Ferries to Sweden

Travemünde - Trelleborg

From Travemünde you reach Trelleborg at the southern tip of Sweden (Skåne region). This route is especially convenient if you're travelling from the Hamburg area or northern Germany. The connection runs several times a day, with departures both during the day and overnight. Daytime sailings don't require a cabin, which keeps the crossing cheaper; cabins are available on overnight sailings, so you can sleep comfortably on board. Trelleborg is an excellent gateway to southern Sweden, with motorways continuing on towards Stockholm or along the west coast to Gothenburg.

Travemünde - Malmö

As an alternative to the Trelleborg route, there's a direct connection to Malmö. This route runs regularly (up to three times a day) and gets you straight to Sweden's third-largest city in about 9 hours. Malmö lies in south-western Sweden and is especially appealing thanks to its proximity to Copenhagen and its modern urban development. Both daytime and evening departures are on offer - on the overnight ferry you can sleep in a cabin and arrive in Malmö well rested in the morning. This route is ideal if your destination is in the Skåne region or you want to start right in the Öresund area.

Rostock - Trelleborg

If you're travelling from Berlin or eastern Germany generally, Rostock is the ideal departure port. The route to Trelleborg (southern Sweden) also runs several times a day. As with the Travemünde connections, you can choose between cheaper daytime crossings without a cabin and comfortable overnight sailings with a cabin. The crossing takes around 6-7 hours. This route is a particularly convenient way to reach southern Sweden quickly - you arrive in Trelleborg and can continue your journey through Skåne or further north from there.

Via Denmark to Sweden

The route via Denmark offers flexible combinations of short ferry crossings and stretches by road. Scandlines also offers a combined ticket that covers both the ferry crossing and the Öresund Bridge on a single ticket - ideal for a seamless trip to Sweden.

Puttgarden - Rødby (Vogelfluglinie)

The classic Vogelfluglinie (Bird Flight Line) connects the German island of Fehmarn with the Danish island of Lolland in only about 45 minutes. From Rødby it's roughly a 2-hour drive to Copenhagen, where you then cross the toll Öresund Bridge into Malmö. Alternatively, about 60 km north of Copenhagen, you can take the ferry from Helsingør to Helsingborg in Sweden - well worth it if your destination lies further north in Sweden, as it brings you straight into north-western Skåne.

Rostock - Gedser

This connection from Rostock to Gedser on Falster (Denmark) is an alternative to the Vogelfluglinie and adds only marginally to the overall journey time. The crossing takes about 2 hours. From Gedser you again have a choice: either via the Öresund Bridge near Copenhagen, or - a little further north - by ferry from Helsingør to Helsingborg into Sweden. This route suits you especially well if you're travelling from eastern Germany (Berlin, for example), since Rostock is quick to reach by motorway from that direction.

Grenå - Halmstad (discontinued)

This connection no longer operates. Stena Line discontinued the ferry between Grenaa (Jutland, Denmark) and Halmstad on 30 April 2026, citing persistent unprofitability, competition from the fixed-link bridges and cost pressures as the reasons. Any offers still listing this route are out of date.

For Sweden's west coast, Frederikshavn - Gothenburg remains the short crossing over the Kattegat; from Gothenburg it's about 140 km south to Halmstad. Alternatively, you can travel via the Öresund Bridge.

Frederikshavn - Gothenburg

From northern Jutland in Denmark, this route takes you straight to Gothenburg. Ferries between Frederikshavn and Gothenburg run several times a day, and the crossing takes only about 3 hours. This connection is especially handy if you're already travelling in northern Denmark or starting your trip there - for example after a holiday on the Danish North Sea coast. From Gothenburg you can comfortably continue into western and central Sweden, or even head onward towards Norway.

Rønne - Ystad

From Bornholm it's just a short hop across to Skåne: the high-speed ferries of Bornholmslinjen take around 80 minutes from Rønne to Ystad and run up to eight times a day. For travellers coming from Germany, this is the second leg after arriving via Sassnitz or Køge; for everyone else, after the Öresund hop Helsingør - Helsingborg, it's the shortest ferry crossing to Sweden. Full details are on the route page.

Via Poland to Sweden

If you're travelling from eastern Germany, the Polish ferry routes are often the shortest and cheapest connections to Sweden. Poland's Baltic ports lie close to the German border and offer affordable crossings, which makes them especially attractive for travellers from Berlin, Brandenburg and the surrounding area.

Świnoujście - Malmö

Situated directly on the German-Polish border on the island of Usedom, Świnoujście (Swinemünde) offers a cost-effective alternative to the German Baltic ports. The crossing to Malmö takes around 8-9 hours and usually runs as an overnight sailing. You board in the evening, sleep in a cabin, and arrive in Malmö well rested the next morning. This connection is particularly appealing if you're coming from Berlin or Brandenburg - the drive to Świnoujście is short, and you reach south-western Sweden comfortably overnight.

Świnoujście - Trelleborg

The connection from Świnoujście to Trelleborg in southern Sweden is also a good-value option. Thanks to the short drive across the border (Świnoujście is quick to reach from eastern Germany), you can save both time and fuel. The crossing takes around 6-7 hours; there are daytime departures and often a late-night sailing too, so you can cross overnight if you prefer. Trelleborg lies in Skåne at the very south of Sweden - from there you have good connections towards Malmö, Gothenburg or inland.

Świnoujście - Ystad

The third option from Świnoujście goes to Ystad in Skåne. Ystad is a practical starting point for southern Sweden - for example the idyllic archipelago, the Skåne region, or the provinces of Blekinge and Småland further east. This route usually has two departures a day: one during the day and one late in the evening. So you can choose between crossing by day or travelling overnight in a cabin and arriving in Ystad in the morning.

Gdańsk - Nynäshamn

For destinations around Stockholm, this route from Gdańsk is a very appealing option despite its easterly location. The roughly 18-hour crossing departs in the evening around 18:00 - you spend a relaxed night on board - and reaches Nynäshamn around midday the next day. Nynäshamn lies only about 60 km south of Stockholm, so from there you're quickly in the Swedish capital or on your way further into central Sweden. Given the long distance covered, the crossing - including cabin and car - is comparatively affordable, offering excellent value for money, especially since it saves you several hours of driving. You'll see the current price for your travel date directly in the route box.

Gdynia - Karlskrona

Stena Line sails from Gdynia to Karlskrona in Blekinge - three departures a day, taking around 10 hours, by day or overnight. For destinations in south-eastern Sweden, on Öland or in Småland, this is the most direct route from Poland. More on the route page.

Gdańsk - Karlshamn

The newest connection from Poland: an overnight sailing from Gdańsk to Karlshamn, taking around 13.5 hours. It complements the Gdańsk - Nynäshamn route for anyone heading to Blekinge or Småland. Details and season on the route page.

Via Norway to Sweden

A ferry connection via Norway can also make sense, for example if you're heading to central Sweden or want to build Norway into your trip.

Kiel - Oslo

The luxurious ships of Color Line turn the Kiel-Oslo route into a special travel experience in their own right. The daily crossing is even marketed as a mini-cruise - and the onboard comfort and facilities live up to that billing. The ship departs Kiel in the afternoon and reaches Oslo the following morning, so you spend a relaxed night in your cabin. This route costs noticeably more than the direct ferries to southern Sweden, but it saves you a long drive across the country if you're heading to central Sweden (Värmland or Dalarna, for example). Oslo itself is also a fascinating city well worth a visit.

Sandefjord - Strömstad

The short day route across the Oslofjord: Color Line connects Sandefjord with Strömstad on Sweden's west coast in around 2.5 hours. It's a good fit if you're building Norway into your trip and continuing on the E6 to Gothenburg from there. Full details on the route page.

From Finland and Åland to Sweden

Across the northern Baltic, the big overnight ferries run to Stockholm: from Helsinki and from Turku with Viking Line and Tallink Silja, each calling at Åland along the way. If you'd rather cut down the driving, take one of the short Åland routes instead: from Långnäs or Naantali to Kapellskär with Finnlines, or from Eckerö to Grisslehamn with Eckerö Linjen in 2 hours. Further north, Wasaline connects Vaasa with Umeå across the Kvarken.

From the Baltics to Sweden

From Estonia, Tallink Silja sails overnight from Tallinn to Stockholm, with DFDS running a seasonal service from Paldiski to Kapellskär. From Latvia, Stena Line connects Ventspils with Nynäshamn; from Lithuania, TT-Line and DFDS sail from Klaipėda to Karlshamn and, less frequently, to Trelleborg. All Baltic routes are overnight ferries with cabins and carry cars and motorhomes.