Travelling to Helsinki
There are direct flights daily to Helsinki from all major European cities and numerous direct intercontinental flights. Helsinki is also daily accessible by ferries from Stockholm and Tallinn.
Transportation from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to the centre of Helsinki (approx. 16 km, 30 minutes) is by Finnair citybus FIM 25, by local bus 615 FIM 15, taxi approx. FIM 150 or airport taxi FIM 70. Taxis in Finland accept major credit cards.
If you use local bus 615 you can purchase a regional ticket ("seutulippu") from a driver and you are entitled to change vehicles as often as you wish within an hour, starting from the time stamped on the ticket when entering vehicle. More information about regional traffic can be found from http://www.ytv.fi/english/traffic/serv.html
The maps provided by the City of Helsinki may prove to be useful (try Ilmailutie for the airport address).
How to reach your hotel from the airport by public transportation
Hotel Strand Inter-ContinentalLocal bus 615 have stop at Hakaniemi Square near the hotel.
Sokos Hotel Pasila Take local bus 615 or Finnair citybus and exit at the corner of Elimaenkatu and Makelankatu and change to the tram 7B. Exit the tram at stop Maistraatinportti (street Pasilanraitio) near the hotel.
Hotel Fenno Finnapartments Take local bus 615 to Sornainen and walk along Helsinginkatu (to the west), Fleminginkatu and Franzeninkatu. Or take bus to the Hakaniemi Square and change to tram 3B and exit at stop Kaarlenkatu (street Kaarlenkatu) near the hotel. Or take Finnair citybus and exit at Linnanmaki (street Sturenkatu) and walk along Helsinginkatu (to the east) and Kaarlenkatu to the hotel.
Hotel Cumulus Olympia Take local bus 615 to the Hakaniemi Square and change to tram 3B and exit at stop Urheilutalo (street Lantinen Brahenkatu) near the hotel.
Hotel Arthur Take local bus 615 to the Railway Square (Rautatientori) or Finnair citybus to the City Terminal (Asema-aukio) and walk along Vilhonkatu and Vuorikatu to the hotel.
Hostel Academica Take local bus 615 to the Railway Square (Rautatientori) or Finnair citybus to City Terminal (Asema-aukio). Change to the subway at the Railway Square and exit at Kamppi station and walk along Runeberginkatu and Hietaniemenkatu.
Travelling within Helsinki
Once in Helsinki, the best way to travel around is by local traffic means; buses, trams, trains and subway. The local traffic company, Helsinki City Transport (HCT), has very good web pages, which are worth visiting.
HCT offers a tourist ticket, which can be bought for one (25 FIM), three (50 FIM) or five days (75 FIM). The five-day ticket covers the whole conference time. You can buy your tourist ticket at the conference site, R-kiosks, Stockmann's department store, Main bus station, Helsinki City Tourist Office (Pohjoisesplanadi 19) and Helsinki City Transport service points. Bus and tram drivers sell single tickets (10 FIM).
The conference hotels, The University main building and especially the conference site can be seen on the map of Helsinki. The surroundings of the conference site are seen on the local map.
How to reach conference site by public transportation
The stops near the conference site are Teollisuuskuja stop (bus, street Teollisuuskatu), Makelanrinne stop (bus and tram, street Makelankatu), Elimaenkatu stop (bus, street Sturenkatu), Roineentie stop (tram 1, street Sturenkatu). From Teollisuuskuja stop walk a few meters along Teollisuuskatu to reach the conference site. From Makelanrinne stop walk along Elimaenkatu, Teollisuuskuja and a few metres along Teollisuuskatu to reach the conference site and from Elimaenkatu and Roineentie stops walk along Sturenkatu and Teollisuuskatu to reach the conference site. From Pasila Railway Station the confernce site can be reach by bus 59 (exit at Teollisuuskuja stop) or by walking (about 15 minutes).
Hotel Strand Inter-Continental
Trams 1 and 7B; buses 62-67, 72 and
611-652 from the nearby Hakaniemi Square. All the buses and trams
have a stop at Makelanrinne. The Roineentie stop (street Sturenkatu)
is also possible if you use tram 1.
Sokos Hotel Pasila Take bus 22, 59 or 509 from stop Maistraatinportti (street Pasilankatu) and exit at stop at stop Teollisuuskuja. Or take tram 7A from stop Maistraatinportti (street Pasilanraitio) and exit at stop Makelanrinne (street Makelankatu).
Hotel Fenno Finnapartments Take bus 22 from Helsinginkatu and Fleminginkatu crossing and exit at stop teollisuuskuja. Or take Tram 1 from stop Kaarlenkatu (street Kaarlenkatu) or bus 51 from stop Helsinginkatu (street Helsinginkatu) near the hotel. Exit tram 1 at stop Roineentie (street Sturenkatu) and bus 51 at stop Elimaenkatu (street Sturenkatu). Both have also a stop at Makelanrinne (street Makelankatu).
Hotel Cumulus Olympia Tram 1 and bus 51 have stop Urheilutalo (street Lantinen Brahenkatu) near the hotel. Exit tram 1 at stop Roineentie (street Sturenkatu) and bus 51 at stop Elimaenkatu (street Sturenkatu). Both have also a stop at Makelanrinne (street Makelankatu).
Hotel Arthur Buses 62-67, 72 and 611-652 from the nearby Railway Square to the Makelanrinne stop (street Makelankatu).
Hostel Academica Take bus 70T from the nearby Kamppi station and exit at stop Elimaenkatu. Or take the subway from the nearby Kamppi station to Sornainen and change to the bus 22 and exit at stop Teollisuuskuja or change buses 62-67, 72, 611-652 or tram 7B and exit at stop Makelanrinne. Or take tram 8 from stop Perhonkatu (street Mechelininkatu) near the hostel. Change at stop Vilhonvuori (street Hameentie) to the tram 7B or to the bus 22, 62-67, 72 or 611-652.
Wellcome to Helsinki!