IATUL Help Phone
If you have further questions, please contact our IATUL Help Phone at +358 50 36 42 292. Please note that the line opens on Sunday (1st of June) at 15:00 and closes on Friday (6th of June) at 12:00.
Bus & taxi services at Helsinki Airport
The airport, situated 19 km from the Helsinki City Center, has good bus connections to the capital region and destinations throughout Finland. Helsinki Airport is not only the main Finnish airport, but the leading taxi station in Finland, and the second-largest bus station. The airport also has several car rental providers.
Finnair City Bus and Airport Bus 615 (620 during night time) operate to and from Helsinki City Center (railway station). Timetables and routes for Airport Buses and buses for various parts of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area can be easily found on the web site of Helsinki Region Transport (HSL). The bus runs every 8 – 45 minutes on weekdays, at weekends every 12 – 50 minutes. The total travel time is about 30 – 40 minutes. For journeys from Helsinki to the airport and vice versa, a regional ticket is required. You can buy a single regional ticket (5 €, the single fare of Finnair City Bus is 6,30 €) from the driver or conductor. Please have small or exact change ready.
For longer stays, day tickets can be recommended.You can choose a ticket for 1 – 7 days. Day tickets are loaded on single-charge cards and they are valid from the first use. Helsinki internal and regional day tickets are available from blue ticket machines. Helsinki internal and regional one day tickets are available also from bus and tram drivers as well as conductors on commuter trains. The tickets are valid from the moment of purchase.
At the airport, the bus stops for both arriving and departing buses are situated in front of the terminals.
Bus stops for Terminal 1
Bus stops for Terminal 2
A journey by taxi from the airport to the centre of Helsinki takes about 30 minutes and costs around 45 to 50 euros. The taxi stands are located right outside the arrival areas of the terminals. There are also three taxi operators at Helsinki Airport that offer special taxi services, fixed fare shared taxi, tours and charter rides.
Transport between the hotels and conference venue
There will be an IATUL Shuttle Bus driving between the Helsinki city hotels and conference venue during the IATUL Conference 2014.
The central bus station of Helsinki is located in a modern terminal built entirely underground in Kamppi, and the Helsinki railway station is located only a few hundred metres away.
Public transport provides excellent access to Kamppi. The Espoo bus terminal is located on the E-level of the shopping center. There is also the Gekko, a ceramic work of art made from small yellow tiles on the E-level, which acts as the entrance point to the Kamppi metro station. Opposite the Gekko there is an escalator to the K-level and the long distance bus terminal.
To reach the conference venue you can either take bus 102, which leaves from platform 41 or 103, which leaves from platform 42 from Kamppi terminal on the E-level. Both platforms are the first on the right hand side. The travel time is about 20 minutes and you have to get off at “Alvar Allon puisto” in Espoo.
Weather
In June the average temperature is 16 °C (60 °F) in Southern Finland. There is relatively little rain in Finland in early summer (weather forecast for Finland). Nevertheless, evenings can be cool, so it’s a good idea to have a sweater and/or jacket at hand. A long-sleeved jacket/top and trousers also protect you from mosquito bites. In cities there are almost no mosquitoes, but they are a nuisance in the countryside. Finnish mosquitoes are a nuisance rather than a hazard, and the pharmacies sell cream for easing the effects of the bites.
Electricity
The electric current in Finland is 220 V (230 V), 50 Hz. A two-pin plug system, familiar throughout Europe, is used. Adapters are available in airport shops.
Foreign exchange
The Finnish currency is the euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents. In Helsinki foreign currency and travellers’ cheques can be exchanged in several currency exchange offices in the city center, including Forex (e. g. in the Railway Station and at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport).
Banking services
Banks are usually open Monday – Friday 09.15 – 16.15 and at the airport every day 06.00 – 19.30 (until 23.00 in the transit area). For an ATM machine, look for the sign “OTTO”. OTTO accepts the following international ATM and credit cards: Visa, Visa Electron, EuroCard, MasterCard, Maestro, Cirrus, EC and plus. Major banks in Finland are: Nordea | Danske Bank | Osuuspankki | Ålandspanken.
Tax-free shopping
Anyone permanently resident outside the EU and Norway can shop tax-free in Finland, thus saving about 12 (max. 16) per cent on purchases of over 40 euros. Only stores with “TAX FREE SHOPPING” signs will provide customers with a cheque covering the VAT refund, this can be cashed on leaving the last EU country visited. Read more about the tax-free tourist sales in Finland.
International calls
Making international calls from Finland:
- Dial the international prefix (00, 990, 994 or 999)
- Country code (without the general prefix 0)
- Area code (without the general prefix 0 or to Spain without 9)
- Number of the person
- For international number enquiries and tariff information dial 020208.
Mobile phones
All new mobile phones operate in Finland and pre-paid phone cards (SIM cards) are available in “R-kioski” shops.
Language
One of Finland’s special wealth’s is that it is a bilingual country. Both Finnish (spoken by 91 %) and Swedish (spoken by 5.4 %) are official languages. Sami, the own language of the Laplanders, is a language minority. English is widely spoken as foreign language but also German and Russian can often be heard on the street.
Additional information about Finland
Facts about Finland:
http://finland.fi/Public/default.aspx?contentid=160032&nodeid=44491&culture=en-US
Getting here:
http://www.visitfinland.com/about-finland/getting-here/
Info for travellers:
http://finland.fi/public/default.aspx?nodeid=47836&contentlan=2&culture=en-US
Destination Espoo:
http://www.visitfinland.com/fcb/destination/espoo