Usful Info
Helsinki This Week
Helsinki This Week is a free booklet that will give you all the useful information on almost everything. Pick up your free copy from Stockmann's first floor information desk or 7th floor customer service desk, or also Helsinki's Tourist Office in Pohjoisesplanadi 19. You can also take a look at www.visithelsinki.fi or www.hel.fi.
Transport
As we now know, Eurovision guests with accreditation have a free ride in the Helsinki city transport inside Helsinki (excluding Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen). The best place for information on prices and timetables is at HKL's office at the railway station, on the lower level. Tickets can be bought there, in R-Kioskis, machines at the stations or also in Stockmann's Department Store (7th floor). Regional single tickets that allow travel in all four cities cost 3,60 and are valid for 80 minutes. They can be used in local trains, buses, metro and trams plus the ferry to the Suomenlinna fortress. Three tourist tickets are available for 1, 3 or 5 days. You must stamp the tickets in the machines inside, and the penalty fee for not stamping your ticket is 80 euros.
Taxis
Taxis can be booked by phone or from the taxi stands all over town. For Helsinki taxi centre call 0100 0700, for advance booking and large taxis call 0100 0600. Airport taxis can be booked on 0600 555 555, and advance bookings for airport taxis on 0100 4800.
Banks
Banks are usually open Mon-Fri 9.15am-4.15pm. Orange OTTO bank machines accept all major credit cards and are located all over town. Money exchange can be done in banks or also Forex (inside the railway station and at Pohjoisesplanadi 27, Mannerheimintie 10), or The Change Group Helsinki (Pohjoisesplanadi 21 and 37). Western Union money transfer is at Stockmann's, on the 7th floor.
Post
The main post office is just in front of Lasipalatsi and also has a nice gift shop, post museum, cafes and a library. Open week days from 7am to 9pm, Sat-Sun from 10am to 6pm.
Police
Dial 112 for ambulance, rescue services, fire department and police. The police emergency number is also 10022. The central police station is in Pieni Roobertinkatu 1-3.
Helsinki Card
The Helsinki Card is good value for money if you want to visit museums and other attractions. It comes with an 80 page guide book and entitles you to free travel on public transport, free entry to museums and main sights, a free audio city tour and much more. Available for 24, 48 or 72 hours at a cost of 33, 43 or 53 Euros respectively.
Internet
Besides the fan center Internet point at Lasipalatsi you can access the Internet at Helsinki City Tourist Bureau (Pohjoisesplanadi 19), Lasipalatsi Meeting point, and the bookshop Kirjasto 10 inside the main post office, Sanomatalo (next to post office). Also Kampinkeskus shopping center has an Internet café in its 5th floor and the area around Esplanadi park is a free wireless LAN connection area.
Sauna
The traditional public saunas have more or less disappeared and almost everyone has their own, inside even the smallest apartments these days there are over 3 million saunas for 5 million people! Most hotels have a sauna for you to try and so do swimming halls (Mäkelänkatu swimming center, Mäkelänkatu 49, is the best). If you want to try the oldest swimming hall in Helsinki, built like a Roman style baths, go to Yrjönkatu swimming baths, Yrjönkatu 21b (next to theForum shopping center). Please note men and women have separate hours and nude bathing is allowed.
