Helsinki is a relatively small city, and the options for getting to and from the airport are wonderfully straightforward. In addition, the city's coastal location makes it great for connections by ferry and cruise. Don't rely on signs in Finnish: We'll show you how to get into Helsinki with bus, boat, or taxi.
Getting Into Helsinki
Bus
Helsinki's Vantaa Airport is located 17 km north of Helsinki and is an easy bus ride away from the city. Bus 615 travels between the city's central train station and Vantaa airport, with a journey time of approximately 35 minutes. A one-way journey costs €2.50. Bus 615 departs almost every ten minutes from Terminal 1 and runs from 4 AM to 3:40 AM. Note that if you're traveling from 2 AM to 4:30 AM, the night fare of €4 will be charged. The FinnAir City Bus is another economical option for arriving in the city center. The bus travels from Vantaa Airport to the central rail station in 35 minutes. The bus runs from 5:45 AM to 1:10 AM and departs every 20 minutes. A one-way fare costs €5.90.
Taxis
As is usually the case across Europe, taxis are expensive in Helsinki. If you grab a cab from the airport, plan to spend about €30. The journey from Vantaa Airport to Helsinki is approximately 30 minutes.
Arriving from the main train station
If you arrive in Helsinki by train, you'll be in a good position to access all the city's central destinations. The central station is also a transportation hub, with buses, taxis, tram, and metro stops right outside.
Arriving by ferry
Many ferry and cruise lines, including Tallink Silja and Viking, arrive in Helsinki's harbor every day. Viking cruises dock at Katajanokka Terminal, to the east of the city center. Tram 4T provides the best transport option for getting to your next destination. Tallink line cruises arrive on the opposite side of the harbor. The south harbor port is served by tram lines 1A, 3B, and 3T.
All hotel reviews
Hotels by neighborhood
From our Helsinki blog
With plenty of museums, historic and elegant churches and charming cafés, Helsinki is a capital city with a lovely smalltown feel. It also has a very modern side, with a mix of both eclectic and minimalist design in th ... read
Sometimes we run across a city that just has a very good feel. Often these are university towns, places that are not in the premier league of tourist destinations, but spots that have a decidedly laid-back and welcoming ... read
The new high-speed rail service linking Helsinki with St. Petersburg, just launched last December, has been an immediate success, with passenger numbers in the first four months of 2011 up over a third on the same period ... read
Europe’s ferry schedules are famously fluid, and it’s often devilishly hard to keep pace with new route developments. Here is our choice of a quartet of interesting ferry options for spring and summer 2011. 1. St. Pe ... read
March is the month when many Europeans crawl out from their winter shells and start exploring. And with spring beckoning, we have come up with a handful of easy daytime rail journeys that just clamor to be taken. There i ... read
