The best day trip from Helsinki to Tallinn by ferry

If you visit Helsinki, then I highly recommend visiting Tallinn as well. The two capitals are very close together and you can be in Estonia from Finland in just 2 hours by ferry. I’ll share everything you need to know so you have the best day trip from Helsinki to Tallinn. If you have time for a longer trip, you should spend at least 2 days in Tallinn so you can explore other areas beyond the old town. This blog post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.

Are you looking for help with planning your trip? Check out these helpful resources:

Table of Contents

Complete guide on taking the ferry between Helsinki and Tallinn

Getting to Tallinn from Helsinki is super easy. A two hour ferry ride and you’ll be in the capital of Estonia. Taking the ferry is the best way to go to Tallinn. There are 3 ferry operators that have daily departures between the two capitals: Tallink Silja Line, Viking Line, and Eckerö Line.

I took the Tallink Silja ferry line as it seems like it’s the most popular choice out of the three ferry companies. And I loved how modern the ferries were. It feels like you’re on a mini cruise ship.

I recommend booking your ferry tickets in advance to make sure you’ll catch the ferry at your desired departure times. The earliest ferry leaves at 7:30am from Helsinki and the next one is at 10:30am. There are a lot of people on these ferries daily: a mix of business people, locals, as well as tourists. Plus a lot of cars that travel in between the two countries by ferry.

Ferry ticket prices are around $40-50 for a round trip, depending on departure times. That seems like a reasonable price to me.

What happens once you get to the ferry terminal?

Both Helsinki and Tallinn have very modern ferry terminals. If you pick the Tallink Silja line, then you’ll depart from West Terminal 2 in Helsinki. This is the end of the line for trams 7 and 9 in Helsinki, so you have convenient public transportation options to get there.

Once you’re in the terminal you will see a lot of check-in machines. You have to check in using the QR code in your reservation confirmation. Once you scan the QR code the machine will print the tickets for you.

It’s a very simple process and it takes less than a minute. I recommend you check in at these machines. If you check in at the customer support kiosks then you will have to pay 5 euros.

Once you have your physical tickets you can take the escalator and head upstairs. There you’ll see which gate the ferry is leaving from. There is a large waiting area inside the terminal. And there is a terrace where you can boat watch and where people can smoke.

Make sure to get to the terminal early. On the Helsinki-Tallinn route they start boarding 40 minutes before the ship is supposed to leave. So if you have a ticket for 10:30am, they will start boarding at 9:50am. Boarding lasts only 20 minutes.

The ferry always leaves about 15 minutes earlier than what it says on the ticket. I had tickets for the 10:30am ferry and it left at 10:15am. Same story when I returned to Helsinki from Tallinn.

What amenities does the ferry have?

The ferry is large and you have everything your heart desires on it. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes where you can grab a bite.

There are lots of shops where you can buy anything: souvenirs, snacks, clothes, make-up, perfumes. You can literally find anything.

There is also a sun deck on the 10th floor (you board the ferry on the 8th floor). You can sit outside and enjoy amazing views of the Baltic Sea.

It gets pretty windy out there, so make sure you have a jacket or sweater on hand. There are plenty of spots where you can take some cool pictures on the sun deck.

The boat also has a business class lounge. It costs almost as much as a round trip to access the lounge, so I didn’t do it. Since it’s such a short journey I personally don’t think it’s worth the cost. But if you want to splurge on a bit of an elevated experience, then go for it.

Pro tip: when you go to the bathroom, go to the ones in the middle of the boat. They are the coolest and they have these big, round windows where you can stare at the Baltic Sea.

What about the return trip to Helsinki?

The experience is identical to what I just described above. You’ll leave from Terminal D in Tallinn, which is about a 15 minute walk from the old town. The name of the ferry is Tallink MegaStar instead of Tallink MyStar, but everything is similar. Same check in process, same amenities on the boat, same experience.

What to visit in Tallinn

Since you only have a few hours in Tallinn, I suggest you explore the Tallinn Old Town. It is a medieval city and one of the best preserved old towns in the world. It is a UNESCO world heritage site.

It’s quite small, so it doesn’t matter where you start exploring. Some attractions I recommend you visit are the Town Hall Square, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Kohtuotsa Viewing Platform, Toompea Castle and Toompea Hill, Viru Street and Viru Gate, Freedom Square, St Olaf’s Church, and the Kiek in de Kök Museum and Bastion Tunnels.

Even though you’re in Tallinn only for one day, you can get the Tallinn card. This card gives you free entrance to 50 attractions, you have free public transportation, and lots of discounts.

You might not have enough time to explore beyond the old town. However, if you do have time, you should go to Telliskivi Creative City, an area with lots of street art and exhibits. I loved it so much!

You could also explore the Kalamaja neighborhood in Tallinn, especially the parts of it that are close to the Baltic Sea. There are pubs, restaurants, and you can spend time by the water. Most people don’t venture outside of the city center, so this is a bit of a hidden gem.

Where to eat in Tallinn

ROST Bakery

As soon as you get off the ferry, run don’t walk to ROST Bakery. It’s the best bakery in Tallinn. They make the most delicious cinnamon buns, cardamom buns, and rhubarb buns. So delicious! And their coffee is very good too.

Besides these buns, they also serve traditional croissants, pain au chocolat, some savory croissants and sandwiches, and pastel de nata. There is always a line, but the waiting shouldn’t be more than 10-15 minutes.

You can eat your pastries inside or at their tables outside. The bakery is in a modern neighborhood in Tallinn, so take some time to walk around to enjoy the juxtaposition of old vs new before you visit the Old Town.

Rataskaevu 16 Restaurant

Rataskaevu 16 is the best restaurant in Tallinn’s Old Town. Their free bread and butter is to die for. The food is so good! I tried the roasted elk for my main course and it was really tender and full of flavor.

For dessert you have to try their bread pudding. It’s an apple and rhubarb bread pudding, with strawberry ice cream and salted caramel sauce. The combination works so well together. An incredible dessert!

The staff is so nice here too! The girl who took care of my table always asked me questions about myself and recommended things to do in Tallinn. She brought me extra water. And she even drew some mushrooms on my bill and wrote “I hope you have a nice vacation!”. She was speaking Estonian, English, and French with guests. Outstanding customer service!

Sai sandwiches

This sandwich shop was recommended to me by a local and it did not disappoint. It’s a small shop very close to Viru Gate. They make mouthwatering focaccia sandwiches and the price is quite affordable for Tallinn. If you need a quick bite, this place is perfect.

Samsa Family Bakery at Balti Jaama Turg

Balti Jaama Turg is a renovated food market that has shops on 3 floors. It’s very close to Telliskivi Creative City. You can find fresh produce and a lot of eateries here.

Samsa Family Bakery is an Uzbek restaurant that’s located close to the main entrance to the market. Their food is so delicious! They sell Uzbek pilaf, bread, soup, pasta, and dumplings.