Föri

Föri, the city ferry

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 bridge has been in use in 2003, 2010, 2011, and 2014.

Föri document

The Föri documentary film, completed in March 2018, captures both Föri’s past and its new future. Watch the movie on YouTube.

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.