Scandinavian operator aims to cater for growing number of passengers on the route
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Viking Line is to add extra sailings from Helsinki in Finland and Tallinn in Estonia this summer, enabling it to cater for rising passenger numbers.
Last summer, Viking’s vessels Gabriella and Mariella offered additional daytime roundtrips from Helsinki to Stockholm in Sweden, rather than remaining in Helsinki harbour throughout the day. This deployment schedule enabled the line to boost daily sailings and provide extra capacity for cars.
As Viking handled an additional 175,000 passengers – a 30% increase – on the Helsinki-Tallinn route last summer, the line decided to operate a similar schedule between the two cities in summer 2015. Therefore, Gabriella and Mariella will each offer roundtrips from Helsinki to Tallinn between 13 June and 9 August.
“Summer is by far our liveliest season,” said Jaakko Ahti, route manager at Viking Line. “Although the number of seagoing departures between Helsinki and Tallinn may total up to more than 30 per day, many travel alternatives are often sold out.”
Tallinn is becoming increasingly popular with young Finnish passengers who want to take advantage of the cheaper shopping and dining opportunities. More families are also travelling to Estonia.
“Tallinn is a European capital that is constantly evolving,” said Ahti. “I also recommend visits outside the city centre, since that is where you will find Tallinn’s perhaps most interesting areas. Aside from traditional purchases, it is also worth the effort to explore other shopping alternatives, such as flea markets, hardware stores and gardening shops.”