Conditions for Tallinn ferry

Good Evening,

I%26#39;m heading to Scandinavia next week and was searching for current conditions/likelihood for taking a fast catamaran (Linda Line) to Tallinn.

Although I realize there are no weather guarantees, I%26#39;m just curious about whether the seas are icy, etc.

We are staying at the Palace Hotel (thanks to advice from this site) so I would love to take a fast ferry from close to the hotel.

Thanks for any insight you might have.

|||

Unfortunately Linda Line doesn%26#39;t run yet due to the ice situation. Right now they estimate that they would start running on April 2nd.

What you have to do is to take a taxi to the Western Harbour which is about 10 minutes away. From there you can either take Tallink or Viking Line ferries to Tallinn. Some of them are almost as fast as the catamarans so you won%26#39;t lose much time.

Here are their websites:

http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/

http://www.vikingline.fi/index.asp?lang=en

|||

Viking Line%26#39;s fast ferry Viking XPRS does not operate from the West Harbour, only Tallink and Eckerö Line use that terminal. It departs from the Katajanokka Terminal which is opposite Palace Hotel the Linda Line%26#39;s Makasiini Terminal in South Harbour. However, you must go around the harbour area through the Market Place to get there, the distance is ca 1 km on foot or by car.

|||

zam72, you%26#39;re right. Sorry for the misleading information.

|||

Thanks for the info. Actually, April 4th is only day we would have the opportunity to get to Tallinn. I saw that the Linda Line does open as you stated on April 2nd, but know it%26#39;s subject to weather conditions.

So, perhaps one of the other lines would be better (and less risk).

|||

If I were you, I would take either the Viking XPRS (closer to your hotel than Tallink) or Tallink Star/Superstar. So early in spring it may be that the catamarans cannot start operations yet, or the day just happens to be too windy or sea too rough (too high waves). The big fast ships will sail in most forseeable weather conditions.

In addition to the fact that they are only a bit slower than the catamarans, they are also much more comfortable means of travel.

Viking Line can be booke through their agent in the USA: vikingline.fi/reservations/… (use the form available at bortonoverseas.com/_uls/resources/downloads/… ).

Tallink can be booked online: http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/

|||

Thanks for the suggestions. I double checked on Viking as I remembered they operated with fewer options. In fact they only offer a 11:30 departure and allows for 4 hours in Tallinn.

Any advice as to whether that is enough time to get a look around at Old Town in Tallinn? Our goal would be to just check out a couple of sites and do a little shopping.

|||

If you ask me, four hours is a bit scant. In that time you%26#39;ll have time to walk around the old town and maybe on other place. Tallin%26#39;s old town is a wonderful medieval town and there%26#39;s plenty to see and do (and many shops, too) in Tallinn.

If I were you I would consider staying a bit longer in Tallinn.

If you%26#39;d like to use Viking Line you can also take the the evening departure and sleep onboard until early morning (disembarcation will be at 7 am.) and then spend the whole day in Tallinn. Or take the early morning Tallink Star/Superstar (also Tallink%26#39;s Star and Superstar have the night cruises where you can stay onboard in a cabin until morning, but they depart later in the evening than Viking XPRS (around 11 pm?)).

|||

You%26#39;ve been so helpful. I%26#39;ll probably look at the Tallink line again. I know the terminal is a bit further, but they have more options in terms of arrivals and departures.

I was still secretly hoping the Linda Line might be running, but don%26#39;t think I want to take the chance for poor weather that morning. I%26#39;d rather see Tallinn than not.

Thanks again. We%26#39;re getting out our winter clothes for our trip!

|||

Hey edugal! I just took the ferry this weekend. I was told by the girl in the travel office that it was good that I was taking Viking instead of Linda Line because LL cancels alot. She said even the slightest change of weather and they adjust their schedule. I dont think she said this cause of a better commission on VIking because I was already in the process of booking.

|||

Thanks for that. We just arrived back home and we ended up taking the Tallink-Silja line and was very glad we did. We stayed at The Palace Hotel and the first day the water looked very nice. The next day (the only time we had to get to Estonia) the ice moved in!

Hope you are having a great time. We enjoyed our trip very much.