Traveling
(Photo: JariJK)
Travelling in Finland (car, bus, boat, airplane, train, tours - scroll down, please)
Search flight connections and timetables in Finland and to/from Finland: http://www.finavia.fi/en/
Fonecta maps from Finland with aerial view (search sites, addresses and routes): http://www.fonecta.fi/kartat
Route planner (journey planner) and additional information: http://www.journey.fi/search/en/
Route planner (journey planner) for public transport in Helsinki: http://www.reittiopas.fi/en/
Route planner (journey planner) for biking and walking in Helsinki: http://pk.hsl.fi/en/
From Helsinki to Lapland: https://sites.google.com/site/laplandclub/travelling/from-helsinki-to-lapland
Helsinki Region Transport (timetables, routes, tickets, fares): http://www.hsl.fi/EN/Pages/default.aspx/
Biking in Finland: http://www.pyoraillensuomessa.fi
Car rental and travelling with an own car
Auto Alex: http://www.autoalex.com
Autonvuokraus Auto Europe: http://www.autoeurope.fi
Avis: http://www.avis.fi
Budget (Helsinki airport special internet offer): http://www.budget.fi
Europcar: http://www.europcar.fi
Finnish National Road Administration (up to date information on road weather conditions, roadworks etc.): http://www2.liikennevirasto.fi/alk/english/
Hertz: http://www.hertz.fi
Lacara (also a limousine service): http://www.lacara.net
Limousine Service (Mercedes, Cadillac Limousine e.g. for airport transfers, minibuses): http://www.limousineservice.fi/index_en.html
Ministry of transport and communications: http://www.lvm.fi/web/en
National Road Viitosväylä: http://www.kansallisvayla.fi/
Scandia Rent: http://www.scandiarent.fi/index.php?kieli=en
Smart Travel Rent-A-Car: http://www.smart-travel.org/en/
Touring Cars Finland (the biggest rental office for touring cars in Scandinavia, offices in Helsinki, Kuopio, Rovaniemi, Ivalo, Stockholm and Oslo): http://www.touringcars.eu/
Toyota Rent: http://www.toyota.fi/palvelut/rent/in_english.tmex
This traffic sign means a sight (e.g. a museum, a castle, a natural sight etc.) (Photo: JariJK)
Traffic signs (road signs) in Finland: http://portal.liikennevirasto.fi/sivu/www/e/transport_network/road_signs_and_devices
Transvell (cars, wagons, minibuses, vans, trucks, all-terrain vehicles): http://www.transvell.fi/
Buses
Bus timetables: http://www.matkahuolto.com/en/
Express buses: http://www.expressbus.com
From Finland (Turku, Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Lappeenranta) to Russia (Vyborg and St. Petersburg): http://www.savonlinja.fi/eng/linjaliikenne/ulkomaanliikenne.html and http://www.matkahuolto.com/en/
Onnibus (low cost bus company): http://www.onnibussi.fi/
Boats
Many boat agencies have one day cruises to Tallinn, Estonia's beautifull Hanseatic capital (passport needed). Also express boats / catamarans available. The boats sailing from Helsinki to Stockholm in Sweden are almost luxurious. The buffet dinner on board is highly recommended (especially Silja Line's buffet has got many awards, perhaps the best dinner buffet in the Nordic Countries, prebooking recommended). There are also Visa free cruises from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, Russia.
Airisto Line (Turku Archipelago & Rauma): http://www.airistoline.fi/english/index.htm
Archipelago: http://sites.google.com/site/finlandtravelclub/archipelago
(Photo: JariJK)
Archipelago Sights Route (Kasnäs - Rosala Viking Centre - Bengtskär Lighthouse - Kasnäs): http://www.bengtskar.fi/sightsroute.htm
C-Adventure (charter sailings from the city of Kotka): http://www.c-adventure.fi/
Cruises on Saimaa Canal from Lappeenranta to Vyborg in Russia: http://www.saimaatravel.fi/o/index.php?lang=en
Eckerö Line (Helsinki-Tallinn): http://www.eckeroline.fi
El Faro Lines (cruises on the Lake Saimaa, Lappeenranta): http://www.saimaanristeilyt.fi/
Ferry Center (Helsinki-Travemünde/Lübeck): http://www.ferrycenter.fi/
Finnish Silverline & Poet's Way (cruises in Tampere region): http://www.hopealinja.fi/sivut/english/home.htm
Finn Link (Naantali Finland - Kapellskär Sweden): http://www.finnlink.fi
Kuopion Roll-risteilyt (from Kuopio to the beautiful Lake Saimaa): http://www.roll.fi/en/
Kymi-Sun (boat trips for small groups, max about 12 persons, in Kouvola): http://www.kymisun.com/en/home
Lake Saimaa (boats for rent & chartering): http://www.saimaasailing.fi, http://www.yachtingdream.fi, http://www.yachtcharter.fi/
Lighthouses (sightseeing cruises or accommodation on a lighthouse island): http://sites.google.com/site/finlandtravelclub/lighthouses
Linda Line (Helsinki-Tallinn): http://www.lindaline.fi/en/
(Photo: JariJK)
Marine Lines (cruises from Hanko, e.g. to Bengtskär Lighthouse): http://www.marinelines.fi
Merireitit (Turku archipelago): http://www.merireitit.fi/?lang=en
M/S J.L. Runeberg: http://www.msjlruneberg.fi
-Helsinki - Porvoo (old wooden town) - Helsinki
-Helsinki - Loviisa - Helsinki
-Lunch cruises to Helsinki archipelago, Haikko Manor or Porvoo
-Also combinated nostalgic train - boat cruises to Porvoo
M/S Puijo (cruises on Lake Saimaa in Finland's most scenic lakeland region, Kuopio - Heinävesi - Savonlinna): http://www.mspuijo.fi/
Port of Helsinki (cruises to archipelago, Tallinn in Estonia, Stockholm in Sweden etc.): http://www.portofhelsinki.fi/
Päijänne-Risteilyt Hilden (Lahti - Heinola - Lahti): http://www.paijanne-risteilythilden.fi
Saaristolinja (Porvoo): http://www.saaristolinja.com
Saimaa Travel (Visa free cruises from Lake Saimaa, Lappeenranta, Finland, via Saimaa Canal to Vyborg and St. Petersburg, Russia): http://www.saimaatravel.fi/en/cruises-vyborg
Savonlinna Lines (from Savonlinna: Saimaa Lake cruises, cruises to Punkaharju National Scenery and Retretti Art Center in the Finnish primary rock): http://www.savonlinnanlaivat.fi/english.htm
(Photo: JariJK)
St Peter Line (Visa free cruises from Helsinki to Saint Petersburg, Russia): http://stpeterline.ru/en/OnBoard/News.aspx
(Photo: JariJK)
Sun Lines (Helsinki city cruises): http://www.sunlines.fi/en/home.html
Tahko Water Route: http://www.tahkonvesireitti.com/
(Photo: JariJK)
Tallink-Silja (earlier Silja Line and Tallink, destinations Helsinki, Turku, Tallinn, Åland Islands and Stockholm, also Scandinavian rountrip cruise Riga-Stockholm-Helsinki-Tallinn, operates also the former route of Superfast Ferries from Rostock to Helsinki): http://www.tallinksilja.com/en/
(Photo: JariJK)
Viking Line (Helsinki-Stockholm via Åland Islands, Helsinki-Tallinn, Turku-Stockholm): http://www.sales.vikingline.com/en/international/ and http://www.vikingline.fi
Flights (also low cost airlines, no frills airlines, budget airlines)
10 things to do while in transit at Helsinki Airport: http://www.kontikifinland.com/blog/2014/06/09/10-things-to-do-while-in-transit-at-helsinki-airport-2/
Search flight connections and timetables in Finland and to/from Finland: http://www.finavia.fi/en/
Air Baltic: http://www.airbaltic.com
Air Berlin: http://www.airberlin.com
Airlink (Helsinki - Mariehamn/Maarianhamina): http://www.airlink.fi/
Air Åland (Helsinki - Mariehamn/Maarianhamina): http://www.airaland.com and http://www.airaland.ax/
Cheap flights from the USA to Finland: http://www.cheapflights.com/flights/Helsinki/
EasyJet (London - Helsinki; Manchester - Helsinki; Charles de Gaulle, Paris - Helsinki): http://www.easyjet.com
Finavia: http://www.finavia.fi/en/
Finnair - the official airline of Santa Claus: http://www.finnair.com
Flybe (low cost airline, cheap flights in Finland and to/from Finland): http://fi.flybe.com/ and http://www.flybe.fi
Go! Aviation (tailored flights in Finland and elsewhere in Europe according to your route and schedule): http://goaviation.fi/en/
Jetflite Air Charter Service: http://www.jetflite.fi
Norwegian (Stockholm, Sweden - Helsinki, Finland & Oslo, Norway - Helsinki, Finland): http://www.norwegian.no
Ryanair (destinations from Tampere, Finland: Bremen, Dublin, Frankfurt-Hahn, London-Stansted, Milan-Bergamo, Riga): http://www.ryanair.com
SAS (former Blue1): http://www.flysas.com/en/fi/
Sky Scanner (cheap flights): http://www.skyscanner.net
WizzAir (from Helsinki and Turku to Gdansk, Poland): http://wizzair.com
Helsinki Airport (officially Helsinki-Vantaa Airport) and connections between the airport and the city centre of Helsinki
(Photo: JariJK)
The Helsinki Airport (the best airport in the world according to Global Airport Monitor annual survey carried out by the International Air Transport Association IATA a couple of years ago): http://www.finavia.fi/en/
The Helsinki Airport is situated 22 kilometers (14 miles) north of Helsinki. The best way to get in the city centre of Helsinki (Helsinki railway station, platform 30 on Elielinaukio) is to travel by Finnair buses (the platform 1 of Terminal 1 and the platform 10 of Terminal 2, travel time about 35 minutes, bus fare about 6.30 €, N.B. platforms and fares may change). For timetables see http://www.finnair.com/FI/GB/information-services/after-the-flight/transport-to-and-from-airport. The service is good and fast and there is room for your luggage in the bus.
Local buses number 615 are a bit cheaper (one-way ticket about 4 €, estimated travel time 35-45 minutes). For timetables see http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/linjat/en/s615.html (Rautatientori = from the city centre / Helsinki railway station, platform 3, to the airport; from the airport the platform 21 of Terminal 2 and the platform 2 of Terminal 1, to the city centre / Helsinki railway station, N.B. platforms and fares may change). For more details see also http://www.finnair.com/FI/GB/information-services/after-the-flight/transport-to-and-from-airport.
However, Tikkurila is the nearest railway station. You can take the bus 61 from the airport (the platform 3 of Terminal 1) to Tikkurila station for railway connections. See timetables at http://aikataulut.ytv.fi/linjat/en/v61.html (estimated travel time 20-25 minutes).
N.B. The train connection to Helsinki Airport was opened on July 1st, 2015: https://www.finavia.fi/en/development-at-airports/helsinki-airport-development-programme/train/ and http://yle.fi/uutiset/ring_rail_line_airport_trains_to_service_all_stations/7928288
See also the journey planner for information how to travel from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to the city centre of Helsinki (timetables and maps) or from the city centre of Helsinki to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.
Taxi cabs are much more expensive (price about 25-30 euros) than buses but very clean and reliable.
Taxi Kovanen (24 h taxi vans, VIP buses, limousine services in Helsinki and the airport): http://www.kovanen.com/en/
Helsinki-Vantaa Airport Hotels: http://sites.google.com/site/finlandtravelclub/hotels/airport-hotesl
Trains
Finnish National Railways (timetables in Finland, also trains to Russia): https://www.vr.fi/cs/vr/en/frontpage
Real time train schedules in Finland: http://www.junat.net/en/