--- title: "Klaipėda truck ferries to Sweden and Germany | RNJ Transport" description: "Truck ferries from Klaipėda: Karlshamn 9 sailings a week, 13.5 to 15.5 hours at sea; Kiel 6 a week, 20 to 21.5 hours. Cut-offs, trailers and driver rest." url: https://rnjtransport.lt/en/guides/truck-ferries-from-klaipeda/ language: en --- # Truck ferries from Klaipėda to Sweden and Germany Written by - [Nerijus Daujotas](https://rnjtransport.lt/en/about/) Director, RNJ Transport - Vytas Dargis Consultant Updated 19 October 2026 9 min read RNJ Transport is based in Klaipėda, where truck ferries sail to Karlshamn in Sweden and Kiel in Germany. As published on 19 October 2026, the Karlshamn ferry sails 9 times a week each way, with 13.5 to 15.5 hours at sea. The Kiel ferry sails 6 times a week each way, with 20 to 21.5 hours at sea. - The ferry from Klaipėda to Karlshamn in Sweden sails 9 times a week in each direction, with 13.5 to 15.5 hours at sea, by the timetable published on 19 October 2026. - The ferry from Klaipėda to Kiel in Germany sails 6 times a week in each direction, Monday to Saturday, with 20 to 21.5 hours at sea, by the timetable of the same date. - Under Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, a driver who travels with the truck may take the regular daily rest on the ferry, with a sleeper cabin, bunk or couchette. - Check-in closes 1.5 hours before departure on the Karlshamn route and 2 hours before on the Kiel route. Check-in for dangerous goods closes 2 and 3 hours before. - Dangerous goods at sea follow the IMDG Code, mandatory under the SOLAS Convention since 1 January 2004, so the ferry company must know about them before the sailing. Transport team, Klaipėda A person in our Klaipėda office answers your call. [Get a price](https://rnjtransport.lt/en/guides/truck-ferries-from-klaipeda/#callback) [ +370 698 38573 ](tel:+37069838573) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/37069838573) Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00, Lithuanian time ## Truck ferry routes from Klaipėda Truck ferries from Klaipėda sail to Karlshamn in Sweden and to Kiel in Germany. As published on 19 October 2026, the Karlshamn ferry sails 9 times a week in each direction. The Kiel ferry sails 6 times a week in each direction, Monday to Saturday. Both leave Klaipėda in the evening or at night and arrive the next day. The times in the table are local. Lithuania is one hour ahead of Sweden and Germany, and the hours at sea include that difference. These are the ferry company’s published sailings, not RNJ Transport departures. Timetables change, so we check the sailing for your date when you book. On the Karlshamn route, sailings leave from two different terminals in Klaipėda. The booking shows which terminal the truck must reach. The ferry company’s route list also has Klaipėda to Trelleborg in Sweden, to Travemünde in Germany, and to Fredericia and Køge in Denmark. Each route has its own timetable. __Truck ferries from Klaipėda to Karlshamn and Kiel, as published on 19 October 2026__ | Topic | Klaipėda and Karlshamn (Sweden) | Klaipėda and Kiel (Germany) | | --------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | | Sailings a week from Klaipėda | 9 | 6, Monday to Saturday | | Sailings a week to Klaipėda | 9 | 6, Monday to Saturday | | Leaves Klaipėda (local time) | 17:30–21:30 | 21:00–23:59 | | Arrives the next day (local time) | 06:30–10:30 in Karlshamn | 17:30–20:30 in Kiel | | Time at sea, either direction | 13.5 to 15.5 hours | 20 to 21.5 hours | | Check-in closes for a truck with driver | 1.5 hours before departure | 2 hours before departure | | Check-in closes for a trailer alone | 1.5 hours before departure | 2 hours before departure | | Check-in closes for dangerous goods | 2 hours before departure | 3 hours before departure | | Timetable valid | From 17 August 2026 until further notice | From 12 January 2026 until further notice | ## Accompanied truck or unaccompanied trailer A truck can cross with its driver, or the trailer can cross alone. With an accompanied truck, the driver and the tractor travel on the ship and drive to the delivery address. With an unaccompanied trailer, a truck leaves the trailer at the port, and another truck collects it after the crossing. Ferry options Truck with driver or trailer alone on the ferry Both cross on the same ships from Klaipėda. The difference is who moves the trailer at each port. Accompanied truck - Driver and tractor travel on the ship - Driver can rest in a sleeper cabin - Same truck drives to the delivery Unaccompanied trailer - Trailer travels alone, without a driver - Port staff move it with terminal tractors - Another truck collects it after the crossing On the Karlshamn route, check-in closes 1.5 hours before departure for both. Timetables as published on 19 October 2026. Regulation (EC) No 561/2006, Article 9, consolidated text of 31 December 2024; ferry company route pages and timetables; PORT OF KIEL stevedoring page; all checked 19 October 2026 On an accompanied crossing, the hours at sea can hold the driver’s daily rest. Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 allows this when the driver has a sleeper cabin, bunk or couchette. Our guide to road freight transit time explains how the rest on board counts. An unaccompanied trailer needs port staff at both ends. In Kiel, port drivers move rolling cargo on and off the ships with terminal tractors. In Karlshamn, trucks can deliver and collect loose trailers at the ferry terminal 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The truck that collects the trailer drives it to your receiver. ## Check-in cut-off and port arrival The truck must reach the ferry terminal before check-in closes, or it waits for the next sailing. On the Karlshamn route, check-in closes 1.5 hours before departure for trucks and trailers. On the Kiel route, it closes 2 hours before. For dangerous goods, check-in closes 2 hours before on the Karlshamn route and 3 hours before on the Kiel route. The cut-off sets the latest loading time. To find it, subtract the driving time to the port and the time to load at your site. If loading takes longer than planned, the truck can miss the sailing. After a missed sailing, the truck takes the next one. The Karlshamn timetable has no Friday sailing from Klaipėda, and the Kiel timetable has no Sunday sailing. Before these days, the next sailing can be up to two days later. Tell us your loading window early, so we can choose a sailing with enough time before check-in. ## The ferry in the freight price The price RNJ Transport agrees with you covers the whole trip, including the ferry crossing and road tolls. You get one fixed price and one invoice. One contact person follows your load from loading to delivery, on the road and at sea. The ferry company’s route pages show a fuel surcharge per lane metre, the length of deck a vehicle uses. The surcharge is set for each month. The pages also list a surcharge for the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). So the ferry cost can change from one month to the next. We agree the price for your date when you book. Weather can change a sailing. The ferry company states that its timetables may change with the weather. When you book, agree with us who receives news about your load, such as a new sailing time. ## Dangerous goods and large units on the ferry Dangerous goods must be declared to the ferry company before the sailing. At sea, they follow the IMDG Code, which has been mandatory under the SOLAS Convention since 1 January 2004\. The ferry company lists the classes it accepts on each route, and check-in for dangerous goods closes earlier. RNJ Transport does not carry dangerous goods (ADR). Tell us before booking if your load may include them, so we can tell you whether we can take the load. Large units also need a note at booking. The Karlshamn route page lists units wider than 2.6 metres, trailers longer than 14 metres and trucks longer than 17 metres as abnormal loads. Under EU rules, a tractor with a semi-trailer is at most 16.5 metres long, so a standard truck stays below these limits. ## Ferry or road to Germany To Germany, a truck from Klaipėda can take the ferry to Kiel or drive through Lithuania and Poland. The ferry replaces that drive with 20 to 21.5 hours at sea, where the driver can rest. The road route has no sailing or check-in time to meet. The loading and delivery places and the date decide which route fits. Our own 2 MAN TGX trucks mostly carry full loads between Lithuania and Sweden, across the Baltic Sea by ferry. RNJ Transport moves loads between Germany and the Baltic states with checked partner carriers. Tell us the loading and delivery places and the date, and we compare the ferry and the road for your load. ## Ferry load checklist Send these five details with your request. Each one can change the sailing, the arrival day or the check-in time. With all five, our team can plan the crossing for your date. __What to send us for a load that crosses by ferry__ | What to send | Why the ferry plan needs it | | --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Loading place, date and time window | We plan the loading time from check-in, which closes 1.5 hours before a Karlshamn sailing and 2 hours before a Kiel sailing. | | Delivery place and unloading hours | Karlshamn sailings arrive in the morning and Kiel sailings in the evening. The arrival time sets the delivery day. | | Pallet count, weight and sizes | Units wider than 2.6 metres count as abnormal loads on the Karlshamn route and need a note at booking. | | Dangerous goods, if the load may include them | RNJ Transport does not carry dangerous goods (ADR). Tell us before booking. | | Value of the goods | Tell us the value of the goods when you book, so we can talk about cover before the truck leaves. | ## Frequently asked questions 1. Which truck ferries sail from Klaipėda? Truck ferries sail from Klaipėda to Karlshamn and Trelleborg in Sweden, to Kiel and Travemünde in Germany, and to Fredericia and Køge in Denmark. As published on 19 October 2026, the Karlshamn ferry sails 9 times a week in each direction. The Kiel ferry sails 6 times a week in each direction, Monday to Saturday. 2. How long is the ferry from Klaipėda to Karlshamn? 13.5 to 15.5 hours at sea, by the timetable published on 19 October 2026\. Ships leave Klaipėda between 17:30 and 21:30 and reach Karlshamn the next morning between 06:30 and 10:30, local time. Sweden is one hour behind Lithuania. Check-in closes 1.5 hours before departure. 3. How long is the ferry from Klaipėda to Kiel? 20 to 21.5 hours at sea, by the timetable published on 19 October 2026\. Ships leave Klaipėda between 21:00 and 23:59, Monday to Saturday, and reach Kiel the next evening between 17:30 and 20:30, local time. Check-in closes 2 hours before departure, or 3 hours before for dangerous goods. 4. Does the driver rest during the crossing to Karlshamn or Kiel? Yes, when the driver has a sleeper cabin, bunk or couchette. Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 lets a driver who travels with the truck take the regular daily rest of 11 hours on board. Both crossings are longer than that: 13.5 to 15.5 hours to Karlshamn and 20 to 21.5 hours to Kiel. Our transit time guide explains the conditions. 5. What is an unaccompanied trailer on a ferry? A trailer that crosses without a truck or a driver. A truck leaves it at the ferry terminal before check-in closes. Port staff move it on and off the ship with a terminal tractor. Another truck collects it on the other side and drives it to the receiver. 6. Is the ferry included in the freight price? Yes. The price we agree with you covers the whole trip, including the ferry crossing, so you get one price and one invoice from RNJ Transport. The ferry cost includes a fuel surcharge that the ferry company sets for each month. Send us the route, the date and the load size in the price form. ## Sources (8) 1. [Regulation (EC) No 561/2006 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport, consolidated text of 31 December 2024 (EUR-Lex)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02006R0561-20241231) 2. [Klaipeda - Karlshamn freight shipping: routes and schedules, seasonal schedule from 17 August 2026](https://www.dfds.com/en/freight-ferries-and-logistics/routes-and-schedules/klaipeda-karlshamn) 3. [Klaipeda - Kiel freight shipping: routes and schedules, regular schedule from 12 January 2026](https://www.dfds.com/en/freight-ferries-and-logistics/routes-and-schedules/klaipeda-kiel) 4. [Shipping routes and schedules: Baltic Sea](https://www.dfds.com/en/freight-ferries-and-logistics/routes-and-schedules) 5. [Karlshamn to Klaipeda: ferries to the Baltics (local times, weather note)](https://www.dfds.com/en/passenger-ferries/ferry-crossings/ferries-to-the-baltics/karlshamn-klaipeda) 6. [IMO: The International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code](https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Safety/Pages/DangerousGoods-default.aspx) 7. [PORT OF KIEL: Stauerei (Stevedoring)](https://www.portofkiel.com/Stauerei.html) 8. [Council Directive 96/53/EC of 25 July 1996, consolidated text of 14 August 2019](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:01996L0053-20190814) We checked these sources on 19 October 2026. ## Plan your next ferry load with us Send the route, the date and the load size in the price form. We call you back. You can also call us during working hours. We check the sailings for your date and plan the truck around them. [ +370 698 38573 ](tel:+37069838573) A person in our Klaipėda office answers your call. Mon–Fri 08:00–17:00, Lithuanian time - [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/37069838573) - [info@rnjtransport.lt](mailto:info@rnjtransport.lt) ### Get a price Send your route and your phone number. We call you back about the price. --- RNJ Transport (UAB "RNJ Transport", company code 305801389), Šilutės pl. 105A, LT-95112 Klaipėda, Lithuania. Phone: +370 698 38573. Email: info@rnjtransport.lt. Company summary for AI assistants: https://rnjtransport.lt/llms.txt. All pages: https://rnjtransport.lt/sitemap.xml.