Helsinki layover: 6-, 12- and 24-hour adventures in the Finnish capital

We’ve also got details of how to get from Helsinki Airport to the city centre, ensuring no time is wasted getting you to the sights and sounds of Finland’s biggest metropolis.

Getting from Helsinki Airport to the city

Getting from Helsinki Airport to the city is easy and quick. The airport, which has the airport code HEL, is in Vantaa, 20 kilometres from the centre of Helsinki. There are trains, taxis and buses all available to speed you on your way. Whichever option you choose, your ride will take between 30 and 40 minutes.

By train

The Ring Rail Line between Helsinki Airport and the city centre is served by I and P trains, with both getting you into the heart of Helsinki in around 30 minutes. Tickets cannot be bought onboard, but with HSL (Helsinki’s regional transport authority) machines on the airport station platform, and an HSL smartphone app, you can easily buy them before you board. You’ll need a Zone ABC ticket, with a single adult ticket costing €4.10. Alternatively, pick up an unlimited travel ticket for €11 for one day, and €16.50 for two days (prices subject to change).

By taxi

Taxis from Helsinki Airport to the city can be found outside the Arrivals Hall on floor 1. The airport is partnered with three agencies: Fixu Taxi, Taksi Helsinki and Menevä. Taxi prices from Helsinki Airport to the city are shown on information screens at the taxi ranks, with a car costing between €35 and €50. You can grab your cab from the line, pre-book a ride with a taxi agency’s mobile app or book a taxi by phone. The drive takes around half an hour, depending on traffic. If you are in a rush, or on a shorter layover in Helsinki, the train to the city centre is a safer bet.

By bus

The bus from Helsinki airport to the city centre is another affordable and speedy option to get into town. Airport’s bus station is also located outside the Arrivals Hall. The local bus line 600 operates between the Helsinki Airport and Helsinki City Centre and the ride takes around 40 minutes. Just like with a train, you need an HSL’s ABC ticket for a bus ride.

Storing your luggage

If you’ve checked your bags through to your final destination, then you can go straight into the city. However, if you have larger carry-on items that you’d rather not keep with you, a pro traveller tip is to use Helsinki Airport’s baggage storage at Excess Baggage Company which you can find in Arrivals Hall. Another option is to carry your luggage to the Helsinki Central Railway Station (which is anyhow your destination if you travel to the city by train or bus).

Helsinki in six hours

So you’ve got six hours before you need to be back at the Airport to catch your connecting flight. That’s ample time to find great things to do in Helsinki and make your layover memorable. 

See Helsinki’s design heritage up close

Arriving from Helsinki Airport into the city centre will take around half an hour. From there, it’s just a 15-minute stroll to the Helsinki Design Museum, in the heart of the hip Helsinki Design District. Alternatively, you can take Tram Line 10.

No answer to the question of what to do in Helsinki would be complete without mentioning the Helsinki Design Museum. It houses the best collection of Finnish and Scandinavian design in the world, as well as showcasing global design through a series of excellent, ever-changing exhibitions.

Expect to come away from a visit knowing all about the 20th-century pioneers of Finnish design and the father of Finnish modernism, Alvar Aalto. Tickets cost €20 for adults, €12 for pensioners and students at the time of writing. The museum is open from 11am until 8pm Monday–Friday and from 11am until 6pm Saturday–Sunday. In the Wintertime, from September 1 to May 31, the museum is closed on Mondays and on Tuesdays it has late openings until 8 pm.

Try the best Finnish food and local ingredients

After spending around 90 minutes in the Design Museum, it’s time to grab a bite. For an authentic experience, it doesn’t get any better than Restaurant Savoy.

Opening in June 1937, The Savoy interior was designed by architects Aino and Alvar Aalto, the icons of the functionalist style trend. In 2019-2020 the restaurant was re-designed to restore the interior closer to its original charm while refreshing it to today. The restaurant is located in Eteläesplanadi, just 6 minutes walk from the Helsinki Design Museum.

But it’s all about the food. Savoy’s food is Finnish-French, with a slight Russian touch with seasonal Finnish ingredients, ranging from fresh berries and vegetables to wild salmon. Be sure to give yourself two hours to properly enjoy the experience.

A walking tour of Helsinki’s hippest boutiques

There’s no better way to walk off your meal than by stepping out of Savoy and taking the time to explore Helsinki’s Design District. The Punavuori, Kaartinkaupunki, Kruunuhaka, Kamppi and Ullanlinna neighbourhoods are all packed with architecture, boutiques and cafes that capture the essence of Helsinki. Wander through Ruttopuisto, Plague Park, where bodies were buried after the 1710 plague that hit the city. It’s pretty and the ideal spot for people-watching. 

Helsinki’s Design District is also the perfect venue for retail therapy. There’s a wide variety of boutiques and department stores. For a detailed guide, we recommend My Helsinki’s self–guided walking tour which will take you through some of the best shopping spots within the Helsinki Design District’s Tori Quarters.

The route itself is just 1.5km, taking in stores between Senate Square and Market Square. Allow at least an hour, even though the walk itself may take just 15-20 minutes. You’ll stop in Lapuan Kankurit for Finnish handicrafts, Lumi Accessories for timeless leather bags and accessories and ethical jewellery at Lumoan.

The Tori Quarters are also home to the Helsinki City Museum. Well worth a stop, if you have extra time. Lastly, whether you take a walking tour, or plan your own route, make sure to visit the iconic Marimekko, and pick up souvenirs or treats for yourself from Finland’s most famous design brand.

From the Marimekko store on Pohjoisesplanadi it’s just a five-minute walk back to the train station, where you can take the I or P service back to Helsinki Airport. There are also taxi services to get you back to Helsinki airport in time for your connecting flight. 

Helsinki in 12 hours

On a 12-hour layover? Follow our six-hour guide for the first half of your stopover, then check out these things to do in Helsinki for the remainder of your half-day stay.

Delve into Finland’s art scene 

Helsinki Art Museum (HAM for short) is responsible for more than 9,000 publicly owned works of art, half of which you’ll find dotted around the city in parks, libraries and other public spaces. This free online map will help you see every artwork out in public, and lead you on a cultural exploration to make your layover more rewarding. 

HAM’s permanent space in a former tennis venue is well worth checking out too. It’s just a one-stop, five-minute ride on the metro from the main train station or a 10-minute walk. Its rotating exhibitions focus on modern and contemporary art.

Admission to Helsinki Art Museum costs €18 at the time of writing. It is closed on Mondays and open between 10 am and 5:30 pm on Tuesdays and from 11:30 am to 7 pm the rest of the week.

After an hour at HAM, make the short walk east to Ateneum Art Museum, the Finnish National Gallery. It houses the most important collection of art in Finland, with work by local and international artists side–by–side throughout. 

Here you’ll see work by Van Gogh, Le Corbusier and Munch. Ateneum is open from 10 am until 8 pm from Tuesdays to Fridays and 10 am to 5 pm at the weekend. It is closed on Mondays. Tickets cost €20 at the time of writing if you purchase them online.

Relax, Finnish-style at a waterside sauna

After all that culture, it’s time to kick back, Finnish-style. Sauna is a way of life in Finland, perfect for easing out the kinks after a long day’s sightseeing and getting you nicely chilled out ahead of your connecting flight.

Allas Sea Pool is spectacular and easily reached from the Ateneum Art Museum by foot or public transport. Situated right on the water and powered entirely by renewable energy, it has three pools: one heated lap pool, a children’s pool and a seawater pool. The latter’s water comes from further out to sea, where the currents are cleaner, and is further sanitized by ultraviolet light. Allas Sea Pools are open year-round, so you can enjoy a dip no matter the weather, or when you have your layover in Helsinki.

And now, for a brief induction into the art of sauna: The best way to enjoy the trio of saunas on offer here is after a cool dip. Each sauna is heated electrically to 80ºC, with views out over the Baltic Sea. Time it right and you can even try a sauna yoga class. If you’re feeling bold, there are weekly winter swimming classes. Tickets cost €18 on weekdays and €22 on weekends for adults (aged 13 and above) and €10 or €13 for kids (aged three to 12) at the time of writing and are available online or in the Allas Shop. Tickets bought online are valid for a year and tickets bought on spot are valid for three hours.

A pre-flight meal with a view

Handily, Allas Sea Pool also has an excellent, and affordable, Café and Terrace that’s open year-round, as well as the Seagrill restaurant on the second floor. The latter offers a seasonal menu based on Nordic ingredients with an impressive wine list to match. 

The café, meanwhile, has delicious Finnish food that won’t break the bank, including marinated eggplant and forest mushroom salad. You won’t need to book a table at the café, but if you want to visit Wine and Dine, it’s advisable to secure a reservation. The views across the Baltic Sea and the historic heart of Helsinki make this the perfect place to round out your 12-hour layover.

To get back to Helsinki airport from the city, you can walk 20 minutes to Helsinki Central Station from Allas Sea Pool. Alternatively, the tram, I and P trains will take you back to Helsinki Airport in Vantaa and your connecting flight. Alternatively, you can take a cab in order to save some time.

Helsinki in 24 hours

Lucky enough to have a 24-hour layover? Then you’ve got time to find things to do in Helsinki which many tourists will miss. First of all, check out our six and 12-hour layover guides and get the first half of your stay planned. Then get ready to see the city by night, have a much–needed rest, grab breakfast or take in more sights before making your way back to Helsinki Airport.

Rock out at Helsinki’s best metal club

Whether you arrive early or late, it seems remiss to go to bed early if you have just one night in Helsinki. Especially when the city’s heavy metal scene is legendary. Check out the listings for Tavastia, one of Europe’s oldest rock clubs. It’s been welcoming metal–loving tourists, locals and hard rock bands since 1970. As well as hosting live acts, it has regular club nights. If you want a truly Finnish music experience, it doesn’t come much more authentic than this. For gigs, you’ll need to buy tickets in advance. 

Trams 2, 4 and 7 will get you there from Allas Sea Pool in around 20 minutes including walking, while trains I and P followed by tram 7 or 9 will get you to Tavastia from the airport in around 45 minutes. If you’re in a rush to rock, a taxi will whisk you there from the airport in 30 minutes.

Get some much-needed rest with a hotel booked through Finnair

Helsinki has a huge number of hotels to suit all budgets. Pick one to suit you, with plenty of places to stay right in the heart of the city. Whether you want views across the water from the Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel or something familiar and comforting at Holiday Inn’s Helsinki City Center location, you’ll be sure to find your preferred option.

Fill up on pastries and the best coffee in town

After such an action-packed day, you’re going to want to refuel before more sightseeing. Fortunately, Helsinki’s cafes and brunch spots are plentiful. Top of the list is Cafe Ekberg. This traditional spot dates back to 1852 and serves the best pastries and patisserie in the city. The buffet breakfast, with fruit, muesli, cheeses, meats and oven-baked omelette, is a steal at €17.90 at the time of writing. 

The coffee here is also guaranteed to blow out the cobwebs from last night’s visit to a rock club, or refresh your senses after a lengthy flight. Breakfast is served from 7.30am to 10.30am from Monday to Friday, with a more leisurely brunch available from 9am to 2.30pm at the weekend.

Take a free walking tour

Starting at 11am from the Havis Amanda statue at the eastern end of Esplanadi Park, this free, daily walking tour takes two hours. It’s a sizable investment of your layover time but is also the ideal way to learn about Helsinki’s culture and history. The tour takes in the House of Estates, the Evangelical Helsinki Cathedral, Eastern Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral, Senate Square and Old Harbor with knowledgeable guides that speak excellent English. They carry red umbrellas, so you can’t miss them!

Head back to the airport

After a full-on 24 hours, it’s time to make your way back to the airport. The free walking tour ends back at the Havis Amanda statue, which is just a 10-minute walk to Helsinki Central Station. 

Take the I or P train back to Vantaa and Helsinki Airport or hail a taxi. The journey back takes between 30 and 40 minutes. Remember to give yourself at least two hours from arriving back at the airport before your departure time.