Tallinn from Helsinki: Ferry on Your Own or a Guided Day Tour?
4 min read
For most people the return ferry ticket is the better start: you cross for two hours, then decide for yourself what Tallinn is worth to you. Book the guided day tour if you want the Old Town explained and prefer not to plan a thing once you land. Both leave from the same place, Helsinki West Terminal 2 at Tyynenmerenkatu 14, and both are a long day, so decide early which kind you want.
Three ways to cross
Return ferry ticket, no guide. The Tallink Silja Line return ticket is the most reviewed offer in Helsinki, with 2,920 reviews. It costs €38.52 and the page gives the duration as 11 to 14 hours. The crossing takes about two hours, and depending on the departure you chose you get up to 9.5 hours in Tallinn. The ticket covers entry on board and a seat. Food and drinks on board are bought separately. This is a ticket, not a tour: the description covers the crossing and your own time in Tallinn. You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before.
Guided day tour. The Tallinn day tour with ferry crossing costs €122.55 and lasts 12 hours. It includes the return ferry tickets, a three-hour guided walk through the Old Town and the transfers between Tallinn port and the Old Town. After the walk you have about 2.75 hours of free time. Meals and Helsinki hotel transfers are not included, and there is no guide on the Helsinki side: you check in and board on your own. The page lists live guiding in English, Spanish, German and Italian. It is also free to cancel up to 24 hours ahead.
One-way ferry with Eckerö Line. The Eckerö Line ticket costs €21.11 and is sold per direction, so you can book the outward and return legs separately, on the same day or not. The crossing is given as about 2 hours 15 minutes. Unlike the others, this ticket is non-refundable on the page, and the page lists people prone to seasickness as not suited to it.
| Option | What you get | Cancellation |
|---|---|---|
| Tallink Silja return ticket | Return crossing, up to 9.5 hours ashore | Free up to 24 hours before |
| Guided day tour | Ferry, 3-hour Old Town walk, transfers | Free up to 24 hours before |
| Eckerö Line one-way ticket | One direction, about 2 h 15 min | Non-refundable |
What to know before you go
Bring a passport or national ID card, because this is an international crossing. The guided tour’s page adds that EU nationals may travel with a valid ID card, while non-EU nationals need a passport.
Arrive early. The Tallink page says passenger registration closes 30 minutes before departure and late arrivals have to buy a new ticket. The guided tour asks you to be at the terminal at 8 am for the standard 9 am departure. The Eckerö page asks for 60 minutes before departure, with check-in closing 45 minutes before.
Mind the terminal on the Tallinn side. The Tallink page says the walk from D-Terminal to the Old Town takes about 20 minutes, and you can take a taxi instead. The Eckerö page names Tallinn A-Terminal as its arrival point, so check yours before you plan the return.
With a ticket-only trip, nobody tells you what the day should contain, so decide on two or three stops before you board. The Tallink page names the Old Town, the KUMU art museum and Kadriorg Palace as options. If you would rather have the Old Town explained, the guided tour spends three of its hours on exactly that.
Our recommendation
Take the Tallink Silja return ticket if you can plan your own day and want the longest time in the city. Take the guided day tour if you want a guide for the Old Town and are happy with 2.75 hours of free time afterwards. Choose the Eckerö Line ticket only if you want to book each direction separately and accept that it cannot be refunded. For other boat and ferry options, see all day trips from Helsinki.
