Booking option: Waterbus return from Market Square, return from King's Gate or Artillery Bay, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Book this Compare options below
Many people heading to Suomenlinna assume the waterbus and the ferry are the same thing. They are not. The HSL ferry is part of Helsinki’s public transport, departs from the east side of Market Square and runs year-round. The waterbus is operated by FRS Finland, departs from Keisarinluoto pier, runs only in summer and stops at two points on the island. HSL tickets are not valid on the waterbus.
Neither is better than the other in all situations. If you already have an HSL ticket or Helsinki Card, the ferry is perfectly adequate. If you want to return from the southern tip of the island at the King's Gate or start near the museum in Artillery Bay, the waterbus offers something extra. Basic ferry information can be found in the guide Suomenlinna ferry.
Short answer
The HSL ferry is best if you already have an AB ticket or Helsinki Card, if you’re travelling in winter or returning late in the evening. The waterbus is best in summer if you want to return from King’s Gate or Artillery Bay, visit Lonna on the same ticket or sit on the sun deck. The waterbus departs from a different pier and requires its own ticket.
What is the difference between the Suomenlinna ferry and the waterbus?
They are different boats from different piers with different tickets. The ferry is HSL’s year-round public transport, the waterbus is FRS Finland’s summer service to two stops.
The differences are practical, and it’s worth knowing them before you head to the square:
- Departure pier: the ferry departs from the east side of Market Square by the Presidential Palace, the waterbus from Keisarinluoto pier. According to GetYourGuide, the waterbus pier has red FRS Finland flags.
- Stops on the island: the ferry arrives at the main pier on the north shore of Iso Mustasaari. The waterbus stops at Artillery Bay next to the Suomenlinna Centre and museum, and at King's Gate in Kustaanmiekka.
- Duration: ferry about 15 minutes, waterbus about 25 minutes (20 - 25 minutes according to the listing).
- Season: ferry year-round, waterbus from early May to late September.
- Ticket: ferry: HSL AB ticket or Helsinki Card, waterbus: separate FRS ticket.
| Feature | HSL ferry | FRS waterbus |
|---|---|---|
| Departure | East side of Market Square, by the Presidential Palace | Market Square, Keisarinluoto pier |
| Stops in Suomenlinna | Main pier, north shore of Iso Mustasaari | Artillery Bay and King's Gate |
| Duration | About 15 minutes | About 25 minutes |
| Season | Year-round, approx. 6:00 - 2:20 | From early May to late September |
| Ticket | HSL AB ticket or Helsinki Card | Own FRS ticket, HSL tickets not accepted |
| Lonna | Not specified | Same ticket, according to the listing |
| Services on board | Not specified | Café, WC, sun deck and indoor seating, according to the listing |
Where does the Suomenlinna waterbus depart from?
From the Keisarinluoto pier at Market Square. This is a different pier from the HSL ferry departure point on the east side of the square.
The waterbus departs from Market Square at the Keisarinluoto pier. According to the listing, you can identify the pier by the red FRS Finland flags. When you arrive at the square, first check which boat you are heading to: the HSL ferry queue is on the east side of the square near the Presidential Palace, while the waterbus is at Keisarinluoto.
This guide does not list the waterbus’s daily departure times, so check them with the operator or in your ticket instructions before departure. The season starts in early May and ends in late September, according to suomenlinna.fi.
On the island, the waterbus stops twice. Artillery Bay is on Iso Mustasaari, next to the Suomenlinna Centre and the Suomenlinna Museum, where, according to the listing, a 25-minute widescreen film is shown every half hour. King's Gate is on Kustaanmiekka at the southern tip of the islands, where the gate named after King Adolf Fredrik was built in 1753 - 1754. Once you know which stop you want to start from and which one you want to return to, you can plan the day as a single straight walk.
From Keisarinluoto to Artillery Bay or King's Gate, return from either with the same ticket.
Book thisDoes an HSL ticket work on the Suomenlinna waterbus?
No. HSL public transport tickets are not valid on the waterbus; you need a separate ticket for it.
This is the most common confusion. suomenlinna.fi states directly that HSL tickets are not valid on the waterbus. If you already have an HSL AB ticket or are travelling with a Helsinki Card, use the HSL ferry, as suomenlinna.fi confirms both are valid on the ferry.
The GetYourGuide waterbus return ticket is, as the name suggests, a return. One-way waterbus tickets are not mentioned, so if you plan to travel one way by ferry, you need an HSL ticket for the ferry and a separate ticket for the waterbus. Tickets cannot be combined.
When is the waterbus the better choice?
In summer, when you want to return from King's Gate or Artillery Bay, visit Lonna on the same ticket or travel on the sun deck.
The waterbus’s biggest advantage is its stops. With the HSL ferry, you arrive and depart via the main pier, so you effectively walk the Blue Route there and back or in a loop. According to the listing, with the waterbus you can return from King's Gate or Artillery Bay, which saves the return walk from the southern tip of the island.
- King's Gate: at the southern tip of Kustaanmiekka, at the end of the Blue Route. It’s about a 30 - 45 minute walk from the main pier.
- Artillery Bay: on Iso Mustasaari, next to the Suomenlinna Centre and Suomenlinna Museum, convenient if you want to start with the museums.
- Lonna: included on the same ticket, according to the listing.
- On board: café, toilet, sun deck and indoor seating, according to the listing. The waterbus is accessible, according to the listing.
Return trip from Keisarinluoto, return from King's Gate or Artillery Bay, Lonna included on the same ticket and a café on board.
Book thisWhen is the HSL ferry the better choice?
In winter, late at night or if you already have an HSL ticket or Helsinki Card. The ferry is also faster, about 15 minutes.
The HSL ferry is sufficient for most travellers. It runs year-round roughly from 6:00 to 2:20, and according to suomenlinna.fi, the last ferry leaves the island at around 2:00 AM. The waterbus, however, only operates from early May to late September.
- Winter and spring: outside the waterbus season, the ferry is the traveller’s connection from Market Square to the island.
- Late return: the ferry runs at night until around 2:00, whereas the last waterbus departures are not listed here.
- Ticket already in your pocket: the HSL AB ticket is valid for the ferry but not the waterbus, and Helsinki Card City includes the Suomenlinna ferry, according to the listing.
- Guided tour: a private walking tour meets, according to the listing, at the main pier where the HSL ferry docks.
Ferries, trams and Suomenlinna museums on the same card for 24, 48 or 72 hours.
Book thisCan I go by ferry and return by waterbus?
Tickets cannot be combined: you need an HSL ticket for the ferry and an FRS ticket for the waterbus. GetYourGuide’s waterbus product is a return ticket, so the simplest option is to use the waterbus for both directions.
The idea is appealing: arrive by ferry at the main pier, walk the Blue Route past the church, the Great Courtyard and the dry dock to the King's Gate, then return by waterbus. As a walking route, it’s natural, but for tickets you’ll need an HSL ticket for the ferry and an FRS ticket for the waterbus. There’s no mention of a single waterbus ticket, and GetYourGuide’s product is a return.
If you buy a waterbus return ticket, you can do the same walk with one ticket: take the waterbus to Artillery Bay or King's Gate and, according to the listing, return from either stop. This way, you won’t need an HSL ticket at all. More route tips are in the guide what to see in Suomenlinna.
What if I just want to see Suomenlinna from the sea?
In that case, the archipelago sightseeing cruise from Market Square is suitable. It passes Suomenlinna but does not dock on the island.
Not everyone wants to walk the ramparts. If you’d like to see the fortress from the sea and the archipelago at the same time, an archipelago sightseeing cruise departs, according to the listing, from Market Square and lasts 1.5 hours from May to September, and 1 hour otherwise. The route passes Suomenlinna, but the boat does not dock on the island.
According to the listing, the cruise has audio commentary in English and Finnish and an app in 28 languages, and the cruise is accessible. If you also want to walk on the island, you’ll need a ferry or waterbus in addition.
The archipelago and Suomenlinna from the sea in 1.5 hours during the summer season, commentary in Finnish and English, and an app in 28 languages.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
How long does the waterbus to Suomenlinna take?
About 25 minutes according to suomenlinna.fi, 20 - 25 minutes according to GetYourGuide. The HSL ferry crosses the strait in about 15 minutes.
When does the Suomenlinna waterbus run?
In summer from early May to late September. At other times, you can reach Suomenlinna by HSL ferry, which runs all year round.
Does the waterbus stop at Suomenlinna’s main pier?
The waterbus stops are Artillery Bay and King's Gate. The HSL ferry arrives at the main pier on the north shore of Iso Mustasaari.
Is the Helsinki Card valid on the waterbus?
According to suomenlinna.fi, the Helsinki Card is valid on the HSL ferry. There is no mention of it being valid on the waterbus, and HSL public transport tickets are not accepted on the waterbus, so be prepared to buy a separate ticket for the waterbus.
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To Suomenlinna by waterbus: return trip from Market Square
- Return trip by waterbus from Market Square to Suomenlinna; to Lonna island with the same ticket, according to the listing
- Departure from Keisarinluoto pier at Market Square, marked by red FRS Finland flags; journey 20 - 25 minutes
- Return from Artillery Bay or King's Gate pier at your own pace
Archipelago sightseeing cruise from Market Square
Suomenlinna seen from the sea, icebreakers and Korkeasaari along the way; audio commentary in English and Finnish, app in 28 languages; accessible according to the listing
