Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting Around Helsinki
In compact Helsinki, you won't need to use public transportation as much as in Stockholm.
ByBusandTram:
With the public-transit route map (available at the TI, also viewable
on the Helsinki Region Transport website—
www.hsl.fi
)
and a little mental elbow grease,
the buses and trams are easy, giving you Helsinki by the tail. The single Metro line is also
part of the system, but is not useful unless you're traveling to my recommended sauna.
Single tickets are good for an hour of travel (€2.70 from driver, €2.20 at automated ticket
machines at a few larger bus and tram stops). A day ticket (€7/24 hours of unlimited travel)
pays for itself if you take four or more rides; longer versions are also available (€3.50 per
extra 24 hours, 7-day maximum). Day tickets can be bought at the ubiquitous yellow-and-
blue R-Kiosks (convenience stores), as well as at TIs, the train station, Metro stations, auto-
mated ticket machines at a handful of stops, and on some ferries, but not from drivers. The
Helsinki Card also covers public transportation. All of these tickets and cards are only valid
within the city of Helsinki, not the suburbs; for example, you pay extra for the public bus
to the airport.
For a fun, cheap tour, take public tram #2/#3—it makes the rounds of most of the town's
major sights in an hour. Use my self-guided “Tram #2/#3 Tour” (described later and rated
