Helsinki can be reached easily from anywhere in the world. The Helsinki airport is approximately 20 kilometers away from the center of Helsinki. Alternatively, one can consider arrival by ferry (from Stockholm, Tallinn, Germany etc.) or by train (from St. Petersburg).
Arrival from Helsinki Airport (also known as Helsinki-Vantaa airport)
Taxi stands are located right outside the arrival areas of the terminals. A trip by taxi from the airport to the Helsinki city center takes about 20 minutes and costs around 40-45 EUR.
Commuter trains (lines I and P) from the airport arrive at the main railway station of Helsinki in about 30 minutes. The cost (for one-way ticket) is about 5.00 EUR. Tickets must be bought from (ticket) vending machines before entering the train. The train schedules are available at the HSL web pages.
Buses and in particular the Finnair City Bus operate between downtown Helsinki and the Helsinki airport. Finnair City Buses depart every 20 minutes, and tickets (about 7 EUR for a one-way ticket) are sold in the buses.
Public Transport in Helsinki
Public transport in Helsinki is extensive and includes metro, trams, buses, trains, and ferries. In the downtown area the most convenient forms of public transport are trams, and in part also metro.
You can travel with single tickets (Helsinki internal or regional) or with a tourist ticket (Helsinki internal or regional). Single tickets can be purchased from the driver, from ticket vending machines or via mobile app (mobile ticket). Note, that tickets are not sold on board in the metro, in the commuter trains or in the trams. If you plan to buy a ticket from a bus driver, please prepare to have small change of cash ready.
Day tickets for the unlimited use of public transport (metro, commuter train, tram, bus, ferry service) are sold, e.g., at the Helsinki City Transport service point in the Central Railway Station or R-kioski stores.
For more information please visit: https://www.hsl.fi/en/tickets-and-fares
The official currency in Finland is Euro (€, EUR).
The time zone in Helsinki is Eastern European Time (EET), 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (UTC/GMT+2 hours).
Helsinki has a humid continental climate. Owing to the mitigating influence of the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic Current, temperatures during the winter are higher than the northern location might suggest, with the average in January and February around −5 °C (23 °F).
The average temperature in Helsinki in August is very mild at 16 °C (60.8 °F). Afternoons can be warm with average high temperatures reaching 20 °C (68 °F). Overnight temperatures are generally quite mild with an average low of 12 °C (53.6 °F). The weather in August is somewhat dry with occasional rain. Only 72mm (2.8in) of water falls on average during an interval of 15 days. In August, the skies in Helsinki are moderately sunny with a pleasing average of 8:05 hours of beaming sunlight daily.
Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are widely accepted and even preferred over cash. Finland prefers chip and PIN authentication, and you would fail to buy gas at one of the unmanned stations if you do not have one. City buses and outdoor market vendors will not accept credit cards. For an ATM machine, look for the sign “OTTO”. These 24-hour cashpoint machines are widely available.
Voltage: 220–240 Volts. Electrical sockets (outlets) in Finland are one of the two European standard electrical socket types: ”Type C” Europlug and ”Type E/F” Schuko.
Finland is part of the Schengen Area. More information available here. Upon completion of payment, participants may request invitation letters (if needed for visa application process). Please contact the organizers (Ilpo Vattulainen).
Helsinki is full of culture. Consider visiting and enjoying the many peaceful islands in front of Helsinki, the amusement parks, the science exhibition centers, museums and art exhibitions, the rock/pop clubs and music halls, opera and ballet, the sea side with beaches with a possibility to rent boats and canoes, and the numerous places to enjoy Nordic cuisine. See: myhelsinki.fi.
Downtown Helsinki, and Helsinki in general, is full of restaurants and cafes, ranging from high cuisine with Michelin stars or the Bib Gourmand status down to many traditional cafes and beer restaurants that also serve excellent food. Please see descriptions of many of these places from myhelsinki.fi and tripadvisor.com.