Helsinki travel guide to everything you need to know before you go to Helsinki – transport, airports, public transport, accommodation, prices, food and when to visit Helsinki.
- Helsinki
- Transport to Helsinki
- Flights to Helsinki
- Public transport in Helsinki (metro, buses, ferries)
- Taxi in Helsinki
- Rent a bike in Helsinki
- Helsinki accommodation
- When to visit Helsinki?
- How to enjoy Helsinki in winter?
- What to taste in Helsinki?
- Prices in Helsinki
- Helsinki map
- Helsinki Travel Guide
- Best booking resources for visiting Helsinki
- More information about Scandinavia
Helsinki
Helsinki is a relatively small and quiet city with a small-town feel. Plus, there are no crowds of tourists waiting for you. Helsinki is full of the greenery and modern design that Finland and Scandinavia is famous for.
Enjoy a stroll through the old town with its landmark Helsinki Cathedral, take a boat ride on one of the surrounding islands or enjoy a sauna with sea views.
Don’t forget the traditional coffee break with sweet pastries and a stroll along the landscaped waterfront along the harbour, where there is a famous market with a huge selection of local produce. Read a separate article on things to do in Helsinki.
Transport to Helsinki
Flights to Helsinki
Air travel is the most convenient and fastest way to get to Helsinki. There are no direct train or bus connections from Prague and you would spend almost a day on the road by car.
Helsinki has only one airport and that is Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, HEL in Vantaa, which is about half an hour away from the city.
Helsinki has direct air links to major European cities such as Prague, Berlin, London, Krakow, Vienna, Paris and Amsterdam.
Flights Prague-Helsinki
Prague has a direct connection to Helsinki thanks to Finnair, the traditional Finnish airline. It offers several flights a day, so you can choose the time that suits you best.
There are different tariffs to choose from – with the most basic one, you only get a small 40x30x25 litre bag/backpack.
Flight time is 2 hours. Here is a link to the official Vantaa Airport website.
How to get from Vantaa Airport (HEL) to Helsinki?
Suburban trains
The fastest way to get to Helsinki city centre from the airport is by suburban trains. A one-way trip costs 4,10 € and takes 30 minutes.
You can buy your ticket directly from the ticket machine on the train platform or via the HSL app. Trains run every 10 minutes and the station is located in the arrivals hall on the first floor. You can choose between 2 train lines:
- Line I via Huopalahti to Helsinki Central Station
- Line P via Tikkurila to Helsinki Central Station – long-distance trains stop at Tikkurila station, making it an ideal location for onward journeys further into Finland.
Buses
In addition to trains, you can also take the 615 bus to Helsinki city centre. The price of the ticket is again 4,10 € and the journey takes 40 minutes, but it depends on where exactly you are going in Helsinki.
There are ticket machines at the bus station just outside the arrivals hall or you can buy tickets via the HSL app.
Hotels in Helsinki 😴
Public transport in Helsinki (metro, buses, ferries)
Helsinki has a well-developed public transport system like most major metropolises. There is a metro, trams, a ferry to the Suomenlinna archipelago, buses and regional trains. The same conditions and ticket prices apply for all modes of transport.
Ticket prices in Helsinki vary according to the zones you are travelling to. The further you go from the centre of Helsinki, the higher the ticket price. There are 4 zones in total:
- A – Helsinki city centre
- B – wider Helsinki circuit
- C – airports and neighbouring cities (Kauniainen, Espoo, Vantaa)
- D – towns Tuusula, Kerava, Sipoo, Siuntion, Kirkkonummi
Before you buy your ticket, you will check which zones you will be travelling through and purchase the appropriate ticket accordingly. Zones A, B and C do not have a separate ticket. You can only buy combinations of AB, BC or ABC.
As far as zone D is concerned, you can again buy combinations of individual zones – ABCD, CD, BCD, but also a separate ticket for zone D only.
Ticket prices in Helsinki
Single tickets
Single ticket prices vary depending on where you plan to go. To visit the city, you only need zone AB, which includes the city centre and the wider area. In this case, the ticket costs 2,95 € and is valid for 80 minutes.
Prices for specific ticket combinations:
- Zone AB, BC and D – 2,95 €
- Zone ABC and BCD – 4,10 €
- Zone ABCD – 4,50 €
- More zone combinations can be found here.
Children aged 7-17 can get tickets for 50% off. The validity of each ticket is 80-110 minutes depending on the zones you are travelling through. You can buy your ticket on the HSL app or at a standard ticket machine.
Daily tickets
Another option is to purchase a ticket for a full day or multiple days and travel without worry. But again, you need to think in advance about which zones you will be driving through.
For AB zones, the prices are as follows:
- 1 day – 9 €
- 2 days – 13,50 €
- 3 days – 18 €
- 4 days – 22,50 €
- 5 days – 27 €
- 6 days – 31,50 €
- 7 days – 36 €
- Multi-day tickets are available for up to 13 days if you are planning a longer stay in Helsinki
☞ How to save money in Helsinki: Helsinki Card is a tourist card that includes the most famous places and museums in Helsinki and optional unlimited transport. Depending on what you’re planning to visit, the card can bring you a nice saving. Learn more about the card in separate article.
For the ABC zone (including travel to the airport), ticket prices are as follows:
- 1 day – 11 €
- 2 days – 16,50 €
- 3 days – 22 €
- 4 days – 27,50 €
- 5 days – 33 €
- 6 days – 38,50 €
- 7 days – 44 €
- Multi-day tickets are available for up to 13 days if you are planning a longer stay in Helsinki
- Follow this link to find prices for other zones.
Children 7-17 years old ride for half price, unfortunately no other discounts are possible. The easiest option is to download the HSL app directly to your phone and buy your tickets online.
In addition to the app, you can buy a ticket at vending machines, newsstands, shops, etc.
Taxi in Helsinki
Taxis in Helsinki are black and can be booked via a simple app. The entry fee starts at 5,50 € (on weekends and between 18:00-6:00 the entry fee is 7,70 €). The rate per kilometre then ranges from 1,10 €. A taxi will take you from the airport to Helsinki city centre for a fixed rate of 35 € (up to 4 people included).
Rent a bike in Helsinki
The bicycle is a popular and preferred mode of transport in Helsinki. You can rent it from April to the end of October.
How does bike rental work in Helsinki?
- Register on the official website.
- You choose how long you plan to use the bike.
- Determine your PIN and enter your payment method.
- You will then be given your personal ID number, which you need along with a PIN to unlock your bike.
- Here you will find the charges for bike rental in Helsinki, where you can choose the tariff that suits you best.
- You can rent a bike for a maximum of 5 hours at a time. You must then return it to any station with wheels. Simply insert the wheel there and wait for OK to appear on the wheel display.
Helsinki accommodation
- Hotel Arthur – Pleasant hotel in a medium price range a short walk from the train station
- Eurohostel – Cheap hotel in Helsinki city centre
- Hotel Helka – Cozy, clean hotel with excellent location, from where you can easily walk in a few minutes to the train station, the center and the beach
- Hotel Haaga Central Park – 4* hotel in the middle of nature on the outskirts of Helsinki, but with excellent access to the city centre
When to visit Helsinki?
Helsinki is a great destination all year round. The final decision on when to visit Helsinki depends on your weather preference and what you plan to do in Helsinki.
Spring (March to May): Spring in Helsinki brings a gradual warming, but the weather can still be quite cold, especially in March and April. Temperatures range from 0°C in March to about 10°C in May. This is the perfect time of year for sightseeing, hiking or relaxing in the outdoor gardens, where you can watch the city come back to life.
Summer (June to August): Summer is the ideal time to visit Helsinki, with long days and temperatures around 15°C to 25°C. Explore Suomenlinna, visit the local beaches or enjoy a picnic and barbecue in one of the city’s parks, such as Kaivopuisto.
Autumn (September to November): Autumn brings cooler temperatures, from 10°C in September to near zero in November. Visit museums and galleries or head out into the countryside, which is bursting with colour at this time of year.
Winter (December to February): Winters in Helsinki are cold and snowy with temperatures often below freezing, reaching -20°C in the coldest periods. The days are short with limited daylight. The Finns are used to long winters and have adapted the number of activities you can do in the off-season to suit. On very cold and clear nights, you can even see the Northern Lights or enjoy ice skating at one of the city’s ice rinks.
How to enjoy Helsinki in winter?
And while I mentioned that winter in Helsinki is not a bad idea, here are some tips for activities:
- Visit the Suomenlinna Fortress – the snow and frost give it a completely different face that is definitely worth seeing.
- Grab a bite to eat at the Old Market (Vanha Kauppahalli), a short walk from Market Square.
- Go warm up in the sauna. Finns are famous for their saunas. They’ve got more of them than cars.
- Enjoy the show at LUX light festival which takes place every January across Helsinki. One of the places that are illuminated with interesting effects is the Helsinki Cathedral in Senate Square.
What to taste in Helsinki?
Finnish cuisine is based on a combination of country cooking, haute cuisine and contemporary continental style cooking. The kitchen offers fresh vegetables, meat (pork, reindeer and beef) and fish.
Mushrooms and berries (blueberries, cranberries, mulberries and sea buckthorn, as well as wild strawberries for cake decorations) are widely used, and the locals go into the woods to pick them.
Some of the dishes are similar to German cuisine, but in Finland they focus more on fresh ingredients.
Typical dishes in Helsinki
For breakfast or a snack, you can try the Karjalanpiirakka (Karelian pie) rice cake with a rye crust and a filling of rice porridge and egg butter. Or Korvapuusti, which resemble cinnamon rolls. The coffee is often accompanied by Leipajuusto bread cheese made from the milk of a freshly calved cow.
You may be familiar with Swedish meatballs. Finland also has Lihapullat meatballs, only they are less spicy and with extra cottage cheese cream. Served with mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry jam and pickles.
Another option is Poronkaristys, a reindeer stew with mashed potatoes, cranberries and pickled cucumber. On bread (dark, made from 100% Finnish rye) you can taste cold salmon marinated in dill, salt and sugar.
Creamy salmon soup is a Finnish classic that will warm you up on cold days. The soup is rich in salmon chunks, potatoes, leeks and is flavored with dill.
Thanks to the vast number of lakes and the Baltic Sea coast, Finnish cuisine is rich in fish and seafood. Be sure to try grilled white fish fillet, muikku (fried small freshwater fish) or ahventa (sea bass), for example.
Do you like street food? Stop by the food truck for Finnish hot dogs or porilainen.
Prices in Helsinki
For a meal in a cheap restaurant you will pay about 15 € and for a 3-course dinner for two about 90 €. Street food in Helsinki ranges from around €6 to €12 per portion, depending on the type of food and the stall. Prices for basic food in Helsinki are as follows:
- Milk 1 l – 1,13 €
- Bread 500 g – 2,74 €
- Eggs 12 pcs – 2,90 €
- Cheese 1 kg – 7,73€
- Chicken breast 1 kg – 11,01 €
- Bananas 1 kg – 1,71 €
- Potatoes 1 kg – 1,26 €
- Water 1,5 l – 1,72 €
Tipping is usually not expected in Finnish restaurants, as the service is usually included in the price. However, it is common to round the bill up or leave a small tip if you were satisfied with the service.
Helsinki map
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you will find a detailed map of things to do in Helsinki. Click at the top left of the map to see separate layers with highlighted locations. You can hide and show the different layers or click on the icons on the map to see the names of the places I mention in the Helsinki travel guide. If you want to save the map, star it. For a larger version, click on the icon in the upper right corner.
Helsinki Travel Guide
Best booking resources for visiting Helsinki
Via Booking.com we search for all accommodation. It is the largest accommodation portal in the world and you will find everything from modern hotels, cosy guesthouses to seaside villas.
Get Your Guide is a huge booking system for buying tickets, guided tours and all sorts of activities. In one place you can read other travellers’ experiences and book tickets to the Vatican Museums, a cruise on the Danube or a desert safari in Dubai.
This was our travel guide on how to visit Helsinki. Do you have a question? We’ll be happy to answer it in the comments below. Have a safe journey!
More information about Scandinavia
HELSINKI: Get inspired by the things to do in Helsinki. Are you planning to enjoy Helsinki with everything? Read our review of Helsinki Card.
COPENHAGEN: Read our detailed itinerary of what to see in Copenhagen in 3 days. Get inspired by the things to do in Copenhagen. For more information on public transport, read our detailed guide to transport in Copenhagen.
STOCKHOLM: Stockholm is another beautiful, royal city in Scandinavia. Get inspired with tips on best things to do in Stockholm.
