Are there ferries that cross the Baltic from east to west, or visa versa? I am planning a trip out that way, and am struggling to find details of ferry routes from Denmark or Sweden to the Baltic States. David Fullerton, Lancaster

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: There certainly are. In fact, the Baltic Sea has about 30 main ports, and there are plenty of routes to choose from.

There isn't anything from Denmark to the Baltic States, but there are very useful crossings from Stockholm to Tallinn and Riga, with Tallink . The crossing to Tallinn takes 16 hours for example, and with a berth in a cabin, is from £131pp for two people in a cabin.

Finland might not be quite where you were aiming for, but there are regular ferries from Stockholm to Helsinki too (where you could spend a few days, before heading on to Tallinn). Crossings are operated by Tallink and the Viking Line. One-way fares start at £83 for two people sharing a cabin.

If you are looking for a crossing from southern Sweden, then you can get across to Klaipeda in Lithuania from Karlshamn too.

Of the ferry portal web sites, the one that has the most comprehensive list of options and regions, is Ferry Lines. It covers all the cross channel and North Sea services that you would expect, but also has details of all the ferry options around the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and even Madeira, Azores, Canaries, and the Cape Verde islands.

Other sites to look at include Direct Ferries (0871 222 3312), and www.ferry.org

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