Ferry trip from TALLINN, Estonia to HELSINKI, Finland

Hi everyone! This is episode twelve of my Baltics plus Finland series in which I travel to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland. In this vlog, I travel from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, to Helsinki, the capital of Finland during winter. In order to travel between these two cities, I need to take a ferry across the Baltic Sea that takes approximately two and a half hours.
The vlog starts with me walking to the ferry terminal of the Port of Tallinn in the morning, around 8am. In doing so, I pass some beautiful Christmas lights in the Canute Garden, busy traffic and some commercial and industrial buildings. I talk about how I'm finding the walk to the port from the city center and give more information about my particular journey.
Once at the relevant ferry terminal - Terminal A - I talk more about the check-in procedure and show you around the check-in and departure areas. I then board the ferry and show you around the ferry!
After grabbing a coffee, I manage to grab a seat with a window overlooking the Baltic Sea. Those of you who are interested in ferry journeys might particularly enjoy the extended footage of the ferry entering the Port of Helsinki.
I arrive in Helsinki slightly ahead of schedule and manage to grab a tourist map from an information desk. I then set off to find my hostel and also give a tour of my hostel room at the end of the vlog.
I hope you find this vlog informative, especially if you're planning a similar journey! I trust this will equip you with valuable information, insights and tips. If you haven't done it yet, please press the LIKE button and SUBSCRIBE to the channel. I also love engaging with all of you, so please leave a COMMENT in the comment sections. These are all FREE to do and it really helps me out in building my channel. All your support is greatly appreciated.
Happy exploring!
Willie

[@jaan1902]

Why are there terminals A and D but not terminals B and C in Old Port of Tallinn? The reason is very simple. There used to be terminals A, B, C and D. But then traffic in the port was reorganized, a 4-berth Cruise Terminal was built, and B and C simply disappeared. Terminal-A was connected to Terminal B's 2 berths, and Terminal C's 2 berths were connected to Terminal D. Since the remaining terminals were A and D, their designations were preserved. Both have separate port buildings. A-Termial serves Viking Line (berth 1) and Ecero Line (berth 2) ships, the third berth was used by the cruise ship Princess Anastassia of the St. Petersburg-Stockholm line (no longer operating due to the Covid pandemic). D-Terminal serves Tallink passenger ferries on the Tallinn-Helsinki and Tallinn-Stockholm routes. The car and cargo ferries, however, were taken to Tallinn's Uussadama in Muuga. C-Terminal's small berth in front of the Admiralty pool is used by cruise ships under 100 meters. Such is the recent history of the Old Port of Tallinn.

[@willieexplore]

Thank you very much for providing this explanation, makes a lot of sense!

[@sheilam4525]

Thanks for taking us along on this trip, Willie! I've been on many a ferry trip here in Scotland and it is always exciting when you are coming in to berth, especially if you are able to stand on the deck. The walk there looked pretty special too. You will be back in Tallinn again, I am sure😊

[@willieexplore]

Always a pleasure, Sheila! A Scotland ferry to Orkney or Shetland (if they do exist?) are on my list of things to do at some stage. I think this is my favourite way to travel! And yes re Tallinn, for sure :)

[@sheilam4525]

@@willieexplore yes, the ferries to Orkney and Shetland certainly do exist! Perhaps a series for the future😊

[@willieexplore]

@@sheilam4525 now there is a wonderful idea!!

[@mjrooney710]

So cheerful. Well done.

[@willieexplore]

Thank you, Margaret! Appreciate you watching my videos :)

[@h0lx]

Got randomly recommended this video by the algorighm. Glad you liked Tallinn, my hometown!

[@willieexplore]

Thank you so much for watching my videos and supporting my channel! I had a great time in Tallinn, do check out my videos on the Estonian capital if you haven't already :)

[@gohardorgohome7687]

Hey Willie glad to see you made it to Helsinki safely I can't wait for Helsinki Video's ,Keep it up 🙂👊

[@willieexplore]

Thank you very much! Glad you're looking forward to the Finnish capital. Have a good weekend my friend :)

[@camelCased]

Thank you, videos like these help me as a person with bad vision to get more familiar with the environment and better prepare myself for traveling.

[@willieexplore]

You are most welcome, I value your support and encouragement!

[@Findingyourwaytravel]

I'm also visually impaired I feel the same way I have a KZbin channel that helps people with visual impairment

[@Findingyourwaytravel]

I'm also visually impaired I love these videos I have a KZbin channel that helps people with low vision to

[@willieexplore]

@@Findingyourwaytravel that is great! will check it out :)

[@kororakid8967]

My wife and I are Australians. We did this trip in 2013 in the summer and absolutely loved it. We have travelled most of Europe, and to say we loved Finland and Estonia is an understatement. If we were not so old we would go back again,. and again. You say you have only been to Tallinn in Estonia, please see the rest of it, marvellous. The people in both Countries are as marvellous as the countryside.

[@willieexplore]

I am really pleased you had such a great time in Estonia and Finland! Thanks for sharing that with us here. I also really appreciate you checking out my videos and engaging. I definitely intend to return to Estonia one day to visit more places / towns / cities. And Finland too!

[@Mari-ok6xg]

So glad to hear you enjoyed your visit. Greetings from Finland 😊!

[@willieexplore]

@@Mari-ok6xg Kiitos, Mari! Really appreciate your support. Thanks for watching my videos!

[@eppmihkels2166]

Thank you for being a friend of Estonia and Tallinn. Lovely videos. Ready to help with questions you had about Estonia. :)

[@willieexplore]

Really appreciate your kind words! Appreciate you checking out my videos :)

[@timokriis]

What an avalanche of positivity You give during the whole video. I totally enjoyed watching it ))

[@willieexplore]

Hi Timo! Thank you very much for your kind words and for supporting my channel! Glad you enjoyed the video. It was a great trip :)

[@jchasern]

Thank you in showing the Check-in process and the terminal.I find it helpful 15:57

[@willieexplore]

You are most welcome! I hope you have a nice trip!

[@Zami80]

I fully understand the deck being closed, safety first!

[@willieexplore]

Yes indeed! Thanks for watching :)

[@fdk7014]

That Eurohostel room would do me just fine, nothing to complain about there.

[@willieexplore]

Indeed, what more do you need? I had a great stay there and close to the center too

[@witperd1564]

Enjoy It looks lekker

[@willieexplore]

Baie dankie :)

[@holydoveaquariusagespiritbeing]

Your tour is so informative - great job

[@willieexplore]

Thank you so much! Really pleased that you enjoyed it!

[@Xerdoz]

Finnish actually has two words for a knife. Veitsi and puukko. Veitsi means a cutlery knife or a knife used in a kitchen. Puukko is a 'tool' knife, ie. knives used in construction or bushcraft etc. I don't think there's a distinction between those in English. (Well I guess some might use sheath knife but it's still a knife)

[@willieexplore]

Thank you very much, that is so interesting! I can't think of another word for knife; maybe a cutter as a tool knife but clearly not the same thing. Appreciate you watching my videos and engaging!

[@carbonturk7200]

Most basic but infectious language to describe where you are...Hooking...am hooked...!

[@willieexplore]

Cheers! Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it!

[@norialmeida.hextech]

Pretty good video, i love it. I will doing the same in feb thank you for share the tips

[@willieexplore]

Thank you, Nori! Hope you a fantastic trip!

[@supernova1712]

When was this video shot?

[@willieexplore]

Last month

[@I82much2day-soudonthave2]

Yes I too am a creature of habit. I think being comfortable with a destination and leaving out surprises is key to good travel. So much enjoyment out of taking it all in. Cruise ships and their in out in 1/2 a day is no way to visit a country.

[@willieexplore]

Everyone has different takes on travelling and what they enjoy, but I love it all! Preparation, the actual travelling, the arrival, the first coffee...the list goes on!

[@juhanivuorinen6981]

8 million passengers per year!

[@willieexplore]

Very interesting stat! Thanks for watching!

[@juhanivuorinen6981]

@@willieexplore Port of Helsinki according to Wikipedia: "For passenger traffic, the port operates regular liner connections to destinations such as Tallinn, Stockholm, Saint Petersburg and Travemünde, serving a total volume of 11.6 million passengers in 2018. Additionally, it is a popular destination for international cruise ships with 520,000 passenger arrivals in 2018."

[@Findingyourwaytravel]

Can you please tell me the month you film this in I'm looking to go the first two weeks of December but I'm concerned about the heavy snow on the ground

[@willieexplore]

Hi, yes of course, it was December.

[@joojoojeejee6058]

Speaking of WiFi... If your own domestic mobile plan does not include good data roaming allowance abroad, I recommend obtaining a prepaid SIM card the next time you visit Finland, and this applies to some other (European) countries as well. That way you have affordable mobile Internet anywhere you are and you don't have to worry about WiFi.

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for the suggestion! I've never travelled with a prepaid SIM like you describe, but perhaps I need to reconsider. I've always found it strangely adventurous not to be too reliant on technology whilst travelling, but for longer journeys this just seems silly. Cheers for checking out my videos!

[@joojoojeejee6058]

@willieexplore Yeah, being "disconnected" and exploring the old way has its charms, I guess. Anyway, unlimited mobile Internet costs as little as under 1 euro a day with a prepaid SIM card. The starter pack typically costs something like 5 euros, so you will get ~5 days of unlimited mobile Internet.

[@North441]

How much time?

[@willieexplore]

Just over 2 hours

[@North441]

@@willieexplore thanx bud 👍

[@donaldhiltz3391]

These places are cold. You have plenty of motivation. I say a quin is a british pound?

[@willieexplore]

Cheers for watching Donald! A magical but cold experience in winter for sure.

[@thomasmetusalet2421]

I love Pärnu

[@willieexplore]

I heard some great things too! Thanks for watching :)

[@donquaviuslaquariusdinglen3066]

Nice video. I assume you wont have time to explore finland since youre at the end of your journey though?

[@willieexplore]

Thank you very much! Really appreciate you watching and commenting. Unfortunately I only had time to explore Helsinki on this trip. I did the typical backpacker thing of visiting the Baltic capitals and the Finnish capital. Do you have any suggestions for future trips?

[@donquaviuslaquariusdinglen3066]

@@willieexplore thanks for the reply! When it comes to finland, if you just want to see the cities, i recommend turku in the south, jyväskylä and kuopio in the south-central parts, oulu and rovaniemi but honestly youre better off to some smaller towns in rural areas, every time ive went to explore the most random of places, ive been positively surprised. Really depends on what part of the country you want to stay in, i'm from lapland and we dont really have any historical buildings left, mostly untouched nature (and tourist traps in a few places :D) however the central parts have some old good looking town centres still remaining, like raahe and kuopio

[@willieexplore]

@@donquaviuslaquariusdinglen3066 that's fantasic! Really grateful for these suggestions. Appreciate it is a big country with lots to see and most tourists will only really scratch the surface

[@ImForwardlook]

This brings memories from the 1980:s. I was driving a bread van in Turku, Finland when a stressed out Estonian fellow came to ask me how to get to the ferry terminal connecting to Sweden. I sometimes think about him and how his life turned out. When Estonia finally got its independence my heart was filled with joy, this nation suffered for so long! God Bless the Estonian people!

[@willieexplore]

What a wonderful story, thanks for sharing! I do hope he made it safely to Estonia. A wonderful country to visit! Appreciate you watching my videos and commenting :)

[@annicaesplund6613]

​@@willieexplorewasn't he asking for the ferry to Sweden?

[@willieexplore]

@@annicaesplund6613 yes, what is your point?

[@annicaesplund6613]

@@willieexplore you wrote "I do hope he made it safely to Estonia"...

[@willieexplore]

@@annicaesplund6613 yeah small mistake

[@BobMarley-gm5ie]

I did a day trip from Tallinn to Helsinki back in April 2022 was a lot warmer than this :D Amazing video keep it up. Greetings from the Isle Of Man

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment! It would have been significantly warmer in April haha

[@travel_and_explore_with_BIP]

This fascinating ferry trip brings back memories of, when I used to take a similar ferry between Gothenburg and Helsingør (Sweden-Denmark). Used to take 3 hours, I think. I always loved it, and to come to Denmark. Have you been that way Willie? Would recommend it, exploring Sweden’s west coast with the islands and then over to Denmark! I grew up in Gothenburg. But anyway, now I’m excited to get to explore Finland with you! Another country I never visited! Thanks for Tallinn, an eye opener 👍🍺🍺

[@willieexplore]

Glad it reminds you of those journeys and that it brought back special memories! Travelling by ferry is always great and I'm delighted to take you on these travels virtually. I know Estonia is very special to you and I think you will enjoy Helsinki as well! :)

[@Swanoaks]

Interesting Willie, I have to tell you a DNA reading six months ago, has told me I have 71% Scandinavian DNA. So I am very interested in these next travels of yours. KIwi from Virginia.

[@willieexplore]

That is interesting Swanoaks, thanks for sharing! I'm sure you will enjoy Helsinki. Take care Willie

[@toscabrutus1781]

Willie ek geniet jou trip en jou video!!!!Groete en doe so voort!

[@willieexplore]

Dankie Tosca, mooi loop!

[@toscabrutus1781]

Rerig intressant!

[@kennethainetdin3401]

The spoon is not lusika, as you pronounced it. You have to pronounce also the second k, lusikka. The sound for the letter k is long. Same with the haarukka, two "k". But you are not the only one that struggles with the finnish pronounciations. Spaniards are also lost with the long konsonants.

[@willieexplore]

Ahh, right! That was my first go at any Finnish words ever so I was bound to get it wrong :) Cheers for letting me know and thank you for watching my videos, I appreciate the support!

[@WheresMyMap]

I took a Nordic/Baltics trip similar to yours in Summer 2023, except in reverse order, starting in Helsinki and working my way southward. I took a different ferry operator -- Tallink -- which is similar to Viking but uses a different port terminal both in Tallinn and in Helsinki. I also added Warsaw and Krakow on the tail end of my trip, and used London as a launching pad. It was actually hot weather throughout -- t-shirt and cargo shorts weather. Your videos are making me shivver from the cold -- in a good way, as it offers a much different perspective from the warmer months that I experienced. Cheers! -Daniel

[@willieexplore]

Cheers Daniel! That sounds like a fascinating trip. Definitely not summer weather on my particular visit to the Baltics, let me tell you!

[@michaelmurphy1114]

We took the ferry to Helsinki. Stop at the Helsinki food market and have the potato with reindeer meat. Excellent

[@willieexplore]

Lots of great food in the city for sure. Cheers for watching!

[@mayousimon1]

Great video Willie plenty of more things to do when out and about even informative was helpful during the trip and taken certain trips more activities here to discover thanks for your time especially making these videos useful for others that are presented!

[@willieexplore]

You are always welcome, Simon! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. I hope others find this useful and informative too!

[@jaspervanzyl6212]

Thanks for sharing your memories Willie. I see this video is doing particularly well and everyone watching this should go and watch through your entire catalogue! Keep it up!

[@willieexplore]

My pleasure, Jasper! And thanks for the kind words and well wishes. Hopefully many will enjoy this video and find it informative. Cheers for the support!

[@zoolkhan]

there is no passport check after you entered the EU its enough that you had it checked when you entered the EU - no need for additional checks. Our enemies know this well, and exploit the system where they can.

[@willieexplore]

Random passport checks can happen on the buses I took in the Baltics, apparently. But yes, once you're in the EU you are in!

[@sonjamikaela1277]

welcome:)

[@willieexplore]

Thank you! I appreciate the support!

[@donnafarmer111]

You're the best!

[@willieexplore]

Oh wow Donna, thank you very much! Appreciate your kind words and support :)

[@oh2mp]

Welcome to Helsinki!

[@willieexplore]

Kiitos! Thanks for taking the time to watch my videos!

[@oh2mp]

@@willieexplore you made a nice vlog. I was on that particular ship about a year ago last time. Usually I use Eckerö Line when travelling between Finland and Estonia, but that time I chose Viking Line.

[@willieexplore]

@@oh2mp it is such a great journey to undertake. I was really surprised to see so many ferries travel between Tallinn and Helsinki. Hope you also enjoyed the "non-ferry" bits, i.e. getting to and from the terminal(s) :)

[@oh2mp]

@@willieexplore yeah last July I spent two weeks in the Baltic countries and had a great time. I travelled with my campervan. I usually use that Eckerö Line because its harbor is in more suitable location for me than Viking Line. For a tourist like you who comes from Estonia, the Viking terminal is in a better location.

[@oh2mp]

And I must say that there's no difference on the shipping companies in other ways. The ferries are similar, the prices are simiar etc. and it's just wise to choose a ship by timetable and the location of the harbor.

[@viv5144]

Hola... gracias por tus videos!! el ferry de viking line de tallinn a Helsinky en el horario que tu viajaste solo esta en esa epoca del año?porque vi en la pagina de la empresa que esa linea solo tiene dos viajes a helsinky a las 7 y las 17... podrias confirmarme? gracias

[@willieexplore]

Hola! Unfortunately I cannot confirm the current timings, it is best to check on the website. In winter there were certainly many ferries and different companies. All the best!

[@winstonchurchill6247]

Yes, you need to explore more...Tartu, Viljandi, Valga, Pärnu...our islands Saaremaa and Hiiumaa at least.

[@willieexplore]

I've heard good things about those destinations! Thanks for watching!

[@conanobrian8580]

u look just like my x boyfriend

[@willieexplore]

What can I say, Conan!

[@TrevSligo]

That was a really great video, thank you. I'm going to find it very uself when I make that exact trip soon!

[@willieexplore]

Glad you enjoyed it! And glad to help. Enjoy your trip in that special part of the world!

[@gutserto]

Hey, where did you buy the tickets from?

[@willieexplore]

Hi, bought the tickets online but you can also buy on the day at the terminal, if spaces available :)

[@gutserto]

@@willieexplore thank you very much !

[@gerardolramos]

Thank you Willie for this wonderful video 👍 I travelled to Helsinki last year aboard the Eckerõ ferry. Love your mustache 😍👍

[@willieexplore]

A great journey to undertake - I'm sure you'll agree. Cheers for watching! :)

[@fdk7014]

You have to go visit the infamous stone in Tondi

[@willieexplore]

Thanks for the recommendation! Will look into it!

[@fdk7014]

@@willieexplore It's just a silly thing that the KZbinr Bald & Bankrupt invented when he was in Estonia looking for something to make into a video but found nothing. It's on his second channel Daily Bald.

[@willieexplore]

@@fdk7014 ahh I see!