Turku-Gdańsk by car - Revision history

Miki at 07:28, 1 August 2025

2025-08-01T07:28:09Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:28, 1 August 2025
Line 52:		Line 52:
	: Tallinn, E67		: Tallinn, E67

	=== Parnu - ~~Estonia~~/~~Latvia~~ border ===		=== Parnu - Estonian/Latvian border ===

	From Parnu the road continues to be a one-lane-per-direction road (the part to Uulu - some 20 km - ~~is being~~ upgraded ~~as of 2023~~). It avoids most of the human settlements all the way to the border.		From Parnu the road continues to be a one-lane-per-direction road (the part to Uulu - some 20 km - has been upgraded to two-lanes-per-direction). It avoids most of the human settlements all the way to the border.

	=== ~~Estonia~~/~~Latvia~~ border - Baltezers ===		=== Estonian/Latvian border - Baltezers ===

	In Latvia the road is renamed to A1 and it no ~~longers avoid~~ towns and villages. Salacgrīva is one of them and it features a bridge over Salaca. The bridge is ~~a terrible shape, with~~ light signals allowing the passage of cars in one direction ~~only~~. Needless to say, the traffic can get really bad at times and the waiting times can easily eat half an hour or more.		In Latvia the road is renamed to A1 and it no longer avoids towns and villages. Salacgrīva is one of them and it features a bridge over Salaca. The bridge is (as of 2025) being rebuilt - there are light signals allowing the passage of cars in one direction on the temporary bridge. Needless to say, the traffic can get really bad at times and the waiting times can easily eat half an hour or more.

	The road continues to Baltezers, which is on the outskirts of Riga. Luckily, E67 is routed to avoid the capital itself.		The road continues to Baltezers, which is on the outskirts of Riga. Luckily, E67 is routed to avoid the capital itself.
Line 111:		Line 111:
	=== Kaunas - Lithuanian/Polish border ===		=== Kaunas - Lithuanian/Polish border ===

	The road A5 follows to the border with Poland. It is being upgraded to 2+2~~, with really long parts~~ already in that ~~shape, especially towards Kaunas~~.		The road A5 follows to the border with Poland. It is being upgraded to 2+2 and as of 2025 the road to Marijampolė is already in that form. Keep in mind though that this road is a highway only partially - and where it is not, the speed limit is 90 km/h.

	~~The crossing~~ in ~~Marijampolė~~ is a ~~bit confusing on the way to Poland~~, ~~so keep an eye on~~ the ~~road markings~~.

	Directions:		Directions:
Line 123:		Line 121:
	=== Lithuanian-Polish border - Ełk ===		=== Lithuanian-Polish border - Ełk ===

	Back in the day one would drive on road number 8 through Suwałki, which was an absolute horror. Narrow, curvy road filled with lorries, buses and hundreds of other cars. But now things are different. Road S61, a 2+2 high-speed road, starts immediately at the border, by-passes Suwałki and continues ~~almost~~ all the way to Ełk, where one is expected to join road number 16. This is the point where you leave E67, as it continues towards Warsaw and Prague.		Back in the day one would drive on road number 8 through Suwałki, which was an absolute horror. Narrow, curvy road filled with lorries, buses and hundreds of other cars. But now things are different. Road S61, a 2+2 high-speed road, starts immediately at the border, by-passes Suwałki and continues all the way to Ełk, where one is expected to join road number 16. This is the point where you leave E67, as Via Baltica continues towards Warsaw and Prague.

	Ełk features a ~~few~~ petrol ~~stations on~~ the ~~entrance and exit to~~ its ring road. I recommend ~~a stop~~ there - either as a resting point (on the way to Finland) or a preparation point (on the way to Gdańsk).		Ełk features a petrol station at the end/start of its ring road. I recommend stopping there - either as a resting point (on the way to Finland) or a preparation point (on the way to Gdańsk).

	Directions:		Directions:

Miki: added boat trips to the article

2023-03-30T08:46:23Z

added boat trips to the article

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 Finnlines used to offer a direct ferry between Helsinki and Gdynia, but it was cancelled in the 2010s. Side note: Finnlines did everything they could to make the connection as horrendous to use as possible. Upon opening the travel time was 19 hours on a 400+ passenger vessel and tickets (both ways, with car and cabin included) in the range of 550€ both ways. The time was increased in later years to 21, 26 and finally 29 hours with the boat getting smaller over time, ending up with a ship for 120+ people. The cost grew to insane 1000€ both ways, making the trip totally not worth the price.
 == Via Baltica ==
@@ Line 156: / Line 158: @@
 A 2+2 road with plenty of petrol stations on the way. This road is new and it is really nice to drive. In Gdańsk it continues to S6 towards Gdynia and Szczecin.
 [[Category:In English]]
 [[Category:Travel]]

Miki: draft of Turku-Gdańsk by car

2023-03-23T15:40:28Z

draft of Turku-Gdańsk by car

New page

I consider both Turku and Gdańsk to be my home towns. For most people the best way of travelling between them is by plane, and for a reason. Wizz Air, a low-cost airline, operates few times a week between the two cities, with a flight time of a bit above one hour. But what if you want to take a car?

== No escape from the sea ==

Let's start by stating the obvious - there is '''no escape from the sea'''. Unless the area around St. Petersburg becomes part of the Schengen Area or a visa-free region (neither of which, at the time of writing in 2023, looks likely), the Baltic Sea needs to be crossed at least once. There are a few options for doing it, each affecting the available routes.

Finnlines used to offer a direct ferry between Helsinki and Gdynia, but it was cancelled in the 2010s. Side note: Finnlines did everything they could to make the connection as horrendous to use as possible. Upon opening the travel time was 19 hours on a 400+ passenger vessel and tickets (both ways, with car and cabin included) in the range of 550€ both ways. The time was increased in later years to 21, 26 and finally 29 hours with the boat getting smaller over time, ending up with a ship for 120+ people. The cost grew to insane 1000€ both ways, making the trip totally not worth the price.

== Via Baltica ==

The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_route_E67 E67 road] is a trans-European corridor that links Helsinki, the Baltic states central Poland and Czechia. It is the most straightforward connection between Finland and Poland. The distance between Gdańsk and Turku is about 1200 km and, with some good luck, can be done in one go - although I personally recommend taking an overnight stop on the way.

=== Turku - Helsinki ===

The highway number 1 links the current capital of Finland with the former one. The ride takes about two hours and a bit and the road quality is good. The road signs are clear and it is relatively easy to reach the harbour in Helsinki, although some new development is underway in the area and there are (clearly marked) detours.

=== Helsinki - Tallinn ===

There are a few options for crossing the sea here. I would recommend using Tallink-Silja, as they offer a 2h30m ride several times a day (every 2-3 hours from early morning to late evening). Viking Line is the major competitor on the route and it offers faster rides (2 hours), but less frequently.

Both ferry companies offer overnight stay on the boat and disembarkation in the morning. Viking Line does so for the route to Tallinn, and Tallink-Silja for the route to Helsinki.

As far as I know there are no other ways of crossing the sea here. There used to be:
* a connection by DFDS Seaways from Hanko to Paldiski;
* a night connection from Kotka to Estonia very, very long time ago.

=== Getting in and out of Tallinn ===

The harbour is located in the centre of the city and there are two ways of reaching it. One is to take the road number 4 (which is the E67) through the city, the other is to follow new signs to the outer ring of Tallinn - the road number 11. I find the latter option a bit more appealing, as the ride through the city can get a bit packed during the rush hours.

Directions:
; to Poland
: Parnu, 4 / E67
; to Finland
: Helsingi, 4 / E67 (through the city)
: Helsingi, 11, 2 (through the ring road)

=== Tallinn - Parnu ===

The trip takes about 2 hours. The road is in a good condition and for a short while after leaving Tallinn it is a 2+2 road (two lanes in each direction, separated). Where the road number 9 branches off, Via Baltica becomes a regular two-lane road, with one lane in each direction. It has been resurfaced in the 2020s, is wide and straight enough to comfortably overtake other cars, and the speed limit in the summer is increased to 100 km/h.

=== Parnu ===

The city of Parnu has a ring-road with a bunch of petrol stations near the major crossing towards Tallinn. They are located on both sides of the road and offer coffee and snacks in addition to regular things offered at a station. Note that Estonia does not offer B7 and B10 diesel, only B0.

Directions:
; to Poland
: Ikla, Riia / Riga, E67
; to Finland
: Tallinn, E67

=== Parnu - Estonia/Latvia border ===

From Parnu the road continues to be a one-lane-per-direction road (the part to Uulu - some 20 km - is being upgraded as of 2023). It avoids most of the human settlements all the way to the border.

=== Estonia/Latvia border - Baltezers ===

In Latvia the road is renamed to A1 and it no longers avoid towns and villages. Salacgrīva is one of them and it features a bridge over Salaca. The bridge is a terrible shape, with light signals allowing the passage of cars in one direction only. Needless to say, the traffic can get really bad at times and the waiting times can easily eat half an hour or more.

The road continues to Baltezers, which is on the outskirts of Riga. Luckily, E67 is routed to avoid the capital itself.

=== Baltezers - Ķekava - the outer ring of Riga ===

The outer ring of Riga is... interesting. The road changes numbers a few times, becoming (north to south) A4, A6, A5 and finally A7. The E67 marking, luckily, stays consistent. Another curiosity are the traffic lights where E67 crosses E77, E22 and a few other roads. Interestingly, some other roads are connected with huge roundabouts. This is definitely the most demanding part of the entire route outside Poland.

Towards the southern end of the ring, near Salaspils, the road goes on a dam on Daugava - a really impressive sight.

Directions:
; to Poland
: Panevezys, Kaunas, E67
; to Finland
: Tallinn, E67

=== Ķekava - Latvian/Lithuanian border ===

After leaving the surroundings of Riga the road is marked as A7 and continues south to Lithuania. Iecava and Bauska are two cities the road cuts through, both offering shops and petrol stations. In Bauska the road has a roundabaout next to a really huge supermarket with excellent pastries. And a wide selection of cheap alcohol, including the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riga_Black_Balsam famous Black Balsam] ;)

As Bauska is a relatively big town for Latvian standards, it offers a few hotels. The city is located about half-way between Gdańsk and Turku and can be reached from Gdańsk in one day. When going in the opposite direction - to Gdańsk - it is better to continue driving to Lithuania and stop there.

=== Latvian/Lithuanian border - Panevėžys ===

In Lithuania the road number is A10 until Panevėžys, a large city an hour drive from the border. If you are travelling to Poland, this city is probably the best place to sleep - it has a number of good hotels. The road A10 goes through the city centre, passing by a few restaurants and shopping centres on the way, where it changes its number to A2.

=== Around Panevėžys ===

If you do not intend to stay in the city (or do shopping there), you should take the ring road, A17, to avoid the traffic and really poor road quality.

Directions:
; to Poland
: Kaunas, A17, A8, E67
; to Finland
: Riga, Tallinn, A17, A10, E67

=== Panevėžys - Kaunas ===

The road A8 joins with A1/E85 near Kaunas, but until it does that, it is a nightmare. The surface is really bad and there are really long distances where no overtaking is allowed. This means that you often get stuck behind a heavy vehicle for a long time - which is really, really frustrating.

=== Around Kaunas ===

Kaunas is a big city, but luckily E67 avoids it. It does not mean that there is no traffic - on the contrary. There is only one change of roads - from A1 to A5 - and it is quite demanding on the way to Finland, as the crossing is massive. On the plus side, the roads in the region are all 2+2.

Directions:
; to Poland
: Marijampolė, Warszawa, A5, E67
; to Finland
: Klaipeda, A1, E85
: Panevėžys, Riga, A8, E67

=== Kaunas - Lithuanian/Polish border ===

The road A5 follows to the border with Poland. It is being upgraded to 2+2, with really long parts already in that shape, especially towards Kaunas.

The crossing in Marijampolė is a bit confusing on the way to Poland, so keep an eye on the road markings.

Directions:
; to Poland
: Warszawa, A5, E67
; to Finland
: Kaunas, A5, E67

=== Lithuanian-Polish border - Ełk ===

Back in the day one would drive on road number 8 through Suwałki, which was an absolute horror. Narrow, curvy road filled with lorries, buses and hundreds of other cars. But now things are different. Road S61, a 2+2 high-speed road, starts immediately at the border, by-passes Suwałki and continues almost all the way to Ełk, where one is expected to join road number 16. This is the point where you leave E67, as it continues towards Warsaw and Prague.

Ełk features a few petrol stations on the entrance and exit to its ring road. I recommend a stop there - either as a resting point (on the way to Finland) or a preparation point (on the way to Gdańsk).

Directions:
; to Gdańsk
: Warszawa, S61
: Olsztyn, 16
; to Finland
: Kowno / Kaunas, S61, E67

=== Ełk - Mrągowo ===

The road number 16, despite being labelled as a major national road, does not fit the criteria to be one. It is very narrow at times, the curves are massive and the locals drive like crazy. In particular, the part between Orzysz and Mikołajki is famous for its rail bridge that appears out of a sudden - it has a maximum height limit of 3.6 metres and can fit only one car at a time.

But at least the views are spectacular, as the road goes through the heart of the Polish lakeland. Expect travelling through a lot of villages, as there is simply no other way to route a road.

=== Mrągowo - Olsztyn ===

Closer to Olsztyn the quality of the road slightly improves - it is a bit wider, at times becoming a 2+2 road. Olsztyn itself got a ring road and now it is no longer required to go through the city.

=== Olsztyn - Ostróda ===

The ring road offers two exit points towards Gdańsk - S51 towards Olsztynek and S16 towards Ostróda. I recommend S51 - while it is a bit longer distance, the road is 2+2 all the way from Olsztyn to Gdańsk. S16 returns to being 16 quickly and it is a miserable experience to drive. Either way, you will encounter S7 to Gdańsk at some point.

Directions:
; to Gdańsk
: Olsztynek, Warszawa, S51
: Ostróda, Gdańsk, S7
; to Finland
: Olsztyn, Ełk, Suwałki, S16

=== Ostróda - Gdańsk ===

A 2+2 road with plenty of petrol stations on the way. This road is new and it is really nice to drive. In Gdańsk it continues to S6 towards Gdynia and Szczecin.

[[Category:In English]]
[[Category:Travel]]