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 FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions



1. When and how can I reserve a place on the ferries?
2. I want to make a car reservation from Turku to Mariehamn today, is that possible?
3. What do you mean by “intermediate harbour”?
4. Why can’t I make a car reservation Långnäs-Galtby, Osnäs-Hummelvik or vice versa without making an overnight stop?
5. Does a trip on your ferries cost anything?
6. Can you make tax-free purchases on the ferries, and how do I pay my trip?
7. Do you also make reservations for accommodation in the archipelago?
8. How far in advance should one make a reservation?
9. Are there restaurants or cafés on the ferries?
10. How far in advance should one be at the harbour?
11. We want to make a reservation for our 15 kayaks, is that possible?
12. We already made a car reservation, but we forgot to mention we have a caravan too. Is this important?
13. Do I need to reserve a place for my motorcycle, my bike, or if I’m travelling without a vehicle?
14. I want to make a reservation from Långnäs to Överö and vice versa and from Degerby to Svinö and vice versa, is this possible?
15. Can you bring your bicycle on the bus?

1. When and how can I reserve a place on the ferries?

You can reserve a place for your vehicle by calling Ålandstrafiken, +358- (0)18-
525100 during office hours. From August 1st to May 31st we’re open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (local time = GMT +2). From June 1st to July 31st we’re open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can also fax your reservation to us, our fax number is +358- (0)18- 17815. If you do, please list one or more alternatives to your choice of  departure. You can e-mail your reservation to info@alandstrafiken.ax. We handle fax and e-mail reservations during office hours. We need the registration number of the vehicle, as the ferry crew checks your reservation from the reservation list according to the plate number.

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2. I want to make a car reservation from Turku to Mariehamn today, is that possible?

-We make reservations for the ferries departing from Galtby, Korpo or Osnäs (Vuosnainen), Kustavi on the Finnish mainland. Galtby is about 75 km from Turku, you take the road to Pargas (Parainen) and travel via Nagu to Korpo. Calculate a minimum of 2 hours’ time to get from Turku to Galtby by car. In order to get to Osnäs harbour, you drive to Kustavi and take the Vartsala cable ferry. Please observe that the cable ferry has its' own timetable and one should calculate a minimum of 1,5 h from Turku to Osnäs.
-We make reservations between Osnäs and Hummelvik (in the community of Vårdö appr. 50 km from Mariehamn) and Galtby-Långnäs (in the community of Lumparland appr. 30 km from Mariehamn) if you make an overnight stop in an intermediate harbour.

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3. What do you mean by “intermediate harbour”?

-By intermediate harbour we mean an island between the end-of-the-route harbours Galtby and Osnäs on the Finnish mainland and Långnäs, Hummelvik and Svinö on the Åland Islands.

-Vårdö and the communities on the main island are not considered intermediate harbours.

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4. Why can’t I make a car reservation Långnäs-Galtby, Osnäs-Hummelvik or vice versa without making an overnight stop?

Our ferries are intended for the inhabitants of the archipelago communities, and thus the ferries are fairly small and their dimensions are according to the needs of the population of the islands. Since the ferries are financed with tax revenue we do not compete with the privately-owned shipping companies. We do not make reservations for trips from one end of the route to the other in one day because that would mainly favour the communities on the main island of Åland.

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5. Does a trip on your ferries cost anything?

Yes, you pay a fee for your vehicle when travelling to/from an end-of-the-route harbour (Hummelvik, Långnäs, Svinö, Osnäs, Galtby). Travel between the intermediate harbours is free of charge.

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6. Can you make tax-free purchases on the ferries, and how do I pay my trip?

There is no tax-free on our ferries. You can pay in euro or Swedish crowns, and we accept Finnish bank cards
, Visa and Master cards. You pay when driving on board the ferry.

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7. Do you also make reservations for accommodation in the archipelago?

No, we only make car reservations. Enquiries about accommodation are best directed to Ålandsresor (travel agency), phone +358- (0)18- 28040, or to Viking Line’s travel agency, phone +358- (0)18- 26011. There are different kinds of accommodation available, anything from camping lots to hotels, depending on in which intermediate harbour you make your overnight stop.

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8. How far in advance should one make a reservation?

Make the reservation in time, at least one month in advance. If you’re planning a trip in July, you should make your reservation at least two months in advance. If you’re planning to travel during Midsummer weekend, it’s a good idea to make the reservation 4-6 months in advance. Remember to reserve your return ticket as well, especially in July the ferries can be full for two-three weeks in a row. It’s easier to try to make changes to an existing reservation than to make a new one at the very last minute in July.

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9. Are there restaurants or cafés on the ferries?

 There is a café on M/S Skiftet and M/S Gudingen on the southern line, Långnäs-Galtby and vice versa, and on M/S Alfågeln (Hummelvik-Torsholma) and M/S Viggen (Åva-Osnäs) on the northern line.

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10. How far in advance should one be at the harbour?

At least 15 minutes before departure. Loading is begun about 15 minutes before departure. Any vehicles arriving after loading has started are considered unbooked, and are taken onboard depending upon space available, in turn, from the queue.

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11. We want to make a reservation for our 15 kayaks, is that possible?

We do not reserve space for loose cargo, but if the kayaks are on the roof-rack it’s ok. If this is the case, please state the height and length of the vehicle when making the reservation.

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12. We already made a car reservation, but we forgot to mention we have a caravan too. Is this important?

Yes. We only make reservations for three camping cars/cars and caravan per trip. When making the reservation, you should state type of vehicle, length of vehicle, whether you’re transporting goods on a roof-rack or a trailer etc. Since the ferries are fairly small, there might not be room for your vehicle if you forgot to mention what kind of vehicle you have. Prices are according to the type of vehicle, not to the length of the vehicle.

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13. Do I need to reserve a place for my motorcycle, my bike, or if I’m travelling without a vehicle?

We make reservations for one motorcycle or more and bikes if you have a group of two or more. Especially during high season 15.6-15.8 it is a good idea to make a reservation. We do not book passengers travelling without a vehicle unless it is a group of 20 or more people.

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14. I want to make a reservation from Långnäs to Överö and vice versa and from Degerby to Svinö and vice versa, is this possible?

 No, we don’t make reservations between Långnäs and Överö since the Föglö line between Svinö and Degerby operates about once an hour. We also do not make reservations for the Föglö line, since the ferry M/S Knipan has departures almost hourly. One should, however, be at the harbour about 15 minutes before departure. The trip between Svinö and Degerby takes 25 minutes. There is a waiting room, but no café, on the ferry.

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15. Can you bring your bicycle on the bus?

Yes, but as a last priority cargo. Other cargo such as goods for provincial stores, cargo to the archipelago communities and the passengers’ luggage is prioritized. The amount of bikes a bus takes varies. There is an extra fee of 6 euro for the bike.

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 Reservations
 
+358-18-525 100
 
 

 News
 
[2011-02-08]
Bus timetables 2011

[2011-02-03]
Ferry timetables 1.2 - 31.12.2011 (pdf)

[2011-02-03]
AIS (vessel traffic and positions)

 
 
 

 

Strandgatan 25, AX-22100 MARIEHAMN Phone +358-18-525 100 Fax 018-17815
 info@alandstrafiken.ax