Helsinki
Getting There/Around
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Getting There
The Helsinki airport is a short drive from the city itself and is served by at least 12 airlines and four rental car companies.
By Air
Located 11 miles ( 19km ) north of the town center, Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport ( +358 9 682 701 / http://www.helsinki-vantaa.fi ) houses two passenger friendly terminals ( Domestic and International ) linked by a walkway and filled with numerous shops, restaurants, pubs, and even a sophisticated wine bar. A 35 room hotel ( +358 9 818 3600 / http://www.scandic-hotels.com ) is onsite, and the airport is also equipped with a modern business center and numerous conference facilities ( +358 207 629 732 ). Airlines serving Helsinki-Vantaa include:
Aer Lingus ( +1 800 474 7424 / http://www.aerlingus.com )
Air Canada ( +1 888 247 2267 / http://www.aircanada.ca )
American Airlines ( +1 800 433 7300 / http://www.aa.com )
Blue1 ( +358 20 585 6000 / http://www.blue1.com )
British Airways ( +1 800 217 9297 / http://www.ba.com )
Finnair ( +1 800 950 5000 / http://www.finnair.com )
KLM ( +1 800 225 2525 ( US ) /+1800 447 4747 ( Intl )/ http://www.klm.com )
Lufthansa ( +1 800 803 5838 / http://cms.lufthansa.com )
Northwest Airlines ( +1 800 225 2525( US ) / +1 800 447 4747( Intl ) / http://www.nwa.com )
SAS ( +1 800 221 2350 / http://www.scandinavian.net )
Sterling.dk Airline ( +457 033 3370 / http://www.sterlingticket.com )
United Airlines ( +1 800 864 8331 / http://www.ual.com )
Ground transportation
Car rental desks are located in the Terminal 2 arrivals hall. Onsite companies are:
Avis ( +1 800 230 4898 / http://www.avis.com )
Budget ( +1 800 527 0700/ http://www.budget.com )
Europcar ( +1 877 940 6900 / http://www.europcar.com )
Hertz ( +1 800 654 3001( US )/ +1 800 654 3001( Intl ) / http://www.hertz.com )
Taxi: A trip to the center of town takes about 30 minutes and the fare will set you back EUR25. Airport Taxi Service ( +358 9 106 464 / http://www.airporttaxi.fi ) provides door-to-door van service. Fares start at EUR18. Numerous hotels also offer shuttle service.
Taksi Helsinki : Taksi Helsinki is a reliable taxi service, that provides taxis for various occasions and even large groups. ( 358 9 100 0700 / http://www.taksihelsinki.fi/ )
Taksikuljetus : Taksikuljetus provides personal transportation anywhere in Finland. With its fleet of Mercedes Benz vehicles, one can be assured of a comfortable journey. ( 358 9 350 5070 / http://www.taksikuljetus.fi/ )
Fillaritaxi : Fillaritaxi is a unique and popular mode of travelling in Helsinki. ( 358 9 40 5539 678 / http://www.fillaritaxi.fi/ )
The Finnish Taxi Owners Federation : Provides taxi services all over the country, including rural areas. ( http://www.taksiliitto.fi / 358 9 2530 4200 )
Public Bus: Some 11 public bus routes ( +0100 111/ http://www.ytv.fi ) network the airport with a web of city locations. Fares start at EUR2 and buses depart every 10 to 30 minutes. Finnair City Bus ( +358 9 818 503/ http://www.finnair.com/filecontent/com/citybus_com.txt ) stops at both terminals. Service is every 15-30 minutes and costs EUR4.90. Matkahulto ( +358 200 04000 / http://www.matkahuolto.fi ) also has frequent coach service to points around the region.
By Car
The E18 from the east and west, E12 from the north, and the E75 from the northeast head into Helsinki. Jump on Highway 45 south for a straight shot into downtown from the airport.
By Bus
Matkahuolto ( +358 200 04000 / http://www.matkahuolto.fi ) is the bus king of Finland with daily service from the centrally perched Helsinki Bus Station. International travel is available to and from Russia, Sweden and Norway.
By Rail
Valtion Rautatiet ( +358 307-23-703 / http://www.vr.fi ), Finland's national rail company spans the country and has three daily jaunts to Russia from the old and stylish Railway Square ( Rautatientori ), which opens up on the south side to the always bustling Kaivokatu.
By Water
Helsinki utilizes three harbors ( South, West, and North ) and six passenger terminals under the name Port of Helsinki ( +358 9 173 331 / http://www.hel.fi ) for ferry and cruise ship travel on the open seas of the Baltic. A fleet of companies provide daily highlight reels for the memory bank with journeys between Helsinki and such destinations as Stockholm ( Sweden ), Tallinn ( Estonia ), Travem ( Germany ), Riga ( Latvia ) and Rostock ( Germany ). The competition keeps the fares way down and makes hobnobbing by boat one of the better traveling options. Businesses include:
Silja Line ( +358 9 1804 402 / http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/ )
Viking Line ( +358 9 12 351 / http://www.vikingline.fi )
Nordic Jet Line ( +358 9 681 770 / http://www-eng.njl.fi )
Tallink ( +358 9 228 381 / http://www.tallink.com/ )
Eckerone ( http://www.eckeroline.fi/en )
Finnlines ( +358 9 2510 200 / http://www.ferrycenter.fi )
Getting Around:
With a superb public transit system and historic town center that makes walking a pleasure, dealing with a car is probably the last thing you want to do unless you intend on exploring nearby cities or the countryside. Traffic is not nearly as bad as it is in most major European metropolises due mostly to a well thought out series of ring roads that encircle the city and slowly siphon cars to their destination without mass bottlenecks. But once you get off the ring road and start looking to ditch the car you deal with a zone parking system that is rather expensive. Taxis are readily available at various ranks around town ( especially outside the train station ), and can be hailed from the street or dispatched by calling Helsinki Taxi Centre ( +358 9 700 700 ).
Public Transport: Helsinki's public transport, administered by Helsingin Kaupungin Liikennelaitos ( http://www.hel.fi/ ) consist of buses, night buses, ferries, a metro and trams operating from around 5:45a to 11:30p/mid daily ( excluding night buses, which travel all night long ). The metro stretches from the Railway Station ( Rautatientori ) through the city and to the eastern districts of Mellunmä«© and Vuosaari. It expands to the west only a mere two stations to Ruoholahti. Trams are abundant, but tourists will especially want to hop aboard the 3T sightseeing streetcar, which passes by the area's major attractions. Ferries sail frequently to the islands of Suomenlinna and Korkeasaari. A single ticket starts at EUR1.70 and is good for one hour on any form or multiple forms of transport. Multi-ticket packages and multi-day passes are available.
Biking around town is popular with locals and rather easy due to the flat terrain.
