Helsinki Airport to the City Centre: Train, Bus 600 or Taxi?

Just landed at Helsinki Airport and wondering how to get into the city? You have three choices: the train, the 600 bus or a taxi. I filmed the whole journey from arrivals to Helsinki Central Station, and for my money the train wins on both speed and price. This guide walks you through it, with today's fares and routes checked with HSL, Helsinki's public transport authority, and Finavia, which runs the airport.

I filmed this in January 2022, on only my second visit to Helsinki, so the prices I quote in the video were right then. Wherever I give a current fare below, I have checked it with HSL's own website. Here is the video:

Your three options at a glance

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport sits about 20 kilometres north of the city centre. Unless someone is picking you up in a chauffeured car, your choices are a taxi, the 600 bus or the train. The train and the bus cost exactly the same, but the train is much quicker, which is why it's my pick. If you are heading back to the airport at the end of your trip, just do everything in this guide in reverse: the same route applies.

Option 1: the train (my pick)

The airport has two terminals, but they share the same exit, and that's where my video begins. Once you're through passport control and have your bags, follow the signs for the trains. The station is underneath the terminal, and it's a magnificent space, with a huge curved tunnel roof over the platforms.

Two commuter lines serve the airport, the I train and the P train. They run in a loop, in opposite directions, and both end at Helsinki Central Station. HSL puts the I train's journey at about 27 minutes, going via Tikkurila, and the P train's at about 32 minutes, going via Myyrmäki. Just get on whichever leaves first. Helsinki is the end of the line, so even if your phone dies you can't miss your stop.

When I filmed, my train came two minutes after I bought my ticket and left about 20 seconds after I boarded. There were 14 stops between the airport and the city, and the whole thing, from the airport exit to the centre, took me about 35 to 40 minutes. It was a very clean, very civilised journey.

Which ticket do you need?

This is the one thing to get right. Helsinki Airport is in zone C and Helsinki Central Station is in zone A, so you need an ABC ticket. An AB ticket isn't enough, even though your hotel may be in zone A.

HSL's current prices for an adult ABC single are €4.50 in the HSL app and €4.80 if you tap your bank card on the reader. The ticket is valid for 90 minutes and also covers trams, buses and the metro, so you can carry on to your hotel on the same ticket. Back in 2022 I paid €4.10, so it has crept up a little, but it's still a bargain.

You'll find ticket machines right on the platform. In the video I bought mine at one of those: you choose the ABC zones, pick how many people are travelling and pay by card or cash. I paid by card, which was quick and easy. If you plan to hop around the city that day, HSL also sells an ABC day ticket for €12.80, and if you pay by contactless card your single tickets are capped at that price over 24 hours.

Option 2: the 600 bus

HSL's trunk bus 600 runs from the bus station in front of the terminal, on the arrivals level, to Rautatientori, the square beside Helsinki Central Station. It uses the same ABC ticket, so it costs the same as the train, and you can buy tickets in the HSL app or from the machine at the bus station.

The catch is time. Finavia says the journey takes about 40 minutes, but in daytime traffic it can be closer to an hour. When I filmed, the bus was taking between 50 minutes and 1 hour 20 minutes depending on which one you caught. It's a fine fallback if you're staying near the bus route, but otherwise I'd take the train.

Option 3: taxis and Uber

If there are a few of you, or you have lots of luggage, a car might suit you better. When I filmed in 2022, a taxi from the airport to the central station would set you back over €50, and an Uber was costing between €32 and €42 depending on the car you chose. Prices will have moved since then, so check in the app before you book.

Arriving at Helsinki Central Station

The train drops you right in the middle of Helsinki, at Helsinki Central Station, ready for an adventure. From there I walked to my accommodation, and if yours is further out, your ABC ticket still covers the trams, buses and metro while it's valid.

Heading further into Finland? Have a look at my posts on Jyväskylä, the gateway to the Lakelands and snowmobiling in central Finland.

So which should you choose?

For almost everyone, take the train: buy an ABC ticket in the HSL app or tap your card, hop on the next I or P train and you'll be in the centre in about half an hour. Take the 600 bus if it suits your hotel, and a taxi or Uber if you're travelling as a group with lots of bags.

Changing money at the airport? Check Money Maps first

Finland uses the euro, and if you're bringing pounds or dollars to change, remember that airport bureaux usually give the worst rates, so compare before you change at Helsinki Airport. Money Maps compares bureau de change and online exchange rates near you, on a map and in a list, and its 'You get' calculator shows what you would actually receive after fees. With Capture the Board you can snap a bureau's rate board to earn points towards prizes, and you can report wrong rates too. It is free on the App Store, and an Android version is coming.

Download Money Maps on the App Store

Stay connected on arrival

Sort your data before you fly, because you'll want the HSL app and your maps working the moment you land. I recommend Roamless for an eSIM that you can set up before you travel. Use code WONDERING for 20% off.

Where to stay in Helsinki

Or find an apartment on Airbnb.

Things to do once you are in

Browse Helsinki tours and activities on Viator:

Plan your trip

• Hotels: Booking.com

• Apartments: Airbnb

• Tours and activities: Viator Helsinki

• Private transfer: GetTransfer

• eSIM: Roamless (code WONDERING for 20% off)

Flights

Flying in? Compare fares to Helsinki below.

Sources: train lines, journey times, zones and fares checked on 4 November 2026 with HSL; the bus stop and journey time from Finavia. The 2022 prices, the taxi and Uber fares and my own journey times are from when I filmed in January 2022.

Photos: stills from my own video.

Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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Safe travels, The Wondering Englishman