On October 18, I took my flight from Copenhagen to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. On my way to Tallinn, I had 4-hour transit on Helsinki- the capital of Finland. On arrival, I was tired, but an idea came to my mind. Why not go out and see the Helsinki city since I am already here?
Will 4 hours be enough for touring the city? Can I make it back to the airport for my next flight?
Before answering this question, I would like you to change the time on your mobile and watch. If you are going from Denmark to Finland or Estonia, make sure to set your watch to local time. I forgot to do that and in the end, I was in a panic. As for the answer to the question, yes you can tour the city in 4 hours: including going to the city and coming back to the airport.
How much does a train ticket cost and how long it takes to reach Helsinki city by train from the airport?
The one-way train ticket to Helsinki city costs 5 EUR and another 5 EUR coming back to Helsinki airport. The travel time from Helsinki airport to city center is 30 minutes, and every 5 minutes, the train leaves from the airport. The airport is well-designed and do not worry as it is very easy to get around. Note though that the airport has two terminals: 1 and 2.
Once you arrive at the airport, look for the exit sign, and once you have made it to the exit gate, look for the train sign. The train runs underground and you have to take the escalator. You will find the ticketing booth before the escalator. In case you do not know what to do, get someone to help you as it can be tricky even if you select the English language. Buy the ticket which costs 5 EUR and that says Helsinki city station.
There are two train tracks. It is easier to find the train that goes to Helsinki train station – I asked one person before getting on the train. After 30 minutes, the train arrived at the Helsinki station. The central station is quite huge! I walked towards the train station building, found an exit gate, and went out from the gate towards the city.
I did not have a map with me so I started to walk towards the main street. The streets were clean and nice, a lot of shopping centers and restaurants. After walking for 5 minutes, I felt really cold. I live in Denmark and I am used to its cold climate, But Finland is much colder than Denmark! Even with proper clothing, it was still cold for me.
After a few minutes of walking, I arrived at the statue of Finland’s national poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg. The statue is located in the center of Esplanade part.
Further walking around the street, I found The Havis Amanda Fountain. It is located on the market square.
Next to the Havis Amanda Fountain is a harbor – it comes to my knowledge a ferry sailed to Tallinn city from this harbor. The price of ferry ticket is between $27 to $37. You will arrive around 2. 3 hours. To view the ferry schedule from Helsinki to Tallink, click this link
After walking around the street, I found a museum. It was a small museum with free entry.
After visiting the museum, I made a last stop to the Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral. I had 3 hours of walk around the city and when it was time for me to leave, I took the train and arrived on time at the airport.
