The summer season for ferry travel in Helsinki was almost as busy as the previous year.  In freight transport, there are signs that international trade is picking up.

Scheduled liner passenger traffic* in Helsinki saw 6.6 million passengers from January to August, which is 1.3% less than in the corresponding period of the previous year. 

The busiest route was the one between Helsinki and Tallinn, with 5.2 million passengers (-1.8%). The capitals of Estonia and Finland have close ties in many ways, and for Finns, Tallinn is also a very important transit city on the way to Central Europe.

Between January and August, 0.1 million passengers travelled on the Travemünde route (+3.3%) and 1.2 million passengers on the Stockholm route (+1.1%).

“Many people travel by ferry to neighbouring countries for work or to run errands, but in the summer the vast majority of passengers were holidaymakers. The peak season, June, July and August, was pretty much the same as the previous summer. It may be that this year’s line-up of concerts in Tallinn wasn’t quite as good as last year’s,” muses Kaj Takolander, Vice President of Passenger Services at the Port of Helsinki.

Turnaround cruises** bring visitors who stay in Helsinki for longer

By the end of August, international cruise ships had called at the city a total of 87 times, bringing 167,810 cruise passengers, which is almost 40% more than during the same period last year. The international cruise season now runs all year round in Helsinki, although the summer season is the busiest.

“We are pleased that, after a break lasting a few years, several large cruise ships are once again taking on passengers in Helsinki. When a trip starts or ends in Helsinki, travellers have the opportunity to spend more time in the city, explore the local culture at their own pace and get to know the area better than they would on a short day trip. The tourism sector in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is set to receive a boost as more and more cruise passengers spend time here and stay overnight in the city,” Takolander continues.

“We have deployed a terminal building at the cruise quays in Hernesaari, where, amongst other things, cruise passengers’ check-in, baggage handling and border controls are carried out.” It’s quite a hive of activity when, for example, the 2,000-odd passengers on the almost fully booked Norwegian Sun finish their cruise and just as many new passengers board for a fresh round of cruising. The new arrangements have gone smoothly and, together with tour operators, shipping agents and the authorities, we have been able to offer passengers a seamless travel experience,” says Takolander.

Imports and exports of unitized cargo have increased as the market recovers

The Port of Helsinki specialises in unitized cargo in freight transport. This means that goods passing through the port are primarily transported in sea containers, lorries and trailers. Between January and August, a total of 791,330 units (+5.8 per cent) and 8.4 million tonnes (+3.6%) of unitized cargo were transported.  Container traffic, in particular, has been busier than last year.

The turn for the better in unitized cargo exports through the Port of Helsinki became evident in the end of last year, while imports began to recover in the first half of this year.

Port statistics indicate that Finland’s economic growth is gathering pace. Changes in Finland’s foreign trade are often reflected first in cargo flows through ports and only later in statistics compiled from buyers and sellers.

Find out more about this topic:

The Port of Helsinki’s monthly traffic statistics

Traffic statistics for January–August 2026

Timetables for international cruise ships

*liner passenger traffic = regular ship traffic that operates according to a schedule, e.g. RoPax ferries operating between Tallinn and Helsinki. 

**turnaround cruise = an international cruise ship changes its passengers in a city.