Check-in & boarding
Two ferry companies, two ports, different deadlines. Here's when you need to be at the terminal at the latest with TT-Line and with Stena Line, and what to have with you.
- TT-Line with a vehicle: up to 30 minutes before
- Stena Line: up to 60 minutes before departure
- Passport or photo ID, for children too
Table of Contents
The deadlines at a glance
On the Rostock - Trelleborg route, the check-in deadline depends on which ferry company you're travelling with, which port you're leaving from, and whether you're travelling by vehicle, on foot or by bike. The key rule: what counts is the ship on your ticket, not who sold it.
| Ferry company | Port | With a vehicle | On foot or by bike |
|---|---|---|---|
| TT-Line | Rostock | opens around 2 hrs before, closes 30 minutes before departure | check in at the TT-Line terminal, then shuttle bus |
| TT-Line | Trelleborg | opens 3 hrs before, closes 30 minutes before departure | closes 45 minutes before departure, at the main station |
| Stena Line | both ports | closes 60 minutes before departure | closes 60 minutes before departure |
With TT-Line in Trelleborg, check-in for departures between 23:30 and 06:00 only opens an hour before. For groups, 60 minutes also applies with TT-Line in Rostock.
When TT-Line sells the Stena departure
Alongside its own departures, TT-Line also sells Stena Line's. If your ticket shows the M/S Skåne or the M/S Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, you're travelling with Stena Line, and check-in closes 60 minutes before departure, not 30. Check your ticket before you set off, especially if you've only travelled with TT-Line before.
ID and documents
For the crossing you need a passport or a photo ID card; children travel with their own ID. If you're bringing a pet, the EU pet passport belongs in your hand luggage, and the animal is registered with Swedish Customs. What else Sweden requires is on the Dogs & pets page.
By car in Rostock
The port sits at the end of the A19, and the motorway takes you straight to the terminals. With TT-Line you check in at self-service kiosks, which also process bicycles; checking in online beforehand also works. Check-in opens around two hours before departure. With Stena Line, the Ferry Centre at Zum Fährterminal 1 is the place to go, open Monday to Saturday from 05:30 to 22:30 and Sunday from 08:15 to 22:00.
If you have a motorhome with a gas system, close the main valve before driving up; it stays closed for the whole crossing. Both ferry companies' rules are on the Motorhome & caravan page.
On foot and by bike in Rostock
With TT-Line, foot passengers check in at the TT-Line terminal and travel to the ship by shuttle bus. With TT-Line you can only travel on foot on departures between 05:00 and 24:00. With Stena Line there's no walking route from the Ferry Centre to the ship; a terminal bus runs 30 minutes before departure. Cyclists wear a high-visibility vest in the port.
Check-in in Trelleborg
By car, you head to the terminals on Norra Nyhamnsgatan: TT-Line at number 1b, Stena Line at number 1A. TT-Line's vehicle check-in uses self-service kiosks and opens three hours before departure.
Without a car, check-in starts in town. TT-Line's foot passengers and cyclists check in at the main station, Kontinentplan 2, and take the shuttle 45 minutes before departure to the ship; the station is closed between 02:00 and 04:30. With Stena Line, you check in without a car at Hamngatan 9, a few minutes' walk from the station, then travel to the terminal by shuttle bus.
Boarding and on board
Take everything you'll need during the crossing out of the car: with TT-Line the vehicle deck is locked for the crossing. With Stena Line, payment in the port and on board is by card only.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about check-in
I booked with TT-Line but I'm sailing with Stena Line. Which deadline applies? +
Stena Line's: 60 minutes before departure. TT-Line also sells the departures of the M/S Skåne and the M/S Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and for these ships the longer deadline applies.
Can I check in online? +
With TT-Line, yes; alternatively you check in at the self-service kiosk in Rostock. The process with Stena Line is described on the Stena Line page.
What ID do I need? +
A passport or photo ID card. Children need their own ID.
When does the shuttle bus run for foot passengers? +
In Rostock, Stena Line's terminal bus takes you to the ship 30 minutes before departure. In Trelleborg, the TT-Line shuttle leaves the main station 45 minutes before departure. Everything about travelling without a car is on the Foot passengers & bicycles page.
At the terminal in time
Both ferry companies' departures for your date are in the timetable.