On the tram
On the tram

(Image: City of Helsinki)

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Public Transport

By , , updated on

Update 13.3.2020: Helsinki Regional Transport has advised that bus tickets will not be sold on board, effective today. Use of the HSL app and travel cards continues as usual.

HSL advises that routes continue to be operated normally, but asks the public to avoid unnecessary use of public transport.

Helsinki is served by an efficient public transport system. Helsinki’s relatively small size makes it a walking-friendly city which, combined with multiple public transportation choices, makes getting around simple and enjoyable.

Trams, buses, commuter trains and the metro service the mainland area of the city, while the numerous islands that dot the coastline can be easily reached by ferry.

You can use the HSL Journey Planner to plan your trip easily.

Tickets

Zones

The public transportation system has three zones: internal, extended region (2 and 3) and the whole region (all zones). Internal covers a single city. Regional covers the Helsinki metropolitan area or the whole area without Helsinki. The whole region covers the Helsinki metropolitan area and additionally the Kerava, Kirkkonummi and Sipoo municipalities.

A new system comprised of four (4) zones was introduced in April 2019. Internal, regional and extended regional tickets have now been replaced with Zones A, B, C and D.

Find a detailed map of the new zones here.

Ticket types

The public transport system offers a vast number of different tickets and several ways to get them.

Single fare tickets can be bought from bus drivers, ticket machines, by mobile app or by text message.

Tickets purchased in advance from sales or service points and loaded on a single-charge card are valid from the time they are first used.

Ticket machines and drivers only sell Helsinki internal and regional day tickets. The tickets are paper tickets and they are valid from the moment of purchase.

• New ticket machines sell day tickets for 1-7 days for all zones. The machines print the tickets on single-charge cards and they are valid from the first use.

• Day tickets are also available via the HSL Mobile ticket app.

Tip:

Children under the age of 7 travel free of charge on public transport.


Most users of the public transport have a Travel Card, an RFID card used as an electronic ticket. Users can load period and value on their cards. Period ticket offers unlimited travel for the dates paid for. Value is used to pay for one trip, which may contain changes. The price of a single trip is lower when paid with the travel card instead of buying a single fare ticket.

Internal single trip tickets are valid for one hour (for the eastern and north eastern feeder lines 80 minutes). For regional tickets the transfer time is 80 minutes or 100 minutes for the ticket covering the whole region.

HSL

Fare collection

On buses, the driver checks tickets as passengers board. The metro, local trains, trams, and ferries use a proof-of-payment system: fare inspectors check tickets on randomly selected vehicles, and charge a fine of €80 and the price of a single ticket to those who do not have one. If a passenger has forgotten his/her Travel Card with valid travel period, the passenger may later visit a service point of the transport company and will not have to pay the fine.

Show your ticket or your travel card to the card reader when boarding a vehicle or entering the metro/Suomenlinna ferry. Penalty fare and a single fare are charged from anyone travelling without a valid ticket.

Discover Helsinki

Find out more about modes of public transport in and around Helsinki here.

DISCUSSION

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