Travel to Finland is very popular with Russian tourists and businessmen. And getting to the Finnish capital Helsinki has become easier and easier over the years - almost all types of transport are available for this: plane, train, bus, car, ferry and even a bicycle!
Instructions
Step 1
Plane
This is the fastest but also the most expensive way to get to Helsinki. Daily direct non-stop flights Moscow - Helsinki are operated by the Russian airline Aeroflot and the Finnish airline Finnair, and flights from St. Petersburg to Helsinki are operated by the Russian airline Pulkovo Airlines. The duration of the flight from Moscow is 1 hour 45 minutes, from St. Petersburg - 1 hour 15 minutes. In addition, Finnair operates Ekaterinburg - Helsinki flights three times a week, the travel time is 3 hours 5 minutes. From other regions of Russia, you can get to the capital of Finland by plane only with a transfer in Moscow, St. Petersburg or Yekaterinburg. The cost of tickets in economy class: from Moscow - from 9,000 rubles, from St. Petersburg - from 6,500 rubles, from Yekaterinburg - from 15,000 rubles.
Step 2
A train
Direct trains to Helsinki run only from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
From Moscow, the Lev Tolstoy branded train No. 31/32 departs daily from the Leningradsky railway station, departure at 22:50, arrival in Helsinki at 12:00. Night on the road, and you are there, very convenient! The total travel time is 16 hours, but this is taking into account the long stay at the border crossing. The train has compartment and luxury carriages, as well as a carriage for transporting your own car; if you use the "auto package" service, and even book your seats in advance, you can count on a discount of up to 50%. Ticket prices: from 6,000 rubles compartment, from 9,000 rubles luxury.
Between St. Petersburg and Helsinki, the traffic is more intensive: four times a day between the cities there is a high-speed train "Allegro", which takes 3 hours 36 minutes to get to the Finnish capital! Trains leave daily at 6:50, 11:25, 15:25 and 20:25 Moscow time. The ticket price depends on the date and time of the train departure: 2nd class - from 75 to 115 euros, 1st class - from 120 to 170 euros.
Step 3
Bus
Bus communication with Finland from St. Petersburg is developing very actively. And there are many travel options.
- Regular buses are very convenient, as they run on schedule and pass the border out of turn. In case of problems at the border for individual passengers with a passport or visa, the bus will not wait for them. One way ticket costs 35-40 euros. The most popular flights on the route St. Petersburg - Helsinki (and back) are:
St. Petersburg - Vyborg - Helsinki - Turku (transport company "Sovavto") Departure from St. Petersburg at 07:50 from the hotel "Pulkovskaya" (metro station Moskovskaya); at 08:40 from the hotel "Europe" (metro station Nevsky prospect); arrival at the bus station in Helsinki - at 16:00. This flight is coordinated in time with the ferries Helsinki - Stockholm and Turku - Stockholm. Tickets are sold at the Pulkovskaya Hotel, phone 812-740-39-85.
St. Petersburg - Helsinki - St. Petersburg (Finnish transport company "Savonlinja Oy - Finnord"). Buses leave twice a day at 15.00 and 22.35 from the Moscow Hotel (metro station Alexander Nevsky Square), in Helsinki they arrive at 22.00 and 6.00 at the Kamppi bus station. Tickets are sold at the ticket offices of the bus station in St. Petersburg. The phone number of the transport company is 812-314-89-51.
- Tourist buses making shopping tours. Departure from the Oktyabrskaya hotel (Ligovsky prospect, 10) from 20 to 22 hours. The round trip fare is 25-35 euros. Such buses return in the evening the next day. There are no flights on weekends and holidays, as shops in Finland are closed.
- You can order an individual transfer by minibus from one of the transport companies - this is convenient if a small company is gathering;
Step 4
Ferry
A very pleasant journey from Russia to Finland is also possible only from the Northern capital. Shipping company St. Peter Line offers transportation by the Princess Maria ferry, which departs every other day at 19:00 from St. Petersburg from the Marine Station (Vasilievsky Island, Ploschad Morskoy Glory, 1), and the next day at 8:00 arrives in Helsinki at the South Port (Olimpiaranta, one). The fare depends on the season and varies from 60 to 100 euros per person. Another ferry of the same company Princess Anastasia goes to Stockholm with a call in Helsinki. All ferries have restaurants and shops, entertainment centers, saunas. Ferries are ideal for those who travel by car, while it is very profitable to order a car package for the passage of several people and the carriage of the car.
Step 5
Car
This is the most economical way to travel to Finland, provided that there are several people in the car. And again, you first need to get to St. Petersburg - from Moscow along the M10 highway, about 700 km. Further - along the E18 "Scandinavia" highway, about 400 km. The border can be passed through the checkpoints Torfyanovka - Vaalimaa and Brusnichnoye - Nuijamaa. The car must have an international insurance - "Green Card".
Step 6
Bicycle
Since 2005, it has been allowed to cross the border with Finland by bicycle, which is very attractive for cyclists from Russian border towns. The only way to get to Finland so far is on foot. Have a nice trip!
