Ferry operator
Tallink & Silja Line
A closer look at the Silja Line cruise ferries from Stockholm and the Tallink fast ferries from Tallinn
- The largest ferry operator in the northern Baltic
- Eleven ships, around 5.5 million passengers
- Night ferries from Stockholm, shuttle from Tallinn
About Tallink & Silja Line
Table of Contents
About Tallink & Silja Line
Tallink & Silja Line is the public face of AS Tallink Grupp, the largest ferry operator in the northern Baltic, with its head office in Tallinn. The Estonian company was founded in 1989 and took over Silja Line in 2006, the Finnish operator whose ships had by then been sailing between Sweden and Finland for decades. Since then the cruise ferries have traded as Tallink Silja Line and the fast ferries between Tallinn and Helsinki as Tallink Shuttle. Tallink Grupp is listed on the Tallinn stock exchange and says it carried 5,531,132 passengers in 2025; its market share in the northern Baltic is around 40 per cent. Besides the ferries, the group runs four hotels in Tallinn and Riga as well as onboard shops and restaurants.
Fleet
The fleet comprises eleven cruise ferries, shuttles and freight ships on five Baltic routes. Six of them matter for Finland. Helsinki - Stockholm is served by the identical Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony, cruise ferries with a 142 m promenade under a glass roof. Turku - Stockholm is served by Baltic Princess, with a conference area and cabins for both the day and the night crossing. Between Tallinn and Helsinki the fast ferries Megastar, powered by LNG, and MyStar, which entered service in 2022, shuttle back and forth, joined by Victoria I with almost 1,000 m² of shopping space. Baltic Queen sails Tallinn - Stockholm and does not call in Finland.
Routes to Finland
From Stockholm you have two destinations. Stockholm - Helsinki is the overnight crossing from Värtahamnen in north-east Stockholm to the Olympia Terminal at the South Harbour of Helsinki, around 17 hours with a cabin. Stockholm - Turku takes about ten and a half hours, sailed by Baltic Princess from Värtahamnen to the port of Turku, where Turku Satama station is only a few steps away. If you are travelling up through the Baltic states, take Tallinn - Helsinki: the Tallink Shuttle has run year-round since April 2007 from the D Terminal in Tallinn to West Terminal 2 in Helsinki, about two hours, up to twelve times a day with Megastar and MyStar.
Check-in, vehicles and pets
Tallink Silja opens online check-in 24 hours before departure. In Stockholm, vehicle check-in opens about 1.5 hours beforehand and closes 30 minutes before departure; in Tallinn you have to be checked in with a vehicle at least 90 minutes before the ship leaves. For foot passengers, registration closes 30 minutes and boarding 20 minutes before departure, and being at the terminal about an hour beforehand is recommended. Checking in online or at a machine is free; there is a charge at a staffed desk. A valid ID card or passport belongs in your hand luggage.
All ships take cars, motorcycles, caravans, motorhomes and bicycles; the fare follows the vehicle length you enter when booking. There is more on this in the guide Taking a motorhome to Finland. Register pets when you book; whether your animal travels in a pet cabin, in a carrier or in your vehicle depends on the ship and the route. The entry requirements for Finland are summed up in the guide Taking your dog to Finland.
Tickets
On board you pay in euros, by card or in cash; a few bars on the Silja ships take cards only. Tallink Silja offers several fare levels with different rules for rebooking and refunds; what counts are the conditions shown to you before you buy. The timetable shows the sailings, the booking window on the route page shows the price for your date, and the price overview explains how to compare like with like.
Tallink Silja FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers about Tallink & Silja Line and its ferry routes to Finland
Which routes does Tallink Silja sail to Finland? +
Three: Stockholm - Helsinki overnight on the cruise ferries Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony, Stockholm - Turku with Baltic Princess, and the fast ferry Tallinn - Helsinki with Megastar and MyStar in about two hours.
Are Tallink and Silja Line the same company? +
Yes. Silja Line was the long-established Finnish operator on the Swedish routes and has belonged to Estonian company AS Tallink Grupp since 2006. The ships from Stockholm sail under the Silja Line brand, the fast ferries between Tallinn and Helsinki as Tallink Shuttle; all of it is booked with one company.
When do I have to be at the terminal for Tallink Silja? +
Online check-in opens 24 hours before departure. In Stockholm, vehicle check-in closes 30 minutes before departure; in Tallinn you have to be checked in 90 minutes before if you have a vehicle. For foot passengers, registration closes 30 minutes and boarding 20 minutes before the ship leaves.
Can I bring a car or a motorhome? +
Yes, every ship takes cars, motorcycles, caravans, motorhomes and bicycles; the fare follows the vehicle length you enter when booking. The details are in the guide Taking a motorhome to Finland.
Can my dog come on board? +
Yes, if you register your pet when you book; whether your animal travels in a pet cabin, in a carrier or in your vehicle depends on the ship and the route. The entry requirements for Finland are summed up in the guide Taking your dog to Finland.
Ready for Finland?
Check the departure and the price for your route, then move on to booking from the route page.