Owais Crawford
Helsinki Airport is known for its ease of transfer, with all gates located in one terminal building, making it convenient for passengers to reach their connecting flights. The airport offers a range of services, restaurants, shops, and cafes in both the Schengen and non-Schengen areas. If you have a long layover, you may want to explore the nearby area, such as the city of Vantaa, known for its Finnish nature and traditions, or even experience Finnish sauna culture. However, it's important to consider the time required for clearing immigration and reaching your departing gate when planning any excursions outside the airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Leaving the airport during a layover | Travellers from outside the Schengen area can leave the airport if they don't need a visa to visit the Schengen area, or they already have a visa that allows a visit to Finland. |
| Schengen area | Finland is a Schengen country. |
| Transfer times | Transfer times at Helsinki Airport are among the shortest in Europe. |
| Airport facilities | Helsinki Airport has a range of shopping, restaurant and leisure facilities. |
| Transport into Helsinki | The train takes around 20 minutes to reach Helsinki Central Station. |
| Attractions in Helsinki | The Ataneum Museum, Töölönlahtia, Finnish Aviation Museum, Jumbo shopping centre, Market Square, Old Market Hall, Allas Sea Pool, Backas Manor, Kuninkaan Lohet restaurant, ice swimming at Löyly. |
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What You'll Learn
Exploring the Vantaa area
Vantaa, the fourth most populous city in Finland, is a vibrant community that combines natural charm with modernity. It is easily accessible from the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Finland's largest airport. Here are some ways to explore Vantaa and its surroundings:
Nature and Outdoor Activities
Vantaa offers numerous parks, woodlands, and nature trails for outdoor enthusiasts. Kuusijärvi, a beloved recreational area, is a 20-kilometre journey north of Helsinki. It features a clean lake, sandy beaches, and scenic forest trails ideal for hiking, running, and swimming. It is also famous for its traditional Finnish smoke saunas, especially during winter when visitors can alternate between the sauna and an icy lake dip.
Museums and Cultural Attractions
The Vantaa City Art Museum, known as Artsi, showcases a unique cultural experience with its focus on graffiti, street art, and performance art. The Vantaa City Museum, located in the Old Railway Station Building in Tikkurila, takes visitors through the region's history. The Finnish Aviation Museum, located near the airport, displays over two dozen aircraft and aviation exhibits.
Science and Leisure Centres
The world-renowned Heureka Science Centre captivates visitors with over 200 interactive exhibits, a planetarium, and a science park. For leisure, the Flamingo Spa & Leisure Centre, Finland's largest, offers a waterpark, spa, bowling, cinemas, and mini-golf.
Historical Sites
Sotunki Village in Vantaa offers a glimpse into rural life in southern Finland, featuring sculpture parks, a farmhouse, the Trollberga Tractor & Agricultural Museum, and guided forest hikes.
Nearby Attractions in Helsinki
With its proximity to Helsinki, Vantaa visitors can easily access Helsinki's cultural attractions. The Helsinki Cathedral showcases stunning architecture and zinc sculptures. The Ataneum Museum offers a comprehensive look at Finnish art, and the Töölönlahtia neighbourhood provides green spaces and cultural offerings. Helsinki also boasts excellent dining options, including vegan restaurants and Finnish specialities.
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Finnish sauna culture
If you're transferring at Helsinki Airport, you might be wondering if you can leave the airport during your layover to experience Finnish sauna culture. The answer is yes, and there are plenty of options for doing so, especially if you have a long layover.
Saunas are a huge part of Finnish culture, and there are an estimated three million saunas in Finland for a population of 5.5 million. Finnish sauna culture has been recognised by UNESCO as part of its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Saunas are so important to Finns that they are the first things built when Finns move, and they have been used for living in, eating in, and even giving birth in. In such a cold climate, saunas provide a source of warmth. Finnish soldiers on peacekeeping missions are famous for their saunas, and they have even been known to build them during breaks.
If you want to experience Finnish sauna culture during a layover in Helsinki, you can head to the Kuusijärvi outdoor recreational centre, which is about an hour away by public transport and features a traditional smoke sauna. If you have a longer layover, you can visit Löyly in Hernesaari, Helsinki, where you can try ice swimming in winter. There are also multiple public saunas in Helsinki where you can experience the traditional Finnish way of going to a sauna.
If you don't have time to leave the airport, you might still be able to experience a sauna there. Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport is quick and easy to zip out of and into town, and there are saunas in the most unexpected places in the city—there's even one in a Burger King.
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Finnish food and drink
If you're transferring at Helsinki Airport, you may be wondering about the possibility of leaving the airport during your layover to sample some Finnish food and drink. The good news is that Helsinki Airport is easy to transfer through, with short transfer times and all gates under one roof. If you're travelling within the Schengen area, you are allowed to exit the airport during your layover. Travellers from outside the Schengen area can also leave the airport if they don't need a visa to visit the Schengen area or if they already have a visa that allows them to visit Finland.
Now, on to the food and drink! Finnish food is known for being fresh, healthy, and delicious. It often features wholemeal products such as rye, barley, and oats, as well as berries like bilberries, lingonberries, cloudberries, and sea buckthorn. Milk and its derivatives, such as buttermilk and sour milk, are also commonly used in Finnish cuisine and drinks. Traditional Finnish breakfast includes a substantial portion of porridge, typically made with rolled oats, rye, or multi-grain porridge. It is often served with milk, sugar, butter, or berry kiisseli. Other breakfast options include yoghurt or viili (a sour milk product) with cereals, and pannukakku, a type of baked oven pancake.
Finland has a strong coffee culture, with the highest coffee consumption per capita in the world. It is typical for Finns to drink coffee throughout the day, often accompanied by a sweet bun or a sandwich. Most workplaces even allocate time for coffee breaks, and it is considered a small courtesy to offer coffee to visitors.
If you're looking for some traditional Finnish dishes to try during your layover, here are some options:
- Karjalanpiirakka: a popular pastry from the Karelia region, often served with sugared lingonberries.
- Korvapuusti: a cinnamon roll, also known as "slapped ears," made with milk, fresh yeast, and ground cardamom, typically served with coffee.
- Muikku: a small freshwater fish that is abundant in Finland and can be prepared in various ways, such as breaded and fried in butter.
- Graavilohi: a Nordic dish of raw salmon cured in salt, sugar, and dill, often served as an appetizer with a dill or mustard sauce.
- Mustikkapiirakka: a blueberry pie made with bilberries, a Nordic cousin of the blueberry, often served with yoghurt and fresh milk.
- Salmiakki: salty liquorice flavoured with ammonium chloride, typically eaten as candy but also used to flavour other dishes and drinks.
- Poronkaristys: a reindeer dish where the meat is thinly sliced, fried in fat, spiced, and cooked in liquid until tender.
In addition to these dishes, Helsinki and the surrounding area offer a variety of dining options, including vegan restaurants, Finnish speciality eateries, and standard airport chains. If you're looking for a quick snack, you can also visit Market Square ("Kauppatori" in Finnish) and the historic Old Market Hall for a fantastic array of Finnish foods.
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Transport options
Helsinki Airport is easy to get in and out of, with short transfer times. The whole airport is under one roof, so you can walk from one gate to the next. The gate area is divided into two areas, one for Schengen flights and one for flights that arrive and depart from non-Schengen countries.
If you are travelling within the Schengen area, you are allowed to exit the airport during a layover. Travellers from outside the Schengen area can also leave the airport if they don't need a visa to visit the Schengen area or if they already have a visa that allows them to visit Finland.
If you only have an hour or two to spare, you can visit a local museum. The Finnish Aviation Museum is a few minutes away by train. If you want to shop, the Jumbo shopping centre is 15 minutes away by bus.
If you have a longer layover, you can visit Helsinki city centre. The train station is a 10-minute walk from the airport, and the journey to the centre takes around 20 minutes. A single tram ticket is valid only on the streetcar, while a Metro ticket is valid on both forms of transportation. The Metro has only two lines but they cover the whole city and go well into the suburbs.
Helsinki is known for its sauna culture, and if you have a long layover, you can visit a traditional smoke sauna at Kuusijärvi outdoor recreational centre, which takes about an hour to reach on public transport. During winter, you can try ice swimming at Löyly. There are also multiple public saunas in Helsinki.
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Passport control
Helsinki Airport is known for its efficiency, with short transfer times and an unhurried, friendly atmosphere. The airport is under one roof, with all gates located in one terminal building, making it easy to transfer between flights. The gate area is divided into two sections: one for Schengen flights and one for non-Schengen flights.
If you are travelling within the Schengen area, you are allowed to exit the airport during a layover. Passengers from outside the Schengen area can also leave the airport if they meet entry requirements, such as not needing a visa to visit the Schengen area or already possessing a visa that permits entry to Finland.
When travelling from or to a non-Schengen country, you will need to go through passport control. Citizens of the EU, Scandinavia, and Switzerland with biometric passports can use automatic border control machines to expedite this process. Nationals of Japan and South Korea may use these gates during the afternoon when departing for non-Schengen destinations.
Helsinki Airport provides clear signage to guide you to your connecting flight. The Finnair mobile app and airport monitors display departure times, gate numbers, and estimated travel times to your gate. Transfer Service desks near gates 29 and 52 can provide additional assistance if needed.
If you have a connecting flight, it is important to allow sufficient time for transfer. If your flights are not booked under the same reservation, you will need to collect your luggage, proceed with check-in, and go through security control. Keep in mind your airline's check-in schedule, and if you have items requiring customs inspection, declare them at the Customs office near gate 29 or using phones on passenger bridges if travelling from Norway or Iceland.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, but don't forget that it will take you 30-45 minutes to get landside and you will need to be at your departure gate 30 minutes before your flight.
You can take a taxi, a tram, the Metro, or a coach.
If you only have an hour or two, you could visit a local museum, such as the Finnish Aviation Museum. If you have a longer layover, you could visit a sauna or try some Finnish food.
Yes, you can view art (there's an art gallery near Gate 37), have a massage, or nap in one of the airport's napping pods.
