Gedser-Rostock Ferry
 

Hi, I'm planning a road trip -- upon picking up my new Volvo in Goteborg Sweden in a couple of weeks (a Friday night).

My questions (for now) are :

* How early do I need to be at the Ferry? E.g., if ferry leaves at 7 pm, what time should I arrive at the Gedser ferry terminal?

* are there different "lines" or places to go if you've bought your ticket online in advance?

* What happens if you miss the ferry?

Taking ferries are definitely not a common experience for me!

thanks in advance

www.scandlines.de/en has all the erms and conditions for booking your ticket. It all depends on the type of ticket you book whether you get to travel in the VIP lane, can take the next boat if you miss the one you are booked on etc.

You have to show your ticket and they will direct you to a lane to wait for boarding, You then follow the instructions of the person responsible for boarding. You need to be there about 30 minutes before departure. But unless you are booked on a specific sailing if the next boat out is already full you will have to wait for the following one.
It's all on the website anyway.

Normally you need reservations in the Summer months, but at this time of the year they aren't necessary.

Thanks to you both. Thanks for the other link too. I was looking at a link based in the UK -- without the helpful FAQs at the DE site.

The online ticket will say when you have to be at the ferry. it is usually 15-45 minutes before departure. Also, arrive 10 to 15 minutes before check-in deadline, since it's the time you reach the booth that counts, not the time you get in line to the booth. Don't be late! At the ticket booth, you will be told which waiting line you should use. The cars are here sorted by reservation type (reserved/non reserved).

If you miss your ferry you will usually be put on the next available ferry. However, there are now discounted tickets which are void if you miss your ferry, but you can always choose a flexible ticket if you are afraid of missing your departure.

You should reserve in advance for this route on www.scandlines.com, since there is only one departure every two hours, and it is not fun to wait in Gedser for 2 hours or more if your chosen departure is full (although it is mostly a summer vacation issue).