Viking Line

Viking Line sails between Stockholm and Helsinki with two ships in opposite directions, the Gabriella and the Viking Cinderella. Every day, one ship leaves Stockholm in the afternoon and one leaves Helsinki, and both reach their destination the next morning. On the way, the ship calls at Mariehamn on Åland during the night. In Stockholm you depart from the Stadsgården terminal, in Helsinki from the Katajanokka terminal. If you'd like to see both ferry companies side by side, the comparison is on the Ferry companies & ships page.

The ships at a glance

The Gabriella dates from 1992. She is 171.2 metres long and 27.6 metres wide and carries 2,400 passengers, with 2,382 berths. Her vehicle decks have room for 400 cars and 900 lane metres. She has ice class 1A Super and sails at 20.5 knots.

The Viking Cinderella is three years older, built in 1989, and the larger of the two ships: 191 metres long, 29 metres wide, licensed for 2,560 passengers with 2,500 berths. She carries fewer vehicles than the Gabriella: 300 cars on 760 lane metres. She also has ice class 1A Super and sails at 21 knots.

The two ships alternate. On the 2026 Christmas cruise, for example, the Gabriella sails from Stockholm and the Viking Cinderella from Helsinki. You'll see which ship you're on when you book.

Departures and timetable

Viking Line has one departure per direction every day. All times are local, and Finland is one hour ahead of Sweden. That's why the crossing looks longer on the clock than it really is.

Until 30 September 2026, the ship leaves Stockholm at 16:30 and arrives in Helsinki at 10:10. From 1 October 2026, it leaves earlier, at 16:00, and the arrival stays at 10:10. In the other direction, the ship leaves Helsinki at 17:00 and arrives in Stockholm at 10:10. This pattern applies until 21 June 2027. In summer 2027 the times shift: from 22 June to 8 August, the ship leaves Stockholm at 16:00 and arrives in Helsinki at 09:15, and leaves Helsinki at 18:10.

Heading to Helsinki, the ship calls at Mariehamn around 23:00; heading to Stockholm, around 04:25. On Christmas Eve 2026, Viking Line sails at different times, and from 7 to 27 January 2027 both ships are in dry dock. The departures for your date are in the timetable.

The terminals

In Stockholm, the Viking Line terminal is at Stadsgården, address Tegelvikshamn, 11630 Stockholm. It opens at least two hours before departure. With a car, you don't check in at the terminal but at Fotografiska, 700 metres before it. Since 1 April 2024, you can no longer turn left coming from Slussen: approach from the east, from the direction of Nacka, and turn right at Fotografiska. Without a car, take the bus from the Londonviadukten stop, which runs to Slussen metro station, or a taxi. The car park at the terminal is paid and unattended. There's no cash machine or Wi-Fi there, and payment at the port is by card only. More on getting there is on the Stockholm ferry port page.

In Helsinki, Viking Line docks at the Katajanokka terminal, Katajanokanlaituri 8. Tram 5 stops right outside the terminal, and line 4 at the Vyökatu stop. Cars check in at Gate C. The terminal has a cash machine, Wi-Fi, a café and left luggage, and here too payment is by card only. The Helsinki ferry port page describes how to get there.

Check-in

Every traveller needs a valid passport or national ID card, children included. Viking Line doesn't accept digital IDs. Check-in opens about 1.5 hours before departure. On foot, be at the port at least 30 minutes before. Vehicles must be ready for loading 30 minutes before, or 45 minutes if over 2.40 metres high. Check-in and boarding close 20 minutes before departure.

Without a vehicle, you can use the self-service check-in kiosks, which open two hours before departure. You need to go to the desk if you have a vehicle, if the booking hasn't been paid yet or if passenger details are missing. If you don't check in, you lose the trip including the return. With Viking Line you can travel alone from 16. The Check-in page describes the process at both ports.

On board

On the Gabriella, the restaurants are on deck 8: The Buffet, with soft drinks, beer, wine and coffee included in the price, plus an à la carte restaurant with a seafood bar, a grill, the Bistrotek, a wine bar and Club Mar. On deck 7 you'll find Coffee & Joy and the duty-free shop, and on deck 9 the Upstairs Pub. The Archipelago Spa with sauna is on deck 6.

The Viking Cinderella also has The Buffet on deck 8, plus Seaview Dining, the Ocean Grill and the Bottega Prosecco Bar. Deck 7 has the duty-free shop and Hornblower's pub, and Club Ètage spans decks 8 to 10. The Archipelago Spa & Wellness is on deck 6.

Shopping is tax-free because the ship calls at Åland: the islands are not part of the EU VAT area. Show your boarding card when you buy. When shopping from Sweden, you can buy alcohol from 20 and tobacco from 18. From 23:00 Finnish time, the nightclub and dance floor are only open to those 18 and over.

With a dog on board

Viking Line only carries animals on regular crossings, not on mini cruises. Your dog needs its own ticket and must be registered when you book, as the number of animals on board is limited. Overnight it stays with you in the cabin, so an allergy-friendly cabin isn't possible. It may not stay on the car deck during the crossing, isn't allowed in the restaurants, and must never be left alone. Guide dogs travel free. What you need to enter Finland and Sweden is on the Dogs & pets page.

Changes

You can change the travel date free of charge up to 24 hours before departure, to a trip within twelve months. You can do this via customer service or online. Viking Line only accepts changes from the contact person named in the booking. If you don't take the outward trip, the return is also forfeited. What applies to cancellations is set out in Viking Line's cancellation terms; your latest booking confirmation is what counts.

When Viking Line suits you

Viking Line suits you if you want to leave Stockholm from the southern shore between Slussen and Londonviadukten and arrive in Helsinki at the Katajanokka terminal, where the tram leaves right outside. From October 2026, Viking Line leaves Stockholm half an hour earlier than before. With a dog, the regular crossing is the one for you, not the mini cruise. If you want to spend two nights on board and a day in the other city, you'll find the options on the Mini cruise page. The Cabins page describes which cabin on the Gabriella and the Viking Cinderella suits you.