Many people who visit Tallinn will take a day trip to Helsinki. The trip is only 80kms across the Gulf of Finland, and can be done in an hour and a half. However the different travel options can be a bit overwhelming, so we decided to summarize them in the chart below.
The fastest option is Lina Line, which operates two small catamarans. Aside from being the fastest, the biggest advantage of Linda line is that it has a very central terminal in Helsinki, which will save you about 20 minutes of travel time each way. However the service will be canceled in rough weather. If you have already booked tickets you will be transferred to one of the larger ships, so you wont be stranded.
Tallink is a good balance between speed and price. Their two fastest ships make the trip in 2 hours. They also have a much bigger array of services and entertainment on board than Linda Line.
Viking Line Xpress takes a little longer than the Tallink ships, but is usually a little bit cheaper.
Eckerö is the budget option. Their ships are slower and have less frills, but they have a set low price of €19 for all trips.
It is worth noting that a lot of Finns travel on these ships to drink and buy cheap alcohol in tallinn. Cheaper trips to Helsinki in the afternoon or evening can become a little rowdy. If you’re looking for some peace you might like to avoid these options.
You almost certainly wont need to book in advance, unless there is some big event on in Tallinn. However you may save money by booking in advance. Some companies have a late booking surcharge.
You may read about Nordic jet Line or Super Sea Cat. However these services did not survive the recent financial strife and no longer operate.
We have marked the terminal on the map below. Happy Travels
