How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

The rule of thumb on virtually every North Sea, Channel and Irish Sea route is: a maximum of 3 bottles with a combined weight of up to 47 kg. That is literally how Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries and Smyril Line word it. P&O Ferries differs: on the North Sea and Channel routes only the 47 kg of gas per vehicle limit applies, but on the Irish Sea routes it is a maximum of 3 bottles of no more than 11.2 kg each. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) applies 47 kg per bottle or tank, which must also be filled to less than 80%. Two standard 11 kg bottles therefore stay comfortably within the margin everywhere.

Does the gas valve have to be shut off during the crossing?

Yes, without exception. Every ferry operator requires the main valve of your gas system to be closed the moment you drive onto the ship, and to stay closed until you drive off. Color Line checks this as you board, TT-Line explicitly prohibits the use of a gas fridge on board, and Smyril Line requires all gas appliances to be switched off and the bottles to stay in the vehicle. So switch your fridge over to 12V in good time, or accept that it will be off for a few hours: a properly pre-cooled fridge will handle a crossing of 6 to 8 hours without any trouble.

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

Draw a distinction between gas as a fuel and gas for cooking and heating. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) carries no vehicle that runs on LPG, not even as a second fuel; other dual-fuel combinations such as petrol-electric are fine. On the ferry it is different: Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries carry LPG, LNG and CNG-powered vehicles without any fuss, provided it is a factory-fitted system and the valve is shut off. A refillable gas tank or refillable bottle (Gaslow, Alugas, Safefill) counts as domestic gas and may also go through the tunnel: up to 47 kg, filled to less than 80%, and you must be able to demonstrate that at the gas check.

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

That varies by ferry operator and route, and it is the single biggest pitfall. On the short Channel crossings it is allowed: P&O and DFDS Calais/Dunkirk-Dover (around 15 to 19 euros per animal), Stena Line Hook of Holland-Harwich (around 19 euros) and Color Line Denmark-Norway (9 euros). It is explicitly not allowed on DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle, Brittany Ferries to Spain, TT-Line, Finnlines, Smyril Line and Go Nordic Cruiseline: there the vehicle deck is locked and your dog has to go into a kennel on board or a pet-friendly cabin. In the Eurotunnel your dog simply stays with you in the motorhome, which is what makes that route so popular with dog owners (around 25 euros per animal).

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

Ships only have a handful of them: Irish Ferries has 5 pet-friendly cabins on the James Joyce (Dublin-Holyhead), P&O has 6 dog cabins per ship on Hull-Rotterdam, and Brittany Ferries has a limited number on the Spain ships Galicia, Salamanca and Santona. You select them while booking, but for DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle you even have to phone. For summer sailings and the Spain and Ireland routes they are often gone months in advance, so book the cabin before you plan the rest of your trip. Budget around 35 to 50 euros or pounds per animal each way, on top of the cabin fare.

What paperwork and treatments does my dog need for England and Ireland?

Your dog must be microchipped before the rabies vaccination, and you may only travel 21 full days after that vaccination. On top of that, a tapeworm treatment (echinococcus) administered by a vet is compulsory: a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 120 hours (5 days) before arrival in Great Britain, and the same requirement applies to Ireland. The vet has to sign that off in your EU pet passport, which is accepted without question on entry to the UK. Schedule that worming treatment tightly into your itinerary: too early is just as wrong as too late, and the ferry operator is entitled to refuse your dog at check-in.

Scandinavia, Baltic & Iceland

Travemünde – Helsinki

Travemünde (Skandinavienkai) (DE) → Helsinki (Vuosaari) (FI)

Year-round

Key facts

Ferry operators

Finnlines (Finnstar / Finnmaid / Finnlady)

Crossing time

30 hrs

Frequency

daily (7x/week per direction)

Season

year-round

Price indication

motorhome package 2 people + motorhome (≤8 m long, ≤4.4 m high) incl. inside cabin: season I €711 / II €839 / III (high season) €968 one-way, 2026 early-booking rate; -20% return discount (indication)

Pets

special pet-friendly cabins (code P, incl. Junior Pet Suite) — your pet stays with you in the cabin; NOT in the vehicle

Saves ±2,100 driving kilometres

Via the ferry: 30 hrs; motorhome package 2 people + motorhome (≤8 m long, ≤4.4 m high) incl. inside cabin: season I €711 / II €839 / III (high season) €968 one-way, 2026 early-booking rate; -20% return discount (indication)
Overland: 26 hrs; ±2,100 km

Overland alternative: ±2,100 km via Poland–Lithuania–Latvia–Estonia (Via Baltica) + ferry Tallinn–Helsinki 2 hrs (driving through Russia is not possible); 3-4 driving days

A classic among motorhome travellers: 30 hrs of sailing with sauna and buffet replaces 3-4 driving days; on balance often cheaper than the fuel + campsites of the overland route

Ferry or drive on? Do the maths

Departure port & check-in

On the Helsinki route check-in opens at 20:30 - that is the evening before departure - and closes 2 hrs before departure. Foot passengers must be at check-in by 23:00 at the latest. Crucial for motorhomes: vehicles over 3.80 metres high, including coaches and tall motorhomes, do NOT check in at the usual check-in container on the port road but separately at the harbour office. Measure your motorhome including air-conditioning unit, roof box and satellite dish before you book.

Facilities at the terminal

Fresh water

Through Campingplatz Travemünde Ivendorf.
Chemical toilet

Through Campingplatz Travemünde Ivendorf.
Showers

At the campsite; on board in your cabin.
Fuel

Petrol stations along the A226 and B75 near Lübeck.
Gas & LPG

Not known
Groceries

Supermarkets in Travemünde and Lübeck; groceries in Finland are dearer.

Where to spend the night before departure

Supervised car park at the Skandinavienkai
Car park

Distance to terminal

±0 km

Price per night

€9 per day

Overnight: check in advance

A supervised site with number-plate recognition; pay at the machine, in the app or online. Intended for vehicles left behind.
Campingplatz Travemünde Ivendorf, Frankenkrogweg 4, 23570 Lübeck
Campsite

Distance to terminal

±2 km

Price per night

Not known

Overnight stays allowed

Right by the Skandinavienkai, ±200 pitches, sanitary facilities, laundry, restaurant and a natural swimming pond. Since check-in for Helsinki already opens at 20:30 the evening before, the campsite is mainly useful if you arrive the day before.

Practical tip

The crossing takes about 29 to 32 hrs, so it really is a mini-cruise with your motorhome on board. Getting there: the A1 to Lübeck, then the A226 for the Skandinavienkai exit. The vehicle deck is closed while under way - take everything you need out of the motorhome.

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Rastila Camping Helsinki
Campsite

Distance to terminal

±8 km

Price per night

Not known

Overnight: check in advance

The City of Helsinki's own campsite in the east of the city, with 165 caravan and motorhome pitches open all year and mostly served by electricity, plus 80 tent pitches, 21 cabins and four saunas for hire. The metro station is right beside the site, so you can leave the motorhome and take the metro into the centre. Book by telephone or e-mail.

Fuel, gas & LPG

LPG autogas is very limited in Finland; Finnish gas bottles cannot be exchanged for German ones. Take enough gas for the whole Finnish trip.

Watch out on arrival

A major warning for 2026: the Vuosaari tunnel has been closed for refurbishment since 6 January 2026, expected to last about a year. The diversion runs via Ring III, Kallvikintie and Niinisaarentie - set your sat nav accordingly, because older maps send you into the tunnel. Also: the EuroPark multi-storey car park at the terminal has a 2.30 metre height limit and is therefore unusable for motorhomes. There is one 22 kW charging point inside the check-in gate. In Finland dipped headlights are compulsory by day and speed limits are strictly enforced, with fines scaled to income.

Practical tip

The Hansa Terminal service point is open daily 12:00-15:30 (tel. +358 50 565 4810). Vuosaari is ±20 km from the centre of Helsinki; Ring III connects directly to the roads for Lahti, Turku and the north.

Border, documents & rules

Germany-Finland is an EU and Schengen link: no passport control and no customs clearance, though the ferry operator does check identity at check-in. The EU indicative quantities for alcohol and tobacco apply; Finland has a state monopoly (Alko) for spirits but no import quotas within the EU for personal use.

Motorhome tips

Cabin is part of the package (mandatory); booking meal packages in advance is cheaper; overnighting in the motorhome on board expressly prohibited; gas bottles closed

Frequently asked questions

Sources:finnlines.com rastilacamping.hel.fi camping-travemuende.de

Travemünde – Helsinki

30 hrsmotorhome package 2 people + motorhome (≤8 m long, ≤4.4 m high) incl. inside cabin: season I €711 / II €839 / III (high season) €968 one-way, 2026 early-booking rate; -20% return discount (indication)

Travemünde – Helsinki

Key facts

Departure port & check-in

Facilities at the terminal

Where to spend the night before departure

Supervised car park at the Skandinavienkai

Campingplatz Travemünde Ivendorf, Frankenkrogweg 4, 23570 Lübeck

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Rastila Camping Helsinki

Border, documents & rules

Motorhome tips

Frequently asked questions

How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

Does the gas valve have to be shut off during the crossing?

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

What paperwork and treatments does my dog need for England and Ireland?

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