Travelling from Helsinki to Estonia by camper turned out to be one of the easiest and most enjoyable parts of our road trip through Northern Europe. There is no bridge or road connection between Finland and Estonia, so the camper has to cross the Gulf of Finland by ferry.
We travelled from Helsinki to Tallinn, taking our camper directly onto the ferry. The sea crossing itself is relatively short, but travelling with a motorhome requires a little more preparation than travelling as a normal foot passenger.
Here is how our trip went, how much we paid, where we bought fuel, where we stayed with the camper and what driving in Estonia was actually like.
Getting to the Ferry Terminal in Helsinki
We started our journey in Helsinki in the morning.
The first thing I did was fill the camper with diesel before going to the port. Fuel in Finland is generally not cheap, so if you already have enough diesel to reach Estonia, it can sometimes make sense to wait until Tallinn before filling the tank completely.
From central Helsinki, reaching the ferry terminals is relatively straightforward. However, when travelling with a camper, I strongly recommend checking the terminal carefully before leaving.
Different ferry companies can use different terminals and ports.
The main companies operating between Helsinki and Tallinn are:
- Tallink Silja Line
- Viking Line
- Eckerö Line
The normal crossing takes approximately 2–2.5 hours, depending on the ship and operator.
We decided to travel with Tallink Silja Line because the departure time was convenient and taking a motorhome was simple.
How I Booked the Ferry with a Camper
I bought the ticket online before arriving in Helsinki.
When booking, it is important not to select a normal passenger car if you are travelling in a motorhome.
The booking system asks for information such as:
- vehicle type;
- camper length;
- camper height;
- number of passengers;
- departure date;
- departure time.
Our camper was approximately 6.5 metres long and 2.8 metres high.
Vehicle dimensions matter because the ferry company uses them to determine where your camper will be parked on the vehicle deck.
Motorhome transport prices vary considerably. As a general 2026 reference, motorhome transport can start at approximately €64 with Eckerö Line and around €82 with Tallink, while the average total campervan fare found for the Helsinki–Tallinn route is around €160.
Passenger fares themselves can start at roughly €15–€30, although busy summer departures can be considerably more expensive.
For our crossing, the total price for the camper and passengers came to roughly €150.
Booking several days or weeks ahead can make a noticeable difference, particularly in July and August.
Arriving at Helsinki Port
We arrived at the vehicle check-in approximately one hour before departure.
This is something I would definitely recommend when travelling with a camper.
The procedure was simple.
We followed the signs for vehicle check-in, entered the appropriate lane and presented our booking information. After check-in, we were directed into a waiting lane together with cars, vans and other motorhomes.
When boarding started, port staff directed us onto the ferry.
Driving a large camper onto the ship looked intimidating at first, but everything was very well organised.
The important thing is to drive slowly and follow the crew’s instructions.
Once the camper was parked, I:
- switched off the engine;
- engaged the parking brake;
- checked that the windows were closed;
- took our documents, phones and valuables;
- went upstairs to the passenger decks.
Passengers normally cannot simply remain inside their camper during the crossing.
Helsinki to Tallinn by Ferry
The actual crossing was surprisingly short.
The distance across the Gulf of Finland is roughly 80 km, and the fastest ferries complete the trip in about two hours.
The ferry felt more like a small shopping centre than a traditional ferry.
There were restaurants, cafés, bars, shops, toilets and plenty of seating.
We bought coffee and something to eat and spent part of the crossing outside watching Helsinki disappear behind us.
If you want to save money, however, eating before boarding is a good idea because food and drinks on the ship can add another €15–€30 per person surprisingly quickly.
Arriving in Tallinn with the Camper
About two hours later, we returned to the vehicle deck.
This was one of my favourite moments of the trip.
The doors opened, the vehicles in front of us started moving and a few minutes later we drove our camper off the ferry and onto Estonian roads.
There was no complicated border procedure for our normal Finland–Estonia Schengen journey.
From Tallinn’s passenger port, the city centre is only a short drive away.
However, driving directly into central Tallinn with a large camper is not always the best idea.
Instead, I had already selected a camper stop where we could leave the motorhome and explore the city without worrying about parking.
Do You Need a Vignette in Estonia?
This was one of the things I checked before the trip.
For an ordinary passenger camper, Estonia does not have a motorway vignette system similar to Austria, Slovenia or the Czech Republic.
Estonian road-user charges apply to heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, rather than ordinary passenger motorhomes simply because they are motorhomes.
Therefore, for our camper, there was no motorway vignette to buy.
That made travelling around Estonia extremely simple.
I could leave the ferry and start driving without stopping at the border to buy a road sticker.
Roads in Estonia
The first thing I noticed after leaving Tallinn was how easy the roads were to drive.
There are no huge motorway networks like those in Germany or Italy, but the main roads are generally good.
The major routes are identified by numbers.
For example, the E67 / Route 4 runs south from Tallinn towards Pärnu and eventually Latvia. It is part of the famous Via Baltica, which connects the Baltic countries with Poland.
For anyone travelling through Estonia towards Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, this is one of the most important roads.
Traffic outside Tallinn was relatively light.
With a camper, that made the journey very relaxing.
Fuel Prices in Estonia
I deliberately avoided completely filling the camper in Helsinki because I wanted to refuel after arriving in Estonia.
Fuel prices can change every day, but Estonia has often been a convenient place to refuel when travelling through the Baltic region.
We stopped at a Circle K station after leaving Tallinn.
The camper took around 55 litres of diesel.
At roughly €1.70–€1.90 per litre, depending on the station and current fuel market, a 55-litre fill would cost approximately:
55 litres × €1.80 = €99
I usually use the larger petrol station chains when travelling with a camper because access is easier.
Common fuel stations you will see in Estonia include:
- Circle K;
- Olerex;
- Alexela;
- Neste.
The larger stations normally have enough space for a 6–7 metre camper.
That is much more convenient than trying to manoeuvre into a small city petrol station.
Parking a Camper in Tallinn
Parking was actually more complicated than driving.
Tallinn has different parking zones and I did not want to leave a large motorhome in the city centre overnight.
For sightseeing, the easiest solution was to leave the camper outside the busiest streets and walk or use public transport.
For overnight accommodation, we looked for a proper motorhome site.
One central option is City Garden Camping, located around 1.5–2 km from Tallinn’s Old Town.
A motorhome pitch there is approximately €45 per night for two people.
The advantage is that facilities can include:
- electricity;
- fresh water;
- toilets;
- grey-water disposal;
- chemical toilet disposal.
For us, paying for a proper campsite was worth it because we could leave the camper and walk into Tallinn without worrying about it.
Our First Night in Estonia
After parking the camper, connecting the electricity and filling our fresh-water tank, we walked towards Tallinn Old Town.
This is one of the biggest advantages of travelling by camper.
Our vehicle was simultaneously our transport, kitchen, storage space and accommodation.
Instead of searching for a hotel and carrying our luggage inside, we simply parked, connected the electricity and were ready for the evening.
We spent the evening walking around the Old Town and returned to the camper later that night.
The campsite cost about €45.
Compared with a hotel room plus city parking, I considered it reasonable.
Driving from Tallinn Towards Pärnu
The next morning, we left Tallinn and headed south towards Pärnu.
The distance is approximately 130 km, so it is an easy camper journey.
Most of the route follows the E67 / Via Baltica.
This road is especially useful if your final destination is Latvia, Lithuania, Poland or another country in Central Europe.
We stopped once for coffee and again at a petrol station.
One thing I liked about Estonia was that I never felt that finding fuel was a problem.
On the major roads, petrol stations are frequent enough for normal camper travel.
Camper Parking Outside Tallinn
Once outside Tallinn, finding places to stop became much easier.
There are normal campsites, motorhome parking areas and rural camping locations throughout Estonia.
A basic camper pitch can often cost around €15–€30 per night, while better-equipped campsites or sites near Tallinn and popular tourist destinations can reach €35–€50+.
Electricity may either be included or charged separately.
Before choosing a site, I normally check whether it offers:
- drinking water;
- electricity;
- grey-water disposal;
- chemical toilet disposal;
- showers;
- toilets;
- Wi-Fi;
- space for a camper longer than 6 metres.
I also check recent reviews because a place marked as suitable for motorhomes on a map is not always comfortable for a large vehicle.
How Much the Helsinki–Estonia Camper Trip Cost Us
For the first part of the trip, our approximate expenses were:
| Expense | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| Helsinki–Tallinn ferry with camper | €150 |
| Food and coffee on ferry | €30 |
| Diesel in Estonia – 55 litres | €99 |
| Camper site in Tallinn | €45 |
| Food and groceries | €40 |
| Parking/small expenses | €15 |
| Total | about €379 |
Without restaurants and with a cheaper ferry ticket, the same journey could be done for considerably less.
The ferry is the expense that varies the most.
Depending on the season, departure and size of the camper, the difference can easily be tens of euros.
Ferry Price Comparison
For anyone planning the same trip, these are useful approximate starting prices:
| Ferry company | Passenger | Motorhome transport |
|---|---|---|
| Tallink Silja Line | from about €30 | from about €82 |
| Eckerö Line | from about €19–€25 | from about €64 |
| Viking Line | from about €15–€25 | depends on vehicle/departure |
These are not fixed fares. Ferry companies use dynamic pricing, so summer weekends and popular departure times can be much more expensive.
The average campervan fare on the Helsinki–Tallinn route can be around €160, depending on the booking conditions.
What I Would Do Differently Next Time
The biggest lesson from this journey was to book the ferry earlier.
Travelling with a normal car gives you more options, while spaces for tall or long vehicles can be more limited.
Next time I would book at least several days in advance and compare all three ferry companies before paying.
I would also avoid filling the diesel tank completely in Helsinki if fuel in Estonia was significantly cheaper on the day of travel.
Another useful decision was booking a proper camper site in Tallinn instead of trying to sleep in a random car park.
For €30–€45, having electricity, water and waste disposal makes life much easier.
Is Travelling from Finland to Estonia by Camper Worth It?
Absolutely.
Taking a camper from Helsinki to Tallinn is much easier than I expected.
There is no exhausting day of driving involved. You simply drive to Helsinki port, put the camper on the ferry, spend about two hours crossing the Gulf of Finland and drive straight into Estonia.
For us, the ferry also felt like part of the road trip rather than just transportation.
After leaving Tallinn, Estonia is particularly comfortable for camper travel because there are no normal motorway tolls or vignette costs for an ordinary passenger motorhome.
The main expenses are therefore fuel, camping, parking and the ferry itself.
Our route continued south from Tallinn towards Pärnu, following the Via Baltica.
From there, the obvious next step was Latvia — and another completely different part of our camper journey through the Baltic States.