Helsinki, Finland — Travel Tips
Getting There By Air
Helsinki-VantaaInternationalAirport(HEL)
Tel: 0200 14636.
Website: www.helsinki-vantaa.fi
Helsinki-Vantaa airport, with two linked terminals for national and international traffic, is located at Vantaa, 19km (11.5 miles) from the city center.
ApproximateflighttimestoHelsinki: From London is 2 hours 55 minutes; from New York is 7 hours; from Los Angeles is 16 hours; from Toronto is 8 hours 40 minutes and from Sydney is 27 hours 30 minutes.
Airport facilities: These include duty-free shops and boutiques, restaurants, bars, R-kioski (newsagents), bureau de change, a bank, automatic exchange machine, ATMs, travel agencies, tourist information and car hire from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt. The new Hilton Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Hotel (tel: (09) 73220; website: www1.hilton.com) opened in 2007 and is the only hotel to offer direct access to the airport’s international terminal, via a 100m (328ft) covered walkway.
Business facilities: Wi-Fi Internet access is available throughout the terminals. In addition, there are several Internet kiosks at the airport and five worktops with Internet access at the Go!Café in the international terminal. There is a VIP Center with three rooms, each capable of accommodating up to 10 people, in the international terminal. A conference room seating up to 30 people is available in the domestic terminal. The Helsinki Airport Congress Center (tel: 02076 29732), has rooms and halls that are able to hold up to 140, all with AV equipment and Internet connections. Below the congress center there are three meeting rooms, seating up to eight people, on the service floor in the international terminal.
Transport to the city: Buses 415, 451 and 615 (see Getting Around) go to Rautatientori (Railway Square) every 20 to 30 minutes (journey time - 35 minutes). A Finnair bus (tel: (09) 4157 5100) stops at the Scandic Continental bus stop, terminating at the railway station. Buses run to meet all flights. Taxi stands are located outside the arrivals hall of both terminals and the taxi journey into the city center takes just under half an hour. Shared taxis, operated by Yellow Line (tel: 0600 555 555; website: www.airporttaxi.fi), are cheaper than standard taxis.
Getting There By Road
Traffic drives on the right and the legal driving age in Finland is 18 years. The speed limit is 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 120kph (75mph) on motorways and 80-100kph (50-62mph) elsewhere. In winter, the limit outside built-up areas drops by 20kph. It should be noted that cars entering a junction from the right always have right of way, even when the car is on a minor road. All motor vehicles must have headlights on at all times. An EU driving license or an International Driving Permit are required to drive in Finland. EU nationals taking their cars to Helsinki should obtain a Green Card from their home insurance company. All drivers must be fully insured and accidents must be reported promptly to Liikennevakuutuskeskus, the Finnish Motor Insurance Center (tel: (09) 680 401; www.liikennevakuutuskeskus.fi). There are some hazards specific to Finland that drivers should be aware of. Although well maintained, Finnish roads can be hazardous in winter and all vehicles must use winter tires from December to February. When driving through rural areas, be wary of elk and reindeer on the carriageway, particularly at dusk. Additional information is available from Autoliitto - Automobile and Touring Club of Finland (tel: (09) 7258 4400; www.autoliitto.fi), which also runs the emergency service Tiepalvelu.
Emergency breakdown services
Tiepalvelu (tel: (09) 7258 4400).
Routes to the city
Most people who drive to Helsinki arrive via the car ferry from Stockholm or the E18 motorway from Turku. Other important roads leading to Helsinki include the E12 from Vaasa and the E75 from Rovaniemi.
Driving times to the city
From Turku - 2 hours 15 minutes; Vaasa - 4 hours 30 minutes; Rovaniemi - 11 hours; St Petersburg - 5 hours.
Coach services
The main provider of coaches in Finland is Oy Matkahuolto (tel: (09) 682 701; www.matkahuolto.fi), which handles all long-distance and express bus travel. There is a national timetable service (tel: 0200 4000), operating daily from 0800 to 1900. Various private companies provide local bus services. International coach services run to Helsinki from Sweden, Norway and Russia - numerous companies operate on the Helsinki-St Petersburg route. In Helsinki, coaches arrive at and depart from Helsinki Bus Station, between Salomonkatu and Simonkatu.
Getting There By Rail
Finnish trains are clean and efficient and there are convenient international connections to St Petersburg and Moscow in Russia.
Rail Services
In Helsinki, trains arrive at and depart from Rautatientori (Railway Square), located on Kaivokatu, off Mannerheimintie.
Rail Operators
National and international rail services to Helsinki are provided by Valtion Rautatiet - VR (tel: (09) 2319 2902; www.vr.fi/eng). Fast, comfortable Pendolino trains run around the country, with regular services to Turku, Tampere, Lahti, Vaasa, Rovaniemi and other Finnish cities. Many people come to Helsinki to take advantage of the convenient train service to St Petersburg and Moscow in Russia. There are two daily trains to Finlyandsky Vokzal station in St Petersburg - the Finnish-run Sibelius leaves Helsinki in the morning, while the Russian-run Repin, leaves in the afternoon (the Sibelius is slightly more modern, but the Repin offers a more interesting cultural experience). Every evening, the Russian-operated Tolstoi runs overnight from Helsinki to Moscow's Leningradsky Vokzal station. Tickets can be purchased in advance through Valtion Rautatiet, but allow time to pick up the tickets on arrival in Helsinki.
Connections
From Lahti – 1 hour 30 minutes; Turku – 2 hours; Tampere – 2 hours; Vaasa – 4-5 hours; St Petersburg – 6 hours 30 minutes; Rovaniemi – 10-12 hours; Moscow – 15 hours.
Getting Around in Helsinki, Finland
Public Transport
Helsingin Kaupungin Liikennelaitos (HKL) operates Helsinki's metro, trams and buses, as well as the ferry to Suomenlinna, but information on routes, timetables and tickets is provided by Helsingin Seudun Liikenne (HSL) (tel: 010 0111; www.hsl.fi). Tickets can be purchased on board buses and trams and at metro stations, but are cheaper if purchased in advance from newsagents (R-kioski), the tourist office or post office. Transfers are allowed for single and multi-trip tickets within one hour of the time stamped on the ticket upon initial boarding. The HKL Tourist Ticket (valid for one, three of five days) allows for unlimited travel on all public transport and local trains within Helsinki. Visitors also get unlimited travel with the Helsinki Card (www.helsinkicard.fi), which also provides free entry to many museums and attractions. During the summer, rowing boats and kayaks are a popular way of island hopping and getting around Helsinki's shoreline. Several companies rent out boats and kayaks, including Cat Sport Oy (tel: 041 530 9240; www.multi.fi/~catsport/vuokraamo.html) at the Toolonlahti kiosk on foreshore by Finlandia Hall.
Taxis
Taxi services are operated by Helsinki Taxi Center (tel: (09) 100 0700). Helsinki taxis can be hailed on the street or booked by telephone, but demand often exceeds supply during the morning and afternoon rush hour. A taxi is available for hire if the yellow 'TAXI' dome is lit. As a general rule, tipping is not expected.
Driving in the City
As the public transport system is excellent and most of central Helsinki is accessible on foot, it is not necessary to take a car into Helsinki city center. Visitors who drive in the city should be aware that parking regulations are strictly enforced and delays are common during the morning and afternoon rush hours. The city is divided into three parking zones. Central Helsinki is designated as Zone I (I-vyöhyke) and parking rules are enforced from 0900 to 1900 Monday to Saturday. Parking is less expensive outside this central zone and rules are only enforced from Monday to Friday. Parking is free everywhere on Sunday. Parking meters take ordinary coins or parking cards, which can be purchased in advance from R-kioski (newsagents) and service stations. The major car parks in the center are located at the Forum shopping center, Mannerheimintie 20, and Kluuvi shopping center, Aleksanterinkatu 9.
Car Hire
Car hire in Helsinki is available at the airport and railway station, or it can be arranged through hotels, the tourist office or directly with the operators. Companies operating in Helsinki include Avis (tel: (09) 441 155; www.avis.com), Budget (tel: 020 746 6600; www.budget.fi), Europcar (tel: 020 012 154; www.europcar.fi), Hertz (tel: 020 555 2300; www.hertz.fi) and Sixt (tel: 020 111 222; http://fi.sixt.com). The minimum age for car hire varies from 19 to 25 years, depending on the hire company. An EU driving license or an International Driving Permit is required, including one year's driving experience. A credit card is usually needed as a deposit. Fuel is not included in the rates and the Collision Damage Waiver is extra.
Bicycle Hire
With the flat topography, bicycles are a popular way of getting around in Helsinki, and the city has an extensive network of cycle paths running alongside footpaths. Cyclists must obey the bicycle traffic signals to avoid a fine. The city administration provides free City Bikes for visitors at 26 stands around the center; a small deposit is required, but this is refunded when you return the bike to any of the stands. More details are available from the tourist office. Several private companies also offer bicycle hire but operators change regularly - contact the tourist office for an up-to-date list.
