Helsinki to Tallinn reward seats

[Kerrodt]

All this chatter about Helsinki, Tallinn, ferry rides, buffet lunch on the ferry, cheap booze, and AY flights makes me want to go back to Finland on AY and sample all the delights of the region once again.

 

[NM]

If journey is just between Helsinki and Tallinn, then I would also recommend the ferry. The ferry terminals at Helsinki and Tallinn are both easy waking from the centre of town (maybe not so easy in mid winter). Neither airport is walkable from the city centre.

 

[OZDUCK]

If you ask the hotel desk about the best tram to the Viking Line terminal be careful about saying Viking with a V. I asked about the tram to a youngish woman - about 20 - who didn't know what I was talking about until she said -"Oh. You mean Wiking!".

 

[trooper]

+1 for the ferry if you happen to stop in Helsinki. Catch the early morning run, buy yourself into the buffet breakfast and enjoy.

AY does HEL-TLL on a continuous loop. It's actually surprising how many daily flights they seem to have to Tallinn. Should make it easy to connect if you are coming from elsewhere. AY also has pretty good award availability via QFF so adding your hop to TLL should be quite easy to arrange via the call centre (if you get a competent agent).

That might help explain my experience on that flight... FASTEST Taxi ive experienced...pilot seemed to be in a real hurry - at both ends! Must have been a light load, that ATR LEAPED into the air... Good fun.

 

[ronlon]

So after calling Qantas the answer to my post is:

* yes reward seats are available on the route, 10,000 points plus A$53.90 taxes
* 35 min flight with Finnair (operated by Nordic Regional )
* by comparison the cash fare is 108 Euro with checked bag

 

[tdimdad]

So, did you take the bait or chose a more comfy trip on the ferry?

 

[ronlon]

So, did you take the bait or chose a more comfy trip on the ferry?

Thanks for asking. The family and I have 2.5 weeks to spread between the focus of Stockholm, Latvia and Estonia for next year's Melbourne winter school holidays. Will be flying in and out of Helsinki . Gonna sit down and plan an itinerary and yes if we can factor in one of two nights in Helsinki (which seems likely given the pressure from this forum to do so! ) then the ferry is the absolute no brainer !

Speaking of ferries we were going to take the overnight ship between Stockholm and Riga but unless things change the service has been suspended as the ship is being used to house Ukrainian refugees.

 

[tdimdad]

That might help explain my experience on that flight... FASTEST Taxi ive experienced...pilot seemed to be in a real hurry - at both ends! Must have been a light load, that ATR LEAPED into the air... Good fun.

Look at the duration of the flight. This in like a suburban bus across water.

 

[RichardMEL]

If you ask the hotel desk about the best tram to the Viking Line terminal be careful about saying Viking with a V. I asked about the tram to a youngish woman - about 20 - who didn't know what I was talking about until she said -"Oh. You mean Wiking!".

That's interesting! A but the opposite of the situation in Poland, where W's are often pronounced with a W sound! I think that part comes from German.

But I digress...

 

[Lat34]

So, did you take the bait or chose a more comfy trip on the ferry?

Hijacking @ronlon original post a bit here but hopefully a useful question...

@tdimdad I see from your recent comment on Skyring's current TR that you grew up in Helsinki so I'm wondering if you would recommend any particular ferry line for the return trip Tallinn (incl the all-important buffet breakfast for Mr Lat34!!!) Probably depart Helsinki 0700-0800 and return ~1800

We stopover in Helsinki 13-16 July this year on the way from Iceland to Frankfurt. Have previously transit Helsinki a couple of times but this time we will "exit the airport and buy some local beer" to tick off Finland and plan to include the day return ferry to Tallinn on Monday 15 July.

Suggestions from any others who have used a specific ferry line welcome (plus thanks @Kerrodt for eckeroline info!)

 

[kpc]

Hijacking @ronlon original post a bit here but hopefully a useful question...

@tdimdad I see from your recent comment on Skyring's current TR that you grew up in Helsinki so I'm wondering if you would recommend any particular ferry line for the return trip Tallinn (incl the all-important buffet breakfast for Mr Lat34!!!) Probably depart Helsinki 0700-0800 and return ~1800

We stopover in Helsinki 13-16 July this year on the way from Iceland to Frankfurt. Have previously transit Helsinki a couple of times but this time we will "exit the airport and buy some local beer" to tick off Finland and plan to include the day return ferry to Tallinn on Monday 15 July.

Suggestions from any others who have used a specific ferry line welcome (plus thanks @Kerrodt for eckeroline info!)

We took Mystar from Tallinn to Helsinki in September last year as it is the newest ferry...cost a bit more than the Eckero line ferry which I think is the cheapest. MyStar was very new and impressive.... we didn't buy any food on the 2 hour ferry ride but there were many restaurants and cafes, and even a Burger King from memory!

Helsinki-Tallinn - One way & Return trips - Tallink Silja Line

Book ferry tickets to Helsinki and Tallinn with the nicest vessels Megastar and MyStar. Up to six daily departures all year round. Travel time is only two hours.

en.tallink.com

 

[tdimdad]

Yes, I was born in Helsinki but since the tender toddler age grew up on the sides of the Pyynikki ridge and shores of Näsijärvi lake in Tampere (where Skyring currently enjoys his time).

I used a Tallink ferry on my trip and they are a good solid provider. Earlier in the 2000's they amalgamated with Silja Line which ran the better series of ferries between Finland - Sweden and absorbed some practices from there (hence you can see the name Tallink Silja in some contexts). There are a couple of other ferry operators, too, but largely they much in the muchness so you probably won't see any drastic differences between them (it's like catching QF vs VA in the east coast triangle). On my trip, the combination of schedule & price worked out (a day trip on the first ferry across, last one back at a reasonable price).

 

[tm.smile]

I caught the ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. Tram from central station is easy enough to get as someone said further up (HSL app). Arrives a short walk from Tallin old area. I stayed at the Citybox which is close to the ferry terminal and nearby to a supermarket. About a 10min walk to old town area. Plenty of nice cafes along the way for coffee and cake (as one should in the Nordics/Baltics). Ferry area is near an old abandoned area which hosted events for the Moscow Olympics.

The ferry trip itself was easy and calm. Found quiet spots to sit, grab a coffee and snack. If you've got bags, you can check them into the luggage room for a small fee.

 

[Anniekins]

This may not be the answer that you are looking for, but I'll add my 2cents worth.

Tallinn is about 90km by sea from Helsinki. I travelled between the two places by ferry and it was a fantastic journey and very cost effective. The ferries are large, first class vessels (unlike the ferries in Australia) with full service available - economy/business class seats, food, beverages etc. I would have never contemplated a flight between the two cities and would never consider burning points for such a short reward redemption flight.

The ferry journey is about 3 hours. Facilities at both ends are excellent.

My recommendation - catch a ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. You won't regret it.

Thanks for sharing this information. I’ll be sure to do the ferry trip in October.

 

[drross]

We took Mystar from Tallinn to Helsinki in September last year as it is the newest ferry...cost a bit more than the Eckero line ferry which I think is the cheapest. MyStar was very new and impressive.... we didn't buy any food on the 2 hour ferry ride but there were many restaurants and cafes, and even a Burger King from memory!

Helsinki-Tallinn - One way & Return trips - Tallink Silja Line

Book ferry tickets to Helsinki and Tallinn with the nicest vessels Megastar and MyStar. Up to six daily departures all year round. Travel time is only two hours.

en.tallink.com

That’s the one we travelled on. Thankfully didn’t notice any Burger King but live music and quite a few bars with ‘duty free’ drinks

 

[andye]

Lookung for advice from the thread's cognoscenti.
I land late in HEL on a Friday night before catching HEL-HND at 1735 on Saturday
Do I have time to get over to Talinn and back if I set off early Saturday morning?

 

[tm.smile]

Lookung for advice from the thread's cognoscenti.
I land late in HEL on a Friday night before catching HEL-HND at 1735 on Saturday
Do I have time to get over to Talinn and back if I set off early Saturday morning?

Unless you can make the 10.30pm sailing on the Friday evening, it’d be too little time to make it in a day.

 

[tdimdad]

Lookung for advice from the thread's cognoscenti.
I land late in HEL on a Friday night before catching HEL-HND at 1735 on Saturday
Do I have time to get over to Talinn and back if I set off early Saturday morning?

You'd need to be back on a ferry by lunch time. It leaves very little time for you to see Tallinn. In theory, you could make a blazing fast visit but I'd suggest you rather spend the half day exploring Helsinki. Helsinki City Museum for local history, the Rock Church ("Temppeliaukion kirkko") for architecture and ambiance, city library, Kamppi Chapel for a quiet moment, market hall or market square for lunch, etc.

 

[gillc]

Totally agree with vote for Ferry. Good buffets & facilities especially for children

 

[trooper]

Tallinn deserves more time.