minutes 13 hours 40 minutes	From 179.96 euros
Tampere - Rovaniemi Rovaniemi - Tampere	Daily		From 180.35 euros
Turku - Kolari	Operates only in new year holidays

* Tariffs for travel on ferries depend on the demand in the direction and the date of purchase; the fare must be clarified on the day of request.

Sale of car packages opens 90 days and ends 5 days before the departure of train No. 31/32 Moscow - Helsinki "Lev Tolstoy".

The exact cost of car packages can be clarified at the box office. North-Western Vehicle Transportation Center.

Tariffs for travel of passengers and transportation of their vehicles on VR Group trains are available on the website www.vr.fi/ru

You can arrange car travel, as well as book and purchase travel documents for VR Group trains and ferries in Moscow at the ticket office of the Moscow production site of the North-Western Vehicle Transportation Center, located at: Komsomolskaya Square, 3/B,

Behind additional information Please contact the Unified Information and Service Center toll-free 8-800-775-00-00 .

While travel companies People who prefer to vacation abroad are collapsing like houses of cards and are increasingly mastering independent tourism, one type of which is traveling in their own car. Traditionally, the most popular road trip destination for Russians is European. However, the route to Europe by car is not close. For example, travelers from St. Petersburg have to travel about two thousand kilometers to Germany before their European adventure begins. In a normal situation, this is a two-day journey, but if you are not moving in chase mode, then all three. Now add the same time for the return journey and you get 4 days just to get to Europe and return. Agree that this is a waste of your precious time. But there is another way to get to Europe by car in less time and in complete comfort.

2. This method is to travel by ferry. Finnlines, operating regular flights between Helsinki (Finland) and Travemünde (Germany). Instead of winding up kilometers across the CIS countries, the Baltics and of Eastern Europe, you just need to get to Helsinki to the Vuosari port and the Eurotrip will begin from this point. From this inconspicuous building at first glance, where tickets are sold and check-in for flights takes place.

3. If tickets are purchased in advance through the company’s website Finnlines, then you don’t have to waste time on registration, but go straight to the Check-In checkpoint located at the end of the building. All registration steps will be carried out right here. Each passenger will be issued boarding pass, a vehicle ticket will also be issued. After this, all you have to do is wait for loading to begin, follow the signs to the ferry and, leaving your steel horse on the cargo deck, climb aboard the ship. All! Meet Europe!

4. Important point. After loading, access to the cargo deck will be closed until arrival at the port of destination. Therefore, you should worry in advance and take with you all the things that you may need during a sea voyage. However, the ship’s staff is very responsive and if the passenger still needs to go to his car, it will always be possible to negotiate. To do this, you just need to go to the reception desk located on deck 7. Other issues are also resolved there, for example, if one of the passengers has lost their boarding pass, which is also an electronic key to the cabin.

5. On the route Helsinki-Travemünde the company Finnlines carries out transportation by three completely identical ferries: Finnstar, Finnmaid, Finnlady. Thanks to this, the company has the opportunity to make daily flights in both directions, which is a definite plus for the freedom of travel planning. There is no need to choose a special day. You can simply buy a ticket and hit the road at any time convenient. This schedule is very convenient for cargo transportation, which is actively used by trucking companies.

6. Compared to other ferries plying between the Baltic countries, ferries Finnlines more focused on transporting vehicles. The number of cabins on board is somewhat smaller than on other ferries, but their number does not in any way affect comfort. Quite the opposite. Just like on other ferries, a standard four-berth cabin can be either with or without a window. But if in the same St. Peterline and Viking such a cabin has an area of ​​8.5 sq.m., then standard four-berth cabins Finnlines have an area of ​​10 sq.m. Of course, there is always the opportunity to improve the level of comfort. For example, take a cabin with increased to 16 sq.m. area or treat yourself to a Lux, Suite or Suite Deluxe cabin. The latter is comparable in size to a small apartment - 38 sq.m. and the comfort of a fashionable hotel room.

7. Each cabin, regardless of its size and berths, is equipped with its own bathroom and shower, and is also equipped with all the accessories necessary for a comfortable stay - bed linen, towels, hairdryer, cups. Larger cabins also have a refrigerator. Why isn't this a real hotel? Moreover, with the most real Sea View, because outside the room window you can’t just see somewhere coastline. The sea is all around!

8. Interior passenger area also looks like a completely ordinary hotel, except that the ceiling height is slightly lower than usual.

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11. According to the carrier, the journey from Helsinki to Travemünde takes 27 hours. In winter it takes a couple of hours longer. Thus, the travel time is a little more than a day, which is already half as long as the overland journey under its own power. But that’s not even the most important thing. The main thing is that when traveling on a ferry, you can forget about the steering wheel and completely relax, indulging in a leisurely time on board. The ferry departs from Helsinki at 17.00 and arrives at the port of Travemünde at 21.30. During this time, the ship's main restaurant will offer two dinners and one brunch - a kind of breakfast that smoothly flows into lunch. The cost of the meal package per adult is 72 euros. This price includes a superior dinner, brunch and dinner. Small but nice detail. Superior dinner - dinner on the day of departure, includes an unlimited amount of draft beer and wine. On the day of arrival, such joy is no longer present, since most passengers will need to drive after dinner.

12. The restaurant operates on a buffet basis. The variety of dishes is unlikely to amaze regulars of Turkish or Egyptian all-inclusive meals, but it is quite capable of satisfying the needs of all passengers on the ship. But since this is a buffet, there will be a queue for the dishes. Fortunately, it moves quite quickly and dissolves just as quickly. If you come to dinner not when it starts at 6:30 p.m., but a little later, then you can completely avoid having to stand in line of hungry people with plates.

13. The menu is constantly changing. The set of dishes differs not only on the first and second days of the trip, but also from flight to flight. Everything is prepared immediately before dinner or breakfast by a whole team of chefs under the direction of the ship's chef.

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15. Despite the fact that the first dinner is more than satisfying, varied and flavored with quite tolerable wine, there remains a certain feeling of unsaidness.

16. Breakfast the next day puts everything in its place. First of all, precisely because this is not an ordinary breakfast, but a brunch. The menu contains both dishes traditionally offered for breakfast in hotels - scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, cold cuts and cheeses, fruits and sweets, as well as dishes more suitable for lunch - soups, hot meat and fish dishes. By the way, if you buy food vouchers in advance, you can come twice during brunch. For example, have breakfast in the morning, then laze on the bed or take a walk in the fresh, damp air on the deck, and then come back again and have lunch.

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18. Dinner in the main restaurant ends at 20.00. But passenger service does not end with just one restaurant. There are several more bars on board with a varied selection of alcoholic drinks and snacks. So even the most voracious will not have to go hungry. By the way, there is free wi-fi in the bar area located on deck 11. True, on the high seas the only way to access the Internet is satellite technology, so the speed of such access, to put it mildly, leaves much to be desired. The channel is so weak that it is barely enough for a text chat. You can afford to check your email or download Instagram, but nothing more. So, if you are traveling with your family or in the company of friends, nothing will distract you from real live communication.

19. About passengers with children in company Finnlines We haven't forgotten either. On the ferries, on the same deck 11, there is a full-fledged children's playroom.

20. For the leisure and comfort of passengers, there is also a small gym and a full-fledged free sauna - you can’t do without it, this is a Finnish ferry. But the most beauty lies not inside, but outside the ship - on the open decks. This is where you can fully experience the romance of sea travel. If the weather permits, here you can sit at an open table and, without interrupting your journey, watch the sunrise and watch the sunset. During the icy season, you can sunbathe on a sun lounger during the day, lazily sipping beer, and at night admire the stars, which shine especially brightly in the open sea.

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23. In the meantime, you are enjoying doing nothing, the ferry, concentrating on its work, takes you to Europe, from where you can continue your journey, rested, without getting wasted on trifles. By the way, this is an important point. The ferry arrives at the port of Travemünde in the evening. In terms of continuing the journey, this is not very convenient since you will have to travel at night or immediately stop for the night somewhere nearby. But if you plan your trip so that your arrival falls on Saturday, you can stay overnight right on board the ferry.

Helpful information:
Company Finnlines constantly carries out various promotions that allow you to save on the costs of sea travel. When purchasing a ticket through the website, you can choose a so-called special fare. On the one hand, it does not allow you to return the ticket or make any changes to it, but on the other hand, it allows you to significantly save on price.
In addition, on the official page in