aussiedreamer

We have a couple of days in Helsinki in December, just after Christmas. I'm trying to find the easiest way to get into the city. Should we just jump in a cab, looks like it would be a about 50 Euro? Or would the train be quite easy, our hotel is a 10 minute walk from the main station.....there will be luggage? I am having a little trouble navigating the commuter train time table......?

thanks as always.

four_maccas

In 2015 we took the Finnair bus. It departed every 20 minutes and took about half an hour to get to the main station. From Terminal 1 it left from stand #1 and from Terminal 2 it left from stand #10. Cost was €6,20 back in 2015 - cash only, pay the driver. More info at www.finnair.com

four_maccas

When we left Helsinki we had a very early departure and used a shared door to door taxi service www.airporttaxi.fi

The taxi had to be booked by 6pm the day before pick up.

Both options worked well.

Diamantina

We took the train from Vantaa Airport into Helsinki's Central Station at the end of June 2017. During the day, the trains leave every 10 minutes, take about 30 minutes. We arrived early in the morning on a Sunday (Auckland to Sydney, Sydney to Singapore, Singapore to Helsinki), so when we got to Central Station there weren't many people around. After getting off the train, we walked a couple of minutes to the tram stop and took the tram to our hotel in the Katajanokka neighborhood.

The train fare from Vantaa into Helsinki's Central Station cost €5.50, but we bought an all day regional pass from a machine at the airport (14 Euros), which covered our comfortable train trip into the city, return ferry to Suomenlinna, and tram trips within the city. If you're wondering what Suomenlinna would be like in December, have a look at this link:
http://vagabondbaker.com/2016/01/28/...linna-in-snow/

When we left Helsinki, we caught a shared shuttle from our hotel in Katajanokka to the airport, which our hotel arranged for us the day before. I think it costs around €35. I should have written down what it costs, but, in any event, it was reasonable. We had a morning flight to Stockholm, and didn't want to risk delays.

On another trip to Helsinki, 18 years ago, we caught the Finnair bus into Central Station, which was also easy. That was in March and it was much colder.

I wouldn't bother with an expensive private taxi.

Did you see this link?
https://www.finavia.fi/en/helsinki-a...ses-and-taxis/

aussiedreamer

Thank you all so much, great info.

aussiedreamer

Diamantina thanks for the in depth info, I'm madly googling it all. I do like the idea of the Regional Pass, could be very handy for the two days we are there. (would I be right in saying that 'One Zone' is a one use/trip ticket, whereas "Regional' is a multi use/multi trip ticket?)

We would have about a 10 minute walk (according to googlemaps) to our hotel from Helsingfors (which I believe is the central station). We arrive into Helsinki at 3.15pm Wednesday Dec. 27, also traveling Singapore Airlines.

And I can't thank you enough for the link to Suomenlinna in Snow....WOW fingers crossed.

Diamantina

Aussiedreamer, I think you'd buy a regional single ticket from the airport into Helsinki's central train station, as you'd be crossing from one zone (Vantaa) into another (Helsinki). The international airport is in Vantaa, a city next to Helsinki and not in the same "zone" as Helsinki.

We bought our ticket from a machine in the corridor from the arrivals hall to the train. According to the airport website, you'll have several options:
Alepa Grocery Store (T2 Arrivals Hall 2B)
WH Smith (T1 Departure Hall)
WH Smith (T2 Departure Hall)
R-kioski (T2 Arrivals Hall 2A)
Tourist information (T2 Arrivals Hall 2A)

The machine allowed us to choose English as an option. It was an easy process.

A "one-zone" ticket would be for just one zone. Here's a link to a map for the zones around Helsinki. https://www.hsl.fi/en/information/ho...blic-transport

As you'll be arriving at 3:15 p.m., you wouldn't be able to make use of an "all-day" regional pass on your first day, because you won't have much time to explore. On Dec. 26, sunset occurs at 3:15 p.m. There will only be about 6 hours of daylight total. When we were there in summer, we arrived super-early and the day never got dark, so we had hours upon hours to explore.

Helsingfors is the Swedish name for Helsinki. I think the Finnish name for Central Station is Helsingin päärautatieasema. Helsinki Railway Square is Rautatientori (Swedish: Järnvägstorget). But don't worry, English is widely spoken and Finns are generally friendly and helpful.

The Finnish/Swedish names can be confusing. You'll find street names displayed in both Swedish and Finnish. For instance, the street Mannerheimintie is also indicated in Swedish: Mannerheimvägen (Mannerheim way). Aleksanterinkatu is also Swedish: Alexandersgatan (Alexander street). Sometimes the Swedish and Finnish names for the same street don't look at all similar. Swedish-speakers comprise 5.4% of the total Finnish population.

Fortunately, Helsinki has a great tourism website and there's an excellent tourist information office across from Esplanadi (a small park close to Market Square and many other tourist attractions; it's an attraction itself). Its website and tourism office have walking maps and suggestions for things to do.
http://www.visithelsinki.fi/en/see-a...nd-attractions

Downtown Helsinki is very walkable (though it'll be awfully cold in December) and trams are handy when it's too far to walk. In two days you can see a lot of its attractions. Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral, Senate Square (home to Helsinki Cathedral), Esplanadi Park, Old Market Hall, which is at Market Square (where you can catch the ferry to Suomenlinna) are close to one another. Info for Suomenlinna ferry (ticket is 5,00€ return):
https://www.suomenlinna.fi/en/visitor/how-to-get-there/

Kamppi Chapel of Silence, Ateneum Museum (Finnish and international art), Kiasma Museum (contemporary art), National Museum (prehistory to present times) are closer to Central Train Station/Helsinki Railway Square. Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church) is about a 10 minute tram ride away. It's easy to get around on the trams; there are lighted signs onboard that advise of the upcoming stop.

You can catch a tram from Helsinki Railway Square to near Market Square, or you can walk, it'll take about 10 minutes.

This online brochure, "See Helsinki on Foot" has nice little descriptions of city sights:
http://www.visithelsinki.fi/sites/vi...2012_lores.pdf

Diamantina

Forgot to add, for your second day in Helsinki, if you think you'll be catching the tram and taking the ferry to Suomenlinna, you might think about buying a Helsinki "all-day one zone" ticket for €9 (covers Helsinki trams, the Metro, buses, Suomenlinna ferry). Here's the link for info about all-day tickets:
https://www.hsl.fi/en/dayticket

aussiedreamer

Thank you so much, I've got it. I've mapped out a big walking day but dependent on the weather as to if we will get a 'All Day' ticket or not. But I've finally got the train into the city in my head. Thanks heaps.

Diamantina

I hope you have a great time. My husband and I are trying to figure out when we can get back there to see the Northern Lights in Lapland, but we can't agree on which month.

This was actually the link I wanted to provide, "Day in Helsinki" (handy map).
http://www.visithelsinki.fi/sites/de...i_eng_2016.pdf

aussiedreamer

Thanks for the map Diamantina. We will be in Finland just before Stockholm, in search of those lights. We are going to a place called Hotel Korpikartano, Meneskartanontie in the Inari region. Which is about 200kms north of Lapland. Fingers crossed.

Diamantina

Sounds fantastic! Best of luck seeing those lights. We occasionally see the Southern Lights down here in Dunedin, New Zealand, but I understand the Northern Lights are far more intense.