Crossing guide
What the Kiel to Klaipėda crossing is like
DFDS’s published schedule has departures from Kiel on six evenings a week, Monday to Saturday, arriving in Klaipėda the following evening. Allowing for Lithuania being an hour ahead, that is roughly 21 to 22 hours aboard. DFDS calls it an overnight crossing, but it is closer to a full day at sea, so plan meals and the dog’s exercise around a long daytime stretch as well as the night.
Leaving Kiel
The Klaipėda ships use Kiel’s Ostuferhafen, not the city-centre cruise quays. DFDS opens check-in six hours before departure and says every passenger checks in inside the terminal building. There is no train station close to the port; DFDS suggests bus 11 or 60S to Grenzstraße and then a walk of about 800 metres.
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
Regina Seaways
Typical route vessel; assignment is not guaranteed. Check your booking for the ship actually operating.
Aura Seaways
Typical route vessel; assignment is not guaranteed. Check your booking for the ship actually operating.
DFDS names Regina Seaways and Aura Seaways for this route. Kennels are listed only on Aura Seaways, so the ship matters if you would rather not share a cabin with the dog.
Dogs aboard
Travelling with a dog on DFDS
Sailing east, the dog lives in your pet-friendly cabin for the best part of a day, or in a heated kennel if Aura Seaways is the ship. DFDS lists pet cabins on both Regina Seaways and Aura Seaways, each a four-berth sea-view cabin taking up to two pets. Pack enough food, water and bedding for the long passage.
- 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. DFDS asks you not to book another cabin type for a pet if the pet cabins are sold out.
- On board
- Pets are not allowed in public areas apart from assistance dogs. Between the car and the cabin the dog must be on a lead and muzzled, or in a travel kennel; there is a dog exercise deck on board.
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 Kiel to Klaipėda?
Roughly 21 to 22 hours. DFDS departures leave Kiel in the evening and reach Klaipėda the following evening, local time, which is an hour ahead of Germany.
Which ships sail from Kiel to Klaipėda?
Regina Seaways and Aura Seaways are the usual ships for this crossing. DFDS names Regina Seaways and Aura Seaways for this route. Kennels are listed only on Aura Seaways, so the ship matters if you would rather not share a cabin with the dog. The ship on your booking is the one whose cabins and pet facilities apply.
Can I take my dog on the Kiel to Klaipėda ferry?
Yes, in a pet-friendly cabin with you, or in a kennel on Aura Seaways. DFDS does not let pets stay in vehicles on its Baltic routes, and on a crossing this long the cabin choice matters.
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: Kiel to Klaipėda (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: Klaipėda to Kiel (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: Klaipėda–Kiel schedule (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: pet-friendly cabins, Klaipėda–Kiel (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: Kiel terminal (reviewed 2026-09-11)
- DFDS: pet travel (Baltic Sea routes) (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
Get told when a Kiel to Klaipėda cabin appears
Create a free account, then set the dates and cabin types you need on this route. We email you when a matching cabin shows up in DFDS’s booking system.
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