Finnlines

Finnlines is a Finnish shipping company based in Helsinki that has been part of the Italian Grimaldi Group since 2006. The company connects Germany, Finland and Sweden on three routes all year round. On this page you will find current offers as well as tips & news about Finnlines ferries.

Die Routen von Finnlines

With its ro-ro and ro-pax vessels, the Finnish shipping company Finnlines Oyj (head office: Helsinki) has a significant share of the transport volume in the passenger and cargo segments of the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay. In the passenger segment, Finnlines and its subsidiaries focus on ferry services between Baltic Sea ports.

Finnlines’ history began as an initiative to transport timber by sea from Finland to America. In 1962, Finnlines, which was founded in 1947, established a second mainstay in addition to its cargo business by transporting passengers. The first line connected the southern Finnish port of Hanko with the port of Travemünde in Lübeck. Over the decades, Finnlines’ share majorities have changed significantly several times. Since 2016, the Italian Grimaldi Group has been Finnlines’ sole shareholder.

One of the most important routes for sea travel between Germany and Scandinavia is the ferry route between Travemünde and Helsinki offered by Finnlines. All year round, three Star-class ro-pax ferries (cargo, car and passenger ferries) take passengers from Germany to Finland. The ferries need about 29 hours to cover the 600 nautical mile distance. This crossing time makes one or two overnight stays on board necessary.

In contrast, the Finnlines ferries from Travemünde to Malmö, the “gateway to Sweden”, take just nine hours. The three ferries operating on this route run up to three times a day. In addition to Travemünde, Rostock is another port that passengers can use for a Finnlines voyage to Helsinki. Finnlines also offers special trips, e.g. to St. Petersburg.

The company strives to combine passenger comfort with high safety standards on its vessels. Thus, all Finnlines ferries have the top ice class 1 A standard. Finnlines is proud of the fact that the emissions of its vessels have been reduced by 30% since 2008. Green hybrid technology plays an important role in the new vessels that will be put into service in the coming years.