Ferry companies & ships

Viking Line and Tallink Silja run side by side between Stockholm and Helsinki, each with two ships sailing in opposite directions. Both leave in the late afternoon, call at Mariehamn during the night and arrive the next morning. The difference lies elsewhere: in the terminal, the size of the ship, the check-in deadline and where your dog spends the night. This page shows the differences; the Viking Line and Tallink Silja pages describe each ferry company in detail.

The comparison at a glance

All figures as stated by the ferry companies. Both ferry companies' prices are on the Prices & fares page.

Viking Line: Gabriella and Viking Cinderella

Viking Line runs the route with two ships sailing in opposite directions: the Gabriella (built 1992, 171 metres, 2,400 passengers) and the Viking Cinderella (built 1989, 191 metres, 2,560 passengers). Both have ice class 1A Super. In Stockholm they dock at Stadsgården on the southern shore, in Helsinki at the Katajanokka terminal.

On both ships the buffet is on deck 8; on the Gabriella, soft drinks, juice, beer, wine and coffee are included. There are also à la carte restaurants, a grill, pubs and the Archipelago Spa on deck 6. The duty-free shop is on deck 7. More on the Viking Line page.

Tallink Silja: Silja Serenade and Silja Symphony

Tallink Silja operates two sister ships, the Silja Serenade (1990) and the Silja Symphony (1991). Both are 203 metres long, designed for around 2,800 passengers and have 986 cabins each. Their hallmark is the Promenade: a 142-metre covered shopping street inside the ship with shops, cafés and bars.

On board there's the Grande Buffet with beer and wine, plus Grill House, Happy Lobster, Bon Vivant, Tavolàta and Fast Lane, the Sunflower Oasis Spa with a pool on deck 12, shows and a club at weekends. In Stockholm the ships dock at the Värtan terminal, in Helsinki at the Olympia terminal in the South Harbour. More on the Tallink Silja page.

How to choose

You're travelling with a dog: both take dogs in the cabin. Tallink Silja has dedicated pet-friendly cabins with linoleum floors and an exercise area on deck. With Viking Line, register your pet when you book and don't book an allergy-friendly cabin. Everything on this: Dogs & pets.

You want life on board: the Tallink Silja ships are bigger and, with the Promenade, the spa with pool and the shows, offer more for the evening.

You're cutting it fine: Viking Line closes check-in and boarding 20 minutes before departure, Tallink Silja closes registration 30 minutes before. All deadlines: Check-in.

You're travelling without a car: buses run from Slussen metro station to the Viking Line terminal at Stadsgården; bus 76 and the Båtbussarna from Cityterminalen go to Tallink Silja's Värtan terminal. In Helsinki, trams stop at both terminals. The routes are described on the Stockholm ferry port and Helsinki ferry port pages.

You're comparing prices: both sell at dynamic prices, and the cheaper ferry company changes from day to day. Compare the total for your date and cabin; the Prices & fares page explains the starting prices.