Riga – Helsinki
Ferries from Latvia to Finland
Key Facts
- Crossing time
- 18h 30min
- Frequency
- 1x daily
- Operator
- Tallink Silja
- Departures
- 18:30 – 18:30
- Car transport
- Yes
Route Overview
The ferry between Riga and Helsinki is an overnight crossing operated by Tallink Silja, running daily with a journey time of around 18 hours and 30 minutes. Ferries depart Riga in the early evening and arrive in Helsinki the following morning, making it a practical way to travel between Latvia and Finland without flying. The overnight schedule means most of the crossing happens while passengers sleep, so the journey doubles as transport and accommodation for the night. Cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles can be booked onto the crossing alongside foot passengers, which makes it a useful option for anyone planning to continue travelling by road once they reach Finland.Operators & Schedule
Tallink Silja operates the Riga–Helsinki service with one daily departure, leaving Riga at around 18:30 and arriving in Helsinki the next morning. This is currently the only direct ferry connection between the two cities, run on a single fixed daily schedule rather than multiple sailings per day. As with any overnight Baltic crossing, it's worth checking the current timetable directly with Tallink Silja before booking, since departure times and the schedule itself can shift with seasonal demand, particularly around summer and major holidays when Baltic ferry routes tend to see the most changes.
Onboard Services
As an overnight service, the ferry offers a range of cabin categories for the crossing, from simple inner cabins to higher-comfort options, along with restaurants and onboard shopping typical of Tallink Silja's fleet. Passengers travelling with a vehicle can expect straightforward check-in and loading, and the overnight timing means there's a full evening and morning on board to make use of the ship's facilities before and after sleeping. Exact cabin categories and onboard amenities can vary depending on which vessel is deployed on the route, so it's worth checking the specific ship assigned to a given sailing when booking.Riga
Ferries depart from the Riga Passenger Terminal at 3a Eksporta Str., Riga, LV-1010, reachable from the city centre by tram lines 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11. Before departure, Riga's UNESCO-listed Old Town and its famous Art Nouveau district — one of the largest collections of this architectural style in Europe — are both within easy reach of the port, making it worth arriving with some extra time to explore the city first.Helsinki
On arrival, the ferry docks at a Tallink Silja terminal in Helsinki. From there, Helsinki's city centre is easily reachable by public transport or taxi, giving quick access to sights such as the Design District, the Market Square (Kauppatori) by the harbour, and the Suomenlinna sea fortress, a short ferry ride from the centre.Operating Ferry Companies
- Tallink Silja