HELSINKI AIRPORT | GUIDE TO HELSINKI AIRPORT (HEL)

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport serves as Finland's premier international airport and is the leading aviation hub for the greater Helsinki area. It is situated in Vantaa, a commuter suburb of the Finish capital, some 17 km (10.6 miles) north of the city's center.

In 2020 the airport handled some 5.08 million passengers, which was quite far from its peak of 21.9 million passengers in 2019. The airport has three runways and can accept the Airbus A340 super-jet planes and the A350 aircraft.

Finnair uses Vantaa Airport as its base, as does Blue1, the Finnish regional branch of carrier SAS. Among the other domestic airlines stationed here are Flybe and Air Finland. Among the international carriers providing flight routes from Helsinki-Vantaa are airlines such as Aer Lingus, Aeroflot, Air Berlin, American Airlines, British Airways, KLM, Qatar Airways, and Lufthansa and TAP Portugal.

Passengers with onward flight connections can choose from destinations such as Munich, Frankfurt, and Düsseldorf in Germany, Saint Petersburg, and Moscow in Russia, Istanbul in Turkey, Copenhagen in Denmark, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Lisbon in Portugal, or London Heathrow in the UK among many other domestic and international routes.

Outside the complex are several large hotels, and a new business park has been established at Aviapolis, which has become home to many large companies. Visitors to Helsinki, who have a little spare time on their hands, might enjoy a visit to the Finnish Aviation Museum, located close to the airport.

Helsinki Airport directly connects with the city via the Kehärata train line. See more about train services to and from Helsinki Airport.

These terminals have been divided into Schengen and non-Schengen arrival and departure areas. Passengers have access to free WiFi services in both terminals. A pedestrianized internal section links the two terminal buildings.

Many car rental companies are located both within and outside Helsinki Airport. See and compare all rental car companies at Helsinki Airport.

Various bus services link Helsinki Airport with the surrounding cities. Line 615 takes passengers to the Helsinki Central Train Station, a journey that takes between 30 to 55 minutes, depending on the time of day one travels. The bus also stops along some of the major hotels in the greater Helsinki area, a journey that can take between 15 minutes to two hours. For passengers in a hurry, there is also a more luxurious bus service operated by Finnair, which takes just 30 minutes to reach the city center.

Vantaa Airport has its coach terminal, from which passengers can catch coach connections to all parts of Finland. ExpressBus and Maktahuolto operate these services.

Helsinki Central Railway Station is located at Kaivokatu 1 in the city's center. Regional trains I and P travel between Central Railway Station and Helsinki Airport. Passengers can alternatively travel by bus line 615 to the town of Tikkurila, just over 5 km or 3 miles from the airport. Here passengers can board trains at the Tikkurila Train Station, from where the commuter and long-distance trains travel to Lahti, Tampere, Saint Petersburg, and Moscow.

Bus line 540 also travels from the airport to Espoo Train Station, where passengers can catch connections towards Turku. From Helsinki Central Train Station, passengers can either use the VR commuter railway system to locations within greater Helsinki or board long-distance trains to other parts of Scandinavia. Passengers also have access to the metro network at this station.

Passengers who have a little spare time before boarding their flight can relax and obtain refreshments at various cafes, bars, and restaurants on-site. It is possible to buy a take-away breakfast or lunch that travelers can consume on board the aircraft. The cafes and bars open very early in the morning and remain open until late at night. There are even cafes that stay open to provide passengers with around-the-clock service. Bar Delight, Café Picnic, Ceasar's Pizza & Food Court, O'Learys, Seasons Restaurant, and Street Bar are just some establishments that welcome guests daily.

Most of the airport's shops stay open from 5.30 am to 8.30 pm, but the shops along the departure lounges, once passengers have passed through passport control, are available from early morning until 11.00 pm. Shopping ranges from ARG Airport Fashion to Capi Electronics, Pharmacy, Luxbag, Mulberry, and Moomin Shop to the Grocery Store Alepa, Santa's Gift & Toy Store, and Tie Rack.

For more information about Helsinki Airport, please visit the official website at https://www.finavia.fi/en/airports/helsinki-airport.

Arrivals, Departures and Airlines at Helsinki Airport

• See live flight arrivals information at Helsinki Airport
• See live flight departures information at Helsinki Airport
• See all airlines and routes that serve Helsinki Airport

Parking at Helsinki Airport

See options for parking services at Helsinki Airport.

Additional Services and Amenities at Helsinki Airport

At Helsinki Airport you will find the usual array of bars and restaurants, airport lounges and shops.

• See all bars and restaurants inside Helsinki Airport
• See and book airport lounges at Helsinki Airport
• Plan your shopping in advance - see all the shops (including duty-free) at Helsinki Airport

Things to do in Helsinki

There are a number of activities to suit all ages and interests in the region - see a selection of tourist activities in Helsinki, Finland.