Viking Line slows Helsinki-Stockholm route to cut fuel costs

The ferry operator Viking Line will reduce speeds on its Helsinki-Stockholm route from next Monday to lower fuel consumption amid rising costs linked to the conflict in Iran, the company announced.

Departures from both Helsinki and Stockholm will be adjusted to extend travel time, Viking Line’s communications director Johanna Boijer-Svahnström told public broadcaster Yle. “Every minute counts when fuel prices are this high,” she said.

From 13 April, the vessel will leave Helsinki 15 minutes earlier at 17:00, arriving in Stockholm at 10:10 local time—ten minutes later than usual. The return trip from Stockholm will depart half an hour earlier, at 16:00.

The change shortens the time passengers spend in Stockholm. “We’d rather do this than raise ticket prices,” Boijer-Svahnström said, adding that the company is exploring all options to offset fuel expenses. The adjustment is temporary, with a review planned for later this spring.

The Turku-Stockholm route remains unchanged, as its schedule is already tight.