Suomenlinna Sea Fortress: Ferry, Museum Tickets & Helsinki Card Inclusion
3 - 5 h (half-day island visit)
UNESCO World Heritage Sea Fortress & Museum Island
Construction began 1748 under Swedish rule; expanded through the Russian era (1808-1917) and into independent Finland
Suomenlinna, 00190 Helsinki, Finland (reached by ferry from Market Square / Kauppatori)
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Practical Visitor Info & Tips
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€8 (student/pensioner, Suomenlinna Museum); €5 (child 7-17)
Island grounds: open 24/7, year-round, free. Suomenlinna Museum: 17 Jul - 30 Aug daily 10:00-18:00; 1 Sep - 31 Dec and other off-season months daily 10:30-17:00. Ehrensvärd Museum: seasonal, roughly May-September (check current dates before visiting).
No advance booking needed for the island or ferry (buy the HSL ticket before boarding — the ferries do not sell tickets or accept cash); museum tickets sold on-site or online, no reservation required for individual visitors.
A UNESCO World Heritage sea fortress spread across six linked islands guarding Helsinki harbour: free 24/7 access to the grounds, ramparts, gates, and dry dock, plus separately-ticketed indoor sites — the Suomenlinna Museum (year-round), the seasonal Ehrensvärd Museum (Apr/May-Sep), the Military Museum's Manege, and the submarine Vesikko.
| Option | Price | Booking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island grounds / fortress walk | Free | No ticket needed — open 24/7 | |
| HSL zone AB ferry, single ticket | €3.30 (app/card) / €3.50 (contactless) | HSL app, ticket machines on land, or contactless on board | |
| HSL zone AB day ticket (24h, unlimited) | €10.60 | HSL app or ticket machines | |
| Suomenlinna Museum, adult | €10 | On-site or suomenlinna.johku.com | |
| With Helsinki Card | Museums included; ferry included on CITY/REGION versions | Confirmed free entry to all four paid on-site sites |
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Ticket Options
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Check whether a city pass already covers this attraction before buying separately.
See pass compatibility below ↓Overview & History
Suomenlinna (Swedish: Sveaborg) is an inhabited sea fortress spread across six linked islands guarding the entrance to Helsinki's harbour, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The island itself — its ramparts, tunnels, dry dock, gates, and the 200-plus permanent residents who live there — is free and open to wander year-round; only the standard HSL public-transport ferry ticket to reach it and admission to specific on-site museums (the Suomenlinna Museum, the seasonal Ehrensvärd Museum, the Military Museum's Manege, and the submarine Vesikko) are paid separately.
What to See: Top Highlights
Suomenlinna Museum & Visitor Centre
The main year-round museum covering the fortress's 275-year history from Swedish construction through Russian rule to today, with a scale model and an introductory film — the natural first stop after the ferry.
Submarine Vesikko
Step inside Finland's last surviving World War II-era submarine, launched in 1933 and open for interior visits every summer.
The Great Courtyard, Gates & Dry Dock
Walk the King's Gate, the fortification walls and cannon batteries facing the open sea, and Europe's oldest dry dock still in its original use, all free to explore at any time.
Ehrensvärd Museum
The former home (April-September) of the fortress's founding commander Augustin Ehrensvärd, furnished in period style and standing beside his tomb monument on the central courtyard.
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Is Suomenlinna Included on the Helsinki Card?
Compare Helsinki PassesThe island and its ramparts are free with or without any pass. What the Helsinki Card actually buys you here is free entry to the paid indoor sites — the Suomenlinna Museum, the seasonal Ehrensvärd Museum, the Military Museum's Manege, and the submarine Vesikko — confirmed among the card's included attractions. The ferry itself is covered separately: it's part of the standard HSL public-transport network, so it's included automatically if your Helsinki Card version (CITY or REGION) bundles public transport, or payable with any ordinary HSL zone AB ticket if you hold the transport-free Digital version.
Helsinki Card
Included. Confirmed free entry to the on-site Suomenlinna Museum, Ehrensvärd Museum, Military Museum's Manege, and submarine Vesikko. This does not apply to the free island grounds (which need no ticket regardless) or the HSL ferry crossing, which is covered separately by the card's included transport on the CITY/REGION versions only.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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