Föri, the City Ferry
Note
The traffic is currently suspended due to the ice conditions. The construction of the ice bridge will possibly begin in week 5, depending on the weather conditions.
Föri during Midsummer
- Midsummer's Eve on June 23, 2023, from 06:15 AM to 06:00 PM
- Midsummer's Day on June 24, 2023, from 06:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Föri operates:
- in summer (1 May – Turku Day in September) every day from 6.15 to 23.00
- in winter every day from 6.15 to 21.00
The Aura River divides Turku into two sides: “täl puol jokke” (“on this side of the river”) and “tois puol jokke” (“on the other side of the river”). Föri carries people across the river free of charge between Tervahovinkatu (on the east side) and Wechterinkuja (on the west side).
Timetables
Crossing the river on Föri takes approximately two minutes. Mainly it operates around the year following the schedule:
- in summer 6.15– 23.00 (1 May – Turku Day in September)
- in winter 6.15–21.00
Summertime ends on Turku Day (the third Sunday in September). The annual docking of Föri is after Turku Day and lasts normally around two weeks, during which time a substitute vessel operates in Föri’s place.
During cold winters Föri is replaced by an ice bridge, provided that the thickness of ice is at least 30 cm throughout. Since the year 2000 the ice bride has been in use in 2003, 2010, 2011, and 2014.
Facts about Föri
Föri is the official name of the ferry. The name comes from either the Swedish “färja” or the English “ferry”. Before being called Föri the name of the ferry in official documents was “Wächtergrändens färja”, “Aurajoen lautta” (River Aura ferry) or “Jokilautta” (river ferry). None of these names were ever painted on the side of the vessel, but nowadays it says “Föri” on the roof of the cockpit.
Föri was finished in 1903 and it was put into operation in 1904. It is the oldest vehicle in everyday professional use in Finland. Föri can carry a maximum of 75 passengers at a time.
Föri is a cable or chain ferry, which runs on electric motors. The power comes from batteries, which are recharged during the night while Föri is docked. Föri originally had a steam engine, which then became diesel in 1953. These diesel engines were replaced by electric motors in 2017. Föri was built at Ab Vulcan shipyard in Turku. Its more recent modifications have been undertaken by Mobimar Oy, which is also a Turku-based company.
Instructions for passengers
In Turku dialect: Älä lähre mihenkkäs ennenku föri on kii kaijas ja puami ylhäl.
In Finnish: Älä poistu föriltä ennen kuin se on kiinni laiturissa ja puomi on ylhäällä. (translation by Turkuseura)
In Swedish: Förbjudet att stiga av färjan innan den lagt till och bommen är upplyft. (translation by Turkuseura)
In English: It is forbidden to get off the ferry before it has docked and the bar is up.