Uusimaa (Nyland in Swedish) is the southernmost region of Finland, wrapped around the Gulf of Finland and home to the capital, Helsinki. It combines a compact seaside capital, a UNESCO sea fortress, ancient forest national parks, and wooden-house towns such as Porvoo, Hanko, and Ekenäs, all within about two hours of each other by public transport.
- Public
- Excellent: one HSL zone ticket covers metro, trams, buses, commuter trains and the Suomenlinna ferry across Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and neighbouring municipalities, with frequent service and an app-based ticket.
- Taxi
- Available but expensive and unregulated in price; Bolt, Uber and Taksi Helsinki operate. Use for the airport only when the train does not suit.
- Rental
- Not needed in the capital region; useful for Fiskars, Hanko and Nuuksio.
- Walking
- Central Helsinki is compact and flat; the coast, Töölö and Kruununhaka are pleasant to walk. Outside the centre distances grow quickly.
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 5/5
- Taxi
- 3/5
- Rental
- 2/5
- Walking
- 4/5
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train I or P | EUR 4.50 via app / EUR 4.80 contactless (about $5.20 / $5.50 USD) | 27-32 min | |
| Bus 600 | EUR 4.50 via app / EUR 4.80 contactless (about $5.20 / $5.50 USD) | 40-55 min | |
| Taxi (fixed fare) | About EUR 35-45 (about $40-52 USD) | 25-35 min |
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Ticket Prices 2026
- Single ab bc cd de
- EUR 3.30 via app/card (about $3.80 USD), EUR 3.50 contactless (about $4 USD)
- Single abc bcd cde
- EUR 4.50 via app/card (about $5.20 USD), EUR 4.80 contactless (about $5.50 USD)
- Single abcd bcde
- EUR 5.00 via app/card (about $5.75 USD), EUR 5.30 contactless (about $6.10 USD)
- Single abcde
- EUR 6.10 via app/card (about $7 USD), EUR 6.50 contactless (about $7.50 USD)
- Children 7 17
- About half price, for example AB EUR 1.65 via app (about $1.90 USD)
- Ten journey abc
- EUR 40.50 (about $46.60 USD) from 2 June 2026
- Ten journey abcd
- EUR 45.00 (about $51.75 USD)
- Validity
- 80 to 110 minutes depending on the zones
Zones
A = central Helsinki; B = rest of Helsinki, most of Espoo and Kauniainen; C = Vantaa including the airport; D = Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Sipoo, southern Tuusula; E = Järvenpää and northern Tuusula. Porvoo, Loviisa, Hanko, Raseborg, Lohja and Hyvinkää are outside the HSL area.
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Overview
- Taxi prices have been unregulated since 2018, so every company sets its own tariff. Always ask for a fixed price for the airport and keep the receipt.
- Companies
- Taksi Helsinki, Bolt (app), Uber (app)
- Airport Fixed Fare
- About EUR 35-45 to the centre (about $40-52 USD)
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Helsinki to Porvoo
Duration: 50-70 min
Helsinki to Hanko
Duration: About 2-2.25 hours
Helsinki to Ekenäs
Duration: About 1 h 15 min
Helsinki to Loviisa
Duration: 1 h 15 min-1 h 35 min
Helsinki to Hyvinkää
Duration: 50-60 min
Helsinki to Tallinn
Duration: 2-2.5 hours
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Uusimaa is the capital region of Finland, and the whole built-up core (Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vantaa, Kerava, Kirkkonummi, Sipoo and Tuusula, plus Järvenpää in new zone E) runs on one HSL zone fare system covering trains, metro, trams, buses and the Suomenlinna ferry. Tickets are bought in the HSL app or by tapping a contactless bank card on the reader. Anything farther out, such as Porvoo, Loviisa, Hanko, Ekenäs, Fiskars and Hyvinkää, uses VR trains or Matkahuolto/OnniBus coaches instead. Walking and trams cover central Helsinki, and a rental car is only useful for Fiskars, Hanko and Nuuksio.
Airports
Helsinki Airport (Helsinki-Vantaa)
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
HSL app
VR app
Matkahuolto app
OnniBus
Waltti
Bolt
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Download the HSL app and buy an AB or ABC ticket before you board; a single ticket is valid 80-110 minutes depending on zones
From 2 June 2026 zone E exists (Järvenpää and northern Tuusula) and single-zone D tickets are no longer sold
Tap a contactless card for the fastest purchase, but note it costs EUR 0.20-0.40 more than the app (AB EUR 3.50 versus EUR 3.30)
Take the I or P train, not a taxi, from the airport: about 27-32 minutes for EUR 4.50-4.80
Check the Suomenlinna ferry timetable: autumn schedule from 14 September 2026, winter from 2 November 2026