Crossing guide
What the Karlshamn to Klaipėda crossing is like
DFDS’s schedule has evening departures from Karlshamn arriving in Klaipėda the next morning, with around six DFDS sailings a week each way; TT-Line ships add further departures. Lithuania is an hour ahead of Sweden, so the time at sea is an hour shorter than the clocks suggest. Check the exact times for your date, as DFDS varies them through the week.
Leaving Karlshamn
DFDS and its TT-Line partner sailings share the Karlshamn terminal on Öresundsvägen, where DFDS offers free parking for up to seven days. Check-in opens four hours before departure and closes 90 minutes before. Foot passengers are taken to the ship by shuttle bus, so a dog travelling with you needs its lead ready at check-in.
Arriving in Klaipėda
Arrivals come in at Klaipėda Central Terminal on Baltijos prospektas, about half an hour by bus from the train and bus station. Drivers heading inland take the road east towards Kaunas and Vilnius, but give disembarkation its own margin before booking the first night.
Vessels
Ships commonly used on this route
Luna Seaways
Typical route vessel; assignment is not guaranteed. Check your booking for the ship actually operating.
Ciudad de Valencia
Typical route vessel; assignment is not guaranteed. Check your booking for the ship actually operating.
DFDS names Luna Seaways for this route and is bringing in Ciudad de Valencia to replace Optima Seaways during autumn 2026. Some departures that DFDS sells are operated by TT-Line ships, which follow TT-Line’s own pet rules.
Dogs aboard
Travelling with a dog on DFDS
Eastbound, DFDS expects the dog to share a pet-friendly cabin with you. These are four-berth sea-view cabins taking up to two pets, and DFDS lists them on Luna Seaways; its pet page does not yet list Ciudad de Valencia, so check the ship on your date. Luna Seaways also has heated kennels.
- Documents
- Between EU countries a dog needs an EU pet passport, a microchip and a rabies vaccination; after the first vaccination the dog must wait at least 21 days before travelling.
- Tapeworm
- The EU tapeworm treatment rule applies to dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland, so it is not needed for Lithuania. Pets living outside the EU follow different rules.
- Booking
- Book the pet-friendly cabin with the crossing and add each pet; DFDS charges a per-pet fee. If no pet cabins are left, DFDS asks you not to book a different cabin type. Dogs must be at least 15 weeks old.
- On board
- DFDS says pets must be on a lead and muzzled, or in a travel kennel, while you take them from the car or shuttle bus to the cabin. Pets are not allowed in public areas, but there is a dog exercise deck.
Carrier and border rules change. Confirm every item with DFDS, the official sources below and your vet before you travel.
Cabin alerts
What SailSoon watches on this route
DFDS monitoring currently covers the next 180 days. Dates further ahead are checked on a rotating schedule. Checks are made for two adults travelling with a car, so other party sizes or foot passengers may see different results. Prices we show are for the cabin or option only, not the full fare, and nothing is reserved for you: book and confirm the total price and pet terms with DFDS.
- Pet-friendly cabins
- Cabins DFDS marks as pet-friendly, when it offers them on the sailing. Check the pet rules and any pet charge on the booking page.
- Premium cabins
- The operator’s premium or deluxe cabin categories, including pet-friendly premium cabins where they exist.
- Standard cabins
- Ordinary private cabins for at least two people, inside or with a window.
- Not monitored
- Kennels, seats, shared berths, deck options and the full fare. Check those directly with DFDS.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long is the ferry from Karlshamn to Klaipėda?
Usually an overnight sailing of roughly 13 to 15 hours, depending on that day’s times. DFDS departures leave Karlshamn in the evening and reach Klaipėda the next morning, local time, which is an hour ahead of Sweden.
Which ships sail from Karlshamn to Klaipėda?
Luna Seaways and Ciudad de Valencia are the usual ships for this crossing. DFDS names Luna Seaways for this route and is bringing in Ciudad de Valencia to replace Optima Seaways during autumn 2026. Some departures that DFDS sells are operated by TT-Line ships, which follow TT-Line’s own pet rules. The ship on your booking is the one whose cabins and pet facilities apply.
Can I take my dog on the Karlshamn to Klaipėda ferry?
Yes. On DFDS-operated sailings the dog travels in a pet-friendly cabin with you, or in a kennel on Luna Seaways, and DFDS does not let pets stay in cars on its Baltic routes. TT-Line-operated departures follow TT-Line’s rules.
What paperwork does my dog need for Klaipėda?
An EU pet passport, a microchip and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days after the primary course. Lithuania is not one of the countries that require the EU tapeworm treatment. Check the official guidance before you travel, as rules change.
Does SailSoon alert me to kennels on this route?
No. On DFDS we watch pet-friendly, premium and standard cabins only. Kennel space is not monitored, so check and book kennels directly with DFDS.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- DFDS: Karlshamn to Klaipėda (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: Klaipėda to Karlshamn (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: ship overview, Klaipėda–Karlshamn (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: pet-friendly cabins, Klaipėda–Karlshamn (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: pet travel (Baltic Sea routes) (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: check-in and boarding (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: travelling with pets (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- Your Europe: travelling with pets in the EU (reviewed 2026-09-11)
Member alerts
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