Ten ferry routes connect Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to Sweden. Your pick depends on where in Sweden you are going, whether you want to sleep on board, and whether a dog is coming. Here is how they compare, and what happens when you arrive.
When you need this
You are driving to Sweden from Poland or the Baltic states, where the sea is the only direct way across. Or you are coming from Berlin or eastern Germany and Świnoujście is closer than Rostock. Or you have a dog and need to know where it spends the night. Or an older guide has sent you to Riga, or tells you to choose between Unity Line and Polferries. Both of those have changed.
Ferries from Poland
Poland has five routes to Sweden from three ports. Since 30 March 2026, the Polish state operators Polferries and Unity Line have sold their sailings under a single brand, POLSCA Baltic Ferries. So if a guide names either company, it is describing the same set of sailings.
| Route | Operator | Crossing time | Sailings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Świnoujście–Ystad | POLSCA | About 6–8 hours | Several a day, day and night |
| Świnoujście–Trelleborg | POLSCA; TT-Line | About 6.5–7.5 hours; about 6.5 hours | Day and night; TT-Line up to 10 a week |
| Gdynia–Karlskrona | Stena Line | About 10 h 30 min | Up to three a day |
| Gdańsk–Karlshamn | POLSCA | About 13 hours | Overnight, up to six a week (new in 2026) |
| Gdańsk–Nynäshamn | POLSCA | About 18 hours | Daily, overnight |
Świnoujście, on the German border, has the shortest crossings. It is also the natural port from western Poland, Berlin and eastern Germany. Two operators sail to Trelleborg from there, so if one is full on your date, check the other.
Gdańsk and Gdynia are neighboring cities with different ferries, and mixing them up is an easy mistake. Gdynia’s Stena Line ships go to Karlskrona. Gdańsk’s ships go to Nynäshamn, south of Stockholm, and since 6 July 2026 to Karlshamn in Blekinge.
New route, short timetable: Gdańsk–Karlshamn started on 6 July 2026. When this guide was checked, the operator’s published timetable ran only to 16 August 2026, and later sailings were not confirmed on its route page. Check the live timetable before you plan around it.
Ferries from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
| Route | Operator | Crossing time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klaipėda–Karlshamn | DFDS, with some sailings by TT-Line | About 13 hours | Foot passengers carried |
| Klaipėda–Trelleborg | TT-Line (also sold by DFDS) | About 16–17 hours | Three a week |
| Ventspils–Nynäshamn | Stena Line | About 8 h 30 min | Up to two a day |
| Tallinn–Stockholm | Tallink | About 16 hours | Every other evening, via Mariehamn on Åland |
| Paldiski–Kapellskär | DFDS | About 10 hours | Vehicle passengers only |
Lithuania has two options from Klaipėda. DFDS and TT-Line share the Karlshamn route under a capacity arrangement, which means two timetables to compare. Estonia has the Tallink ship from Tallinn to Värtahamnen in Stockholm, and a DFDS route from Paldiski to Kapellskär that carries only people traveling with a vehicle.
Latvia has one route: Stena Line from Ventspils to Nynäshamn. There is no ferry from Riga to Stockholm. The route stopped in 2020. On 3 July 2026, Latvia’s economy minister and Tallink’s chief executive agreed to keep working on bringing it back, but they set no date. For Finland routes, see getting to Sweden.
Where you land in Sweden
Pick the route by where you are going. Landing at the wrong end of the country can add a day of driving.
| Swedish region | Ports | Ferries from |
|---|---|---|
| Skåne (far south) | Ystad, Trelleborg | Świnoujście; Klaipėda |
| Blekinge (south-east) | Karlskrona, Karlshamn | Gdynia; Gdańsk, Klaipėda |
| Stockholm area | Nynäshamn, Stockholm, Kapellskär | Gdańsk, Ventspils; Tallinn; Paldiski |
Dogs on the ferry
Plan the dog’s crossing before your own. On most of these ships the dog does not stay in the car:
| Operator / route | Where the pet travels |
|---|---|
| POLSCA (all Polish routes) | Only in a pet-friendly cabin; limited, bookable by phone only |
| Stena Line, Gdynia–Karlskrona | Only in pet-friendly cabins, up to three pets per cabin |
| Stena Line, Ventspils–Nynäshamn | Pet cabins, or in the car from 1 May to 30 September for an extra charge |
| TT-Line (Świnoujście, Klaipėda) | Booked in advance; never left on the car deck |
| Tallink, Tallinn–Stockholm | Pet-friendly cabins available |
If there is no pet cabin left, the pet cannot travel. Book it when you book the car. The paperwork is covered in bringing your dog to Sweden.
Foot passengers and cyclists
Most routes take foot passengers. TT-Line’s Świnoujście terminal is close to the railway station, which makes the train-and-ferry trip from Poland or Germany easy. POLSCA closes check-in 15 minutes before departure for foot passengers. DFDS takes foot passengers on both Klaipėda routes, and Tallink sails from Tallinn into Stockholm. The exception is Paldiski–Kapellskär, which is for vehicle passengers only. Stena Line’s pages checked for this guide do not set out its foot-passenger terms, so confirm those when booking. Gdańsk–Karlshamn is marketed to cyclists as well as drivers.
Arriving in Sweden
Every one of these routes crosses an internal Schengen and EU border. That decides what happens on the quay:
- ID check: Sweden’s temporary internal border control runs from 12 May to 11 November 2026 and may be prolonged. POLSCA and TT-Line also ask for a passport or national ID card at check-in.
- No EES registration: the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System applies only at external borders. See EES border checks.
- Dogs and cats: register the animal with Tullverket (Swedish Customs) on every entry. EU residents with an EU pet passport do this online in advance; everyone else uses the red channel. An unregistered animal can be refused entry.
- Alcohol: EU own-use rules apply. Tullverket’s guide levels (10 L spirits, 90 L wine, 110 L beer) are where questions start. Details are in Sweden’s customs allowances.
- Cash: EUR 10,000 or more must be declared even from another EU country, a duty in force since 1 April 2026.
- Meat: Jordbruksverket, the Swedish Board of Agriculture, asks travelers not to bring meat products from countries with African swine fever, a list that includes Poland and all three Baltic states. See bringing food to Sweden.
The Tallinn exception: the Tallinn–Stockholm ship calls at Mariehamn on Åland. Åland is inside the EU but outside its tax area, so the ship sells tax-free. What you buy on board counts against Sweden’s small non-EU allowances, such as 1 liter of spirits, not the EU guide levels.
Once you are off the ship, driving in Sweden covers the rules of the road.
Booking tips
- Book on the operator’s own site. It is the only timetable that is certainly current, which matters on a corridor where two brands merged and a route launched mid-season.
- Mind the check-in deadline. POLSCA closes check-in 30 minutes before departure for vehicles. For an electric car, you must be there 120 minutes before departure. TT-Line in Świnoujście closes check-in 60 minutes before departure.
- Cabins: optional on most day sailings. TT-Line says a cabin is required on some night departures from Świnoujście, and may be on some Karlshamn–Klaipėda departures.
- Prices are dynamic. They depend on the date, departure, number of people, vehicle size and extras, so the same crossing costs different amounts on different days.
Practical information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Świnoujście–Ystad / Trelleborg | POLSCA and TT-Line, about 6.5–8 hours |
| Gdynia–Karlskrona | Stena Line, about 10 h 30 min |
| Gdańsk–Karlshamn | POLSCA, about 13 hours, since 6 July 2026 |
| Gdańsk–Nynäshamn | POLSCA, about 18 hours overnight |
| Klaipėda–Karlshamn / Trelleborg | DFDS and TT-Line, about 13 / 16–17 hours |
| Ventspils–Nynäshamn | Stena Line, about 8 h 30 min |
| Tallinn–Stockholm | Tallink, about 16 hours, via Åland |
| Paldiski–Kapellskär | DFDS, about 10 hours, vehicles only |
| Riga–Stockholm | Not running since 2020 |
| Dog registration | Tullverket, on every entry, no fee listed |
| Internal border control | 12 May – 11 November 2026, may be prolonged |
FAQ
Which ferries go from Poland to Sweden?
Five routes in 2026. POLSCA Baltic Ferries sails Świnoujście–Ystad, Świnoujście–Trelleborg, Gdańsk–Nynäshamn and, since 6 July 2026, Gdańsk–Karlshamn. TT-Line also sails Świnoujście–Trelleborg, and Stena Line sails Gdynia–Karlskrona. Polferries and Unity Line, named in older guides, have sold under the POLSCA brand since 30 March 2026.
Is there a ferry from Riga to Stockholm?
No. The Riga–Stockholm route stopped in 2020 and has not restarted. Latvia’s economy minister and Tallink’s chief executive agreed in July 2026 to keep working on bringing it back, but no date was set. From Latvia today, the ferry to Sweden is Stena Line’s Ventspils–Nynäshamn, about eight and a half hours.
What is the shortest ferry from Poland to Sweden?
Świnoujście to Ystad or Trelleborg, at about six to eight hours depending on the sailing; TT-Line gives about 6.5 hours to Trelleborg. Gdynia–Karlskrona takes about ten and a half hours, Gdańsk–Karlshamn about thirteen, and Gdańsk–Nynäshamn about eighteen. Świnoujście sits on the German border, which also makes it the natural port from Berlin.
Can I take my dog on the ferry from Poland or the Baltics?
Yes, usually in a pet cabin rather than the car. POLSCA carries pets only in a pet-friendly cabin booked by phone; Stena’s Gdynia–Karlskrona ships only in pet-friendly cabins; TT-Line forbids the car deck. Stena’s Ventspils–Nynäshamn ships allow pets in the car from May to September. Register the dog with Swedish Customs before arrival.
Do I need a passport on the ferry from Poland to Sweden?
Carry a passport or national ID card. POLSCA and TT-Line both ask for one at check-in, and Sweden’s temporary internal border control, running to 11 November 2026, means police may check you on arrival. The ferry is not an EES crossing, so non-EU visitors are not biometrically registered at the Swedish quay.
Can I take the ferry from Poland or the Baltics as a foot passenger?
On most routes, yes. TT-Line takes foot passengers from Świnoujście, where the railway station is close to the terminal; POLSCA checks foot passengers in 15 minutes before departure; DFDS takes them on Klaipėda–Karlshamn and Trelleborg; Tallink sails Tallinn–Stockholm. The exception is DFDS’s Paldiski–Kapellskär, which carries vehicle passengers only.
Why does the Tallinn–Stockholm ferry have a tax-free shop?
Because it calls at Mariehamn on Åland, which is inside the EU but outside its tax area. That makes on-board shopping tax-free, and it also means what you buy there counts against Sweden’s small non-EU allowances, such as one liter of spirits, rather than the generous EU guide levels.
Related guides
- Getting to Sweden: every route compared — flights, trains, and the Finland ferries
- Bringing your dog to Sweden — the paperwork before you book the pet cabin
- Sweden’s customs allowances — EU guide levels and the Åland exception
- Ferries from Germany to Sweden — Rostock, Travemünde and Kiel, if Świnoujście is full
- EES border checks — why the ferry does not register your entry
Facts verified 2026-09-24. Sources: POLSCA/Polferries, TT-Line, DFDS, Stena Line, Tallink, Port of Gdańsk, Tullverket (Swedish Customs), Jordbruksverket, Polismyndigheten, Regeringen — full register in this topic’s source file. Fares and departure times change constantly and are never published here; always check the operator. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.