To get from Stockholm, Sweden, to Helsinki, Finland, and back, travelers have limited transportation options due to geography – cities are separated by the Baltic Sea. Each method of travel between the two cities has advantages and disadvantages, but in general, flying is the easiest and fastest option.
By air
Non-stop flights between Stockholm and Helsinki are operated by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), Norwegian Air and Finnair. Flights depart several times a day and only take one hour. When booking your flights, check the different airports to see which one is the cheapest. While Helsinki only has one airport, Stockholm has four, two of which have direct flights to Helsinki: Arlanda (ARN) is the main international airport and Bromma (BMA) is a regional airport. Traveling between cities by air is quick and easy, and can actually be quite affordable – you can usually find round-trip flights for around $ 100 and one-way flights for around $ 50.
Book flights at least three weeks in advance to get the best deals.
By ferry
If you have time to spare while traveling, there is a 16-hour ferry connection between Stockholm and Helsinki that departs in the afternoon and arrives the next morning. The Viking Line and Tallink Silja Line ferries cover the Stockholm to Helsinki route and the Helsinki to Stockholm route, as well as the St. Peter’s Line, once a week. Ferries include services on board, such as bars, restaurants, different types of cabins, and duty-free shopping. You can travel as a passenger, but you can also bring cars, motorcycles, and bicycles on the ferries.
Viking Line offers cheaper cruise prices, but uses older ships; Tallink Siljah Line cruises are more expensive but also offer more elegance. Booking an overnight cruise from Stockholm to Helsinki is cheaper, and there is another discount if you buy a round-trip ticket. Overnight round-trip cabin tickets start at around $ 110 on Viking and $ 150 on Tallink Siljah Line, but prices vary by season and the cabin category you choose.
You can also take a ferry from Stockholm to Åbo, Finland, which takes 10.5 hours, and head south to Helsinki from there by bus or car.
While taking the ferry is a quiet and fun way to travel between Stockholm and Helsinki, it is not necessarily cheaper than flying, and it is certainly much slower. Many travelers who choose the ferry choose to do it for the experience.
By car
Although Helsinki and Stockholm are only 250 miles apart when the crow flies, they are separated by water. You would have to drive all the way around the Gulf of Bothnia to get between the two cities – it’s about a 1,000-mile drive, and it will take about 20 hours if you don’t stop. It’s only a few hours quicker to get your car onto one of the ferries, but you can relax on board as you don’t have to drive!
By train / bus
There are no train or bus connections between Stockholm and Helsinki.
