GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
The national airline Finnair (AY) (Internet: www.finnair.com) offers several times a week direct flights from Frankfurt / M., Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Munich as well as Zurich, Geneva and Vienna to Helsinki.
Lufthansa (LH), Eurowings (EW) and Austrian Airlines (OS) also fly to Finland.
Air Berlin (AB) flies from Berlin-Tegel, Düsseldorf and Hamburg to Helsinki.
There are also numerous connections via Sweden with Finnair (AY) and SAS (SK).
Flight times
Berlin – Helsinki: 1 hour 50 minutes; Frankfurt – Helsinki: 2 hours 20 minutes; Hamburg – Helsinki: 1 hour 50 minutes; Munich – Helsinki: 2 hours 30 minutes; Vienna – Helsinki: 2 hours 20 minutes; Geneva – Helsinki: 3 hours; Zurich – Helsinki: 2 hours 40 minutes
Arrival by car
Arrival for car drivers with the car ferry from Rostock to Helsinki or car ferries from Denmark and Sweden (see above). There are also roads from Norway and Sweden to the Finnish part of Lapland across the Arctic Circle. The overland route leads through Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and the Russian Federation (visa required). Long-distance bus: Combined bus / ferry connections are offered from numerous European cities via Copenhagen and Stockholm with daily connections to Turku and Helsinki.
Arriving by train
Combined train / ferry connections from Hamburg, Copenhagen and Stockholm to Helsinki or Turku. There is also a train connection between Tornio and Haparanda / Northern Sweden as well as daily train connections to Warsaw, St. Petersburg and Moscow. There is a particularly fast connection with the Allegro high-speed train from Helsinki to St. Petersburg several times a day (journey time: 3.5 hours, Internet: www.vr.fi/allegro).
The Eurail Scandinavia Pass allows unlimited use of the route network in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland on 4, 5, 6, 8 or 10 days of your choice within a period of 2 months (only 2nd class). Discounts are given to children between the ages of 4 and 11 and young people between the ages of 12 and 25. Eurail passes are valid. Details see Germany. For more information, contact the Tourist Office (see addresses) or the Finnish Railways, PO Box 488, FI-00101 Helsinki. Tel: (0358) 307 10. Internet: www.vrgroup.fi).
Arrival by ship
After Helsinki, Turku, Rauma, Kotka and Vaasa are the largest port cities in Finland. Finnlines Passenger Service (Internet: www.finnlines.de or www.ferrycenter.fi) offer a connection between Travemünde and Helsinki with boarding in Rostock (journey time 27 hours). Information under Tel. (04502) 805 43 in Lübeck.
Viking Line (Internet: www.vikingline.de/de/deutschland/) offers the routes Stockholm – Helsinki, Stockholm – Turku and Tallinn – Helsinki.
You can also take the ferry to Finland via Sweden. There are several daily connections from Travemünde or Rostock to Trelleborg (provider TT-Line ; Tel: (04502) 801 81. Internet: www.ttline.de). Silja Line (Internet: www.tallinksilja.com/de/web/de/reisen) and Viking Line (Internet: www.vikingline.de/de/deutschland/) operate car ferries from Stockholm and other Swedish ports to Finland. Information is available from the Viking Line agency in Germany (Tel: (0451) 38 46 30).
The main connections are Stockholm – Helsinki or Stockholm – Turku (Silja Line andViking Line, travel time: approx. 12-16 hours), Stockholm – Mariehamn (Åland Islands) (Silja and Viking Line, travel time: 7-9 hours).
Those who travel to Denmark by car can first take the ferry to the Swedish west coast (e.g. with Stena Line from Frederikshavn to Gothenburg) and then take the ferry from the Swedish east coast to Finland (see above). There are also connections from Helsinki to Tallinn (Estonia) (journey time 1 hour 30) with the Silja Line (Internet: www.tallinksilja.com/de/web/de/reisen), Eckerö Line (Internet: www.eckeroline.fi), Linda Line Express (Internet:www.lindaline.fi) and Viking Line.
Cruise lines calling at Finnish ports: Costa, Crystal Cruises, Cunard, Kristina Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess, Regent Seven Sea Cruises, Seabourn and Silversea.
On the go by train
According to hyperrestaurant, the rail network in Finland covers around 6000 km. The railways are modern and reliable, and train journeys are relatively inexpensive. The two main lines run north to Kemijärvi, Rovaniemo and Kolari in Lapland. There are new high-speed trains (150 km / h). Seats must be reserved on the EP express trains. Sleeping cars are used on long journeys. Information on timetables, prices and discounts are the website of VR Group: www.vr.fi.
Fare reduction:
Group tickets (from 3 to 10 people) with up to 15% discount (from 11 people 20%) are valid for one month. Children under 6 years travel free, children from 6-16 years at half price.
With the Finnrail pass(1st or 2nd class) you can choose to travel unlimited by train for 3, 5 or 10 days within a month, children from 6-16 years for half price.
Seniors aged 65 and over who can identify themselves receive a 50% discount. Students pay half the price on presentation of a valid student ID.
On the way by ship
Steamers and motorboats operate on the waterways inland. Depending on the size, there are a number of different routes and connections. The popular silver line (Internet: www.hopealinja.fi) in the south leads from Hämeenlinna to Tampere. The Poet (website: www.runoilijantie.fi) connects Tampere and Virrat. Liner boats operate on the Saimaa, Päijänne, Inarijärvi and Pielinen lakes (including a car ferry on the latter). There are restaurants and cabins on the steamers.
