Viking Line to put fast catamaran into service on Tallinn-Helsinki route in April

TALLINN – The Finnish shipper Viking Line will put a new catamaran, the Viking Faster or FSTR, into service on the Tallinn-Helsinki route in spring.

Travel time on the Viking FSTR from Helsinki to Tallinn will be one hour and 45 minutes, and the catamaran will serve the route from April through October.

Viking Line is responding to strong demand on the Helsinki-Tallinn route by adding a new vessel, the Viking Faster, or FSTR, which will serve the route during the period April 10-Oct. 22, the company told the stock exchange. The vessel has a capacity for about 850 passengers and 120 cars.

"Some people like to spend time on the vessel, while others want to get where they are going as fast as possible. So we decided to rent a vessel to make express sailings. This year we also want to start up the additional sailings beginning in the spring and continue them well into the autumn. There is such a great demand, and we do not want to leave anyone on shore," said Kaj Takolander, sales and marketing manager at Viking Line.

During the spring and fall, the Viking FSTR will make four to six daily sailings in addition to the Viking XPRS' usual four departures. In July, there will be a full 12 daily departures on the Helsinki-Tallinn route as the vessels that serve the Helsinki-Stockholm route will also make one return trip to Tallinn during the day.