The city of Helsinki was founded in 1550 by King Gustav Vasa of Sweden and has been the capital of Finland since 1812. The city with its architecture and culture has been influenced by both the east and the west. Helsinki has a colourful history, and nowadays it is the centre of Finland’s cultural and business life.
More than one-fifth of the country’s population lives in the Helsinki area. It is easy to get around the capital. The nature as well as the Baltic Sea is present even in the city centre. A great way to enjoy the sea and Finland’s magnificent archipelago is to take a cruise from Helsinki to the Baltic Sea.
Further information:
Finland, a member of the European Union since 1995, has about 5.5 million inhabitants and is one of the largest countries in Europe. Finland is a northern country of great beauty and has a distinctive cultural life. The capital of the country is Helsinki. Two thirds of the surface area is covered by forest and with its nearly 200,000 lakes Finland has truly deserved the name “land of thousands of lakes”. The coastal archipelago with its labyrinth-like waterways is unique. Finland has 35 wild and beautiful national parks covering 8170 square kilometres.
Airport train
The train connection between Helsinki city center and Helsinki Airport takes about 30 minutes. There are two services: train I and train P. Schedules, ticket prices and routes are available at HSL website. At the airport you can buy a train ticket from the following spots: HSL ticket automates, Alepa Grocery Store, WH Smith, R-kioski, Tourist information or by using Hsl mobile ticket app.
Please note that it is not possible to buy a ticket in the train.
Buses to & from the airport
Line 615 and the Finnair City Bus operate between Helsinki Railway Station and the airport. Line 617 operates between Hakaniemi market square and the airport on rush hours from Monday to Friday. The timetables of other trains and buses in the Helsinki metropolitan area are available in the Hsl Journey Planner
HSL buses will drop off and pick up passengers only in front of T2 at Helsinki Airport.
Taxi from Helsinki Airport to the city centre
Taxis representing the below agencies are located closest to terminals 1 and 2. Agency-specific price information is available in front of the terminals, on the information screens next to the taxi stands.
Other taxi agencies may also offer their services to Helsinki Airport’s passengers. Where the agency is not one of those specified above, the customer agrees on the price separately.
There are several taxi companies providing taxi services. You can choose any taxi at a taxi stand, call a taxi company directly or use an application for a booking. Price may vary depending on the time, taxi company, way of booking or extra services.
It is advised to ask the driver for a receipt for your ride. It is very useful in case you have any questions later i.e. concerning lost goods or when giving feedback about the ride.
Taxis no longer necessary have a taxi sign on the roof. However, the number of the taxi license must appear in the side window, backrest or elsewhere, this way you’ll recognize the official taxi.
Taxis normally accept cash, debit cards, Visa Electron as well as common international credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Eurocard.
Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vantaa, Kerava, Sipoo, Kirkkonummi, Siuntio and Tuusula form an integrated public transport area where traveling is easy and affordable. The entire area has an integrated ticketing system, and HSL’s tickets are valid on all buses, commuter trains, trams, Metro and the Suomenlinna ferry. The price of the ticket depends on the zone(s) in which you wish to travel: the price varies according to the number of zones in which you travel, i.e. whether you travel within one municipality or in several municipalities. You can transfer from one vehicle to another with the same ticket.
With a single ticket you can hop aboard trams, buses, the metro and even the ferry to Suomenlinna. Single tickets can be purchased online (mobile ticket) or from ticket machines. Day tickets are available for unlimited use on public transportation for 1–7 days Helsinki Card holders can travel free of charge on public transportation within the city.
More info here.
Once in Finland, many delegates wish to explore the country, or the neighbouring countries more extensively. There are a variety of choices, for example visiting the Finnish Lapland, taking a cruise to the neighbouring cities of Stockholm, Tallinn or St. Petersburg or enjoying one of the summer festivals in Finland.
You can also look www.visitfinland.com and the travel site of your host city www.visithelsinki.fi.
Image: Helsinki Marketing / Suomen Ilmakuva
Contact information
Congress Office Tavicon
tel. +358 3 233 0400
(phone hours Mon-Fri 9–15, UTC +3:00 during summer time)
E-mail: ngm2023[at]tavicon.fi
Finnish Glaucoma Society