Important travel information

The age limit of 18 years applies on board our ships and connecting buses. Children and young people under 18 years may only travel accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Exceptions are young people aged 12-17 who can provide written proof that the trip is for educational purposes, work, visiting relatives, for sports and school groups with an adult leader, or similar reasons. The exception does not apply to day cruises. Bookings can be made by phone or at any of our offices. The written proof must be carried on the trip and be verifiable with the signature of the person who provided it. You can find the letter of consent here.

A valid photo ID must always be carried on the trip and presented on request. Nordic citizens do not need to present a passport for travel within the Nordic region, but all travellers must be able to prove their identity with a valid photo ID. For citizens of other countries, a passport or national ID card is required.The following identity documents are accepted: Passport (all nationalities), national ID card (Schengen/EU/EEA citizens), driving licence (Nordic citizens). Read more here

Children under the age of 18 travelling in the company of a parent or in sports and school groups with a leader who can show a valid ID document are not subject to the requirement.

Checks are carried out regularly in accordance with the ISPS rules or the International Ship and Port Facility Code developed by the IMO for increased safety.

Eckerö Linjen reserves the right to refuse guests who do not have the necessary documents.

To guarantee your place on the ship, we recommend that you book your journey in advance. All travellers and vehicles must be checked in at least 30 minutes before departure, during the period June-August 45 minutes before departure. Check-in closes 10 minutes before departure. Unbooked cars are accepted subject to availability and are taken on board, if possible, in the order in which they arrived at the harbour. Cars, motorcycles and bicycles and their passengers check in at the car check-in desk in the port area.

Check-in instructions for travellers embarking
If you have booked and paid for your journey, check in at our check-in machines in the terminal. At the machine you enter your booking number, or scan the QR code on the confirmation and get a boarding pass/boat ticket, which you scan later to pass through the check-in gates. Check-in gates open 2 hours before departure (1.5 hours before 10.00 departure) in Grisslehamn and 1 hour before departure in Berghamn. Groups check in at the manned information desk in the terminal.

Motorcycles loaded on the car deck are placed alongside the ship on the lower car deck. When you have been shown to your designated place, put it in first gear and unfold the side support. Do not use the centre support, as the vehicle may tip over during the crossing. The crew will of course help with lashing if necessary.

Duty-free import rules

The Company disclaims liability to the extent permitted by applicable maritime law. The ship's liability for injury to passengers and for damage to or loss of luggage or other goods taken on board for carriage is maximised in accordance with the provisions of the Maritime Code. The company reserves the right to carry goods on deck. Passengers are responsible for the maximum excesses mentioned in the applicable maritime law.

Nordic citizens do not need a visa. For visa requirements for non-Nordic citizens, please contact the Finnish Embassy in Stockholm on tel. +46 (0) 86766700

The safety of all passengers and crew on board is of paramount importance. In order to maintain safety, the discretionary power to authorise travel and the use of escorts lies with the master of the ship. See summarised information on assistance on the Eckerö Line. You can also read more about accessibility conditions and quality standards for assistance here. For contact details of the national authority, Konsumentverket, click here.

Plan your trip and let us know well in advance your requirements and what mobility aids or medical equipment you will be bringing, if any, so that we can organise the most appropriate assistance based on your needs. If you have reduced mobility that imposes special requirements during the journey, you must indicate this at the time of booking. If your health and ability to travel is impaired due to illness, you should consult a doctor before the trip to rule out any obstacles to travel.

On board the ship there is a lift between the car deck and deck 7 and low thresholds in public areas (meeting room Jungman, meeting room/bar Båtsman and sun deck are located on deck 8 where there are stairs). On deck 6 there is a disabled toilet.

Companion assistant
Eckerö Linjen may request that persons with reduced mobility travel in the company of someone who can assist during the journey. An accompanying assistant must, at the request of the traveller, be able to provide the necessary assistance in the terminal and when boarding and disembarking. According to EU rules, persons with reduced mobility have the right to assistance if the booking is made no later than 48 hours before the stated departure time. When making your booking, please check how long before departure you need to be in the terminal. The escort is provided by the shipping company's staff. Wheelchairs are available in the harbour but cannot be lent during the boat trip. Limited number, please state when booking if you need a wheelchair to/from the boat.

Book an escort if you:

• Do not have your own companion or personal assistant with you

• Need special assistance to get to and from the ship and to board

• Use portable oxygen equipment

• Are wheelchair users

• Have a visual or hearing impairment and need assistance
  

You will be met at a pick-up point/meeting point from where you will be escorted through security and on to boarding. You need to be at the pick-up point at least 30 minutes before departure time unless otherwise agreed at the time of booking. The escort will assist you on board. On board the ship, the shipping company is responsible for the safety of the travellers, which is why special rules for evacuation etc. have been established depending on the escort requirements.

On arrival of the ship, escorts meet at the ship's reception and assist to the pick-up point when leaving the terminal.

Assistance dog as an aid
An assistance dog used as an aid for an individual driver must have a service coat/badge and be in the company of its driver. The assistance dog and handler have the same right as all other travellers to be in premises to which the public has access, including on board M/S Eckerö. In addition to public areas on board, disabled travellers may also bring assistance dogs into the duty-free shop and certain parts of our restaurants, provided that this does not entail a risk of food contamination.

The ferry ticket is paid for at the time of booking online or by phone. You can pay by swish/mobile bank or credit/debit card. We reserve the right to cancel your booking in case of non-payment.

On board, you can pay for your purchases with cash (sec and euro), debit/credit card or swish.

At your disposal, there are several storage boxes of different sizes on board. A small locker costs 40 SEK, and a large locker costs 60 SEK. The rental period per charge is 6 hours, with free access/opening within that time. The storage boxes are paid for with a bank card/debit card and opened using the boarding card that you scan when purchasing the box. Please note that your bank card/debit card needs to be unlocked for international purchases.

The time difference between Sweden and Finland is one hour. When it is 11.00 in Sweden, it is 12.00 in Åland.

From time to time there are a small number of cabins for sale (during the summer months June-August there are no cabins for sale). These are only sold on board in the information centre and we cannot guarantee that cabins are always available. Please note that you must show ID when purchasing a cabin.

View information about meal options here

On board M/S Eckerö there is the Jungman dog room, which is furnished with several cages in two different sizes and a number of tables and chairs. There are also some seats at the far end of Kafé Käringsund where pets are allowed, these seats are marked with decals on the tables. Pets are also allowed to sit on the sofas on the entrance deck (by the information desk) and outside on the deck. Pet owners are responsible for their own pets. Pet owners who leave pets in vehicles during the voyage do so at their own risk. Car deck doors are locked shortly after departure and opened shortly before arrival in port. Remember, however, that it can get very hot on the car deck, especially in summer. Pets must be kept on a lead at all times when on board.

Pets may only be taken on our connecting buses if they are carried in a basket or bag on your lap. The owner is responsible for ensuring that the animal does not disturb others and space is allocated at the back of the bus for any allergy sufferers. Assistance dogs are exempt from this rule.

There is a dog toilet on deck 8.

Between EU countries, it is permitted to bring pets with you when the animal has an ID tag (microchip), a pet passport, a valid rabies vaccination, and for dogs also deworming against tapeworms (echinococcos) and is dewormed against fox tapeworms by a veterinarian 1-5 days (24-120 h) before departure. The rules also apply when you are travelling with us even if you do not intend to disembark in Åland/Sweden. Contact your vet in good time before departure. Check the current rules for entry/re-entry to Åland on the website of the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira or by phone +358-20 690 999 and entry/re-entry to Sweden on the website of the Swedish Board of Agriculture or by phone +46 36 155000. Please note that dogs, cats, horses etc. have different rules.

We have connecting buses to and from the ship, see times and stops under connecting buses, click here. Please note that our connecting buses must be pre-booked. Please arrive at the stop you have booked at least 10 minutes before the departure time of the bus. When boarding the bus, give your booking number and name. You will then receive your boarding card at the terminal in Grisslehamn. Electric scooters are not allowed on connecting buses.

To Grisslehamn:
GPS coordinates of Grisslehamn:
Width: 60.09955. Length: 18.813516.

Address:
Skatuddsvägen 10 SE-764 56 GRISSLEHAMN

To Berghamn, Eckerö:
GPS coordinates to Berghamn:
Width: 60.225366. Length: 19.536363.

Address:
Berghamn (Eckerövägen)
AX-22270 ECKERÖ

Grisslehamn: A car park is available at our terminal in Grisslehamn. Parking costs SEK 20 per car for 12 hours and SEK 30 per car for 24 hours. You can pay by bank card, petrol card, SMS in the parking machine or through the parking app.

Are you travelling with a motorhome? The fee for caravans/motorhomes is SEK 80 per day/motorhome between 1 October and 30 March, and SEK 150/motorhome per day between 1 April and 30 September. Maximum parking time is 1 day in connection with a boat trip with M/S Eckerö on the day of arrival. Motorhomes must be backed into the parking space in the designated parking space for motorhomes, see map here. For those of you who wish to stay at a campsite or need parking for more than one day, we recommend Grisslehamns Marina & Camping, which is located at a pleasant walking distance, about 1 km from Eckerö Linjens terminal.

Berghamn, Eckerö: In Berghamn Eckerö there is a free car park at your disposal.

In Grisslehamn at the car park there are 10 charging posts with type 2 sockets for electric cars. By downloading the Parkster app, you can easily charge your car, buy a parking ticket and pay.In the Parkster app, you can quickly find available charging posts and specify how long you want to stay. If your plans change, you can easily extend or cancel your parking time at any time. Read more and download the Parkster app at parkster.se

Onboard M/S Eckerö, it is not possible to charge electric vehicles.

Passenger cars and other vehicles powered by electric batteries (BEV; Battery Electric Vehicle and/or HEV; Hybrid Electric Vehicle) are categorised under international regulations as dangerous goods. However, such vehicles without visible damage or defects and normally used for road transport may be transported under a special provision, which means that they are generally not considered as dangerous goods and may be loaded on board like any other normal road vehicle. However, if the vehicle is damaged or shows signs of leakage, this special provision does not apply and the vehicle is considered to be dangerous goods, which means that M/S Eckerö cannot load such vehicles.

You can book a bicycle space on M/S Eckerö by checking in at the car check-in desk at the terminal, where you follow the instructions provided. Please note, however, that bicycles cannot be taken on board our connecting buses.

Rent a car in Åland easily and conveniently online. If you're visiting Åland as a tourist or on business, it's easy and convenient to hire a car from Rundbergs Bil & Service. Order the car directly to the harbor and it will be parked at the pick-up point and waiting when you arrive. Rundbergs Bil & Service has a wide range of car models in different sizes and for all occasions: cars and minibuses for up to 9 people, vans and various equipment.

Eckerö Line's vessels are non-smoking. Smoking is only possible on the starboard side in the bow on deck 7 in a marked smoking area.

Lactose-free, gluten-free and vegetarian options are always available on board. For other special diets, please contact the staff when you are on board. Please note that we sell peanuts and nut mix on board.

All customs clearance on behalf of Sweden takes place at Eckerö Customs Station, for more info see www.tulli.fi

The ferry journey takes two hours and is partly inshore, you have land in sight all the time. If conditions require, we slow down, without causing delays. We can choose different routes in different weather conditions. Our vessel is inspected and approved by both Swedish and Finnish maritime authorities. The crew speaks Swedish and safety information is in Swedish. Safety exercises are carried out continuously and regularly under the supervision of the maritime authorities.

The master of the vessel, or the person he appoints, has the right to refuse to carry passengers who are likely to disturb the order and safety on board. Passengers must comply with notices and rules of order posted on board and in the terminal, as well as any instructions from the crew.Food intended for consumption on board in the ship's restaurants is not permitted without the consent of the crew. However, baby food and special food for people with food allergies may be brought on board.Passengers may not bring alcohol or other drugs on board. It is also not permitted to consume alcohol or alcoholic beverages purchased in the ship's duty free shop. Passengers who are intoxicated or who disturb the order on board may be expelled from the ship. Passengers may not bring weapons, equipment or other objects that may endanger passengers, crew or ship without special permission. Passengers are obliged, on request, to hand over to the crew, for safekeeping during the voyage, any objects which may jeopardise order and safety on board. Passengers who do not produce the contents of their luggage when requested to do so may be refused boarding. Passengers are not entitled to a refund of the cost of the ticket, nor are they entitled to compensation for any other costs incurred as a result of their refusal to travel.

The above rules also apply to passengers on board our connecting buses. The driver has the right to reject passengers who disturb the peace. The connecting bus can only be used in connection with a ship journey.

M/s Eckerö is surveyed and has an approved fire alarm system and fire extinguishing equipment. There are sprinkler systems on board throughout the car deck, firefighting and smoke diving equipment that is approved and fulfils the regulatory requirements. In addition to the mandatory fire extinguishing equipment, specialised extinguishing equipment for electric vehicle and battery fires is available on board. This consists of cooling equipment that can flush water from underneath cars for cooling and fire blankets that can cover cars to prevent the spread of fire, for example an electric car that has thermal runaway. There are also special fire extinguishers for lithium-ion battery fires, which can be used anywhere on the ship, not just on the car deck for a quick response.

- Fire drills are conducted weekly and special training is also given on how to deal with fires involving electric and hybrid vehicles. The crew is regularly trained both ashore and on board and we have special CBT training for electric car fires within the shipping company.

- We follow the requirements and recommendations of the national authorities and the European Maritime Safety Authority on the transport of so-called AFV vehicles (electric and hybrid vehicles) on ro-ro ships. This includes how to make risk assessments, train the crew, ventilation, handle accidents and incidents, etc.

- The car deck has camera surveillance, and in addition to that, it is monitored by staff after departure, during the journey and before arrival. The car deck has ventilation capable of 20 air changes per hour in port and 10 air changes per hour at sea, which can be closed with fire dampers if necessary.

- One of the most important measures is that we have no charging for electric cars during the voyage at all, this reduces the risk of thermal runaway. Battery charge level (SoC) and charging are factors that greatly affect the risks of possible accidents.

- Currently, no segregation is implemented between regular vehicles and electric and hybrid vehicles. There are many opinions on this, but the maritime authorities and the industry have no concrete rules and advice on this.

- We cooperate with other shipping companies in the shipowners' association and other forums on this and continuously monitor developments.

LPG tubes used in motor caravans, caravans and similar vehicles may be be transported if they meet the following conditions:
- A maximum of 60 litres of LPG may be transported in total per vehicle (1 kg of gas corresponds to approximately 2 litres of gas in liquid form).
- LPG cylinders must be intact and undamaged and fulfil the safety requirements labelling and testing requirements. Bottles and tubes from retail outlets are acceptable.
- The goods must be intended for personal, household or sport and leisure use.
- LPG may only be carried in vehicles that are inspected and authorised for this purpose: - LPG tubes must be reported to the staff at check-in. The staff informs about the rules of behaviour and a sticker or tape is placed on the vehicle where the LPG tubes are located.
- The main valve of the LPG system must be switched off. All gas installations such as cookers and refrigerators must be switched off throughout the crossing and within the terminal area.
- Cylinders must be stored in an upright position for the safety valve to function correctly.
- LPG cylinders must be easily accessible and quickly removable during the voyage. The door to the LPG cylinder storage area must be unlocked and labelled.All LPG cylinders are counted at their full weight/volume regardless of the degree of filling.

See booking conditions