London to Helsinki?

[ffutures]

It's more than a year to go to the Helsinki worldcon, but I'm starting to think about travel.

I'm not keen on flying, but it's fast. this page has several alternatives:

http://www.seat61.com/Finland.htm#Which%20route%20should%20you%20choose

I suspect that in mid-summer none of these options will be especially cheap and all of them will be crowded. Anyone got any experience of any of them? Anyone organizing a group rate deal by any route (including air if necessary)?

later - It just occurred to me that by then it's possible that we'll be in the middle of Brexit - crossing several borders with countries that are annoyed with the UK would not be fun... From that point of view a flight might be the better option.

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

The Stockholm-Helsinki ferry is basically a floating nightclub, and not always a very high-end one. That's not to say it doesn't get the job done, it's a big boat and you can usually stay clear of the party crowd and have a pretty pleasant journey. Just look at their schedule and don't book the trip during one of their "party weekends" or anything like that. (Unless that's how you want to travel, of course, to each his own. :) )

Also, note that the Copenhagen-Stockholm train line is a bit mucked up at the moment, as our dear governments want to look tough on immigration so there's a few extra waits and train changes.

With all that in mind, though, it should be a smooth enough journey.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

It occurs to me that by then it's possible that we'll be in the middle of Brexit - crossing several borders with countries that are annoyed with the UK would not be fun... From that point of view a flight might be the better option.

[pauldormer.livejournal.com]

I took the train-ferry option to get to Archipelacon last year. But then, I like long-distance train travel.

So, it was leave London on the Monday, Eurostar to Brussels, Thalys to Cologne. Spend the night in Cologne.

Tuesday, train to Hamburg.

Wednesday, Hamburg-Copenhagen-Stockholm. Got into Stockholm about seven in the evening.

Thursday, ferry to Aland Islands. (Very early morning ferry. Breakfast on ferry.)

The Hamburg-Copenhagen train goes on a boat at one point. The bridge between Denmark and Sweden is an interesting trip, and the Swedish countryside is very pleasant in summer.

I think I might go via Hamburg on the Travemünde-Helsinki ferry next year. I like the idea of going via Rostock, but I see that page doesn't give details and when I last checked, that ferry was no longer running.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

The train journey does sound more relaxing, but I've a feeling I might be bored out of my mind by the end of it. I'm beginning to think the plane is probably a better bet.

[pauldormer.livejournal.com]

I seem to get a lot of my Hugo novel reading on European train trips. And I have an iPod. And I used to be able to download the Independent crossword to my netbook and do that without a wi-fi connection.

I've never been bored on a long train journey. :-)