Ferry to Sweden
Travemünde - Malmö
The only direct ferry from Germany to Malmö, a relaxed crossing of the Baltic Sea to southern Sweden
- Up to 3 departures daily, during the day, evening and night
- Direct crossing in around 9 hours with Finnlines from the Skandinavienkai
- Car package for 2 people and a car; bicycles travel free
Route guide
Travemünde - Malmö ferry at a glance
Table of Contents
Everything about the Travemünde - Malmö route with Finnlines: getting to the Skandinavienkai, check-in times, on-board facilities, vehicle, bike and pet rules, plus onward travel from Malmö.
Travemünde terminal: getting there and check-in
Finnlines departs from the Skandinavienkai in Lübeck-Travemünde, the only direct departure point from Germany to Malmö. For your sat nav, use Zum Hafenplatz 1, 23570 Travemünde, or simply search for "Skandinavienkai". From Hamburg, take the A1 to Lübeck and then the A226; you'll reach the quay in just over an hour. High-visibility vests are compulsory outside your vehicle on the port site, so keep yours handy.
Check-in and departure
Check-in times depend on your departure: it opens around two hours beforehand for the morning departures, and in the early evening or the previous evening for the evening and night departures. It closes an hour before departure in each case, so make sure you're there in good time. Pay by card at check-in (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro); cash isn't accepted. Foot passengers check in at the terminal and are taken on board by shuttle bus. Carry valid ID, as checks are possible at the Swedish border.
Timetable: departures by season
Finnlines runs up to three departures a day: at night, in the early morning and mid-morning. The table shows the departure times from Travemünde in the winter timetable; the timetable from spring 2027 hasn't been published yet, and the time and ship for your departure are shown in the booking window.
| Departure Travemünde | Arrival Malmö | Ship | Days of operation | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03:00, Sun 01:00 | 11:45, Sun 10:30 | Finnpartner | daily | Oct 2026 to Jan 2027 |
| 10:00, Sat 11:00 | 19:15, Sat 20:00 | Finnswan | Tue-Sat | Oct 2026 to Jan 2027 |
| 22:00, Tue/Wed 21:45 | 07:15, Sat 07:30 | Finnfellow, Finntrader, Finnswan | daily | Oct 2026 to Jan 2027 |
All crossings take around nine hours. The return crossing from Malmö departs mid-morning at 10:00, in the afternoon at 16:00 and at night at 22:00; the night ferry reaches Travemünde at around 07:00.
On board
Four ships operate the route: Finnswan, Finntrader, Finnpartner and Finnfellow. On board you'll find a buffet restaurant, a bar, the Sailor's Shop, a children's play corner and a sauna area you can use for free. Wi-Fi is chargeable and can be added in advance or on board. A cabin is compulsory on evening and night departures; on day crossings you use the public areas, and all cabins have a shower, WC and satellite TV.
Payment on board is card only; there's no cash machine or currency exchange, so you won't need to carry Swedish kronor. Your usual card is all you need for the crossing.
Vehicles, bikes and pets
Finnlines carries bicycles free on all its ferries, and you ride on board yourself. Cars up to six metres long travel in the regular car package; taller and longer motorhomes have their own saver package, and combinations over eight metres can be booked with no length limit through the Finnlines booking centre.
Pets are welcome but must be declared when you book, and a fee applies per animal. Booking a pet cabin is compulsory, even on day crossings; a maximum of two animals travel per cabin. There's a pet deck on board with a dog toilet, pets stay out of the restaurant, bar and sauna, and they can't be left in the vehicle during the crossing.
Malmö terminal: arrival and onward travel
In Malmö, the ferry docks at Norra Hamnen, on Lappögatan in the north of the city. Check-in here is at the blue check-in booths at the port. It's only around two kilometres to the city centre, and bus route 35 connects the port with the city. Shortly before arrival, the ferry passes under the Öresund Bridge, a highlight of the crossing.
From Malmö Central Station, Öresund trains cross the bridge all the way to Copenhagen, making it an easy day trip. If you're continuing in your own car, the E6 gets you quickly around Skåne.
Tickets and fares
Finnlines offers two fares: the affordable SPECIAL fare with no rebooking or cancellation, and the flexible STANDARD fare. Under the STANDARD fare, you can cancel free of charge up to ten days before departure; after that, fees rise in stages until no refund is possible shortly before departure. Rebooking is free up to ten days beforehand.
You can save with the free Star Club loyalty programme, which gives 5 percent off every booking, and by booking your outbound and return journey together. The booking window at the top of this page shows current prices for your travel date.
Also bookable as a mini cruise
Finnlines also markets the route as a mini cruise: outbound and return in one package, two nights on board with a full day in Malmö in between. A buffet dinner, breakfast and the sauna area are included in the package, and the whole trip takes around 36 hours. The booking window at the top of this page shows current prices.
Day 1: departure from Travemünde, 22:00
The mini cruise starts at the Skandinavienkai in Lübeck-Travemünde. Check-in opens at 20:00, you can board from around 20:30 and go straight to dinner at the buffet. The ferry departs for Malmö at 22:00. You then settle into your cabin and spend the first night on board.
Day 2: Malmö and the return crossing, from 07:00
Early in the morning you'll pass under the Öresund Bridge, a highlight of the crossing. You reach the port in Malmö at around 07:00. After breakfast on board from 05:45 to 07:00, you have around twelve hours to explore Malmö: Lilla Torg, Malmöhus Castle, the Turning Torso and Ribersborg beach. You can leave your luggage at the Finnlines terminal. You board again at around 20:30, enjoy dinner, and the ferry departs back to Travemünde at 22:00.
Day 3: arrival in Travemünde, 07:00
After another quiet night on board, you reach the port of Lübeck-Travemünde again at around 07:00 in the morning. Over breakfast in the on-board restaurant you can watch the ferry sail into port before disembarking and heading home.
Travemünde - Malmö
The only direct ferry from Germany to Malmö
The Travemünde - Malmö route is the only direct ferry from Germany to Malmö: in around nine hours, Finnlines takes you from the Skandinavienkai in Lübeck-Travemünde across the Baltic Sea to southern Sweden. Up to three departures a day (daytime, evening and night) keep your travel planning flexible. Shortly before arrival you'll pass under the Öresund Bridge, a highlight of the crossing.
Four ships operate the route: the Finnswan, Finntrader, Finnpartner and Finnfellow. On board you'll find a buffet restaurant, a bar, the Sailor's Shop, a sauna area you can use for free, and a children's play corner. Wi-Fi is chargeable and can be added in advance or on board.
- Crossing
- approx. 9 hrs
- Operator
- Finnlines
- Frequency
- up to 3x daily
Next departures
Travemünde - Malmö ferry
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Travemünde - Malmö ferry with Finnlines
Which operator runs from Travemünde to Malmö, and how often? +
The ferry from Travemünde to Malmö is operated exclusively by Finnlines, making it the only direct connection from Germany to Malmö. Ferries run up to three times a day (daytime, evening and night) from the Skandinavienkai in Lübeck-Travemünde. The crossing takes around 9 hours. Four ships operate the route: the Finnswan, Finntrader, Finnpartner and Finnfellow.
All the ships have a buffet restaurant, a bar, a shop (the Sailor's Shop), a sauna area you can use for free, and a children's play corner. Wi-Fi is chargeable and can be booked in advance or on board.
What does the ferry from Travemünde to Malmö cost? +
Prices depend on the fare, departure time and season. Finnlines offers two fares: the cheaper SPECIAL fare (no rebooking or cancellation, limited availability) and the more flexible STANDARD fare. Day crossings without a cabin are cheapest; evening and night departures cost more because a cabin is included, and all fares are higher in peak season. The booking window shows the current price for your travel date, and the price overview gives a summary.
Money-saving tips: the free Star Club loyalty programme gets you 5% off every booking. Booking your outbound and return journey together gets you 20% off the return leg.
Can I travel as a foot passenger or cyclist? +
Yes, you can take the ferry without your own vehicle. Foot passengers check in at the port terminal and are taken on board by shuttle bus. Cyclists can ride on board themselves; bicycles travel free on all Finnlines ferries. An adult with a bicycle travels particularly cheaply on a day crossing, and even more cheaply in the low season than in summer; the booking window shows current amounts.
What does the ferry to Malmö cost with a motorhome or van? +
Motorhomes and campervans can travel without any problem. Vehicles up to 6 m long, of any height, travel in the regular car package. For motorhomes up to 8 m long (over 2.10 m high), the cheaper motorhome saver package applies; night departures cost more than day crossings because they include a cabin (current prices in the booking window). Vehicles and combinations over 8 m long can be booked through the Finnlines booking centre, with no upper length limit. Staying overnight in your motorhome on board isn't allowed for safety reasons; a cabin is compulsory on evening and night departures.
When do I need to be at the port for check-in? +
In Travemünde, check-in opening times vary by departure: from 08:00 for the 10:00 departure, from 09:00 for the 11:00 departure, from 19:00 for the evening departures (21:45/22:00), from 23:00 the evening before for the 01:00 departure, and from 00:00 for the 02:30/03:00 departure. Check-in closes 1 hour before departure in each case.
In Malmö, check-in opens 2 hours before departure and also closes 1 hour beforehand. Check-in takes place at the blue check-in booths at the Norra Hamnen port. Important: wearing a high-visibility vest outside your vehicle is compulsory on the port site in Travemünde.
Can I bring my pet on the ferry? +
Pets are welcome on all Finnlines ferries. A fee applies per animal; you'll find current conditions in our dog travel guide. A few important rules apply, though: all pets must be declared when you book. Booking a pet cabin is compulsory, even on day crossings. A maximum of two pets is allowed per cabin. There's a pet deck on board with a dog toilet. Pets aren't allowed in public areas such as the restaurant, bar and sauna. Leaving pets in the vehicle during the crossing is prohibited.
Do I need a cabin for the crossing? +
No cabin is required on day crossings; passengers can use the public areas (restaurant, bar, sauna, outer decks). A cabin is compulsory on evening and night departures. All cabins have a shower/WC and satellite TV. Several categories are available: inside cabins, outside cabins with a sea view, and dedicated pet cabins. Cabin prices depend on the category and are reasonable relative to the ticket price.
Can I cancel or rebook my ticket? +
Under the STANDARD fare, you can cancel free of charge if you do so at least 10 days before departure. Cancellation fees are 25% at 9 to 5 days before departure, 50% at 4 to 2 days, and 100% within 48 hours of departure. Rebooking is free up to 10 days before departure; after that a rebooking fee applies. The ticket can be changed a maximum of twice and postponed by up to twelve months.
Under the SPECIAL fare, neither cancellations nor rebookings are possible, but you get the lowest prices available.