After we finish our Rick Steves Scandinavian Tour this summer in Bergen, we would like to go to Helsinki. Would it be better to fly to Stockholm and take the boat and then fly back from Helsinki? Or would it be better to fly directly to Helsinki and fly home from there? Would it be better to buy our flight tickets now for these flights or when we get there? On the boat from Stockholm, can you take it only one way? Or if you go round trip, can you take it one day and take the return trip two or three days later? Should you buy the boat ticket before you leave or when you get to Stockholm? Phew. That's all the questions for now. Thank you for any thoughts on this.
Posted by
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
2776 posts
If you want to go to Helsinki, fly to Helsinki. Personally, I would not want to have to deal with getting off the plan in Stockholm and figuring out how to get to the boat terminal. Not to mention coordinating the timing. I would make the flight reservations before you leave to be sure you get a flight when you need it.
I've only done the round trip cruise, but I seem to recall you can go one way. I think you need to come back the next day if you get the round trip ticket because you keep the same room the whole time. I am only guessing on these questions, so you'll have to check this out.
We bought our boat tickets before we left. I didn't want to have to worry that the boat would be full. I don't know if that was necessary. It probably depends on what time of year and what day of the week.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5850 posts
Do you want to see the archipelago on your boat trip? If so, then taking the boat from Stockholm is the best way to see it.
You can take the boat one-way or round-trip. If you are departing on a summer evening, you get better views of the archipelago when traveling from Stockholm to Helsinki than vice-versa. If you take the Helsinki-Stockholm overnight route, you pass through the archipelago in the early morning while you are probably still sleeping/eating breakfast.
Posted by
OP
Beavercreek, Ohio, USA
6 posts
Thank you for responding. We decided to go to Helsinki first, then go to Tallinn, Estonia, and then to Stockholm. Once we thought about it, this makes more sense.