You can see a lot of Åland if you choose to travel by public transport. On the main island, rural buses operate, while archipelago ferries connect the islands in the archipelago municipalities.
On the mainland there are four main roads running in different directions. Along these routes, rural buses run on five lines, with buses on lines 4 and 5 being connected to the timetables of the archipelago ferries. A bus ticket is valid for two hours and you can change buses freely during that time.
There are also bus services in the countryside if you want to see more of Åland along the smaller roads. In many archipelago municipalities you can also book a local taxi that picks you up at the ferry. In and around Mariehamn there are public buses.
Take the archipelago ferry
Where the roads end, the archipelago ferries take over. The ferries depart from Hummelvik in Vårdö to Osnäs/Vuosnainen in Gustavs/Kustavi and from Långnäs in Lumparland to Galtby in Korpo several times a day. To reach Vårdö you follow main road 2, a short crossing by cable ferry is included. The cable ferry runs frequently and does not need to be booked. From the Hummelvik ferry harbour you can then continue east in the archipelago to Kumlinge and Brändö via the Northern Line.
To visit Sottunga and Kökar in the southern part of the archipelago, take a ferry from Långnäs harbour, at the end of main road 3. If you want to travel between the northern and southern archipelago, there is the Intermediate line connecting Kumlinge and Föglö.
The easiest way to get to Föglö is from Svinö in Lumparland via main road 3. The Föglö ferry has many daily departures and cannot be booked. However, remember to make a booking for your vehicle for the ferries operating the Northern, Southern and Intermediate lines!
Remember to book in advance
A good tip is to book your trip in advance. You’ll get a 20% discount when you book and pay for your ferry ticket online. You also get the the same discount on the Föglö Line where you pay when onboarding the ferry. The fee for the vehicle ticket is always the same, no matter how long the ferry ride is.
No ticket is needed if you're just travelling between the intermediate ports in the archipelago – perfect if you want to explore more of the archipelago municipalities.
If your plans change, don’t forget to cancel. It saves you from extra fees and allows someone else to book the journey.
