How to get to city center from Helsinki airport

First some basic facts. The airport is some 15 kilometers up north from the center. Helsinki Airport is actually in the city of Vantaa, but still on Helsinki region. 

 

 

There are quite good public transport connections from Helsinki airport. Kehärata (Ringrail) goes under the Airport area. There is a station logically named Helsinki Airport. Depends on which terminal you’re arriving, it is about +/- 500 meters walk to the station. Entrance is between terminals 1 and 2.

Two train lines go there. Both of them head into the Main Railway Station of Helsinki. Line P goes via Tikkurila (via east) and line I goes Via Myyrmäki (vie west). It takes 32 minutes to Helsinki either way.

Also bus line 615 takes you to Helsinki in about 35-40 minutes, but traffic might keep you waiting sometimes. On rush hours also line 617 goes near the center, but I’ll stop at Hakaniemi (about 1 km from the Main Railway Station).

You have to buy tickets before entering trains. Here is info about the matter (Finavia.fi). Helsinki Region Transport has pages also in English.

Tickets to Public Transport in Helsinki

Helsinki Region is divided into four regions. You have to buy tickets to at least two regions (unless you’re traveling inside area D). Helsinki Airport is in region C. So if you want to go to the Center of Helsinki, you have to buy ABC-ticket. More info you can find from Helsinki Region Transport (HSL).

Price for adult is (in the year 2024) 4,10 euros, and children about half of it. 

Tickets are valid for 90 minutes from the moment you enter the train of a bus. So you can change into another line of a bus with the same ticket if you need to. For example, you can enter another bus 89 minutes later than when you started your first travel, and you can stay on it as long as you need to. This means that you can change into trolleys and metro aswell.

Taxi

Of course, a taxi is a possibility. On 2018 there was a system change in Finland, and from now prices aren't the same on every taxi. This is a bit confusing to everyone in Finland, but I'll try to be as clear as I can.

Helsinki Airport has three companies that they cooperate with: Lähitaksi, Vantaan Taksi - Helsinki Airport Taxi and Taksi Helsinki. All these companies have their own pickup-points nearby each other. Prices are on small billboards and also inside taxis. Prices are near each other.

The fourth pickup-point is "for the rest". So other companies and drivers can get to the airport as well. With these you have to discuss about the price - it can be cheaper or way more expensive than the others.

Hints when ordering a taxi in Finland:

• It is not cheap. I think it'll be about 40-60 euros if you go to the Helsinki Center. Depending on the time and the traffic.
• You won't be fooled. In Finland there just isn't many people trying to hoax, But for example in taxis via entering and traveling you agree to prices etc., so you have to check prices before the travel. 100 euros or more is the price that has to be told to you before. The biggest risk is if you take for example taxi from the Center at Friday night - there might be way bigger starting fees than usually.  And if it's 99 euros, driver doesn't have to tell it to you before travel if you don't check it yourself.
• So with the three companies mentioned you can check what it'll cost before. With the fourth pickup-point remember to check the price before the travel.

There are also some fixed prices like 1-4 persons travel to Helsinki Center with the maximum price of 43 euros.

Happy traveling!

Finland is a pretty easy place to visit, I've heard. It's clean and effective here. Pretty much everyone speaks English, and info is also in English. So for example in public transport you can use journey planner in english and it'll guide you. 

Have fun!