Check-in in Rostock and Gedser: times and lanes
With a vehicle, check-in closes 15 minutes before departure. On foot or by bike you need 30 minutes in Rostock, while 15 is enough in Gedser. Check-in opens two hours before departure; allow at least 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
By car, motorhome or motorcycle
With a vehicle you check in straight from the car and follow the signs at the terminal.
- Timing: be at check-in 15 minutes before departure at the latest; at least 30 minutes is recommended. Check-in opens two hours before departure.
- Lanes: the blue lane is for cars up to 6 metres, where you check in at the machine. The yellow lane is staffed and is for longer vehicles, motorhomes, cars with trailers or caravans, motorcycles, travellers with reduced mobility, paying in cash and anyone arriving without a booking to buy a ticket on the spot.
- Process: in the blue lane you follow the instructions on the machine's screen, and it prints your ticket. There is no online or number plate check-in on this route. In the yellow lane you show your booking confirmation at the check-in booth or buy your ticket, and staff print the boarding passes. Staff then direct you to the waiting area, and you drive on board as soon as your row is called.
Clearance on the vehicle decks is 4.60 metres on the lower deck and 4.20 metres on the upper deck. As long as you give your vehicle's correct dimensions when booking, check-in is a formality.
By bike
With a bike, you check in through vehicle check-in, not with the foot passengers: in Rostock, ride into the yellow lane at least 30 minutes before departure, where staff check you in, and roll on board via the ramp like the cars. In Gedser, take your bike to the gangway building, scan or buy your ticket there and wait at the bicycle entrance; 15 minutes before departure is enough. A small bicycle surcharge applies on top of the passenger ticket.
On foot
Without a vehicle you use the passenger terminal.
- Timing: in Rostock, check in no later than 30 minutes before departure, because the terminal shuttle bus still has to take you from the ferry centre to the ship. In Gedser, 15 minutes is enough, as a passenger bridge leads on board.
- Boarding: at the desk you show your booking confirmation or ticket (you can also buy one there) and receive a boarding pass. In Rostock, the free shuttle bus then takes you to the ship. For how to get to the terminals, see Rostock Port & Ferry Terminal and Gedser Port & Ferry Terminal.
With reduced mobility
State what you need when booking and use the staffed yellow lane; automated check-in is not available in that case. Try to be at the port 30 minutes before departure. Where possible, the crew will direct your vehicle to a space near the lift and the accessible facilities. The number of these spaces is limited, and on very busy departures the operator cannot guarantee one.
Coaches and groups
Coach passengers use dedicated check-in lanes, and the driver checks in on behalf of everyone on board. Groups travelling without a vehicle should register in advance and check in together, in good time.
FAQ
Common questions about check-in
Is there online or advance check-in? +
No. On the Rostock-Gedser route you always check in at the port, no earlier than two hours before departure. There is no check-in by number plate recognition on this route.
When does check-in close? +
15 minutes before the timetabled departure. As a foot passenger in Rostock you need 30 minutes, because the shuttle bus still has to take you from the ferry centre to the ship.
Blue or yellow lane? +
Blue is the self-service machine for cars up to 6 metres: you follow the instructions on the screen and the machine prints your ticket. Yellow is staffed and the right choice for longer vehicles, motorhomes, cars with trailers or caravans, motorcycles and bicycles, for travellers with reduced mobility, for paying in cash and for buying a ticket on the spot.
Can I turn up at the port without a booking? +
Yes, you can buy a ticket in the yellow lane while space is available. However, the price at the port is well above the online fare; see Prices & Fares.
Which documents do I need? +
Your booking confirmation and valid ID for everyone travelling. The route crosses an internal EU border, and spot checks are possible.
How does check-in work with a bike? +
Through vehicle check-in, not the passenger terminal. In Rostock, ride into the yellow lane at least 30 minutes before departure; in Gedser, report to the gangway building and wait at the bicycle entrance. You board via the vehicle ramp, and the crew will show you where to go.
What about the return from Gedser? +
In Gedser, 15 minutes is enough even on foot, because a passenger bridge leads on board. The Gedser-Rostock Ferry page explains the whole process.