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

You’ll also find details of how to get from Helsinki Airport to the city centre, ensuring no time is wasted getting you into the city.

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. There are no ticket machines onboard, but with the HSL smartphone app, you can easily buy them before you board. Alternatively, you can tap a contactless card or phone on the card reader onboard. You’ll need a Zone ABC ticket, with a single adult ticket costing 4.50€ (or 4.80€ by contactless payment). Alternatively, pick up an unlimited travel ticket for 12.80€ for one day, and 19.20€ 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 works with four taxi companies: FixuTaxi, Taksi Helsinki, Menevä and Lähitaksi. 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. There is also a separate pick-up place for car ride services such as Uber. 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. The airport’s bus station is also just outside the Arrivals Hall. The local bus line 600 operates between Helsinki Airport and the city centre, and the ride takes around 40 minutes. Just like on the train, you need an HSL ABC ticket for the bus.

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, you can use Helsinki Airport’s baggage storage at Excess Baggage Company which you can find in the Arrivals Hall. Another option is to use the lockers at Helsinki Central Railway Station (where you arrive anyway if you travel into 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 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 Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki. It brings together Finland’s national design and architecture collections, as well as showcasing international design through a series of 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 23€ for adults, 14€ for over-70s and 6€ for 18 to 29-year-olds at the time of writing. In summer, from 1 June to 31 August, the museum is open from 11 am until 8 pm Monday to Friday and from 11 am until 6 pm at the weekend. In winter, from 1 September to 31 May, it is closed on Mondays, open until 8 pm on Tuesdays and from 11 am until 6 pm the rest of the week.

Try Finnish food made with local ingredients

After spending around 90 minutes in the Architecture & Design Museum, it’s time to grab a bite. A classic choice is Restaurant Savoy, open from Wednesday to Saturday.

Savoy opened in June 1937 with an interior designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto. In 2020 it reopened after a redesign by Ilse Crawford’s Studioilse, which brought the interior closer to the original while updating it for today. The restaurant is on Eteläesplanadi, a six-minute walk from the Architecture & Design Museum.

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

A walk through the boutiques of Helsinki’s Design District

Walk off your meal by stepping out of Savoy and taking the time to explore Helsinki’s Design District. The Punavuori, Kaartinkaupunki, Kruununhaka, 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 a good spot for people-watching.

Helsinki’s Design District and its surroundings are also good for shopping. There’s a wide variety of boutiques and department stores. Our top picks for shops include Lapuan Kankurit for Finnish handicrafts and Lumi Accessories for leather bags and accessories. For a detailed guide, we recommend My Helsinki’s guide to Finnish Design in the Helsinki Design District. 

The Tori Quarters, between Senate Square and Market Square, are also home to the Helsinki City Museum. Entry is free, so it is well worth a stop if you have extra time. Lastly, visit the Marimekko store on Pohjoisesplanadi and pick up souvenirs or treats for yourself from the Finnish design brand known for its bold prints.

From the Marimekko store 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) looks after Helsinki’s art collection of around 11,000 works, many 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 (Tennis Palace, or ‘Tennispalatsi’ in Finnish) 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 20€ at the time of writing. It is closed on Mondays and open between 10 am and 5 pm on Tuesdays and from 11 am to 7 pm Wednesday to Friday and from 11 am to 5 pm at the weekend.

After an hour at HAM, make the short walk east to Ateneum Art Museum, the Finnish National Gallery. It houses Finnish art from the 19th century to the 1960s, with work by local and international artists side by side throughout.

Here you’ll see work by Van Gogh, Gauguin and Munch. Ateneum is open from 10 am until 6 pm on Tuesdays, from 10 am until 8 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, from 10 am to 6 pm on Fridays and 10 am to 5 pm at the weekend. It is closed on Mondays. Tickets cost 21€ at the time of writing if you purchase them online, or 23€ at the door.

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, now known simply as Allas Pool, sits right by Market Square and is easily reached from the Ateneum Art Museum on foot or by public transport. Situated right on the water, it has a heated pool that stays at 27ºC year-round, a seawater pool and, in summer, a children’s pool. The seawater is filtered and treated with ultraviolet light. Allas Pool is 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: A good way to enjoy the five saunas here is after a cool dip. They range from a gentler 70ºC to a hot 90ºC, with views out over the sea. If you’re feeling bold, Allas also runs introductions to cold-water swimming outside the summer season. Tickets cost 19€ on weekdays and 24€ on weekends for adults (aged 13 and above) and 11€ or 14€ for kids (aged three to 12) at the time of writing and are available online or in the Allas Shop. 

A pre-flight meal with a view

Handily, Allas Sea Pool also has an 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 a wine list to match.

The café, meanwhile, has simple Finnish dishes that won’t break the bank. You won’t need to book a table at the café, but if you want to visit the restaurant, it’s advisable to secure a reservation. The views across the Baltic Sea and the historic heart of Helsinki make this a fitting 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 Pool. Or take the tram to the station, then the I or P train 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 Tavastia, Helsinki’s classic rock 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 is known for its heavy metal scene. 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, this is the place. For gigs, you’ll need to buy tickets in advance. 

Trams 5 and 7 will get you there from Allas Pool in around 20 minutes including walking, while trains I and P followed by tram 5, 7 or 9 (or a 10-minute walk) will get you to Tavastia from the airport in around 45 minutes. Tram routes in the city centre are being diverted during track works until 2027, so check the HSL journey planner before you set off. 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 plenty 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 a central location in a historic building at Scandic Grand Central Helsinki, you’ll be sure to find your preferred option. You can check your options and book through Finnair's hotel booking platform.

Fill up on pastries and coffee at Café Ekberg

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 café and bakery dates back to 1852 and is known for its pastries and patisserie. The buffet breakfast, with fruit, muesli, cheeses, meats and oven-baked omelette, costs 17.90€ at the time of writing.

The coffee will also help to clear your head after 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. The brunch costs 32.90€ per person.

Take a free walking tour

Starting several times a day from the statue of Alexander II on Senate Square, this free daily walking tour takes just over two hours, and you can book your place online. 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 Senate Square, the Lutheran Helsinki Cathedral, the Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral, Market Square and Esplanadi Park with guides who speak English and carry red umbrellas, so they are easy to spot.

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 in the city centre, within about a 10-minute walk of 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. We recommend being at the airport at least two hours before a short-haul departure and three hours before a long-haul flight.