Viking Line predicts another record summer for Finns' travel to Estonia

TALLINN - Viking Line is preparing for a busy summer on its Helsinki-Tallinn route by adding Viking XPRS to the route served by Viking Cinderella and Gabriella and by launching a partnership with Finnish bus operator Onnibus.

Viking Line is once again adding Viking Cinderella and Gabriella, which passengers are familiar with from the shipping company's service to Stockholm, to its Helsinki-Tallinn route for the holiday period this summer, the company said on Tuesday. The vessels will take turns departing for Tallinn at 10:30 a.m. With the addition of Viking XPRS, Viking Line will have a total of six daily departures on the route between Helsinki and Tallinn between June 18 and Aug. 10. On Fridays and Sundays, there will be seven departures.

Estonia has become by far the favorite summer destination for Finns, and the Association of Finnish Travel Industry (SMAL) has named Estonia the International Destination of the Year 2025.

Last summer, Viking Line carried 732,000 passengers between Helsinki and Tallinn, a new record.

The Bank of Estonia's travel statistics for the first quarter of 2025 also confirm the increase in interest: the number of foreign trips to Estonia increased by 4 percent compared to the same period in 2024. A total of 775,200 tourists visited Estonia in the first quarter of this year, of whom nearly 320,000, or 41 percent, were Finns.

"We predict an excellent summer for the Estonia route this year as well. Many departures are already sold out, even though tickets are usually booked at the last minute. We recommend that people book well in advance if they want to travel on a specific day or take their car with them," said Minna Tuorila, Viking Line's commercial director.

"Estonia's position as Finns' first choice for summer holidays doesn't seem to be threatened by anything. Stockholm comes second, and only after that come different destinations reached by plane. The number of people travelling with us who take their car has increased significantly. Last year, Pärnu and eastern Estonia didn't get their full share of passenger streams, but we think people will now also travel beyond Tallinn to discover new experiences and more inexpensive holiday options than the Estonian capital," Tuorila said.

Viking Line is also improving travel connections for people coming from different parts of Finland to sail to Tallinn in partnership with the Finnish express coach company Onnibus. Shuttle bus departures from the Kampen bus terminal to the Katajanokka ferry terminal have been adjusted to coordinate with Onnibus' coach service from 15 cities in Finland.