Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Helsinki Expert:
This private service sells the Helsinki Card (described
next), ferry tickets, and sightseeing tours, and also makes hotel bookings.
They have one branch in the train station hall, another occupying the front
desks in the main TI on Market Square, and a small sightseeing kiosk out
on the Esplanade (summer only, not all services). They charge an €8 fee
for ferry bookings and for walk-in hotel reservations, though the hotel fee
is waived if you email or phone for reservations (main TI branch: June-
AugMon-Fri9:00-18:30,Sat-Sun9:00-17:00;Sept-MayMon-Fri9:00-16:30,
Sat 10:00-16:00, closed Sun; train station branch has similar hours, tel. 09/
2288-1500,
www.helsinkiexpert.com
)
.
Helsinki Card:
If you're planning to visit a lot of museums in Helsinki,
this card can be a good deal (€36/24 hours, €46/48 hours, €56/72 hours, €3
less if bought online and picked up on arrival at the downtown TI's Hel-
sinki Expert desk; includes free entry to over 50 museums, fortresses, and oth-
er major sights; free use of buses, trams, and the ferry to Suomenlinna; free
city bus tour; and a 72-page booklet; sold at all Helsinki Expert locations,
most hotels, and both Viking Line and Tallink Silja ferry terminals,
For a cheaper alternative, you could buy a public-transit day ticket (see
“Getting Around Helsinki,” later), take my self-guided tours (the “Welcome
to Helsinki” walk and “Tram #2/#3 Tour”), visit the free churches (Temppeli-
aukio Church, Lutheran Cathedral, and Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral), and
stop by the free Helsinki City Museum.
