Gdansk by sea
A coastal location is a great advantage for any city, and Gdansk is no exception. Miles of beautiful, sandy beaches, a well-developed sports and hotel infrastructure, cargo and passenger ships – the list goes on and on. The ability to reach Gdansk and the rest of Tricity by sea is an undeniable plus.
While there is a lot of talk about building new roads and railways, and expanding the airports, all of which is of course important, sea transport is often ignored. Last year alone, Gdansk was visited by more than 70 passenger vessels, a record number that translates into thousands of additional visitors for Gdansk and the region. Even more important are the regular ferry connections, a convenient way to visit other cities or even Gdansk. The oversea ferry market can change rapidly, and there are currently two connections available – both of them to Sweden.
A Stena line ferry leaves every day from the nearby port of Gdynia, sailing to Karlskrona in southern Sweden, the “capital” of the Blekinge region. The journey takes a little over 10 hours, and ticket prices start at a meagre 56 zlotys for a one-way ticket (discounted prices). If you would like to find out more about such offers, check the carrier’s website (https://www.stenaline.pl) from time to time – you can also buy tickets there and keep up to date with any new promotional offers.
The second option is by Polferries, with two vessels – “Wawel” and the latest addition “Nova Star”, with crossings taking place between 2 and 4 times per week, depending on the season. They sail between Gdansk and Nynashamn, a town located a mere dozen kilometres from Stockholm. Ticket prices start at 241 zlotys (one-way), and it is a good idea to check the https://polferries.pl website to see if there are any promotional offers. The journey takes around 18 hours.
Anyone who has ever taken a ferry knows that, even though it might take longer than a flight, it is much more interesting. During the trip, you can relax in a comfortable cabin, take your time to enjoy the numerous duty-free shops, have dinner in a restaurant, and even dance to live music! If you pay extra to take your car on board, it is much easier to explore your destination. But what about inclement weather? What if there is a storm? Well, is there anyone who has never wanted to go on a real sea adventure?
It should be noted that the connection between Gdynia and Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is currently suspended, but we hope that the carrier (Finnlines) will eventually return.
Let us end with a question. Who remembers the ferries sailing between Gdansk and Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad Oblast? That’s right! Such a connection did exist in the past, but due to various political and economic factors, it is no longer available. The duty-free shops offering a wide range of products made it a very “entertaining” connection, even though many passengers never really stepped foot on Russian soil. Well, those who had the pleasure of taking such a trip undoubtedly wish they still operated.
