Ferry guide – How to use archipelago ferries

Archipelago? It’s not for me, don’t you need a boat to get there? This is what I hear often when I ask people if they have visited somewhere in the Finnish archipelago. The answer is NO, you don’t need a boat! You might be surprised to find out that there are many islands you can reach by archipelago ferries.

In this post, I will tell about the different types of ferries, and ferry routes, how to read the mystical timetables, and give tips on how to use the ferries.

Photo: Finferries

Finferries Ltd maintains the Finnish archipelago ferry services to inhabited islands in the archipelago. The ferries are a lifeline to people living there. The good thing is, tourists can use them also! Another good thing, is they are free! (In Åland there’s a fee for vehicles, read more in Ultimate guide to Åland ferries – All you need to know).

Different type of finnish archipelago ferries

There are different types of ferries and some you must book in advance, some you don’t.

The car ferries

The big car ferries operate on smaller distances. They can carry dozens of cars. You don’t have to book for these ferries, even if you travel by car. This ferry route is called the archipelago route and is marked blue in the map below. In these ferries, you stay in the car for the journey.

The commuter ferries

The smaller commuter ferries transport passengers and goods between the islands in the archipelago. To these ferries, you don’t take your car, instead, you leave the car at the departure port.

You have to book the trip in advance. At the moment (2025) there are two ways of doing it.

1. Use Finnferries booking system. It’s a relatively new system launched in 2024, and they are slowly adding all the ferry lines on it. At the moment the following routes have to be booked online: Utö route, Nauvo Northern route, Nauvo Southern route, Nauvo Transverse route, Hiittinen route, Hiittinen Eastern route, Rymättylä route, Houtskari route, Iniö additional route, Parainen route and Velkua route.
   
2. Call or txt the ferry. The phone number is included in the timetable (top left corner). More information on this is in the blue boxes under the different routes.

These ferries have a cabin for the passengers. Note, that in most ferries you have to be ready in the port 10-15 minutes before their departure.

Traveling by bus

There’s a bus connection from Turku that drives along the archipelago route. The bus leaves from the bus station. From the timetable list choose lines 901-904. You can take the bus to Nauvo, Korppoo and Houtskär. There is a connection to the Utö route and Åland Traffic’s southern route to Kökar.

ferry Routes in the Southern archipelago

This map is still in progress, and not all the routes have been added yet.

Archipelago route (blue)

Timetable (Scroll down on the page to the green box where you can open a .pdf file)
Ferries: six ferries in between Parainen and Mossala
Booking: Not needed

The Archipelago route is going through all the main big islands in the archipelago. It starts from Parainen and ends in Houtskär. The ferries on this route are big car ferries, which you don’t have to book in advance. The first ferry between Parainen and Nauvo operates every 15 minutes so you don’t necessarily even need to check the timetable. The rule of thumb is the further out in the archipelago you go, the more seldom the ferries operate. In Galtby, Korppoo, follow the signs to drive to the correct ferry. That depends on whether you want to go to Norrskata, Houtskär, or Kökar (Åland). Otherwise, the ports are simple and there’s only one ferry to go to.

Utö route (yellow)

Timetable and information
Ferry port: Pärnäinen (bus connection available)
Ferry: m/s Utö
Duration to Utö: about 4-5 hours
Booking: You need to book this ferry through Finferries booking system (you need to register)
My recommendations on this route: Berghamn, Nötö, Aspö, Jurmo, Utö

Utö route goes all the way to the furthest islands in the archipelago. The route is popular, especially in the summertime. For this route you need to book your journey through Finferries booking system. It is a new system, Utö route is one of the first routes where they are testing it. The system is easy to use, you choose a day, your starting point and your destination. All the islands along its route are worth visiting. Read more:

Jurmo – A masterpiece shaped by the Ice Age
Winter magic in Jurmo

Nauvo Southern route (green)

Timetable and information
Ferry Port: Kirjainen
Ferry: m/s Falkö
Duration to Björkö: 4 hours
Booking: You need to book this ferry through Finferries booking system (you need to register)
My recommendations on this route: Brännskär, Björkö

Many think the Nauvo Southern route is the most beautiful ferry route. It gets you to i.e. Brännskär, where there’s accommodation available, and Björkö, which is partly part of the archipelago national park with a little camping site.

Kasnäs – Hiittinen Route (brown)

Ferry ports: Kasnäs and Hiittinen
Ferry: m/s Aurora
Booking: You need to book this ferry through Finferries booking system (you need to register). You can take your car to Rosala and Hiittinen.
My recommendations on this route: Finnish summer cottage experience

Hiittinen and Rosala offer lots of accommodation, for example, little cabins where you can get the Finnish summer cottage experience. In Rosala you can visit the past in the Viking village, which offers B&B and a lot of events. It is also possible to do a day trip here.

Hiittinen route (Orange)

Timetable and information
Ferry Ports: Starting from Kasnäs, other ports Holma, Tunnhamn, Vänö, Örö, Helsingholm
Ferry: m/s Jurmo
Booking: You need to book this ferry through Finferries booking system (you need to register)
My recommendation on this route: Vänö, Örö

The western Hiittinen route takes you to some of the archipelago pearls, like Vänö and Örö. In Vänö you can rent a cabin. The island has a nature path, a beach, and a little chapel. Read more about Vänö. Örö used to be a fortification island and there is a lot to see there. There are cabins for rent and a camping area. Read more about Örö.

Högsåra (purple)

Timetable
Ferry ports: Svartnäs and Högsåra
Duration: 10 minutes
Booking: not needed
My recommendations: Camping on the beautiful beach
Note: the islanders encourage you to leave the car in Svartnäs and walk or cycle on the island

Högsåra is not only a charming village but the home of the extremely popular Farmors Café (meaning Grandma’s Café). Högsåra is a lovely destination for a day trip, but for the outdoor enthusiast, it also has the archipelago National Park’s camping site with a toilet, fire pit, and a lovely beach. Here you can stay in a hammock, which I love! Read more:

Easy camping and imperial history in Högsåra

Åland Traffic’s Southern route (Red)

Timetable (or watch the video here for instructions)
Ferry port: Galtby (bus connection available)
Duration: 2,5 hours
Ferry: m/s Viggen, m/s Skiftet, m/s Gudingen
Booking: needed for vehicles + there’s a cost for vehicles ( a car is around 34 €). From Galtby you can travel to Åland through Kökar.
My recommendations: Kökar is one of my favourite places, a must-see island!

Kökar is a lively island with a lot to see and do, so make sure you stay at least a couple of nights. From Kökar you can continue to the Åland mainland. Read More:

Kökar – lively community far out in the archipelago
8 things to do in kökar for outdoorsy people
Majestic rocks and lush valleys – Hiking in Kökar
Ultimate guide to Åland ferries – All you need to know

New booking system for Archipelago ferries (Operated by Finferries Ltd)

Finferries’ new booking system was introduced on the Utö route in May 2024. The booking system will be introduced in stages on all other ferry routes. This will be the end of trying to figure out the complicated timetables! The booking system is easy to use. All you need to know is your departing and arrival destinations.

From their site: “By logging in to the system, the passenger can book a place on the ferry for themselves, the vehicle or the cargo up to two weeks before the intended departure. After making a booking request, the passenger receives confirmation of the arrival of the booking request in the system either by e-mail or by SMS. With the system, the passenger no longer needs to be in direct contact with the connecting vessel and the passenger can make a reservation request at a convenient moment.”

How to read the timetable

As there are still some routes which use the old system, let’s look at how to make sense of those timetables. The timetables look tricky, but there is a logic behind them. Hopefully, the video below will help you to understand, how to read them.

Instructions to the traveller

These instructions are from the Finnferries site:

At the ferry port

• Reduce your driving speed in time before entering the ferry port.
• Drive in the right-hand lane when you arrive at the ferry port.
• Stay on the right side when you stop at the end of the queue so that vehicles with the right of way can safely skip the queue.
• Avoid idling and turn off the headlights, so that they do not disturb the ferry driver in darkness.
• Motorcyclists are not allowed to bypass the queue without the issuance of Southwest Finland’s ELY-centre right of way.
• The driver shall, on request, be informed of the vehicle axle, bogie total weight, and content load. The ferry staff should be informed of the transport of dangerous substances before driving on board the ferry.
• Close the main valves of any gas bottles carried within passenger vehicles before driving on board the ferry.
• If you drive a truck, always check beforehand the weight restrictions at the ferry locations from the ferry location pages or call the ferry.
• Pedestrians and cyclists board and leave the ferry after the motor vehicles.
• There are traffic lights at the Parainen–Nauvo ferry port. When the ferry starts loading, the vehicles in the right-of-way lane will first be allowed aboard when the light is green. The light will turn red when the lane has emptied. After this, the other traffic from the lane will load aboard the ferry. The red light indicates the end of loading vehicles from the right-of-way lane. There can be, only in exceptional cases, a continuation of loading vehicles from the right-of-way lane together with the normal traffic lane or afterward, as necessary.
• There are waiting rooms and toilets at the ferry ports.

On the ferry

• You may drive on or off-board the ferry only when the assigned traffic lights are on and the booms are lifted or driving permission has been given by ferry staff.
• Vehicles first drive into the right side of the ferry, then into the left lane or as the staff or traffic lights instruct. Heavy vehicles drive into the center of the ferry.
• Make sure that the vehicle can exit, at least from one side.
• Lock the parking brake, turn off the headlights, and stop the engine. Then exit the vehicle only when the ferry is moving.
• Drivers of motorcycles and other vehicles with two wheels must ensure that their vehicles remain upright throughout the trip.
• Getting off the ferry is typically done in the same order in which you drove on board, but please follow the instructions of the ferry staff, since you can drive off board in a different order than when driving on board. Leaving is possible only when the red lights are extinguished and the boom is raised or the staff gives permission.
• Smoking is prohibited throughout the ferry, even in vehicles. On some ferries, there is a space specifically designated for smoking.
• The main valves of gas containers, for example, in passenger vehicles, should be closed throughout the entire trip duration.
• Ensure that there is no leakage of fuel from your vehicle onto the ferry deck.
• In an emergency, the ferry will always be navigated to the nearest shore where the passengers can be evacuated.
• If an emergency so requires, put on the life jacket as shown in the manual. Life jackets are near the car deck.
• In an emergency, follow the instructions of the staff.
• When transporting hazardous substances comply with government regulations.

Enjoy your trip to the archipelago!