Travel to Helsinki and arrive at Helsinki International Airport, HEL, also known as Helsinki – Vantaa Airport, located around 12 miles north of Helsinki. The location is a popular transfer point between Asia and Europe. It’s the hub for Finnair and a base of operation for Scandinavian air carriers. Stockholm, London and Copenhagen are the busiest international routes.
The airport sees some 20 million passengers a year as the fourth busiest airport in Scandinavia and the 29th busiest airport in Europe. It was originally constructs in 1952 in advance of the Summer Olympic Games.
Travel to city center is easy by train. The station is locates on the arrivals floor, between terminals 1 and 2 and travel time is about 30 minutes. Travel by taxi will take approximately the same amount of time and costs around 50 euros for a private cab.
Travel to Helsinki: Getting Around
Moreover Travel to Helsinki is aid by an excellent public transport system with trains, trams, buses and commuter rail. The metro runs in two directions with six stations locate in central Helsinki. The trams in Helsinki is among the oldest electrify tram systems in the world and is easy to use. The bus system serves as a feeder line to the metro and the commuter rail connects Helsinki with the suburbs. There is also a ferry that connects the city with the island fortress of Suomenlinna and runs all year, except when the sea is frozen.
Travel to Helsinki: Top Things to Do
Suomenlinna
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is well worth the trouble. The island is a giant maritime fortress that spreads across seven islands. The fortress was build by the Swedes in the mid-1800s as a defense project, although Helsinki was eventually overrun by the Russians. Plenty of tour options explore the baroque settlement locate on this island.
Helsinki Cathedral
It’s hard to miss the tall green dome soaring above the Helsinki cityscape. It was call the St. Nicholas Cathedral in the mid-19th century before it became Helsinki Cathedral after Finnish independence in 1917. It’s an evangelical Lutheran gathering place build in 1830-1852 as a tribute to the Grand Duke of Finland, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. Today, the cathedral is one of Helsinki’s most popular tourist attractions and sees some 350,000 visitors annually. The cathedral still operates as a center for worship and weddings.
Esplanadi
Called Espa by locals, it is locate right in the middle of the city as a green oasis for play and picnics with the Café Kappeli as the central spot for dining, sipping and people watching. The summer, the café hosts numerous shows and concerts.
Take the Tram in Helsinki
Take the tram from Havis Amanda Fountain at the Market square to points around the city. The ride lasts 20 minutes and shows all the high points of central Helsinki. There is no guide onboard, just a Multilanguage leaflet explaining what is what. The tram provides a great orientation to Helsinki and perhaps should happen at the top of a visit to aid with planning.
Travel to Helsinki: Travel Tips
+ While bargaining is not an option in the majority of the stores and shopping malls, it is a widely accept practice in local street markets.
+ Tipping at hotels and restaurants is unnecessary as gratuities are usually include in the total bill.
+ Buy a Helsinki Card to get free unlimit rides on the city’s public transit system, free entry to nearly two dozen museums, and discounts at many restaurants, attractions and tours. The card scores a free ferry transfer to the nearby Suomenlinna sea fortress. The card runs around $50 for 24 hours, $75 for 72 hours. However, a single tram ride will costs more than $4 and museum admissions run around $14.
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