Ferry From Helsinki to St Petersburg

All Aboard! Helsinki to St Petersburg

Have you ever wondered if you could get from Helsinki to St Petersburg Russia without applying for a very expensive and time-consuming VISA? The answer is 100% yes. There is a way for you to visit Russia without waiting for the VISA. there is a cruise ship that takes daily trips over to St. Petersburg Russia from both Helsinki Finland and Tallinn Estonia. You can find more information about booking this ferry/cruise HERE. 

I was in Helsinki Finland and had a few days extra days and stumbled across this idea while using the wifi at a TacoBell. 😆 This journey will involve you getting on a ferry in Helsinki and taking the ferry to St. Petersburg Russia. The catch is you cannot stay in Russia for any longer than 72-hours. The program is known as the 72-hour visa-free program and it can be done in 4 easy steps which I will explain each and ways you can save money. 

1. Get to Helsinki

This one should be a no brainer. Either you are in Helsinki or you aren’t. If you are there then you are good to go and if you arent then you need to get there. 

2. Book a ferry cabin

This is where it can expensive. The journey is an overnight trip. You will get on around 5 pm and arrive the next morning. They offer cabins for around another 100$. The ferry ticket is only 30-50$ but they get you when you have to add the cabin. Guess what? You do not have to add the cabin. I was thinking most people would do this because it was already adding up to a lot of money but that wasn’t true. The boat had hundreds of people on board and only 4 of us choose not to get a cabin. 

I was worried that people would be walking around all the time and being loud so I’d get no sleep. I found an air hockey table to lay under for a while but soon found out that there was a movie theater that was zoned off for anyone that did not get a cabin to sleep in. This was AWESOME. 😎 There were 4 of us in a rather large auditorium. It was better than a cabin. This is information that I was never given and just happen to find out as I wandered around. By not booking the cabin I saved 100$ and I still got sleep, win-win.

3. Book a transfer from the seaport of Saint Petersburg

Rather than book a transfer from the seaport just book a tour that will pick you up from the seaport. There are tons that offer complimentary pick-up. The tour choice will be your decisions but here are 10 attractions you may want to see.

• Tour inside the State Hermitage Museum
• Visit the Peterhof Palace
• Go to Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood
• The Mariinsky Theatre
• Go sailing and watch the Opening Bridges
• Walk to the Bronze Horseman
• Start the Walking Tour at Alexander Column
• Go on a Canal cruise in Griboedov Canal
• Dvortsovaya Ploshchad 
• Stop at Peter and Paul Cathedral

4. Select a hotel to stay in the city center

Booking a hotel or hostel is only needed if you decide to stay the night. You don’t have to book a hotel if you are not spending the night. An alternative itinerary could be to take the boat overnight from Helsinki, wake up, explore the city all day and return to the boat around 5 pm. You will then pass out and wake up the next morning in Helsinki. This could be quite the exhausting journey but you would get to see a part of Russia. 

Should I go from Helsinki to St Petersburg Russia?

St. Petersburg Russia is an extremely beautiful place with architectural masterpieces. The tours were very fascinating and seeing a Russian city up close and personal was exhilarating. This particular journey takes some extra planning and needs to be done smartly. Going into Russia should not be taken lightly. Their passport check-in was the second most thorough I have been through so far. Bolivia still holds the top spot in that category. After a 30-minute wait, I was let through security, remember some passport stamps will prevent you from getting into Russia. Russian passport stamps can also prevent you from getting into other countries. Do your research beforehand to ensure visiting Russia is a smart plan for you.

Next Up: Check Out “Design Your Own Map of St. Petersburg Russia”