Guide
Ferry to Åland
Every ferry route to the islands between Sweden and Finland
- Ferries from Sweden, Finland, Estonia
- From Grisslehamn to Eckerö in 2 hrs
- Over 20,000 islands and skerries
Ferries to Åland
The main ferry routes to Åland.
Prices for a car incl. driver, one way
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Route map
All ferry routes to Åland on one map. Click a route for details.
- Finnlines
- Viking Line
- Tallink & Silja Line
- Eckerö Linjen
Viking Line 5 hours 25 minutes
Check prices Tallink & Silja Line 6 hours 15 minutes
Check prices Viking Line 6 hours 15 minutes
Check prices Tallink & Silja Line 6 hours 15 minutes
Check prices Finnlines 3 hours 15 minutes
Check prices Tallink & Silja Line 6 hours 45 minutes
Check prices Eckerö Linjen 2 hours
Check prices Viking Line 5 hours 25 minutes
Check prices Viking Line 4 hours 10 minutes
Check prices Tallink & Silja Line 5 hours
Check prices Finnlines 4 hours 45 minutes
Check prices Tallink & Silja Line 11 hours 30 minutes
Check prices Viking Line 11 hours 25 minutes
Check prices Tallink & Silja Line 10 hours 50 minutes
Check prices Viking Line 12 hours 30 minutes
Check prices Routes and ports
By ferry to Åland
Table of Contents
Åland in brief
Åland is an autonomous region of Finland, self-governing since 1921, and its only official language is Swedish. The archipelago has over 20,000 islands and skerries; around 6,700 of them have a name, and 60 are inhabited. Åland has just under 30,000 inhabitants, about 11,700 of them in Mariehamn, its only town. The currency is the euro, and clocks run on Finnish time, one hour ahead of Sweden. The islands are demilitarised.
From Sweden
Most sailings to Åland start in Sweden. Three ports are worth considering, depending on how long you want to spend on board and where on Åland you want to arrive.
Stockholm - Mariehamn
From Stockholm, Viking Line and Tallink Silja sail to Åland every day, with four to five departures between them. Most of the ships are on their way to Turku or Helsinki and call at Mariehamn or Långnäs en route. If you are continuing to Finland, see Stockholm - Turku and Stockholm - Helsinki.
Kapellskär - Långnäs
From Kapellskär, beyond Norrtälje, Finnlines sails twice a day to Naantali and calls at Långnäs after about three and a half hours. Getting there, check-in and parking in Kapellskär are covered on Ferries from Kapellskär.
Grisslehamn - Eckerö
Eckerö Linjen runs the shortest crossing with M/S Eckerö: up to three times a day, taking about two hours from Grisslehamn to Berghamn near Eckerö in western Åland. Connecting buses run to Grisslehamn for every sailing, from Stockholm Cityterminalen via Norrtälje and from Uppsala. Book them up to four hours before departure, and the bus ticket is not valid on Stockholm's SL public transport. Cars without a booking only board if there is space.
From Finland
From Turku, the Viking Line and Tallink Silja ships on their way to Stockholm call at Mariehamn or Långnäs, depending on the sailing. The crossing takes about four hours to Långnäs and just over five to Mariehamn.
From Naantali near Turku, Finnlines sails twice a day to Långnäs in about five hours. From Helsinki, the overnight ferries to Stockholm get you to Mariehamn in about eleven and a half hours.
From Estonia and Gotland
Ferries run from Tallinn to Mariehamn on several days a week. In summer only, Viking Line also links Visby on Gotland with Mariehamn.
The ports on Åland
Mariehamn
The port is in the town itself, at Hamngatan 24. Parking is free. With Tallink Silja, check-in closes 15 minutes before departure.
Långnäs
Långnäs is in Lumparland, at Långnäsvägen 656, about 30 kilometres and roughly half an hour by car from Mariehamn. Parking is free here too. With Tallink Silja, check-in closes 30 minutes before departure for foot passengers and 45 minutes before for vehicles. With Finnlines, check-in for daytime sailings opens two hours before departure. Vehicles must be there at least one hour and foot passengers 30 minutes before departure. For night sailings you check in on board and need to be at the port at least 30 minutes beforehand.
Berghamn in Eckerö
The ferry from Grisslehamn docks at Berghamn on Eckerövägen. A bus to Mariehamn runs for every departure and arrival, with a separate ticket. Be at check-in at least 30 minutes before departure, or 45 minutes from June to August. It closes ten minutes before departure.
Tax border and shopping on board
Åland is part of the EU but lies outside the EU's VAT and excise area. That is why there is a tax border between Åland and the rest of the EU. Because the ships between Sweden and Finland call at Åland, they can sell tax-free on board. This does not apply between Finland and Estonia.
Anything you buy on board counts as goods from outside the EU when you arrive. The customs authority of the country where you arrive can tell you how much you may bring in.
Taking your dog to Åland
As with Finland, dogs entering Åland must be treated for tapeworm. The ferry from Grisslehamn has a dog room. Your dog needs the treatment on this route too, even if it does not go ashore in Eckerö. Microchip, vaccination and pet passport are explained in Taking your dog to Finland.
Which route is right for me?
- Short trip from Stockholm without a car: Grisslehamn - Eckerö with the connecting bus from Cityterminalen.
- By car from Stockholm: Kapellskär - Långnäs or one of the ferries from Stockholm to Mariehamn.
- Straight into town: the ferries to Mariehamn, where the port is right in the centre.
- From Finland: Turku or Naantali; the crossing is much shorter than from Helsinki.
The timetable shows the departures for your travel date, and you can compare fares in the price guide.
Åland FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers about the ferry to Åland.
Where do ferries to Åland leave from? +
Ferries to Åland leave from Stockholm, Kapellskär and Grisslehamn in Sweden, from Turku, Naantali and Helsinki in Finland and from Tallinn in Estonia. In summer, there are also sailings from Visby on Gotland. The ships dock in Mariehamn, Långnäs or Eckerö.
How long does the ferry to Åland take? +
The shortest crossing is Grisslehamn - Eckerö at about two hours. From Kapellskär you reach Långnäs in about three and a half hours, from Turku in about four to five hours. From Helsinki the overnight crossing to Mariehamn takes about eleven and a half hours. The timetable shows the departures.
Which ferry port is closest to Mariehamn? +
The ferries to Mariehamn dock right in the town. Långnäs is about 30 kilometres away, roughly half an hour by car. From Berghamn in Eckerö a bus to Mariehamn meets every arrival; you need a separate ticket for it.
Why is shopping on board tax-free? +
Åland is part of the EU but lies outside the EU's VAT and excise area. Because the ships between Sweden and Finland call at Åland, they can sell tax-free on board. Your purchases then count as goods from outside the EU, and the customs authority of your destination country can tell you the allowances.
Can I take my dog to Åland? +
Yes. As with Finland, dogs entering Åland must be treated for tapeworm. The ferry from Grisslehamn has a dog room, and your dog needs the treatment on this route too, even if it does not go ashore in Eckerö. All the rules are in Taking your dog to Finland.
Ready for Åland?
Choose your route to Åland and check departures and prices for your travel date.