Stena Line's ferry route between Frederikshavn and Gothenburg is one of the company's largest and most important passenger routes. During a normal year, more than a million Swedes and Danes, but also Germans, Norwegians and Dutch, travel across the Kattegat. During the pandemic, the number of passengers on Stena Line's ferries has dropped drastically, and the company has instead focused on the important freight traffic between the two countries. As travel restrictions in both Sweden and Denmark have been eased, passenger traffic has increased again during the spring. In May, twice as many people travelled by ferry as last year.

Danes no longer have to present a negative Covid test to enter Sweden from Denmark. This has led to Stena Line investing heavily in the summer peak season. From 5 July, Stena Line will put the ferry STENA VINGA back on the route between Frederikshavn and Gothenburg together with STENA DANICA and STENA JUTLANDICA, for the first time since last year. In total, the three ferries will have almost 80 departures per week.

"We have been waiting for this and are incredibly happy to finally feel the wind in the sails again. We know that there is a great, accumulated desire to get out and travel. This can be seen in our booking figures for this summer's high season, which has begun to pick up speed from the schools' summer holidays onwards," says Elisabeth Lönne, responsible for Stena Line's Danish routes.

It is especially the number of passengers travelling by car from all countries that is increasing, but there is also an increase in group travel by bus and the so-called day trips from Sweden, where passengers do not land in Denmark. Unlike previous years, more people choose to book early, but flexibly.

“We see a clear need for flexibility, where our customers have the opportunity to change their travel plans at short notice, and it is primarily the flexible tickets that are booked. Our customer surveys also show that our passengers appreciate the special safety measures we have introduced on board to ensure a safe journey, and they also appreciate the opportunity that the ferry provides to move around freely and get fresh sea air," says Elisabeth Reward.

Travel survey: 78% will travel to the same extent or more

When Stena Line asked its customers about travel during and after the pandemic, a total of 78% answered that they plan to travel as much or more after the pandemic. As many as 87% of Danes answered that they expect to travel to the same extent or more. The survey shows a tendency to primarily travel within Europe (44%) or to a neighbouring country (42%). Only 1% answered that they do not want to travel at all. When it comes to choosing mode of transportation, more prefer ferry and car over plane, bus and train. As many as 63% of the Swedish respondents and 52% of the Danish respondents answered that they prefer ferry over aircraft in the wake of COVID-19.