Passenger traffic in Turku at a stable level
The Port of Turku is the leading port for traffic between Finland and Scandinavia and the second largest passenger harbour in the country. The main route of the port runs from Turku to Stockholm and back via the Åland Islands. The short, fast connection serves not only passenger traffic but also RoRo traffic to Scandinavia and Europe. The port’s regular scheduled services from Turku to Stockholm are operated by the two leading shipping companies in the Baltic Sea, Viking Line Abp and Tallink Silja Oy.
Viking Line makes two departures from Turku daily, morning and evening. Viking Line’s vessels for this route, Viking Grace and Viking Glory, are known for their eco-friendliness as well as their modern and diverse facilities and entertainment. Both ships also stop along the route in the Åland Islands, which makes them ideal for picnic cruise seminars and meetings between Turku and Mariehamn.
A total of approximately 2.1 million passengers passed through the port during the year, a decrease of only about two percent compared with the previous year. The result must be considered good, given consumers’ growing uncertainty about their personal financial situation and the resulting decline in domestic consumption across nearly all service industry sectors.
Tallink Silja operates daily, Wednesday to Sunday, from Turku to Stockholm via the Åland Islands and back within 23 hours. Tallink Silja Line’s programme includes the popular Day in Stockholm cruise, which departs Turku every Monday and returns on Wednesday morning. The shipping company’s route was operated during the spring of 2025 by the significantly renovated Baltic Princess, providing passengers with an even more pleasant travel experience.
Growth in passenger volumes to and from Sweden at the end of the year
The Port of Turku’s passenger numbers remained stable throughout 2025. In total, approximately 2.1 million passengers travelled through the port during the year, with a decrease of only about two per cent compared to the previous year. The achieved result should be considered good, given the increased uncertainty of consumers regarding their own financial situation and, as a result, the decreased domestic consumption across nearly all service sectors. The biggest drop in passenger numbers was seen in the early part of the year, when there were only two vessels operating between Turku and Stockholm due to the three-week dry docking of the Baltic Princess. However, in the last few months of 2025, passenger numbers saw a slight rise, which raises hopes for a longer period of positive development.
The on-schedule progress of the new Ferry Terminal Turku project also adds to the positive outlook for the coming years. The renewal of the passenger harbour area, which has already attracted great interest, will spark a new era in passenger traffic at the port and make it even more attractive and easier to travel through the port of Turku. In addition to the smooth operations of the new joint terminal, tourism will be facilitated by the port’s new traffic connections, the new port route for car traffic and the new railway connection for trains.
The number of first-time visits indicates success
In recent years, the Port of Turku has strengthened its position, also among cruise ports around the Baltic Sea. The number of vessel visits in port has remained at a steady and satisfactory level despite the very challenging times that have strongly impacted cruise tourism throughout the entire Baltic Sea region.
In 2025, as in 2024, seven cruise ships stopped at the port of Turku. Four of these were first-time visits, which reflects the success of marketing and meeting of attraction factors and customer expectations. Altogether, these cruise ships brought 2,830 passengers to Turku.
Maiden visits to Turku were made by, for example, SeaDream Yacht Club’s luxurious SeaDream II and Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Discovery. The visits of these ships to Turku is proof that Turku and the port of Turku are able to provide individualised and tailored service to very different types of vessels and customer groups with different expectations.
Luxury cruise lines and their demanding clientele raise the service requirements for the port of Turku and its partners to a new level, but thanks to the long‑term development of cruise services, the port is well prepared to meet all expectations.
For cruise traffic, Turku’s appeal lies in its unique location in the heart of a beautiful archipelago, the proximity of the city centre and attractions, the diverse cultural and culinary delights, and possibilities for different outdoor fun and activities. Along with the port’s services, these factors are marketed to international cruise line companies in co-operation with Cruise Finland and VisitTurku Archipelago. For a long time, the Port of Turku has been part of the Cruise Europe and Cruise Baltic organisations. In March 2026, Cruise Baltic will be bringing representatives of twelve cruise line companies to visit Turku and the port of Turku as part of the FAM trip to see small ports and destinations.
There are currently five vessels scheduled to visit Turku in 2026, the most interesting of which are the maiden visits of the Azamara Quest of Azamara Cruises and the Evrima of the Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection. Both are very high-quality cruise ships, the likes of which are usually seen in Caribbean and Mediterranean waters. Luxury shipping companies and their demanding customer base set the service requirements of the port of Turku and its partners to a new level, but thanks to the long-term development of cruise traffic services, the port is ready to meet everyone’s expectations.
Text: Kari Ahonen
Photo: Jarmo Piironen & Janne Bergman
