BUG - Backpackers Guide to Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki-Vantaa airport (website www.ilmailulaitos.fi/airport_helsinki-vantaa), handles flights to destinations throughout Europe and Finland, however it is not used by many budget airlines and therefore not many budget travellers arrive in Helsinki by air.

Buses 415, 451 and 615 (€3.40) run between the airport and Helsinki city centre.

BUS

Expressbus (tel 02 00 40 00; website www.expressbus.com) services to destinations throughout Finland plus Stockholm (Sweden) and St Petersburg (Russia) operate from the bus station near Mannerheimintie.

TRAIN

The main train station is has local, domestic and international trains and is located near the Rautatientori metro station.

FERRY

A lot of travellers come to Helsinki to make ferry connections to Estonia and Sweden. Most ferries depart from terminals at South Harbour (website www.hel.fi/port/english/), which is around 1½km from the city centre.

Silja Line (tel (09) 18041; website www.silja.com) operates ferries between Helsinki to Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia. These depart from the Olympia Terminal located at South Harbour, you can get here on tram 3B or 3T.

Linda Line (tel (09) 668 9700; website www.lindaline.fi) ferries to Tallinn depart from the Makasiini Terminal at South Harbour. This terminal is also served by buses 3B and 3T.

Nordic Jet Line (tel (09) 681 770; website www.njl.fi) ferries to Tallinn depart from the Kanava Terminal, also at South Harbour. Kanava terminal is served by trams 2 and 4 and bus 13.

The Katajanokka Terminal is located at Katajanokka in South Harbour is used by both Silja (tel (09) 174 060; website www.silja.com) and Viking Lines (tel (09) 12 351; website www.vikingline.fi). This terminal is served by bus 13 and tram 2.

Eckerö Line (tel (09) 228 8544; website www.eckeroline.fi) and Tallink (tel (09) 2282 1300; website www.tallink.fi/eng/) ferry services to Tallinn depart from West Terminal at West Harbour. This terminal is served by bus 15.

Ferries to Travemünde/Lübeck depart from the new Hansa passenger terminal at North Harbour. This terminal is served by bus 50.

HITCHHIKING

In comparision to other Scandinavian countries, Finland is a good place to hitch around.

Highway 1 (E18) goes from Helsinki to Turku. To get here, take bus 18 or tram 4 until you see Carol's fast food restaurant and thumb a lift from here.

Highway 3 (E12) heads north towards Tampere; this is the general direction to take if you want to head further north to Oulu and Lapland. Tram 10 should take you fairly close to the point where this motorway begins.

BUG Ride (website http://europe.bugride.com) is our own web-based ride sharing service, it allows travellers to both offer lifts and search for rides throughout Europe. This is a free service which links travellers to drivers - you contact the driver by email when you have found the ride you want.

Ferry Tickets