Crossing guide
What the Klaipėda to Kiel crossing is like
The DFDS schedule shows evening departures from Klaipėda, Monday to Saturday, with arrival in Kiel the following evening, German time. With the clocks going back an hour, the trip is roughly 21 to 22 hours. Evening arrivals at Ostuferhafen put the onward drive into the dark for much of the year, so many travellers book a first night near Kiel.
Leaving Klaipėda
DFDS sails from Klaipėda Central Terminal on Baltijos prospektas, which DFDS puts about 30 minutes by bus from the city’s train and bus station. Check-in opens three hours before departure and closes 90 minutes before. TT-Line sailings on the Karlshamn route use a different Klaipėda terminal, so check the one named on your booking.
Arriving in Kiel
The ship berths at Ostuferhafen on the east bank of the Kiel fjord. Evening arrivals mean the onward drive towards Hamburg and the German motorways starts after dark for much of the year, so many travellers plan a night nearby. Foot passengers face the same bus-and-walk connection DFDS describes for departures.
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
Heading to Germany, DFDS keeps dogs out of the car deck during the crossing: the dog stays with you in a pet-friendly cabin, or in a kennel on Aura Seaways. The long daylight stretch on the second day is the time to use the exercise deck and keep the cabin routine calm.
- 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 Germany. Pets living outside the EU follow different rules.
- Booking
- Reserve the pet cabin, or an Aura Seaways kennel, and add the dog to the booking. Klaipėda check-in opens three hours before departure and closes 90 minutes before; the microchip is scanned there.
- On board
- DFDS requires a lead and muzzle, or a travel kennel, while you move the dog to the cabin. Only assistance dogs may enter the public areas.
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 Klaipėda to Kiel?
Roughly 21 to 22 hours: DFDS sails from Klaipėda in the evening and arrives in Kiel the following evening, German time.
Which ships sail from Klaipėda to Kiel?
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 Klaipėda to Kiel ferry?
Yes. Book a pet-friendly cabin, or a kennel on Aura Seaways; DFDS does not allow pets to stay in cars on its Baltic crossings.
What paperwork does my dog need for Kiel?
An EU pet passport, a microchip and a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days after the primary course. Germany 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
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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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