koshyp2000

I arrive Stockholm on Jul 11 for around a 30 day trip to 7 cities in the Baltic.
My plan still to finalise is :
Stockholm 5 Days
Copenhagen 4 D
Helsinki 4 D
Petersburg - 6 D
Riga 6 Days - Have friends in Riga
Tallinn - 3 D
Vilnius 4 D

Like medieval places, culture, old towns, scenic routes and travel by ferry, train, bus.
Questions :
1. Do the days planned for stay in each city seem OK or need some modification?
2. Think Stockholm is connected by train to Copenhagen in about 5 hours and to Helsinki, Petersburg, Riga, Tallinn by ferry. Is this true and travel effecient.
3. The Southern Baltic Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius are also connected by Baltic Rail. Are the rail connections good and how expensive is a Baltic Rail a Pass.
4. Has anyone tried St Peters Line to St Petersburg? How good is the 72 hour tourist visa and staying 3 nights on board compared to obtaining a normal tourist visa and staying in a Hotel?

Thanks for your response
Kay Phil

nytraveler

We have only stayed in St Pet with a regular visa since we wanted to stay longer than that. There is an incredible amount to see and do and if at all possible I would spend more time in St pet.

If it were me I would either drop or drastically reduce Helsinki - this is the one place on your list that we did not find fascinating. Granted it's a pleasant city but IMHO does not have a WOW factor.

Separately - you said you have 30 days but have 32 days listed in your itinerary. Also you have no time listed for getting from one place to another. In a couple of places that might be an overnight ferry (not sure of all of the options - we did only one ferry) but in other places you wilk be spending a large part of a day getting from A to B and you should note this on your itinerary so you can see how much time you actually have in each place.

iris1745

I too think you could consider reducing time in Helsinki

After St. Petersburg the visits should line up like this.

Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. We took the bus between these cities and it may have taken a half a day.

Used www.eurolines.com

inyourpocket.com/Vilnius

inyourpocket.com/riga

inyourpocket.com/Tallinn

You may also find the other cities on this same web site. inyourpocket.com

spaarne

July trip Stockholm Copenhagen Helsinki Petersburg Riga Tallinn Vilnius
Posted by: koshyp2000 on Apr 11, 16 at 6:28am
I arrive Stockholm on Jul 11 for around a 30 day trip to 7 cities in the Baltic.
My plan still to finalise is :
Stockholm 5 Days
Copenhagen 4 D
Helsinki 4 D
Petersburg - 6 D
Riga 6 Days - Have friends in Riga
Tallinn - 3 D
Vilnius 4 D

First, get a map and check your logistics.

Good luck finding an international train in the Baltics. I had to use a bus from Tallinn to Riga to Vilnius to Warsaw. Not good. The ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn is quick.

I highly recommend the magnificent Silja Line overnight ferry between Stockholm and Helsinki. The evening buffet has two seatings. The later one has fewer children. This is an out-of-this-world two hour smorgasbord.

For and illustrated introduction to the trains and ferries see http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap17/rail.htm.

With all that time on your hands you might consider driving between Copenhagen and Stockholm. It is mostly forest but in the middle of the forest are the famous Swedish glass factories, Orefors, etc. Prices are great if you like tableware.

iris1745

Not sure why spaarne suggests the bus was 'not good'.

For us, it was very easy. We purchased the tickets a day early to make sure we got on the early bus.

Although we didn't take the bus from Tallinn to Warsaw. We had hired a car for the part of the trip.

Odin

6 days is enough in St Petersburg, even 4 nights/5 days would be sufficient to see the main sights. I would reduce the time in Helsinki (but definitely go on the ferry between Stockholm and Helsinki) and use more time in Russia, you could spend time in Novgorod which is easily reached from St Petersburg, or re-jig the itin and add some nights in Moscow, if you decide to get a tourist visa. I know you have friends in Riga, but 6 days is a long time there unless you are visiting other places in Latvia.

koshyp2000

Great comments. For sure, will reduce time in Helsinki from 4 Days to say 2. Will try overnight ferries where possible. Seems Silja Line overnight between Stockholm and Helsinki is a must plus a ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn - love the ferry rides. Of course a regular tourist visa to Petersburg. Visiting Riga and friends in Tukums in Latvia too. The Stockholm Copenhagen train journey is about 5 hours and traveling single would prefer train to car, though like buses too for a few hours travel if the route is scenic. Hear train and ferry to St Petersburg from Helsink is good-though wonder if anyone used the St Peter's Line and available from Tallinn too.

koshyp2000

BTW, have maps and checked on the travel logistics. Plus my dates are a bit flexible as arrive Baltic Jul 11 and leave on Aug 18 - so 38 days that allows 6 days travel time between places.
Have travelled to over 50 countries, incl to many in luxury on work, and familiar with logistics, but this is a budget trip. Any comments on city centre places to stay around euro 30 to 40 a night avoiding taxi travel and only public transport.

nytraveler

I would start now looking at hostels so that you can reserve a bed in the more pleasant ones. Scandinavia is very expensive overall and I've never looked at the cost of hostels there - you may get a surprise.

Odin

http://www.danhostel.dk/en/hostel/da...y/rooms-prices

This is in a great location in Copenhagen and a room with shared bathroom is under USD40.

kja

In general, I think your allocation of days is quite good -- except that I didn't see any reference to travel time in your itinerary itself. But I think, given your most recent comment, that your list of days per place EXCLUDES travel time?

I liked Helsinki better than many posters on the board, though if you do need to cut a day somewhere, you can probably trim one there. I was glad I had 2.5 days; 2 would have been too few for my interests. JMO.

Ultimately, timing always comes down to what any particular person wants to see and experience, travel pace, etc. Just as one example, I had 6 full days in St. Petersburg, traveled VERY hard (out early, back late, few if any breaks in between) and barely saw what I considered my highest priorities there.

Should be a spectacular trip!

koshyp2000

Thanks kja for the useful comments and St Perersburg now extended to 7 days.
Still waiting to hear on St Peter's Line or any other cruise / ferry to Petersburg. Another thought - is Oslo, Norway worth a visit, since it's only a few hours by ferry / train/ bus from Copenhagen / Stockholm and the route should be very scenic, and. may have 3 days to spare.