Where can I buy the tickets and how much do they cost?
Tickets are sold through our partner travel agency, Timetravels. You can find the correct ticket link through our sales pages. For detailed prices, please check the Timetravels website.

I have an ESNcard, how is this taken into account when buying tickets?
Tickets sold on the Timetravels website have a built-in booking fee for all participants, along with the cabin price. With an ESNcard, your booking fee included in the price is only 10 € per person, and without it is 20 €. After selecting how many people you are buying tickets for, the website will calculate the right price for you depending on how many of you in the cabin have an ESNcard.

What is included in the price?

• Your selected cabin, or for individual tickets, a spot in a cabin.

• 2 nights on board and a day in Stockholm

• Buffet on the first day with a large selection of premium Baltic foods and an open bar

• An exciting programme with activities and parties on both nights!

You can also purchase the following optional extras:

• Breakfast with lots of diverse options, available both mornings.

• Buffet for the second night on board.

• A guided bus tour or guided walking tour in Stockholm.

Can I buy a ticket if I am not an Erasmus / exchange student, or not a student anymore at all?  What if I do not have an ESN section, or if I am not an ESN member?
Yes, you are absolutely welcome to purchase a ticket, even if you are not a ESN member or an exchange student. You can also purchase tickets if your city in Finland does not have an ESN section, if you are not studying anymore, or if you would like to participate from another country that doesn't have their own sales.

When do the sales end?

Check all sale times here. Earlier we had Section Sales, Open Sales and Last Minute Sales as well, but unfortunately, all of these are closed at this point.

Is the transportation to Helsinki included in the price?
In case you are coming from the Baltic region, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have the option to start from Tallinn, otherwise the starting point is Helsinki.

I want to sell my ticket to someone else, how can I do it?
You can do a name change! This means that your ticket can be bought by another person, and they will take your spot on the trip. To initiate the process, please read the Name Changes & Cancellations tab below.

Harbour information

• Helsinki: Olympia Terminal

Address: Olympiaranta 1, 00140 Helsinki, Finland

• Tallinn (Departure): Tallinn Port Terminal D

Address: Uus-Sadama 24, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia

• Stockholm: Värtahamnen Terminal

Address: Hamnpirsvägen 10, 115 41 Stockholm, Sweden

When is the boarding?
Our boarding time is between 12:30 and 15:30. Your exact boarding time depends on the ticket sale type (specific ESN section, other/open sales or last-minute sales). You will receive an email regarding what time you should be at the harbour a few days before the event. As we are a large group, please board on time and follow the instructions of our volunteers.

What is known about the ship?

During the event, we are using Tallink Silja’s cruise ship named "Serenade", which is a great entertainment hub on the sea with two clubs and several bars, cafés, restaurants, casino and all the PoBS activities aboard. There is also a large tax free shop on Silja Serenade, where passengers can buy affordable souvenirs, snacks and drinks. The ship can host over 2800 passengers on board, and is 203 m long with 13 decks, making it a true "floating city" for you to explore! You can check more information HERE. 

For other information about the ship, please contact the service provider (Tallink Silja Line).

Is tap water drinkable onboard?
It is drinkable, but we would rather recommend buying mineral water from the shops.

Can I drink in the hallway? Can I drink tax-free alcohol onboard?
You can only drink non-alcoholic beverages bought on board in the public areas of the ferry. The bars are open until late into the night and the prices are student-friendly. Alcohol purchased from the bars shall not be drunk in the cabin hallways.

Can I smoke inside?
No. Smoking is permitted only on the outer deck in the designated smoking areas.

I have a special diet or food allergies – can I still join the buffet?
The buffet has several dishes available, also vegetarian and vegan ones. Additionally, lactose and gluten free options are clearly indicated on the descriptions next to each dish. If you have other food restrictions and you are unsure of what you can eat, don’t hesitate to ask the restaurant staff for help!

Can I pay with a bank card on board?
Yes, you can pay with a card everywhere! It is also possible to pay with cash in Euros on Silja Serenade, although with partial restrictions: In Sea Pub, Promenade bar, the clubs and in the sauna one can pay only by card, no cash. In case this is not suitable, there is another solution: you may purchase so-called "ship money" with cash from the info desk of Silja Serenade. It looks similar to the boarding card, and has a QR code on it. Ship money can be used in all bars and other areas as well, including the tax free shop. However, just to be on the safe side: make sure to bring your card with you!

What can I expect from the cabin?

In each cabin, there is an internal phone, air conditioning, toilet and a shower. Shower gel/shampoo as well as towels and sheets are also included. You can check out the cabin options here. The Premium and Promenade cabins further include a TV, and good location by a window - either towards the inside of the ship or to the sea!

Is bedding/towels included?
Yes, bedding and towels are included and can be found in your cabin.

Can I choose who do I share my cabin with?
If you buy a cabin ticket, you will always share it with those you purchase the cabin together with. If you purchase an individual ticket, you will be placed in random cabins with others, who have also bought individual tickets. Note that you can also buy a 3 or a 4 person cabin even if not all the beds are taken by someone. In such case, you simply pay for the empty spot as well. (E.g. you only travel as two friends, you can still buy a 4 person cabin, and together cover the price of the rest of the spots. In such case, nobody unknown would be placed in your cabin as an extra person.)

Can I bring alcohol and food on board?
You cannot bring any alcohol, food or snacks to the ship. Since we have a wide variety of drinks, food and snacks for sale on board, we highly advise you to take advantage of those options instead and not to take any drinks at all along with you. Please note that there will be a security check at the terminal for all participants, and any alcohol found will be confiscated and left in the harbour.

Can we leave our luggage on the ferry when we go to Stockholm?
During your day in Stockholm, you keep your cabin and you can leave the luggage there. It is as safe as any hotel room would be. Please note that neither Silja Line nor ESN takes responsibility for any valuables left in the cabins. Regarding more information about lost items, please scroll down to the Lost and Found tab below.

Can I decide to discover Stockholm by myself? Do you have any suggestions what to see there?

You are free to look around Stockholm by yourself, in case you decide not to take any of the extra activities. We’ve got you covered with some ideas on our Visiting Stockholm page! Stockholm’s beautiful old town might be worth taking a look, with all it’s colorful buildings, busy main square and rich selection of bars, cafés and restaurants.

Optionally, a walk around the Royal Palace might also be a good option for you, which is located in the old town (Gamla Stan), and is still the Swedish royal family’s official residence up until this day.

In case you are up for some walking, you could visit the Royal National City Park not too far from the city center. In the same area, you will also find the Skansen open-air museum with beautiful old houses, as well as the Aquarium & Baltic Sea Science Center.

However, if you are rather a museum-person, Stockholm has plenty of exciting places to offer: you could visit the famous Vasa Museum, hosting the only preserved 17th century ship in the world, which sank in the Stockholm harbour on its’ first voyage, or you can choose to go to the ABBA Museum instead, which is presenting the story of Sweden’s most successful musical group. Other excellent options could be Fotografiska, the Nordic Museum, Toy Museum, Nobel Prize Museum or the Viking Museum, but there are smaller, more specialized places as well, such as the Snus and Match Museum or the Avicii Experience. Want to make it as budget-friendly as possible? The City Museum, the National Sports Museum, the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts and the Living History Forum doesn't have any entrance fees.

To make your journey pleasant and safe, we ask you to follow the rules and regulations below. Please remember that Tallink Silja and ESN have the right to refuse carriage to violators of any of these terms, and that the cost of tickets will not be refunded.

Please find all Tallink Silja regulations here.

Please find Timetravels' terms and conditions here.

Please find the ESN Finland Code of Conduct here.

Pirates of the Baltic Sea crew and ESN are not responsible for lost items. All lost and found items from Tallink Silja vessels operating on the Helsinki-Stockholm route are delivered to:

Suomen Löytötavarapalvelu

Porttikaari 7, 01200 Vantaa

loytotavara.net

For more information, please check the website of Silja Line.

Stockholm City Police phone number from abroad: +46 77 114 14 00; or simply 114 14 when calling within Sweden. 

In case you purchase a PoBS ticket, but you are unable to join after all, here are two options to solve this situation: you can choose to cancel your ticket, or to ask for a name change, so someone else can go in your place. 

• Cancellations are always handled by Timetravels. 

• Name changes are handled by Timetravels until 28.09.2025, and handled by ESN's own PoBS Support after 28.09.2025.

How do name changes work?

You can sell/give your tickets to someone else by doing a name change, so they can attend the event instead of you. This means that your ticket can be bought by another person, and they will take your spot on the trip. To start the name change procedure, please contact us in email, and we will provide you with further help.

Name change fees:

• Until 28.09.2025: Name change is possible directly by Timetravels, and after this date, by ESN PoBS Support:

• If you contact us until 24.10.2025 23:59 (GMT+3) - 20 € per change

• If you contact us until 29.10.2025 23:59 (GMT+3) - 30 € per change

• after 29.10.2025 23:59 (GMT+3) name changes are not possible anymore