Green Mobility Guide
Helsinki
Public transport system in Helsinki is very good and covers all areas of the city and greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area. To reach Haaga-Helia campus, train is the best option. All commuter and long-distance trains stop at Pasila station which is right next door to the campus.
The commuter train is also a very good way to move between different areas of the city and suburbs, as well as to the airport. In and around the city centre most people prefer to use the tram, also as an alternative to walking short distances (especially in case the weather is bad).
The metro connects the Eastern districts of Helsinki with the neighbouring city of Espoo and is the fastest public transport option. Areas that are not served by rail connections are easy to reach with the extensive bus network.
The different options complete each other so that it is very common to for instance begin the journey by tram, train or metro and then continue with a bus service. The same ticketing system applies in all options which makes public transport very easy to use.
Navigating the system and checking the best route is easy with the HSL Journey Planner – available on the HSL website and app. HSL ticket is valid also on the ferry to Suomenlinna Sea Fortress – a UNESCO world heritage site which is definitely worth a visit!
Tips & Recommendations
Underground/Subway
Name of the company:
Helsinki Region Transport (HSL)
Website:
Ticket prices:
Single fare in zone AB is 2,80€.
Student prices and/or seasonal tickets:
Student price for a seasonal ticket in the AB zone (Helsinki) is appr. 35€. The same ticket is valid in trams, buses, metro and commuter trains which makes it by far the cheapest option for regular public transport use. New exchange students can activate their HSL student ticket on Haaga-Helia campus during the orientation sessions in the beginning of each semester.
Map with stops:
Urban rail
Name of the company:
Helsinki Region Transport (HSL)
Website:
Ticket prices:
Single fare in zone AB is 2,80 EUR.
Student prices and/or seasonal tickets:
Student price for a seasonal ticket in the AB zone (Helsinki) is appr. 35 EUR. The same ticket is valid in trams, buses, metro and commuter trains which makes it by far the cheapest option for regular public transport use. New exchange students can activate their HSL student ticket on Haaga-Helia campus during the orientation sessions in the beginning of each semester.
Map with stops:
Bus
Name of the company:
Helsinki Region Transport (HSL)
Website:
Ticket prices:
Single fare in zone AB is 2,80 EUR.
Student prices and/or seasonal tickets:
Student price for a seasonal ticket in zone AB (Helsinki) is appr. 35 EUR. The same ticket is valid in trams, buses, metro and commuter trains which makes it by far the cheapest option for regular public transport use. New exchange students can activate their HSL student ticket on Haaga-Helia campus during the orientation sessions in the beginning of each semester.
Map with stops:
Tram
Name of the company that manages this transport option:
Helsinki Region Transport (HSL)
Website:
Ticket prices:
Single fare in zone AB is 2,80 EUR.
Student prices and/or seasonal tickets:
Student price for a seasonal ticket in the AB zone (Helsinki) is appr. 35 EUR. The same ticket is valid in trams, buses, metro and commuter trains which makes it by far the cheapest option for regular public transport use. New exchange students can activate their HSL student ticket on Haaga-Helia campus during the orientation sessions in the beginning of each semester.
Map with stops:
Helsinki features a comprehensive bike path network that provides an easy way to move about the city. In the future, the most functional cycling routes in Helsinki will be cycle paths called Baanas. They are high-quality cycle paths that will form an interconnected network once completed. Biking is increasingly popular also in the winter, and the intensified winter maintenance network covers roughly 75 kilometres of bikeways, from the western district of Lauttasaari to the eastern district of Vuosaari and from Malmi to the city centre. Cycling routes in Helsinki and the greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area can be found by using Helsinki Region Transport’s (HSL) Journey Planner. More information about biking in Helsinki is available here.
Public Bicycle Rental Services
Helsinki City Bikes are very popular and easy to use. The city bike season begins on April 1st and ends on October 31st – during the winter months the city bikes are on a break. There are several stations in whole Helsinki region with bikes available to all registered users of the city bike system.
The HSL website shows locations of all city bike stations as well as the number of currently available bikes in them. More information about the city bikes is available here.
It is possible to buy the whole season (by far the cheapest option for regular use), one week or one day. City bikes can be used for 30 minutes at a time. After that, €1 will be charged for each concurrent 30 minutes. The maximum time is five hours at a time. If this time is exceeded, a €80 delay fee plus a €9 for each addition 30-minute period will be charged. The pricing is designed to encourage short rides and to keep the bikes available to as many people as possible.
Prices:
- 35 EUR / season
- 10 EUR / week
- 5 EUR / day
Private Bicycle Rental Options
Stadi Bike Shop & Bike Rental
Bicyclean Helsinki (also rental)
Purchasing a new or used bicycle
Tori is a large, general Finnish internet marketplace where you can find plenty of bikes (among many other things). For the more serious biker, https://www.fillaritori.com/ has more quality bikes (that also cost a bit more). Some tips about buying used bikes in Helsinki are listed also here https://www.toolonpyora.fi/post/where-to-buy-used-bikes-in-helsinki
Bike repair shops
Stadi Bike Shop & Bike Rental
Bicyclean Helsinki (also rental)
Nice Bike Pyörähuolto
Haagan Pyörähuolto
Other cycling options
Electric scooters are very popular and offered currently by three companies in the Helsinki region: VOI, TIER and Lime (available on Google Play or Apple store). The service areas for each company are somewhat different, so it is a good idea to check the websites for more details and maps. Each service provider has their own app for using the scooters. With the Whim App it is possible to use both VOI and TIER scooters.
Carpooling options
Hsl and Uber operate in Helsinki.
Other options
The Whim App combines public transport, city bikes, taxis and carpooling and offers a flexible way to use the option best suited for each situation with the same app.
In general, environmental thinking is very much a part of the Helsinki lifestyle and experience. Sustainability initiatives range from encouraging smart, sustainable everyday choices on individual level to the city strategy that has set an interim objective of cutting greenhouse emissions by 60% by the year 2030.
Recycling
Recycling is part of everyday life in Helsinki. It is good to get to know the basics of the system – ie. what to put or not to put in each container. Upon arrival in Helsinki recycling will be an easy routine. Introductions are available for instance in hsy.fi and Info Finland.
Recycling bottles
There is an efficient deposit system for bottles in Finland, thanks to which the recycling rate of cans and bottles is more than 90%! Almost every beverage package in Finland is pledged and you can return used bottles and cans to all retail return vending machines in Finland.
Water
Drink tap water! All tap water in Helsinki is perfectly drinkable and the quality is good. Start your stay in Helsinki by getting your own reusable water bottle!
Haaga-Helia has joined the Environmental Commitment of Finnish Chamber of Commerce, where educational institutions commit to becoming carbon neutral by the year 2030.
Haaga-Helia is committed to the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), that aim to develop business education and research to correspond the sustainable development goals.
Welcome Guide
Haaga-Helia is a strongly business orientated university of applied sciences in Finland. Through education, research and development, we prepare professionals for business and services. We focus on co-operation, entrepreneurship, innovation and internationality.
Our story starts in the late 19th century. Here at Haaga-Helia, we look at our past with pride whilst remembering that education always looks into the future. Education responds to topical needs – in fact, it very much anticipates the future needs of society. That is the basis of its vigour and energy. Today’s Haaga-Helia promises to open doors to working life. This same promise was given when the first educational institutions which are part of Haaga-Helia’s past were founded. Our story is filled with many people, plenty of courage and a pioneering outlook. These things are also part of our constant core. We create new working life.
