Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Helsinki

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Apart from the more expensive Finnair bus there is the local but fast bus number 615 that run between the airport and the railway station in the city center. There are a few request stops inbetween.

If you buy your ticket at the airport from the ticket machine on the platform, then please note that you need a region ticket for Euro 3.80 (March 2008). You have to show your ticket to the driver or alternatively buy the ticket from him. The ticket is valid for 80 minutes, so that gives you a chance to use another bus in Helsinki or a tram. For me it was sufficient to get right to Eurohostel.

On the website below you can use the journey planner and you get the result to your door.

Vantaa airport is located some 20km north of the centre of Helsinki.

During our visit in November 2005 we chose to travel from Helsinki to the airport by way of the local bus.

Bus #615 and 615T both leave frequently from platform 10 of the bus station on Rautatientori, right by the central train station. Tickets cost 3.40 Euros and are purchased from the driver as you enter the bus.

Upon arriving at the bus station you will see clear signs indicating where the buses to the airport leave from. There are even pictures of aeroplanes on the bus stops at the relevant departure points.

Buses generally leave every 20 minutes or so during the day and the journey takes 35-40 minutes.

In addition to buses 615 and 615T, I believe there were also other buses going to the airport but I don't recall the numbers (you'll see them clearly marked on the bus stop at platform 10).

There are two bus connections between the main railway station and Helsinki-Vantaa airport. Finnair shuttle bus leaves from platform 30 in Elielin aukio which is - looking from the south - on the left side of the railway station. The bus is either blue or white coloured . Travel time is circa 35 minutes and ticket costs currently 6,20 €. The shuttle bus line runs between 5:00-24:00.

Going to the opposite direction the bus departs from Terminal 2/platform 10 and stops also at Terminal 1/platform 1. The line is in operation between 5:45-1:10 (the departure time of the last bus)

Heading towards the airport the bus stops only at Scandic Hotel (Mannerheimintie / Hesperianpuisto bus stop) and homeland & International terminals. Going towards city centre the buss will stop at certain places by request. For example those of you who want to go Stadium hostel, should press stop button straight after the bus has gone below the railway bridge at the city center (circa 25 minutes travel. The hostel is a few hundred meters to the right, on the northern side of the stadium).

Another option to go to the airport is line 615. The bus departs from Rautatientori that is on the right side of the railway station (once again looking from the south). The bus leaves from platform five and it will take about 35-40 minutes to reach the airport. From the airport the departure points are Terminal 2 /platform 21 and Terminal 1 / platform2. A ticket costs 4 € (= a current regional fare).

(15.8.2011: a couple of updates to an old post)

All domestic and international flights land Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport which is situated 15 kilometres to the north of the city of Helsinki.

The international and domestic terminals are separate but connected by a walkway.

The cheapest way to travel from the city to the airport or vice versa is to use public bus number 615. It takes around 40 minutes and costs 3,40 €.

The second cheapest alternative is to use Finnair's own bus which will stop in major hotel and costs 5,20 €. I use Finnair's bus almost always when I have to go to the airport.

Taxis to the city centre will cost 25 € and up. There are also shared airport taxis (minivan) which will cost less (18 €).

The Helsinki airport is located in Vantaa, quite close to the city centre.

If you are taking a domestic flight you are using Terminal 1 and international flights leaves from Terminal 2. Terminal 2 is actually also called terminal 3 and 4 depending on which check in area you enter. But don't worry about going to the wrong place, the airport isn't that big so you will not need many minutes walk to get to the right place.

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On my two trips to Helsinki, I arrived by plane (Lufthansa, GermanWings). The airport is located in the suburb Vantaa, which is located about 20 km north of the city centre.
You can get to the city centre by Finnair airport buses, local buses (No. 615 and 617) or taxis of different companies. If you are lucky and have a VT friend in Helsinki, they might even collect you.

Vantaa Airport is about 15kms from Helsinki city centre. Taxis cost about euro 25-30 though there are shared taxis which can be cheaper. Finnair runs a coach service to most of the large hotels for 5 euro but the cheapest way is public transport bus (no 615) which costs less than 5 euro per person.

To book the shared taxi you can contact phone 0600 555 555 to make a booking for a taxi minivan for up to 4 people.

Thanks to Finnair, Helsinki's international airport is one of the busiest in Europe, and a busy hub for the Baltics and intercontinental planes. Most European capitals have direct flights to Helsinki, but you can also fly directly to cities like Beijing, Delhi, Tokyo, Toronto and New York.

The airport is clean and pleasant, but very expensive. Expect to pay in the region of 5 euros for a sandwich the size of a matchbox, and 2-3 euros for a small donut.

Getting there is relatively cheap easy, however. Although there are no trains, you can get a bus from the center to the airport for about 4 euros. There are a number of regular buses running the route, some faster than others. Check the airport's website below for details.

There's also the Finnair bus, which is an air-conditioned express bus. It's quicker, more comfortable, but about 50% more expensive. It's a good option if you haven't figured out the right bus numbers and are in a rush, or if it's a stinking hot day (no air conditioning on the regular buses).

All buses run to locations around the main train station. If you can see a Finnair bus, the regular buses leave from the stops next to it.

The easiest and probably the cheapest way to get to the city is by bus. Bus no. 615 leaves in every 10-15 mins from platform 21 in front of terminal 2. A single ticket costs 3,80 € and you can buy it from the driver. The journey to the central station takes about 35 mins. Bus stops in front of the National Theatre, just behind the central station.

There's also another bus connection (maybe even more but I'm only aware of these two) to the centre, the Finnair Airport bus, which costs 5,90€.

Finnair runs a bus service at the airport with frequent departures and a direct route to the center of town makes it just as convenient as a taxi, but at a fraction of the cost (approx $5 against $30). The buses run from 5 A.M. to midnight, every 20 minutes during most of the day, and every 30 minutes very early in the morning and late at night.

The buses depart from right outside the terminal so there is no long walk with your luggage. They stop at the Inter-Continental Hotel and the central rail station where you will find the Finnair City Air Terminal. The buses sometimes make stops along the route to drop off passengers on request. Fare is 30 markka ($5), and travel time is 25 to 40 minutes.

The rail station is right in the center of town, so a taxi ride to your hotel would be brief. Many central hotels are within walking distance: The Seurahuone-Socis Hotel is right across the street from the rail station, and the SAS Royal is about a 10 minute walk away. Cross the road and head to the main bus park in the center of the road.Continue uphill and about a further 500m and across the street you will find the modern SAS Radisson Royal built in 1991