Thanks to Europe reopening partially after the restrictions on travel brought about by the coronavirus crisis, Finland and Estonia are now closer than ever: a record number of vessels is shuttling between the two countries, and people can now travel to such destinations, as Tallinn, Muuga and everyone’s favorite Saaremaa, as new departures Turku and Maarianhamina have been added, says the Port of Tallinn.
“Regular travel, forced to come a halt for some time, is now back, and this summer ferry connection with our neighbors is better than ever,” said Valdo Kalm, chairman of the board at the Port of Tallinn. “People can travel to Tallinn Old City Harbour on board of one of nine ships, and two ships go on the Vuosaari-Muuga route.”
The Vuosaari-Muuga connection is especially convenient for those who travel by car and want to discover eastern parts of Estonia, for example, Narva-Joesuu, or to drive south to Tartu or Lake Peipus. The route is operated by Tallink’s Sea Wind and Eckero Lines’ Finbo Cargo.
In June, the first-ever direct lines from Tallinn to Maarianhamina, the capital of the Aland autonomous area in Finland, were opened. Previously, Maarianhamina used to be a short midway stop on Tallinn-Stockholm route. In July, connection with Turku will be added, so the people of Turku region and Southwestern Finland can travel directly to Tallinn and Estonia.
“The cultural bridge between Finland and Estonia will definitely get a lot stronger this summer, when a lot of people will be traveling to Estonia instead of visiting farther countries, and the same goes for Estonians traveling to Finland,” Valdo Kalm said.
In addition, in July, the ferry Victoria I will go on a special one-time cruise from Helsinki to Saaremaa, one of the most beloved destinations known to every Finn.
“Surveys show that the interest in traveling to Estonia is very high among Finnish people, which is why these kinds of diverse traveling options give Finns opportunities to discover well-known places and every hidden gem that Estonia has to offer alike,” Valdo Kalm added.
According to the latest statistics of Port of Tallinn, it was already in June that the number of Finnish nationals outnumbered Estonian nationals on Tallinn-Helsinki line.
From Helsinki, routes to the Tallinn Old City Harbour are operated by Eckero Line, Tallink and Viking Line. The Vuosaari-Muuga route is operated by Eckero Line and Tallink. The Turku and Aland routes as well as the cruise to Saaremaa are organized by Tallink. (PortNews/Business World Magazine)