Travel to Finland
Travelling to Finland? Here you can find practical travel information for Finland and Helsinki and also practical tips on e.g. local time and currency. If you want to extend you stay we also have some useful links for you.
Finland
Finland is situated in northern Europe between the 60th and 70th parallels of latitude. The Baltic Sea surrounds most of its western and southern coast. The population is approximately 5,5 million.
Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Most of the Finnish people speak English.
For further information about Finland, please visit
- This is Finland by Finland Promotion Board
- Visit Finland
- Weather in Finland (Helsinki)
- Guidelines for border traffic during pandemic, The Finnish Border Guard (raja.fi)
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Latest updates on travel and Coronavirus pandemic
Helsinki
Helsinki - the capital of Finland - is located on the Gulf of Finland, in Southern coast of Finland. There are about 600.000 inhabitants in Helsinki. Helsinki is also one of the world's most popular conference cities and has a reputation as an interesting, safe, clean and welcoming host.
For further information about Helsinki, please visit
- Helsinki City Tourist & Convention Bureau - My Helsinki
How to get there?
Finland is easily accessible from all directions either by air or sea.
Finland has excellent connections with the rest of Europe and the world. There are several daily direct flights to Helsinki from most European capitals and connecting flights from other continents.
Transport connections from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to city centre
About 30 min by train or taxi. More information here: Finavia Helsinki airport
Public transportation from the airport to downtown Helsinki by “I” or “P” trains is very convenient, takes approx. 35 min and costs € 4.10 (single ticket for zones “ABC”, bought from a ticket machine or via the HSL app). The ticket must be purchased before the journey. Detailed public transportation information can be found at Helsinki public transportation (HSL): https://www.hsl.fi/en
VTT offices and nearby accommodation
VTT has several offices around Finland. We have gathered transport and parking instructions and also nearby accommodation recommendations for each.
Practical information
Passport and visa
Citizens of the European Union Countries and several other countries do not need a visa for entering Finland. Detailed information about the passport and visa requirements can be found at website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Letter of invitation
On request, the Meeting Organiser will provide a personal invitation to participate in the meeting. Such an invitation is only meant to help the invited participants obtaining a visa. It does not represent any commitment on the part of the organisers to provide any financial support.
Insurance
Please check the validity of your own insurance. The Meeting organisers cannot accept liability for personal injuries sustained or loss of, or damage to, property belonging to delegates or the registered accompanying persons during the Meeting.
Local time
The time in Finland is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). See world times.
Currency
The currency of Finland is the Euro. All major Credit cards are widely accepted in Finland. Exchange bureaux with flexible opening hours, such as Forex, are located at the airport, the central railway station and in main shopping centres. VISA, Eurocard, MasterCard and Amex are accepted at the Conference registration desk.
Public transport in Helsinki
Public transportation in downtown Helsinki costs € 2.80 (single ticket for zones “AB”), bought from a ticket machine or via the HSL app). The ticket must be purchased before the journey. Detailed public transportation information can be found at Helsinki public transportation (HSL): https://www.hsl.fi/en
Electricity
Electricity in Finland is 230 Volts (50Hz). Plugs and sockets are the same as in the continental countries of the EU. In case your equipment requires different voltage or plugs, please bring an adapter.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected in Finland.
Extend your stay!
If you have the possibility to extend your stay in Helsinki, please do. Helsinki is a beautiful and touristic city. Additionally, the old Hansa town Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is only a 2 hours boat trip away from Helsinki, which gives you the opportunity to do as may other Finnish tourists do each year, i.e., visit the city for day (or more).
