Train Travel

London to Finland

The main train operator in Finland is VR - www.vr.fi. Ferry operators to Finland www.silja.com and www.vikingline.fi (Stockholm to Helsinki and Turku)

Tourist information is available from www.finland-tourism.com. Helsinki metro, bus, tram info: www.hel.fi/HKL/index_e.html

Travelling from London to Finland by train and ferry is great and involves a fantastic journey across land and sea across Scandinavia. Regular sailings operated by DFDS Seaways connect Harwick to Esberg and there are then train connections to Stockholm via Copenhagen. There are two main shipping companies (Silja Line and Viking Line, who operate the magnificent cruise ferries which arrive the next day in Helsinki. It takes just 3 nights to complete the London to Helsinki journey.

London to Helsinki

The journey we recommend is using DFDS Seaways' Harwich-Esbjerg cruise ferry to reach Copenhagen and then Stockholm for the ferry to Finland. It sails 3 or 4 times a week. It's also possible to travel from London to Stockholm overland by Eurostar and connecting trains, with daily departures.

London to Helsinki:

Day 1, travel from London to Harwich by train, leaving London Liverpool Street at 14:18 and arriving Harwich 1 hour 25 minutes later. The ferry terminal in right next to Harwich International station. The train is an hourly service, but this departure gives plenty of time to catch the ferry. Please double-check times at www.nationalrail.co.uk. Sail from Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark aboard DFDS 'Dana Sirena'. DFDS ferries sail from Harwich every Wednesday, Friday & Sunday at 18:00 (sailings are increased in the summer months), arriving in Esbjerg at 13:00 next day. To confirm your dates and sailing times log on to See www.DFDS.co.uk. A range of comfortable private cabins is available, complete with private shower and toilet. Take a taxi or bus to the railway station, bus number 5 runs from the port to the station every 20 minutes.

Day 2, travel from Esbjerg to Copenhagen by modern air-conditioned InterCity train, leaving Esbjerg town station at 14:55 and arriving in Copenhagen at 18:18. You will cover a distance of around 175 miles, right across Denmark. You can check times for your date of travel at http://bahn.hafas.de.

Day 2 evening, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm overnight, leaving Copenhagen by frequent Oresund link local train at 21:23 arriving Malmö at 21:58 (these Copenhagen-Malmö local trains run every 20 minutes). A sleeper train leaves Malmö at 23:08 arriving Stockholm at 05:55 next morning (day 3). The sleeper train has seats, couchettes (6 bunk) and sleepers (1 & 2 bed rooms with washbasin). Alternatively, spend the night in Copenhagen and head for Stockholm the next day. Regular high speed tilting 'X2000' trains link Copenhagen with Stockholm, check train times at http://bahn.hafas.de.

Day 3: You can enjoy nearly a full day in Stockholm. Late in the afternoon, transfer to the Silja Line terminal. The terminal is about 2.5km from the city centre, 500m from Gärdet metro station. A shuttle bus links the Cityterminal (the bus terminal next to the central railway station) with the Silja terminal. Silja Line's ships sail daily at 17:00 arriving in Helsinki at about 09:30 next morning (day 4 from London).

The Silja Line Stockholm-Helsinki cruise ferries are more like floating cities than ferries, with luxurious cabins, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, cafés, shopping centres & cinemas.

Helsinki to London

Day 2, travel from Stockholm to Copenhagen overnight, departing at 23:05 by sleeper train and arriving Malmö at 06:42 next morning. A connecting local train leaves Malmö every 20 minutes, with one at 07:02 arriving Copenhagen at 07:37. Again, on many days there is a high speed X2000 train leaving Stockholm at 06:20 and arriving Copenhagen at 11:33, allowing you to spend the night in Stockholm and travel next day (day 3) to make a same-day connection to Esbjerg for the ferry to England. Log on to http://bahn.hafas.de for details of timetables etc.

Day 3, travel from Copenhagen to Esbjerg by modern air-conditioned InterCity train, leaving Copenhagen at 12:30 and arriving Esbjerg at 15:24. Log on to http://bahn.hafas.de for more details. Take a bus or taxi to the ferry terminal, bus number 5 runs from the station to the port every 20 minutes. Day 3 evening, sail from Esbjerg to Harwich aboard DFDS 'Dana Sirena', leaving Esbjerg ferry terminal at 19:00 on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays, arriving Harwich at 11:30 next day (sailings are increased in the summer months). Log on to www.DFDS.co.uk to confirm sailing dates.

Day 4, travel from Harwich to London by train, departing at 13:06 and arriving London Liverpool Street at 14:33. This is an hourly train service - to check times visit www.nationalrail.co.uk.

Fares:

London to Harwich by train costs £24 return or £21.50 one-way. You don't need to book in advance, just purchase your ticket from your departure station on the day you leave. If you prefer you can book over the telephone, they can sell you a London-Harwich train ticket with your ferry ticket for a special additional price of £10 one-way or £20 return.

***FARES***

Copenhagen to Stockholm by sleeper train costs SEK 760 (£56) one-way or SEK 1520 (£112) return per person travelling in 6-bunk couchettes, or SEK 1170 (£87) one-way, SEK 2340 (£174) return per person travelling in a 2-bed sleeper, when booked through SwedenBooking.com.

Stockholm to Helsinki - For fares to Helskinki visit www.silja.com and Viking Line fares www.vikingline.fi.

Buy tickets

You can buy your London-Harwich & Esbjerg-Copenhagen train tickets at the station on the day of travel. Advance booking is not necessary and you don't get a price advantage. Alternatively, if you're online you can book your ticket by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk or at www.dsb.dk, the Danish Railways website. This is in Danish, but it's not difficult to work out how to use it if you're familiar with the way such booking systems work. You pay by credit card then print out your own ticket. Remember that Copenhagen in Danish is 'Kobenhavn'. Alternatively, if you book by phone, DFDS can add both UK and Esbjerg-Copenhagen tickets to your ferry fare, including making a seat reservation on the Esbjerg-Copenhagen train.

Step 2: Buy the Malmö-Stockholm sleeper tickets from www.swedenbooking.com. Bookings open 90 days before departure. To make a reservation by credit card either call on +46 498 203380 or email:

Step 3: Silja Line tickets can be bought online at www.silja.com or through their UK agents, DFDS Seaways, on 0870 5 333 000. Viking Line can be booked online at www.vikingline.fi or though it's UK agent, Emagine Ltd, on 01942 262662.

Helsinki-St Petersburg/Moscow by train

The best way to travel from Finland to Russia is using the direct trains from Helsinki to St Petersburg & Moscow.

The Tolstoi is the daily overnight Helsinki to Moscow train. It has 1st class sleepers with 2-berth compartments, and 2nd class sleepers with 4-berth compartments. The berths have recently been refurbished and provide a safe and comfortable way to travel.

***Fares: Helsinki to Moscow costs about 86 euros one-way per person in 2nd class (4-berth sleepers) or 128 euros in 1st class (2-berth sleepers). If you're over 60, the fare is 69 euros in 4-berth, 101 euros in 2-berth. Returns are twice the one-way fare. You can check these fares at www.vr.fi (and also at www.eng.rzd.ru)

How to book: You can book at the station reservations office, or by email with Finnish Railways on or by phone calling Finnish Railways international reservations on +358 307 23 703.

Helsinki to St Petersburg

From September 2006, trains are using St Petersburg Finlandski station, not the new Ladozhki station which they used for a while.

***Fares: Helsinki to St Petersburg costs 51 euros one-way in 2nd class, 81 euros in 1st class. If you're over 60, the fare is 41 euros 2nd class, 72 euros 1st class. You can check these fares at www.vr.fi (and also at www.eng.rzd.ru).

How to book: You can book at the station reservations office, or by email with Finnish Railways on or by phone calling Finnish Railways international reservations on +358 307 23 703

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train, bus and ferry times for every country in Europe, plus currency and climate information. It's essential for any independent traveller. It costs around £11.50 and is available from the 'Books on Rail Travel' section of this website.

Recommended guidebooks

Never travel, independently or in a group, without a good guidebook. The best guides are the the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. Both guidebooks have the same excellent level of practical information and cultural and historical background. Again these are available from the 'Books on Rail Travel' section of this website.

Backpacker hostels

If you're on a very tight budget you may find a room or a bed in a dorm at a backpacker hostel. Take a look at www.hostelbookers.com.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance isn't a luxury - it's a necessity. Ensure its included in your holiday budget. There are many providers these days so shop around to get the best deal but always make sure you have adequate cover and that it is underwritten by a reliable insurer. Sometimes an annual multi trip is cheaper than separate policies for each trip.

EU health card

UK citizens travelling in Europe should carry a European Health Insurance Card. This replaces the old E111 forms as from January 2006. The EHIC card is available free from www.ehic.org.uk and entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the UK's NHS.