Rostock - Trelleborg Ferry
From the mouth of the Warnow to southern Sweden, with TT-Line and Stena Line in one timetable.
- Around 6 hours across the Baltic Sea
- Five to six departures a day
- Straight onto the ship from the A19
- Two ferry companies, both directions, daily all year round
- Day and night departures, cabins available
- Cars, motorhomes, bicycles and dogs on board
The Rostock - Trelleborg ferry route at a glance
Table of Contents
The Rostock - Trelleborg ferry links Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with the southern tip of Sweden. From Rostock port (Überseehafen), where the A19 ends, to Trelleborg in Skåne takes around six hours across the Baltic Sea; the average across all departures is 6 hrs 15 min, longer at night. Two ferry companies share the route: TT-Line, mostly with the ferries Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, and Stena Line with the M/S Skåne and the M/S Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Together they run five to six departures a day in each direction, all year round.
The route suits anyone heading to Sweden from Berlin or eastern Germany: the A19 takes you straight to the ferry, with no detour via Hamburg or Denmark.
Getting there and the terminal in Rostock
Both ferry companies depart from Rostock port, address Zum Fährterminal 1, 18147 Rostock. By car you take the A19 to its end, or the A20 from Lübeck and Hamburg. Without a car you reach the port by S-Bahn or tram and then bus to the stop "Seehafen Fähre"; from the terminal a shuttle bus takes you on board. Full details: Rostock ferry port.
Check-in and departure
With TT-Line, check-in for vehicles closes 30 minutes before departure; with Stena Line it's 60 minutes before. There's one catch: TT-Line also sells Stena Line's departures. If your TT-Line ticket shows the Skåne or the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Stena Line's 60-minute deadline applies. Despite Schengen you need a valid passport or national ID card, and children need their own. The Check-in page describes the process.
On board
Both ferry companies run classic ferries with cabins, a restaurant and a shop. Stena Line's ships are the larger ones, each 200 metres long; on board you pay by card only. TT-Line's Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn each have 134 cabins. Without a cabin, you travel in a Pullman seat, even at night. Compare both on the Ferry companies compared page; the ships are profiled on the TT-Line and Stena Line pages.
Day ferry or night ferry?
Departures fall into three time slots: morning, afternoon and late evening. The morning ferry reaches Sweden by the afternoon, in time to continue to Malmö, Gothenburg or beyond the same day. The afternoon ferry arrives in the evening, good for a first night in Skåne. The late-evening ferry is the classic overnight crossing: you sleep in a cabin or a seat and drive off early next morning. It sails more slowly, 7.5 hours instead of six with Stena Line.
Vehicle, bike and pet
Cars, motorhomes up to 4 metres high, caravans, motorbikes and bicycles travel with both ferry companies. What you need to declare is on the Motorhome & caravan page; the trip without a car is on Foot passengers & bicycles. For dogs the two ferry companies differ considerably: with TT-Line, your dog can join you on a short lead in the public areas; with Stena Line it stays out of them, but there are pet cabins. What your pet needs for Sweden is on the Dogs & pets page.
Arrival in Trelleborg and onward travel
In Trelleborg both ferry companies dock on Norra Nyhamnsgatan, right next to the town centre. It's around 30 kilometres to Malmö via the E22 and E6, and 45 to Ystad; the E6 continues up the west coast to Gothenburg. Without a car, the Pågatåg runs from Trelleborg station to Malmö. The full onward journey is on Getting there & onward travel, the port on Trelleborg ferry port.
Tickets and fares
Both ferry companies sell at dynamic prices: what you pay depends on travel date, departure, vehicle and when you book. You travel most cheaply by booking early, on weekdays and outside school holidays. Cabins and pet cabins are add-ons to the crossing. From prices for cars are on the Prices & fares page, and all departures are in the timetable.
Rostock - Trelleborg
Across the Baltic Sea to southern Sweden
It takes around six hours to cross the Baltic Sea from Rostock port (Überseehafen) at the end of the A19 to Trelleborg on the southern tip of Skåne. Two ferry companies run the route: TT-Line, mostly with the ferries Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, and Stena Line with the M/S Skåne and the M/S Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Together they run five to six ferries a day in each direction, in the morning, afternoon and late evening. From Trelleborg it's around 30 kilometres to Malmö and 45 kilometres to Ystad; the station is right in the town centre.
- Crossing
- around 6 hrs, longer at night
- Ferry companies
- TT-Line, Stena Line
- Frequency
- 5 to 6 departures a day in each direction
Rostock - Trelleborg departures
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the Rostock - Trelleborg ferry
How long does the Rostock - Trelleborg ferry take? +
During the day around six hours; the average across all departures is 6 hrs 15 min. The night ferries take longer, with Stena Line running 7.5 hours at night. The timetable shows how long each departure takes.
How often does the ferry run? +
Together, both ferry companies run five to six times a day in each direction, daily all year round. Departures are spread across the morning, afternoon and late evening. The times for your date are in the timetable.
TT-Line or Stena Line? +
Both run with cabins, a restaurant and a shop. TT-Line lets dogs into all public areas and closes check-in later, while Stena Line runs the larger ships and only accepts card payment. The full comparison is on the Ferry companies compared page.
When do I need to be at check-in? +
With TT-Line, check-in for vehicles closes 30 minutes before departure; with Stena Line it's 60 minutes before. If you've booked a Stena ticket through TT-Line, you still need to arrive 60 minutes beforehand. Details for both ports are on the Check-in page.
What does my dog need for Sweden? +
A microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport; you also register the animal with Swedish Customs on arrival. Sweden does not require a tapeworm treatment for pets travelling from Germany. More on the Dogs & pets page.
Ready for Sweden?
Compare the departures of both ferry companies and get your ticket for the crossing to Trelleborg.