Steamboat cruises on the Warkaus VII

The cruise takes place on the Warkaus VII tugboat, with the Eija barge attached alongside to provide additional space. During the cruise, passengers can move around on the decks of both vessels and in the areas below deck.

It is advisable to dress for the weather, as there is limited covered space on the vessels’ outdoor decks for viewing the scenery.

Please also note that the cruise is not accessible (for example, for wheelchair users or those with pushchairs or prams). The vessels were originally designed primarily for freight transport.

There is a passenger toilet on board.

The nostalgic steamboat cruises on the Warkaus VII tugboat and the Eija barge set off right from the heart of Varkaus, from the banks of the Pirtinvirta. And what could be a more fitting starting point for a journey into the heart of our industrial history than the jetty next to Navitas Taitotalot, the centre of our thriving business community today?

As the steam whistle blows to signal our departure, we set off from Pirtinvirta towards the narrow section of the Joensuu–Varkaus railway line. After the railway bridge, a view of the open waters of Lake Saimaa opens up. Along the route, you’ll see Lehtoniemi, where the Warkaus VII was launched in 1913. Today, only the stone foundations of the Lehtoniemi Engineering Works remain to bear witness to the once-bustling shipbuilding industry.

The journey continues along a busy shipping channel that runs from Savonlinna through the Taipale Canal to Leppävirta. The waterway is still used by pleasure craft and industrial transport, including the floating of timber to factories in southern Saimaa. The waterway cuts through Siitinselkä, whose name derives from ‘siida’, a Sámi word meaning ‘winter village’. This body of water has also formed part of the border between Sweden and Russia as defined in the Treaty of Pähkinäsaari.

During the leisurely cruise, there is time to listen to the sound of the old-fashioned steam engine and enjoy the scent of smoke from burning birch logs. On the way, we’ll pop over to the neighbouring municipality of Joroinen and admire the lakeside scenery of Kirvesniemi and Kuvansi. We’ll also catch a glimpse of the Akonniemi cargo port in Varkaus, which handles international freight traffic. At the southern end of Vuoriselkä, we’ll make a U-turn and return along the same route to the port of departure.

On the return journey, you can focus on enjoying the smooth interplay between the over 100-year-old steamship and the waters of Lake Saimaa. This cruise offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of Lake Saimaa and Varkaus’s industrial history all in one go. 

Come along and let nostalgia transport you back to times gone by!

The Warkaus VII was originally built as a tugboat for the A. Ahlström Company at its own shipyard in Varkaus in 1913. The vessel has remained in service for over a century, operating mainly on charter cruises in the waters around Varkaus. You can find out more about the history of Warkaus VII on the Finnish Steam Yacht Society’s website at https://steamship.fi/kaikkilaivat/s-s-warkaus-ii/.

The steamship is owned by ANDRITZ Oy, whilst the Eija barge that accompanies it is owned by Sumitomo SHI FW Energia Oy.